People who claim Melo is overrated because of his defense and his low shooting percentages have to realize that Carmelo practically beats teams on his own when he has to.
Seriously this is a team that CRUSHED the CP3-led Hornets and beat the Dirk-led Mavs all the while an aging Chauncey Billups shooting 42% was their primary second option...Melo is legit, he's got game and his track record proves it.
Edit: So I went and looked at it some more...
Carmelo is 7th amongst NBA forwards in assists per game. That's not bad considering he, unlike LeBron and whatnot, is NOT ever the primary ballhandler for his team...he's not a Point Forward like LeBron is, he works just fine having a PG distribute the ball to him because he's a great off the ball player.
Carmelo is one of the best rebounding SF in the league - he's 19th in the league (or was it 17th? I counted badly...doesn't matter) in rebounding amongst NBA forwards, but all of the players ahead of him are generally power forwards...in other words he's probably one of the better rebounding SFs there is in basketball.
Carmelo is 7th in the league in FTA per game, and is improving his 3-point shooting as well.
Make no mistake guys, this guy is a premier offensive threat in the league. His defense may be questionable AT TIMES, but he's the real deal and his offense is just THAT good. If LeBron and Wade who are the same player with different heights can complement each other well enough on that Miami Heat team, then Carmelo and Amar'e can both do excellent considering both are great whilst not functioning as the primary ball handler of the team.
In other words, let's get him.
^^ very nice. For one, he doesn't have a great cast if shooters knocking down his assists, and either way for a forward he IS a capable passer as I was saying w what I believe is ~3 assists/game.
Let's be real, this isn't Monte Ellis who is more of a true "ball hog". Idk. Ellis isnt even that bad. He isn't Jamal Crawford.
Metro's stat seems to show he isn't a terribly "efficient" scorer. Right? I'm sure there's something to it. In turn, Gallo is a leage leading type guy in True Offensive Scoring stats, when clearly as a player, he is rather inconsistent and shoots a low %fg.
I counter the Melo doubters, who don't necessarily have incorrect doubts, by just saying: if we don't get Melo, the only way we realistically win a title is if Gallo/Chandler, ages ~22, become legit all stars, and/or we beast this off season in signings. We have a championship window to optimally work within, and go for the kill as many times as we have years within it.
**I predicate all this upon Walsh being a cut throat negotiator, and setting it up where DEN can **** off if they don't buckle and risk Melo just walking so they can get NJ offer or what not. In which case I won't shed a tear; I'm a fan going the other route, though I think it's riskier. Kirilienko, BigBaby, M.Gasol, Richardson, Mayo, keeping Chandler. The off season could be ripe w acquisitions.
edit -- will say, Rono dogging Melo so hard worries me. Broheem can evaluate talent. A no wonder he's such a staunch Gallo fan.