The New York Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony for one purpose, to win an NBA Championship. They gave up basically their entire roster and virtually every cent left under the salary cap in order to bring the "superstar" to New York. The new look Knicks posted a mediocre 14-14 record with 'Melo and fluttered in the playoffs, unable to close games and swept out of the first round by the rival Celtics.
In fairness, Chauncey Billups missed some time during both the regular season and playoffs with injuries and 'Melo and Amare didn't have nearly enough time to gel on the court. But now, Knicks fans expect more from 'Melo. If he thinks he's in the same conversation with the current stars of the game like Kobe, Lebron, and Wade then this is the year to prove it. 'Melo has to become more of a team player as well as a committed defender forthe Knicks to have a chanceto go deep into the playoffs. He has to realize when he's needed to score and when it's better to defer to Amare, Chanucey, and others.
While watching the 28 Knicks games after the 'Melo trade I saw glimpses of brilliance from the former Nugget. He continuously hit the mid-range jumper, bullied defenders in the post, and seemingly got to the rack whenever hepleased. But, I also saw some disconcerting habits. 'Melo consistently held the ball on offense, jabbing, pump faking, and dribbling all by himself for a good chunk of the possession while teammates stood cemented to the court and stared. He often failed to recognize double-teams and threw up wild, off balance shots instead of hitting the open man. My biggest gripe with 'Melo, and the entire Knicks team for that matter, is his inconcistent intensity and effort on the defensive end.
'Melo and the Knicks seemed content to just trade baskets, relying on their superstar's abilities to bail them out in the end. Maybethe Knicks could get away with that in the regular season but we all saw that that kind of play does not translate in the playoffs. What baffles me even more is that we've seen 'Melo, Amare, and the rest of the Knicks play some great defense in stretches when they wanted to.
It all comes down to effort, focus, team play, and a will to win. 'Melo has to limit his propensity to hold onto the ball on offense and be more committed on defense. He has to recognize when to take over the game scoring the basketball and when to defer to Amare or another teammate with an advantageous matchup. Most importantly, he has to be another leader both on the court and in the locker room. He has to be committed to excellence and demand it from his teammates.
'Melo has a lot to prove this season. Was he worth the cap constraints? Was he worth giving up a ton of young talent? Can he help bring a Championship back to the city that lives and breathes basketball? Those questions and more will be answered in the coming years. It all begins in 2011.
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