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Forgotten Star

Carmelo Anthony

by MARK GREY

4.29.09

There is no question that the one thing that drives the NBA and this year's playoffs is star power. Unlike the NFL, which tries to sell its fans on great teams, the NBA is all about great players. Every commercial you see tells you to watch Kobe Bryant and the Lakers or LeBron James and the Cavs taking on Dwyane Wade’s Heat or Chris Paul’s Hornets. When a dominant player's team has a great season, the star gets all the credit. With fellow 2003 draft mates James' and Wade’s super star statuses at all-time highs, Carmelo Anthony has all but fallen off the super star map.

Once known as the threesome that was going to lead the NBA into the next era, LeBron, D Wade, and Melo’s names were inseparable. These days, while Wade and LeBron are consensus top 3 players in the NBA, you will be hard pressed to even hear Melo’s name mentioned in the top 10. While Anthony’s star status off the court is light years behind James' and Wade's, his play on it is not far behind at all.

Standing at 6 ’8 and weighing 240 pounds, Anthony is one of the only players in the NBA who has no offensive weakness. Melo is a nightmare for opposing teams when he is facing the basket or with his back to it. His midrange jumper is one of the best in the league and he has improved his range on his jumper to where he is better than both James and Wade from behind the arc. His first step is quicker than anyone his size not named LeBron, and he does a great job finishing with either hand around the basket. In the paint, Anthony demands a double team every time he touches the ball because his combination of strength and quick feet can only be matched by a handful of players in the NBA. When it comes to putting points on the board, Anthony is as good as anyone in the NBA. Both Wade and James had much higher scoring numbers this year since they both play in offenses where they have the ball in their hands the majority of the time. Thus, they take more shots than Anthony. In 2006, Carmelo showed what kind of scoring he can bring with the ball in his hands by averaging 29 points a game while leading his team to the playoffs.

The one gaping hole in Anthony’s game has always been his effort on the defensive end. While neither of his two draft mates were known as defensive stoppers going into this season, they have both recently made great leaps in their defense. Melo too has made improvements but is still far from being considered for any defensive awards anytime soon. Both Wade and James benefit from playing in defensive-minded systems with defensive-minded coaches, while Melo seems to have adopted George Karl’s ‘just-outscore-them-on-the-other-end’ defensive philosophy. Although his defense still has a long way to go to before it is thought of as elite, it is a work in progress and has already come a long way in this season alone.

This year, LeBron did a great job of leading his team to the best record in the NBA and received every bit of credit for his team’s success. Wade led his team to the fifth seed in a weak Eastern Conference and has been given credit for every single Heat victory as if he plays 1 on 5 basketball every night. On the flip side, Anthony led his team to the second best record in the Western Conference and all the credit went to his teammate Chauncey Billups. There is no questioning Billups' impact since arriving in Denver, but to gauge Melo’s impact on this year's team, one needs to look at Denver's record in the games he missed. In the 16 games Melo missed this year, the Nuggets went 9-7. While a 56 percent winning percentage might not seem that bad, it would only have put them 10th in this year's Western Conference. Even with the success of his team, while Wade and James will be splitting MVP votes, Anthony will be lucky to even make third team All NBA.

Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James (left to right)

Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James (left to right)

Since coming into the NBA in 2003 after leading Syracuse to a National Championship, Melo has never received the credit he deserves. After leading all rookies in scoring while taking his team to the playoffs, Anthony was snubbed as LeBron was named Rookie of the Year. Anthony is the only one of the three to lead his team to the playoffs every year since joining the NBA. Melo has most game winning buzzer beaters of the three, but James and Wade are the ones regarded as the best closers in the game. When all three were members of the 2006 USA Men’s Basketball team, it was Carmelo who was named to the All Tournament team and team MVP after leading the team in scoring for the tournament. In the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, Melo again led the team in scoring while Wade and James received all the spotlight.

There is no doubt that James and Wade are great and that they both deserve the praise they receive. The problem is the lack of attention Carmelo receives for his great play. Is he a game changer on both ends of the court? No. But neither is Dirk Nowitizki nor Steve Nash and they have combined to win three MVPs. Yet somehow, Anthony can’t even crack second team all NBA. Yes, Carmelo has had a few off-court issues since arriving in the NBA but that should not keep him out of the debate of top 10 players in the NBA. I am not saying that Anthony is as great as his two draft classmates, I’m just saying that he is not as far behind as people think.

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Crazy Dolphin!!!! - Give Credit

|2009-05-07 22:38:17

I guarantee if you ask any of Melo's peers if he is the truth; they all will
tell you he's beyond that!! He has so much silent savvyness to his game. Just
b/c he's not as flamboyant as Lebron or Wade doesn't mean he isn't just as good
or even better than them on some nights!! Everybody cant be in t-mobile and
vitamin water commercials all the time! Melo seems to get overlooked by the
fans. but the real sports fanatics know he should always make at least the All
NBA second team!! Look at the work he put in at the olympics. He looked
possessed! And if im not mistaken, didnt Melo score 33 straight points in one
qtr this year??!! If Lebron would've done that, the HYPE MACHINE (media, tv,
talk shows, etc) would've made sure everybody in the world knew about it. As
Mike Tyson would say, "this is ludacris!!!!"

nnkennedy

|2009-05-04 09:04:29

Melo's problem is that he's been playing out west. The same conference that has
Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitski, Tracy McGrady, Carlos Boozer, Lamar Odom, Amare
Stoudemire, and Pau Gasol. There's a ton of good forwards in the Western
Conference. Melo hasn't won as much as Duncan, Nowitski, Boozer, Gasol, or
Odom, an he's not as flashy as McGrady or Stoudemire. D-Wade and LeBron earned
their reputations by leading their teams in impressive playoff wins. Until Melo
can match that feat, he'll always be a notch below them.

Tre	\|2009-05-04 08:17:51

Melo is already a better offensive player than Lebron: has more moves and a
better jumpshot which is almost automatic now. The only thing he's not is 260
lbs and asked to play pg on occasion. Lebron's shot won't get much better than
it is now; it's streaky but with sharpshooting teammates picking up that slack
it's not a weakness like it used to be for the Cavs as a whole.

I've said
this before, Lebron is the new shaq at his position. No one on the floor is
equipped to handle him 1-5. Fowards are either too small or slow, Centers are
too slow, and guards are too small. All he has is size, quickness, and speed.
He uses it to his advantage like Wilt and Shaq but is far from being a great
technical bball player. He's one of a kind.

The only thing I disagree with is
Wade and Lebron being "great" defensive players. I don't see them doing
anything special, but the perception the league throws out there is that they
are so people believe it. BSPN shows a couple of highlight Lebron and Wade
blocks from behind and all of a sudden everybody thinks they play unheard of
before D.

If Melo was so bad on D, then how do you explain Denver's sea
change on that end of the floor? Billups can show the way and preach all he
wants but he doesn't defend every body on the opposing team. In the end he only
guards one guy. Melo's D is at least equal to Lebron and Wade but admitting
that is harder than just saying "it's all Billups."

Danny Boy

|2009-05-04 08:12:18

Melo was never a superstar to begin with, he is a star no doubt, but no
superstar.

KL	\|2009-05-04 08:10:47

I read this article a couple of days ago. It's pretty good. It does bring up a
valid point but as it stands right now Melo is already out of the first round,
setting carrer highs in point in the playoffs (though they arent' very
impressive) and overall playing some of the best basketball of his career. If
Melo wants to be mentioned up there with the NBA's fav 5 he has to play better
defense, plain and simple. But I think Billups will really help him get his mind
out of the gutter and start to focus on being the best player he can be. People
seem to forget that just a few years ago he was leading the league in scoring at
31 ppg until he got suspended, who knows that could have climbed to 32 or
someithing and he could have already won a scorging title. If he gets his mind
right he will be just as good as Wade and Lebron.

Captin X

|2009-05-04 08:07:20

Why doesnt anyone see that Melo is the one who brought back Billups career not
the other way around. Billups and the Pistons have been going backwards for
years now.

pappy

|2009-05-04 08:02:08

But what does he "deserve"? He clearly, and fairly, in the tier below
Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Howard, Garnett, Pierce and Duncan.
People want to place
him in that group. I'd love to see him there. But he's nowhere near there at
this point. He's probably between the 8-12th best player in the game. If
anything, I'd say he gets too much credit, like a McGrady.

terp954

|2009-05-02 07:33:44

Im with you 100 percent on James making his teammates better but Wade? I dont
know what Heat games you are watching but Wade isnt making anyone better. Wade
is the defintion of a one man show. He doesnt make a single player better. He
dribbles the ball to death unitil he finds the shot he wants or passes to a
teammate with like 5 left on the clock. Mike Beasley can flat out score and Wade
doesnt even give him a chance. You see everytime Wade doesnt play or is out
Beasly goes off. How about the Matrix..he was an all star playing with Nash. He
teams up with Wade and Wade makes him worse cause he is hogging the ball. If
they had a stat that kept track of amount of dribbles Wade would be first second
and third. Wade is a great one on one talent or even one on three
talent,,,however he makes no one better.

Anonymous

|2009-05-02 07:32:51

Iv'e said it all along and I will continue to say it, the only thing that
separates Wade and Lebron from Melo is drive. Both Wade and Lebron want to to be
the best in the world, that can't be said for Melo. I kind of get the sense that
although Melo loves basketball, he doesn't share the same level of passion for
the game that Lebron and Wade do. I also think that a lot of the times priority
number one for Melo is himself, where as Wade and Lebron make it their job to
make their teammates better. So with Melo, it's all mental. If he decides he
wants become the best in the game there isn't anything holding him back, he has
all the skills and athletiscism in the world, he just doesn't have it mentally.
I think this year's playoffs will change that drastically though. I expect Melo
to take the transition Wade and Lebron took this year, next year. I see him
learning a lot from Chauncy and I think he will develop that passion for the
game that has been missing for a while. I see him averaging over 25 ppg next
year with career highs in assists all while playing the best defense and team
ball of his career, all thanks to Chauncy

Deal with it

|2009-05-02 07:31:17

Lebron and Wade make their teammates better and play with a passion that Melo
just doesn't have. Can you say TMac

Nuggets fan

|2009-05-01 18:27:02

I think one reason Melo isn't in the limelight is he just isn't an explosive
player. He's all finesse. His midrange jumper is almost automatic most nights.
Wade and Lebron are always on the highlight reels with sick dunks and feats of
athletisism.

Melo is maturing, it's just a shame it took so long before
someone like Chauncey got here to show him the light. It will be interesting to
see what kind of player he becomes now that he's had a taste of success in the
post season.

Cuse fan

|2009-05-01 18:19:06

When Melo & Lebron came into the league in '03, it quickly became obvious that
the NBA was ready to anoint LBJ as its next superstar. Melo had a better rookie
year, in a tougher conference, & took his team to the playoffs for the first
time in a decade.
Yet, LBJ got ROY.
When DWade emerged, with a BIG helping
hand from Shaq of course, & in a weaker Eastern Conf., suddenly Melo was
relegated even further. Couple that with his off-court problems & you have the
situation as it exists today.
It's CRIMINAL that Andre Kirilenko & David West
were chosen as AllStars AHEAD of Melo- even when he was clearly having better
seasons.
It's like no matter what he did, he's never gotten his due.

In the
end though, WINNING cures all ills. By now it appears that Denver Nuggets
management & coaching staff seem to have gotten a clue, & have made the right
moves to help Melo shine. George Karl also FINALLY got the memo & realized that
DEFENSE wins championships! Who'da thunk it?

jamar atkins - Miller

|2009-05-01 16:59:37

and there is also a reason Andre Miller has never gone far in the
playoffs.......

Johnny Beanstalk - He isnt that great.

|2009-05-01 15:44:42

Melo is Tracy McGrady. Nice offense, but a little selfish and doesnt shoot a
great percentage. There is a reason Andre Miller and others have bad mouthed
playing with Melo after they leave the Nugs. He isn't a great teammate.

BMore

|2009-05-01 12:47:14

Melo is this generation's Alex English

Dont hate

|2009-05-01 12:17:34

Datdude did you even watch any of the first round..Melo was ballin every game

Rocco

|2009-05-01 12:12:26

Melo's biggest deficiency is his personality..By design or by nature, He's
limited himself..He's unable to connect with the mainstream media on a broad
stage which effects his marketability..

I still would choose him over
Durant..He has a more well rounded game..Durant falls in love with his jumpshot
too often...

Anonymous

|2009-05-01 12:10:18

I think Chauncey is the best thing to happen to Melo. I applaud him for taking
his game to the next level by striving to be more well rounded. He's had GREAT
rebounding games this year and GREAT passing games. In the past you knew Melo
could go off for 40 any night, but would he impact the game in other ways? He's
proven this year that just because he may have only scored 16 points doesn't
mean he didn't impact the game. He's still young as hell and he's clearly on his
way to that next level by becoming a WINNER first.

Datdude - forgotten star

|2009-05-01 11:40:25

Carmelo isnt the man on his team..Chauncey is the sole reason they are out the
first round

RANDY - Simply the best..

|2009-05-01 11:23:54

basketball player in the league. No other player is as technically proficient as
Melo. You would never teach a young player to emulate the style of Wade or
Lebron and many othe great players because they play unconventionally and rely
on enormous talent to suceed. Melo is the role model of how to play the game.How
to dribble, how to shoot, where to position yourself. All the fundementals in on
package. If Melo had played in a bigger pond no one would have cared about his
off court nonsense. There are really bad, evil and criminal athletes playing
in
modern sports yet we linger on his youthful mistakes. Fans can be the most
petty.

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