Actually its not by opportunity scorer i mean that he scores his points off things that are not part of any offensive set. He gets his points off steals put backs an occasional screen and roll. Pin down are run for Paul Pierce end of game situations are run for Paul Pierce. Rondo sets people up but if setting a person up means that "running an offense through you" then Dallas runs their offense through Jason Kidd. Primary scorer is typically the person that an offense is run through

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Dallas runs their offense through Dirk.

Boston runs it through Rondo. Pierce usually does take the last shot but in a half court it's Rondos job to get wide open jumpers for KG and Bass, find Ray off screens, and let Pierce get what's left. All the half court sets are run through Rondo. Their whole offense would be completely different if a guy like Rose replaced Rondo. If anyone else replaced any other guy in the lineup the offense would still be run roughly the same. That's how you know who the offense runs through.

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My only question then is who should they run the offense through? If Melo is the "best player", shouldn't it go through him? I understand that all players struggle and offensive schemes have to adjust, but one can't simply make your best player a second or third option all the time.

That is really the point I got hung up on with Rick. If not Melo, then who?

Lin. Melo is unquestionably the better player but he doesn't seem to have an understanding of basketball philosophy. He clearly shows a lack of awareness of when the double team is coming, the importance of double screens, and regularly misses open guys cutting to the basket. He's the douchebag that goes left when someone goes and runs a right side pick.

Lin is definitely less than ideal but they don't have anyone els. A healthy Stoudemire was the best option but we aren't gonna ever see that guy again. They really aren't that talented of a team.

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Why does it have to run specifically through one player? Do you think all NBA teams are designing an offense to concentrate on simply giving one guy as many shots as possible? I don't.

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I think many teams do actually organize their offensive sets to allow their best player(s) to get the most shots, yes. The game moves fast enough to allow that to happen via screens, ball movement, and isolation.

You can have an offense run through a player without it meaning that player getting as many shots as possible. Tim Duncan(a few years ago) and Steve Nash are obvious immediate examples. It just means that they are the best playmakers on the team and/or the ones the coach trusts the most.

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I agree with you they were good that year and if not for the fact that the Lakers were very good they would have been playing Boston in the Finals. The addition of Billups made a big difference but he was getting old which made it difficult to for them to sustain what they accomplished that year.

Yes. They do, if they have a player that has proven that he's good enough to make your team among the elite by doing it. Carmelo hasn't yet.

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So, we basically saw the "problem" with the philosophy of "Get the ball to Carmelo and let him do what he does". He was awesome on Sunday, and dominated, and the Knicks won. However, that doesn't happen all that often, and then the Knicks are average even when Carmelo puts up good numbers. Does Goff really want to build a whole team around hoping Carmelo can do what he did on Sunday or should the Knicks try and build around a team concept?

I just don't see what the Knicks are doing as a good plan for future success. In fact, I'm pretty sure watching Carmelo score a bunch of points and winning half your games is a terrible version of "NBA Hell".

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As big of a Carmelo fan as I am, I can see the truth in that. That's very well-put.

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Melo will never win in the NBA


And B and B loving Melo is just part of their larger anti Grindy stance.

What is funny is how the argument has changed from him being a guy that you couldnt win with to a guy that scores a lot of points on .500 team. Carmelo is a very good player on a team with average players. It has been that way his entire career. Has he benefitted from playing with Hall of Fame players no. Kevin Garnett was also a loser so was Ray Allen i guess. There have been many players that have not won championships. The great Kobe Bryant was screaming to get out of L.A. until they got a very good Pau Gasol to play with him. Dwayne Wade begged for better players to come and play with him. Lebron James ran from Cleveland to play with better players. The Knicks are a better team with offense running through Carmelo Anthony and it is tougher for some people to admit that so it is cling to notion that is a guy that you cant win with

You do realize that every player you named had lead to teams being elite and all but Lebron have rings.

When Carmelo gets a ring, or even plays on a team thats a legitimate title contender, we can discuss your post. Until then, please remove it.

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That #8 Seed they are going to get this season is really going to cement his legacy as great NBA star.

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"Come on man, you give Melo the ball and let him do his thing and good things will happen!...Everyone was sayin' that he isn't really good at basketball and isn't a star...I mean, I was the only one sayin' that he could play basketball good and score the ball in the hoop. People were like "hey he's no good and stinks!" and was the only one sayin he was good....I mean, come on man watch the damn television."


Let Melo do his "thing" and the Knicks will....cling on to an 8th seed.

AbsoFuckinLutely


But its not that Carmello is a loser persay. Its just that the style that he insists on playing, Melo goes 1 on 1 consistently (AKA the Goff offense), doesnt work.


No team has ever won a title playing that way.

Jordan couldnt do it. No one can.


If you assume Melo will learn how to play with teammates, he certainly could win. But thats a big assumption.

Denver being better without him isn't helping his legacy, either.

long time guy,
How many playoff series has the "Get the ball to Carmelo and let him do his thing" strategy won?

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Is he the McGrady of this generation?

Kevin Garnett made it out of the first round of the playoffs only once in his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves and that only happened win he got Sam Cassell and Sprewell. Where was he leading them. He won a championship once he got with better players. The Lakers were a #8 seed barely making the playoffs until they got Pau Gasol Remember the joke about Kobe never winning one without Shaq. Better players make a better team. The Knicks have been a much better team with Carmelo Anthony as their best player. It doesn't fit the narrative for people that clung to the fallacy that he was the problem. Whats interesting is that they are doing without three people that rarely get criticism The ex-coach the point guard that they wanted to turn the team over to and the declining all star. Check their record since those three checked out.

That's really why players that are only volume scorers aren't as highly regarded as say even 10 years ago. The old logic used to be "Well he can win a playoff game or two all by himself" but then everyone realized those teams always lose 4-1 or 4-2 in the opening round.

On a somewhat related note that's why I don't entirely agree with the criticism that Rudy Gay is too passive on offense. I think he's made it a point to try to fit in with the group that looked great in the playoffs last year instead of trying to be The Man.

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They did have one year where they won two series. Otherwise, always one and done.

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Melo can say it feels good to be in the 2nd round.

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This Garnett stuff is gonna make me puke


Garnett is a fucking loser. He's a 2nd option at best.

He had many oppurtunites to win in the playoffs as a star and failed consistently


Thats why I started to dislike him. Everybody feeling sorry for KG. As if he deserves two all stars to play with him. A lot of stars had no other all stars on their team and found a way to win a few series here and there.

he did nothing.

Then he had the talent (Casell and Spree) and he lost that year.

Just not a #1 guy. Not some crazy unlucky would be superstar who just got screwed.

Doesn't he have an NBA Championship ring? Something Benedict LeBron, Chris Bosh, Derrick Rose & Kevin Durant don't?

SHARK, Matt Bullard has two championship rings. That doesn't always matter.

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I grant you they have not won but two playoff series thus that strategy alone will not win it for you. My point is that he is an asset for a team and not a liability which has often been the portrayal of him. There are guys that score a lot of points that don't impact games in my opinion he is not one of them. He single handidly almost beat Boston in one of the playoff games last year and for that one game with no Stoudamire or Billups it almost worked. That is not enough but not of the other guys have been ever to Single handidly carry their teams to championships either. They all of had help where is his?

Get em SHARK!

They would have won in 2009 if KG didn't get hurt also.

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What is your point? It seems to be that "Getting the ball to Carmelo and letting him do his thing" isn't going to work. He needs a team of people playing well just like Garnett. Thanks for helping my point!
You really are impressed by the Knicks probably getting an 8 seed. I'm not.

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