It amazes me how these "experts" form their opinions. If you dont follow a team and watch the games, how can you get a full understanding on what is happening? Lately I have been hearing some disturbing thoughts on the New York Knicks. It seems that those over on ESPN are saying that Amare' Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are going to disrupt the team because they are defensive liabilities. It's funny to me since the Knicks have improved defensively this year and that is with Amare' and Melo in the line up. Before Jeremey Lin started to see heavy minutes the problem was offense and not defense.
The other thing that i have been hearing from the "experts" is that Carmelo Anthony is a selfish player and won't mesh with Jeremey Lin. I have never heard about anyone calling Melo selfish, but now that you need a story these "experts" just throw that out there. Even if you didnt watch the games this year to see Melo getting his teammates involved, you could look at the stats to see that Melo is leading the Knicks in assists. I really dont understand how these people come up with this stuff out of nowhere.
One thing you will notice when watching Carmelo Anthony during his Knicks era is that he has become a very good three point shooter. He takes a lot of shots from beyond the ark when in his career he has been known to isolate and drive to the basket. Now that he has a true point guard he will be able to pop and shoot more and won't be in a position to drive on triple coverage.
Carmelo Anthony is also the leading scorer on the Knicks and let us not forget that he and Amare' Stoudemire are the two superstars on the team and they have specific jobs : SCORE. Amare' is one of the best pick and roll players in the League so it is natural for Him to get along great with Lin on the court. Anthony has been facing double and triple teams all year and thanks to Lin being on the court He won't have that problem as much so please tell me how Melo will hurt the Knicks when he will be one on one with defenders. Tyson Chandler came to the Knicks to be a defender, but with Lin he has been an offensive threat as well.
You can listen to the "experts" if you want to, but I've been watching every game this year and I know better. Maybe it's time to realize that Knicks fans are finally getting a complete team. They have a true starting point guard in Lin that has taken the sports World by storm, a first line of defense Center who has great pick and roll chemistry with his point guard in Chandler, an athletic Power Foward with a deadly 15 footer in Stoudemire, a smart defender and rebounding Shooting Guard in Landry Fields, and now you are getting back one of the best scorers in the League starting at Small Foward in Anthony. How is that a bad thing?
Let us not forget that the Knicks finally have some depth as well. Jared Jeffries has finally convinced the fans at Madison Square Garden that he deserves cheers and not boos. He has always played defense, but now he is contibuting on the offensive side of the ball as well. Steve Novak has been knocking down shot after shot, and Billy Walker has proven that he can go on hot streaks. Iman Shumpert is already a defensive power house half way through his Rookie season, but he is now being put into his natural position as a Shooting Guard and showing a lot of flare on the offensive side of the ball. He looks to be the 6th Man scorer that the Knicks need.
Last but not least are the two players on the injury list. Baron Davis was suppose t be the starting Point Guard once healthy, but now will probably be the savy veteran leading the 2nd unit. Rookie Josh Harrelson was looking like a 2nd round steal before his wrist injury and his return will give the Knicks another big body that can stretch the defense as well.
The Knicks need to be talked about as a team that will only get better when certain players return to the line up and not a disaster waiting to happen. Even an "expert" should know that........
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