Does Melo Deserve To Be Sh!tted On As Much As He Does?

[Prodyson]

I Have 5 Reasons why this doesn't completely fall on Melo... And I'm a Knick fan

1. Jason Kidd is playing like trash.... dude hasn't even scored a point this series.
2. JR Smith is playing like trash... self explanatory
3. Tyson Chandler is getting abused... how did he make 1st defensive team this year?
4. Raymond Felton is not playing consistent enough or agressive enough
5. Mike Woodson is doing a terrible job making adjustments... Novak and Copeland should be getting much more playing time considering how bad JR Smith has been playing. At least they would be more efficient offensively and could open things up for Melo

Add all of this with Melo being an average defender (matching up with Paul George and David West), and having no other legitimate scoring option, Melo is forced to take ill advised shots. Hell, even when he tried to take less shots in game 3 (16), the rest of the team didn't step up. And people are acting like Melo isn't grabbing boards.... He's leading his team this series in boards. He's grabbed 9, 11, 5, and 9 boards. Tyson Chandler has grabbed 3, 4, 5, and 10 boards. That's unacceptable.

Is Melo a flawed player?... Yes. But when the players around him at least do their jobs, he's top 5 in the league. When they don't, he drops down to top 10-15 because he can't be efficient with his type of game, when a team can focus on him alone.

His problem is that he's not Lebron James. He can't pass like Lebron, he's not as athletic as Lebron, and he can't play defense like Lebron. But neither can anyone else in this league. Kevin Durant tries to play like Lebron and gets turnover after turnover. If Melo could just get a LEGITIMATE and HEALTHY second option... he would be worlds better on a consistent basis.

 

[FTBS]

I Have 5 Reasons why this doesn't completely fall on Melo... And I'm a Knick fan

1. Jason Kidd is playing like trash.... dude hasn't even scored a point this series.
2. JR Smith is playing like trash... self explanatory
3. Tyson Chandler is getting abused... how did he make 1st defensive team this year?
4. Raymond Felton is not playing consistent enough or agressive enough
5. Mike Woodson is doing a terrible job making adjustments... Novak and Copeland should be getting much more playing time considering how bad JR Smith has been playing. At least they would be more efficient offensively and could open things up for Melo

Add all of this with Melo being an average defender (matching up with Paul George and David West), and having no other legitimate scoring option, Melo is forced to take ill advised shots. Hell, even when he tried to take less shots in game 3 (16), the rest of the team didn't step up. And people are acting like Melo isn't grabbing boards.... He's leading his team this series in boards. He's grabbed 9, 11, 5, and 9 boards. Tyson Chandler has grabbed 3, 4, 5, and 10 boards. That's unacceptable.

Is Melo a flawed player?... Yes. But when the players around him at least do their jobs, he's top 5 in the league. When they don't, he drops down to top 10-15 because he can't be efficient with his type of game, when a team can focus on him alone.

His problem is that he's not Lebron James. He can't pass like Lebron, he's not as athletic as Lebron, and he can't play defense like Lebron. But neither can anyone else in this league. Kevin Durant tries to play like Lebron and gets turnover after turnover. If Melo could just get a LEGITIMATE and HEALTHY second option... he would be worlds better on a consistent basis.

A lot of truth in what you said. However nikkas wouldn't be taking time to list the contributions of those guys if shyt was going well, like it did during the season. It would be all about Melo, like it was during the season.

As far as a legitimate second option goes Melo has had that multiple times (AI, Billups, Amare) and with the exception of 09 things never turned out any better than they did now. You are absolutely right that Melo is flawed. People get so caught up in scoring and "clutch" but they totally miss the totality of the game. If you look at the greatest players throughout history they were able to affect the game in more ways than one.

 

[Street Knowledge]

The problem is melo isn't an efficient PS scorer, he's like Allen iverson status. You can be "one dimensional", but you better be great at that one thing

No one would care if he was as efficient as Kevin Durant for example

 

[NYC Rebel]

I look at Melo no differently than I do Paul Pierce. If you put good pieces around him, he'll blossom. I don't see the use of bringing up a fading AI and Billups as great second options Melo played with. And Amares limitations would handicap many a team.

 

[Prodyson]

A lot of truth in what you said. However nikkas wouldn't be taking time to list the contributions of those guys if shyt was going well, like it did during the season. It would be all about Melo, like it was during the season.

As far as a legitimate second option goes Melo has had that multiple times (AI, Billups, Amare) and with the exception of 09 things never turned out any better than they did now. You are absolutely right that Melo is flawed. People get so caught up in scoring and "clutch" but they totally miss the totality of the game. If you look at the greatest players throughout history they were able to affect the game in more ways than one.

Actually you're wrong...

If you go through the Knicks thread... we were constantly giving props to Kidd for "making smart plays", and Prigioni for "making smart plays" and timely shots, and JR Smith for finally turning a corner, and Copeland for stepping and hitting shots... And we continued to give Melo hell when his play disrupted the team's play. People just get mad when Knick fans act like fans. There is not one completely objective fan on this board (for their own team). You dudes act like it's a sin to be optimistic about your team. Nobody ever said we were winning the 'ship. Most of our ceilings were ECF. When they started playing well, we still only gave them a "chance" to beat Miami. And that was still a longshot. With that said... Melo is the best player on the team, and so he got the most props. It's what will happen with any team with a superstar on it. No exceptions.

As far as second options... I said legitimate AND HEALTHY. The only player that fit that bill was Billups, and we saw how that ended up. WCF and almost a trip to the finals. AI, let's just be real... AI was a second option who played like he thought he was the first. Plus, their styles just don't mesh well. That was a case of "Let's put two superstars together and see how it works" without regard to building a functional team. Amare doesn't fit the healthy requirement. Dude hasn't played in half the games since Melo has been there. And it's almost the same scenario with AI. Their games don't complement each other, and they haven't played enough together to figure out a way for it to consistently work (cause Amare' can keep him bum knees healthy... bum)...

Also be sure not to take my flawed comment out of context. I think his game is flawed from a mental stand point, more than a skillset stand point. He scores with the best and he can grab rebounds. His defense has improved. His problem is that he is so used to being the "scoring machine" it's hard for him to step out of that mode when it isn't working. He has passing ability... he should use it more. He's one of the few players in the league who can actually competently defend Lebron... except Lebron is the only player he consistently guards with so much intensity. If he played with the intensity of Lebron, he would easily be top 3 every day of the year... except he doesn't, lol.

And with all of that said... Why hasn't Chris Paul taken any heat? This nikka has never made it past the second round, and got knocked out in the first round on a team people claimed could make it to the Finals, WCF at worst. Yet the only thing we hear is "What team will the great Chris Paul sign with next"

 

[havoc]

A lot of truth in what you said. However nikkas wouldn't be taking time to list the contributions of those guys if shyt was going well, like it did during the season. It would be all about Melo, like it was during the season.

As far as a legitimate second option goes Melo has had that multiple times (AI, Billups, Amare) and with the exception of 09 things never turned out any better than they did now. You are absolutely right that Melo is flawed. People get so caught up in scoring and "clutch" but they totally miss the totality of the game. If you look at the greatest players throughout history they were able to affect the game in more ways than one.

Melo is productive on the boards vs Pacers. That is another attribute that he provided beside scoring. I think he is a decent defender and is a good teammate. What more do you want him to do to help his team? No matter how great a well-rounded player is, he isn't going to win with teammates who aren't productive and has a coach that couldn't come with a shrewd plan to counter a stingy defense.

 

[jfkennedy]

If you called the pacers and offered melo for Paul George they'd laugh in your face

Nothing to do with the fact one is 23 making only $2.5 million and the other is 28 making $20 million?

 

[Kang Deezy]

Nothing to do with the fact one is 23 making only $2.5 million and the other is 28 making $20 million?

Age probably has something to do with it but if the salaries were even i still think pacers would prefer george

 

[Danie84]

Basing how the rest of the squad been playing basura for this series, if it wasn't for Melo's game 2 performance, this shyt would be a sweep

 

[dem bath salts]

Cowherd bout to go in a few minutes

 

[GoldenGlove]

Rose Fraudulent MVP year

24.1 PPG, 44% FG%, 33% from 3, 7.4 Assist, 3.4 Rebounds

Melo that year

25.6, 45&, 37% from 3, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 assist

They're both horrible defenders
@Gifted one

Some excerpts from the CP3 vs Rose article from ESPN Insider from last year...

Rose is a very good one-on-one defender and is more effective guarding the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll.

Rose has made significant defensive improvements in the past couple of seasons by cutting down on his gambling, improving his decision-making and fighting through picks more effectively. He's also developing a rep for LeBron-like come-from-behind blocks and is blocking shots at the same pace as he did last season, when he became just the second point guard in league history to block 50 shots while handing out 500 assists.

Rose a horrible defender?

 

[FTBS]

Actually you're wrong...

If you go through the Knicks thread... we were constantly giving props to Kidd for "making smart plays", and Prigioni for "making smart plays" and timely shots, and JR Smith for finally turning a corner, and Copeland for stepping and hitting shots... And we continued to give Melo hell when his play disrupted the team's play. People just get mad when Knick fans act like fans. There is not one completely objective fan on this board (for their own team). You dudes act like it's a sin to be optimistic about your team. Nobody ever said we were winning the 'ship. Most of our ceilings were ECF. When they started playing well, we still only gave them a "chance" to beat Miami. And that was still a longshot. With that said... Melo is the best player on the team, and so he got the most props. It's what will happen with any team with a superstar on it. No exceptions.

As far as second options... I said legitimate AND HEALTHY. The only player that fit that bill was Billups, and we saw how that ended up. WCF and almost a trip to the finals. AI, let's just be real... AI was a second option who played like he thought he was the first. Plus, their styles just don't mesh well. That was a case of "Let's put two superstars together and see how it works" without regard to building a functional team. Amare doesn't fit the healthy requirement. Dude hasn't played in half the games since Melo has been there. And it's almost the same scenario with AI. Their games don't complement each other, and they haven't played enough together to figure out a way for it to consistently work (cause Amare' can keep him bum knees healthy... bum)...

Also be sure not to take my flawed comment out of context. I think his game is flawed from a mental stand point, more than a skillset stand point. He scores with the best and he can grab rebounds. His defense has improved. His problem is that he is so used to being the "scoring machine" it's hard for him to step out of that mode when it isn't working. He has passing ability... he should use it more. He's one of the few players in the league who can actually competently defend Lebron... except Lebron is the only player he consistently guards with so much intensity. If he played with the intensity of Lebron, he would easily be top 3 every day of the year... except he doesn't, lol.

And with all of that said... Why hasn't Chris Paul taken any heat? This nikka has never made it past the second round, and got knocked out in the first round on a team people claimed could make it to the Finals, WCF at worst. Yet the only thing we hear is "What team will the great Chris Paul sign with next"

Would there really be a "Does Melo deserve this much credit" thread if the Knicks were up 3-1? Would the same nikkas going on and on about everybody else be as focused on everybody else? Superstar, high profile players take the majority of the heat for L's and get the majority of credit for W's. I have no problem with that as long as people are consistent. I do take issue with nikkas tryna have it both ways though.

No matter how you spin it both AI and Amare were legtimate second options. The fact that AI and Melo's games didn't mesh is their fault. That doesn't mean AI wasn't a legitimate second option. at a second option with a first option mentality and production being a bad thing. Amare wasn't hurt that first year they were together were he and Melo turned a 5th seed into a 6th seed. He and Melo played in enough games together last year to muster more than a 7th seed. He's actually played his best as a Knick and the team has played their best as well without Amare. The fact that they haven't been able to really mesh their games either is a negative reflection on them.

His inability to step out of his "scoring machine" mentality and the fact that he should pass more and the fact that he doesn't consistently bring intensity on D all give fuel to the criticism that you are claiming is unfair. Are you not seeing that?

at yet another Chris Paul reference. nikkas sound like kindergarteners on some "He did it too" type shyt. Melo just starting catching shyt in this, his 10th season. CP3 just finished his 8th. How much shyt was Melo taking a couple years ago?

Melo is productive on the boards vs Pacers. That is another attribute that he provided beside scoring. I think he is a decent defender and is a good teammate. What more do you want him to do to help his team? No matter how great a well-rounded player is, he isn't going to win with teammates who aren't productive and has a coach that couldn't come with a shrewd plan to counter a stingy defense.

The problem is he's not scoring though. This nikka has reached his season average just once in 4 games against Indy and has shot over 40% just once and not so coincidentaly that is the only game they have won. Games 1 and 3 were both winnable if Melo actually plays like the best scorer in the game. I could see if the nikka was out here balling and the team was losing but this nikka is 6'8, 250 putting up AI percentages and nikkas acting like "Why is he catching heat?". Superstars catch shyt for coping L's, especially when they don't play like superstars.

 

[LastEmperor2k2]

Melo is too fat to win a championship.

 

[AVXL]

It's excuse making season for Melo brehs, shyt is painfully obvious now. You got Knicks nikkaz writing dissertations & essays on why Melo should be absolved of any blame for his playoff failures AGAIN despite having ONE game in this series where he met his season average. Have other Knicks players played poorly? Yes. But it ain't like Melo has been lighting it up either

Never seen this much plea copping for a "superstar" player. shyt is laughable

 

[Rekkapryde]

Should've stayed in Denver....