New York Knicks: The Irony that Is Carmelo Anthony

Prior to D’Antoni stepping down, New York had lost eight of 10, and it became clear that it was time for a change. The result? A new head coach.

Before we chalk up the Knicks’ success to the colorful Mike Woodson though, it must be noted that Carmelo Anthony and company have blown out each of their last two opponents running D’Antoni’s offense.

You know, the same offense that dictates the ball keep moving, the open man—regardless of who it is—take the shot and the entire team run the floor. And yes, it’s the very same one that Anthony refused to buy into.

In each of the last three games, Anthony has scored no more than 16 points or taken more than 13 shots. That’s a complete turnaround for a guy who was routinely jacking up 20 plus shots a game and deviating away from the script in order to create opportunities for himself.

So, while the Knicks’ recent streak has been encouraging, it has also been puzzling, specifically with regards to Anthony’s performance.

D’Antoni preached ball movement, but from the looks of Anthony’s execution—or lack thereof—he couldn’t slow the offense down enough. Woodson, on the other hand, has been an open advocate for creating more post-ups and isolation for the small forward.

From the New York Post:

Speedball died in Westchester yesterday when Woodson staged his first practice. Reporters were allowed into practice earlier than normal to watch the implementation of structured, deliberate set plays. It was a far cry from the read-and-react, spread-the-wealth offense which Lin directed and thrived in.
“He’s going to utilize his leading scorers, myself and Carmelo Anthony, make sure he takes advantage of every opportunity on the court,’’ Stoudemire said. “We’ve been profound scorers all our careers. He wants to make sure we take advantage of that.’’

Anthony has responded by spreading the ball around and spacing the floor, nearly the exact opposite of what is being expected of him.

So, what gives?

Anthony refused to buy into the speedball offense that D’Antoni implemented from the beginning. He refused to space the floor and let Jeremy Lin direct the offense. And most notably, he refused to get back on defense.

But here he is, less than a week since D’Antoni’s departure, playing the type of unselfish, diligent basketball the former head coach ached for him to play all along.

Does New York have Woodson to thank?

To a certain extent, yes. He has made it known that he is going to hold players accountable for their actions, where D’Antoni was hesitant to rock the boat. But he cannot take all the credit.

The reality is, whether right or wrong, D’Antoni’s departure was an eye-opener for Anthony. Despite countless cries for D’Antoni’s job, the general public came to his defense when reports surfaced that the small forward was attempting to orchestrate a self-indulged mutiny. Sooner, rather than later, it became apparent Anthony was only above the law in James Dolan’s eyes. And that has worked wonders for the team’s dynamic.

Could the Knicks have been successful under D’Antoni? Of course, but only if Anthony had bought into the system. His resistance emulated a lack of effort, and his absence of energy proved contagious. Consequently, the team nearly imploded.

But D’Antoni stepped away before it hit that point. He gave Anthony exactly what he wanted, while at the same time, opening him up to the harshest reality he has yet to experience.

And that’s what has truly changed.

There may be a different face running the show from the sidelines, but it’s Anthony’s change of heart that has allowed New York to regain composure.

Ironically enough, the Knicks have D’Antoni to thank for that.