Merely days after being called an overrated ball hog by the Boston Globe, Carmelo Anthony said he “relies” on his New York Knicks teammates more than most realize.
Following New York’s Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics, in which he had just one assist, ‘Melo essentially rejected the notion of him being selfish.
“I rely on my teammates more than a lot of people see.” –Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging 1.0 assists per game in this series
— Evans Clinchy (@evansclinchy) April 24, 2013
Anthony is averaging just one assist per game in his two playoff contests this year, and dropped just 2.6 dimes a night during the regular season. He’s not known as a passer.
Then again, relying on your teammates isn’t all about deferring.
There are times when Anthony needs to pass more. Many of them. And he’s actually a decent passer when he does. He uses angles well and sends precise bullets directly into a teammate’s hands.
More so than passing, though, Anthony trusts his teammates. I’d say more than ever before. He may look for his own shot too often instead of passing out of double teams, but 1) he’s paid too shoot and 2) he’s paid too shoot.
What I’m talking about is his willingness to defer in the not-so-literal sense. Would J.R. Smith have averaged a career-high 18-plus points per game if Anthony wasn’t willing to take a backseat on offense every now and then? Would Amar’e Stoudemire have been as effective in the post as he was before being injured again had ‘Melo dominated the ball like he has in the past? Would the Knicks be where they are now if Anthony didn’t rely on someone other than himself to help get them there?
Absolutely not.
Anthony isn’t perfect, but he’s a much improved leader and player. He played within the flow of the offense this season more than he ever has before, shedding part of his ball-stopper reputation. And while there will always be times when he explores isolations sets too frequently, he has changed. Hopefully, he’ll even evolve some more.
Getting ‘Melo to pass out of more traps and double-teams would be huge for the Knicks, provided they’re hitting their open threes. Anthony has never shot better than 49.2 percent from the field for an entire season, in part because he’s never attempted fewer than 16 shots per game. A little more facilitating would only help his shooting percentages.
For now, though, the Knicks should accept ‘Melo as he is. And they have. He’s not LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but he’s still a superstar. One who has changed and shown an inclination to play within a team concept more than usual.
One who does, in fact, depend on his teammates more than most realize.
And one who will hopefully find a way to rely on them even more.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
