Carmelo needs to win
April 22, 2009 by James Edwards
Filed under Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets, NBA Basketball, NBA Playoffs
NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.
Denver is rejuvenated with elder statesman Chauncey Billups taking the reins and teaching the Nuggets how winning is done. Now Carmelo wants to restore the luster to his image by proving he can win.
The big knock on Carmelo is that he only plays at one end of the floor and here are two hints as to which end that is, offense, offense. Yeah, Carmelo likes to put it up.
My first look at Carmelo Anthony was years ago in 2002 when his 15th ranked Syracuse team took on my might Spartans of Michigan State University. Kelvin Torbert guarded Carmelo for most of the day. Kelvin was giving away a few inches, but was a pretty tough defender. Didn’t matter. Carmelo put up 25 on my Spartans going 5 for 5 from downtown. Syracuse won by one point.
Fans will sit up and take notice if Carmelo wins
Spartan fans will remember that as the game that Chris Hill went 10 for 18 from 3 point land and put up 39 points. By far the highlight of Chris’s career.
Right off the bat, you had to wonder if Carmelo could play defense, because Jim Boheim always has his team in a zone. Once Carmelo was in the NBA, we found out Carmelo does not like the dirty work of defense.
Now all that could be forgotten if only Carmelo can win in the playoffs.
The sports world has a way of forgiving its winners. A misplaced joint, one too many cocktails, even the occasional bar fight can be written off as youthful indiscretion, provided you perform on the court or on the field when it matters most. If you don’t win, you’re a Cincinnati Bengal.
So for all the mistakes Anthony has made during his six seasons in the NBA, nothing has worn on him more than his playoff failure.
“It’s still right here in my pocket,” he said last week. “It’s hanging on me.”
Anthony laughed. There isn’t a single player for whom these playoffs matter more. Win or lose, Kobe already has his three rings. LeBron will be able to hug his MVP trophy. Even Yao Ming, tormented by his own run of one-and-dones, can point to an unfortunate draw or Tracy McGrady’s absence if his Houston Rockets fail to advance.
Photo source Newscom
As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.
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