OT Why didn't Melo's game work in the NBA?
- Thread starter BawlzDeep
- Start date
I would argue that it worked well for him.
Dude had an incredible career. He selectively played defense and rarely had much talent around him, so post season success was elusive.
This is a weird thread to start, OP.
This is a weird thread to start, OP.
Melo put up nice stats the whole time he was in the league. ISO ball just doesn’t win championships today
Not quite sure of OPs criteria for “working”, but his scoring title - in a year when the Heat had their best team of the Bron era - suggests that it worked pretty well while he was in his prime.
Even before the superteam era his game was not good for a team, back when if he would have been paired with just one other star his team would have had a chance. Statistically he would put up monster numbers, but he won what, two playoff series in his career? I wouldn't call him a bust or say that his game didn't work in the NBA, he lasted many years as a starter, made All Star teams, and always was his team's alpha until his OKC season. What I would argue is that his accomplishments are overhyped and inflated by volume shooting and lack of defensive effort, there is a group of people that think he is an all time great and IMO he isn't even top 100. His legacy to me is a chucker and an overpriced asset to a team trying to win a title.
I believe he owns the US olympic scoring record on top of his long NBA career, his teams weren't all that successful but he was.
The game stopped working for him. Carmelo was born 15 years too late. Not a complete player, but he was an incredible scorer.
Modern day Bernard King. He had that one squad in Denver with Chauncey , Iverson , Kenyon , Nene , Birdman , and J.R. that lost to the Lakers in the 2009 WCF. But outside of that he had very little playoff success.
Those USAB teams were so much fun to watch just run roughshod over everybody.
I don't think his accomplishments are overhyped and inflated. I think they are properly thought of by most. He is considered an elite scorer, which is accurate, but not much else. Scoring is important and he had a great career in that regard though.
One of the biggest misconceptions in recent sports history.
He was a scorer signed to teams to score. They knew what they were signing up for and welcomed it. Few teammates of his have ever characterized him as selfish. He had a job to do, score, and did that job. Proved to be a willing passer when he had guys to pass to, which wasn't often.
In his later years, he became more of a jump shooter and had to extend his range. But he was rarely more than an average shooter behind the NBA arc. So, once he lost a step and started relying more heavily on jumpshots, his offensive efficiency diminished to the point that it wasn't cancelling out the lackluster defense.
Melo was such a dangerous scorer in his youth because if he had the ball in triple threat a few feet inside the arc, even an elite defender's only options were to get scored on or foul. Melo walking away without points was rare because his midrange J was lethal, he had the size and strength to bully you and finish through contact, and the athleticism to just leave you in the dust and finish above the rim.
Once the athleticism was gone, guys could get up on him more and contest the stepback jumper. He moved behind the arc as a result. 15 years ago, old Melo would be a weapon from deep. With the way guys shoot nowadays, he's just not.
Melo was such a dangerous scorer in his youth because if he had the ball in triple threat a few feet inside the arc, even an elite defender's only options were to get scored on or foul. Melo walking away without points was rare because his midrange J was lethal, he had the size and strength to bully you and finish through contact, and the athleticism to just leave you in the dust and finish above the rim.
Once the athleticism was gone, guys could get up on him more and contest the stepback jumper. He moved behind the arc as a result. 15 years ago, old Melo would be a weapon from deep. With the way guys shoot nowadays, he's just not.
1. 90% of his career was spent with historically mediocre teams (he actually gave denver one of their best stretches ever).
2. He was a volume scorer that doesn't really play nice with others. His surrounding cast in NYC peaked at having JR Smith, Raymond Felton, and an amare stoudemire that was 2 years from being out of the league.
3. He rarely played more than 65 games in his prime.
He had 3 seasons with 65 or fewer games, not counting this season with Houston. He played north of 70 games most seasons. The rest of your post was good.
EvilMonkeyInTheCloset
Well-Known Member
He started hanging out with too many blood gang members instead of working on his game. He has grew up some recently but too little too late.
