New York Knicks News & Rumors: Is Carmelo Anthony Good Enough to Win NBA Title?
Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks are set to tip off their 2014-15 season on Wednesday, Oct. 29, when they host the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden, but the team's title prospects look bleak this season, even in a weakened Eastern Conference.
The team's best player, Anthony, is entering his fifth season with the team. Anthony is widely regarded as one of the best players in today's game, but many remain skeptical on whether or not he can win the exclusive Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Anthony is easily one of the best scorers in the NBA, having won the 2013 scoring title. With the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant out until possibly December with a fractured foot, Anthony could very well lead the league in scoring yet again this season. Anthony is still just 30 years old, but his playoff résumé hasn't been very impressive.
In Anthony's 11 seasons in the NBA, he has only made it out of the first round twice.
That can't be overlooked.
For a "superstar" player like Anthony to only make it out of the first round of the postseason just two times in his career is unacceptable. With the Denver Nuggets, Anthony advanced past the first round once, in the 2008-09 season when he and the Nuggets made to the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by the Lakers. With the Knicks, Anthony has made it out of the first round once as well, in the 2012-13 season where they were bounced in the semifinals by the Indiana Pacers in six games.
When Anthony was drafted No. 3 overall in 2003, the same draft that featured LeBron James, many people thought he would be just as good, if not better. Even before James "took his talents to South Beach" and the Miami Heat, he was able to get the Cleveland Cavaliers out of the first round every season from 2005-2009, leading the Cavaliers to eight postseason series wins.
So far in Anthony's career, he has just three playoff series wins.
Anthony still needs to improve his defensive game immensely, as well as his passing. Anthony has a great jump shot, can hit free throws and is a terrific attacker of the basket. Anthony's game and career has been compared to Tracy McGrady, who was also a scoring champion and had difficulty advancing past the first round.
In 2012, Anthony was reportedly jealous of Jeremy Lin and thought his new contract was "ridiculous." That year, with Amar'e Stoudemire and Anthony both injured, Lin was the most exciting player in the league. Anthony hasn't shown he is a transitional player like Ray Allen, Dennis Rodman or LeBron James, because he has trouble adjusting to new players and systems. Anthony also has a losing record when starting with Stoudemire in the same games.
Anthony decided to re-sign with the Knicks this offseason after opting out of his contract. Anthony and the Knicks agreed to a five-year $124 million contract. Anthony could have taken the "easy way" out and signed with the Chicago Bulls, but his desire to play in New York City triumphed all--and a bigger contract didn't hurt, of course.
With Derek Fisher as the new head coach and Phil Jackson running basketball operations, the triangle offense will be implemented. Anthony has a lot of work to do if he wants to make it to his first NBA Finals.
New York City has had more sports championships than any other city in America, but the Knicks haven't won since 1973, when Phil Jackson was the team's power forward. With the big contract he wanted, the big city he desired to play in and the managerial changes he wanted on the team, there's no more excuses for Anthony moving forward.
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