Thursday, November 22nd, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  96 responses

New York Knicks Already Starting MVP Push for Carmelo Anthony


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

The first month of the season has yet to be completed, and the campaign to get Carmelo Anthony the first MVP award of his NBA career is already out in full force.

Most of the propaganda is emanating from the New York Knicks’ locker room, where teammates feel that ‘Melo is a completely different (and better) player this season.

The squad’s most famous fan, for what that’s worth, is also totally in the bag for Anthony.

Per the NY Post and Yahoo! Sports:

Tyson Chandler is banging the drums for Anthony’s MVP candidacy, saying Tuesday night he should be “at the top of the race’’ because of the Knicks’ record. [...] “He’s a completely different player this year,” Chandler said. “I think the USA (Olympic) experience did wonders for him being around those guys. I think he’s hungry to take it to the next level and win … He’s been at an incredibly high level his entire career as far as individual accomplishments,’’ Chandler said. “He’s ready to take it to the next level of leadership and winning. He’s doing all the little things it takes to actually win, practicing hard, focused on shootaround, playing defense, communicating on the basketball floor. He’s a real leader out there and it’s fun to watch.’’

Anthony credits Knicks coach Mike Woodson for bringing a more disciplined mindset to the team since he replaced Mike D’Antoni in March. “I know I can do [play defense],” Anthony said. “It’s not a matter of me not being able to do it. It was me just saying, ‘OK, I’m going to do it now.’ We have a coach that stays on me about it. There wasn’t a defensive system since I came to New York, but with Coach Woodson it was just a matter of putting our system in, having a full training camp.”

Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks are off to a tremendous start this season (8-2, giving them the best record in the Eastern Conference.) Not to be a buzzkill, but that’s all it is: a start.

New York still has to play 72 more games, to say nothing of the possible chemistry issues down the line. Serious MVP chatter — not just for Carmelo Anthony, but for anyone else in the NBA — is still a long ways away.

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  • TheWhiteMarkPrice

    I’ve got a feeling that once Amare comes back they will revert back to the old Knicks. Carmelo is a monster playing the 4, but when Amare comes back they will have to move Anthony back to the 3. Unless they bring Amare of the bench with the second unit, but I seri

  • TheWhiteMarkPrice

    *Knicks*

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Unless he pulls a D-Rose move and carries the team to a better record than the Heat while doing almost everything on offense for his team, I don’t see it happening. Either LeBron, Durant with the way he’s rebounding and passing while still scoring, or CP3 will win the award.

  • Max

    Naah

  • shockexchange

    Melo is ballin’ outta control … playing defense, rebounding, making hustle plays, generally putting the Knicks on his back and saying “follow my lead.” The MVP talk is well-deserved.

  • Jose Suria

    He is one of my favorite players but still, too early to be talking abt MVP award… hope he keeps playin like that so he could win it

  • MUBWAR

    the King is averaging 25ppg 9.1rpg 6.7apg 1b and 1s on 52% shooting from the field and 44% from downtown while locking up 1 through 5. If this keeps up, nobody is sniffing the MVP trophy for a few seasons.

  • monkeyball

    I can see the Knicks trading Amare for a solid young 3 and spare parts. This would establish the organization’s commitment to the new Melo-as-4 offense and avoid chemistry issues. It also begins to deal with the following issue: no team starting Ronnie Brewer at the 3 is winning a championship.

  • shockexchange

    Agreed, too early to be talking MVP award … but then again this is the NYC – the “hype capital of the world.” Everything in NYC is great … (Alicia Keys voice) “Cause it happened in NY … NY … NYYYYYYYYYYY, Yeah! We love you NY!” *Drop mic* Cause I just kilt it!

  • Hursty

    He’s playing great. Nobody can deny this. But… It. Is. November.

  • shockexchange

    Only problem is that Melo can’t guard a “play-off caliber” 4. He proved that in Memphis.

  • roscoe

    MVP awards are propagandized marketing, future garage sale items, paper weights, and unnecessary.

    Get a ring melo… that is the only thing that means anything.

  • Hursty

    Wait, so David West isn’t a playoff calibre 4?

  • shockexchange

    Not a fair comparison … LeBron has the benefit of the “LeBron Rules … Keys to Stopping LeBron James.” However, if Melo keeps this up, he will be in the conversation.

  • Drig’r

    To be fair to him, nobody can stop Randolph. Even traditional 4s.

    However, this MVP talk is premature. So far, Kobe, CP3, Durant and LBJ deserve it more.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    so he’s saying “I’m trying now.” lol good for him I guess. Undoubtedly though he is a blast to watch this year.

  • Robby

    Carmelo Anthony averaging 24ppg, 8rpg, 4apg… those are some mvp numbers and also his team record is the best in the league. The only player who is giving him competition is LeBron James.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    win

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    To be fair Marc Gasol tears up even the best defenders some games. Melo will be fine as long as Tyson is on the court.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    poor man’s Carlos Boozer (at this stage of his career in that system)

  • shockexchange

    Real Talk … Any MVP conversation has to be prefaced with “the most valuable player other than LeBron.” It’s totally unfair though because he has studied “The LeBron Rules … Keys to Stopping LeBron James.”

  • shockexchange

    However, Horry Jr, CP3, Durant and LBJ don’t play in (A. Keys voice) “NY … NY … NYYYYYYYYYYY, Yeah! We love you NY!” *Drop mic* Cause I just kilt it!

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    They play the same position. It’s a fair comparison.

  • shockexchange

    LBJ has an unfair advantage. The only way to stop him was captured in “The LeBron Rules” which he continues to master each day … Totally unfair.

  • Sam

    Meanwhile in South Beach Lebron James is averaging 24.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 6.8 APG leading Miami Heat in scoring, rebounding, and assists. Get on that level Melo before you can be crowned MVP. It’s not gonna last in New York. Remember how the Knicks started last season when Melo was injured and Stadoumire had several back to back 30+ points games? When Stadoumire comes back it’s gonna be the same old NYK. Melo and Stadoumire can’t exist together.

  • TheWhiteMarkPrice

    There is no way they can trade Amare with that contract. Noby will even take his UNINSURED contract for spare parts.

  • TheWhiteMarkPrice

    Here we go with the ” LeBron Rules” bullshit. Blah blah blah

  • bigA

    Stop spamming shock!

  • http://twitter.com/_DFrance DFrance

    Since its too early for this discussion lets all take a gander at Austin Rivers shooting form. Not really “coaches son” technique. lol

  • http://twitter.com/_DFrance DFrance

    They’re just gonna end up doing what they did with MJ. Get tired of giving it to the same guy and throw it someone elses way one year.

  • Junior Taylor

    The only player is LeBron? How is that when KD is putting up 25/10/5 with 2spg and 1.3bpg on 50/44/88 shooting? It’s realistically a 2-man race between KD/LeBron and will stay that way for some time.

  • Junior Taylor

    Melo deserves to be in the convo but the top-2 candidates should be LeBron and KD. Similar team records and impact on the game.

  • shockexchange

    By “spamming” do you mean “telling the truth?”

  • shockexchange

    The Shock Exchange takes humbrage … especially coming from TheBlackRickyDavis aka, “The One Man Triple Double”

  • Slick Ric

    I’ll give it to lebron right now but dont sleep on KD, the man is developing his all-around game and if it continues to get better….best player in the league.

  • Conor

    He does NOT “lock up” everybody from point guard to centre. He guards them. Sometimes he guards them well, but most of the time, they give him buckets or aren’t even an offensive option for the opposing team. I’m tired of how overrated James is as a man-to-man defender.

    ESPN, and its sheep, is the Fox News of sports. James is their Romney (though he is obviously deserving, as an offensive magician & help defender, of the praise).

  • http://www.facebook.com/rainman1991 Saleem Rainman

    dafuq outta here with calling him “the King”, u ball sniffer. Though I do agree with you from a statistical standpoint.

  • http://www.facebook.com/rainman1991 Saleem Rainman

    okay ,shockexchange, okay.

  • Chukaz

    My favorite part of the “he locks up 1 thru 5″ is that he doesn’t even guard 4s and 5s. Bosh takes the 5 and battier takes the 4. When he does D up 4s its always the scrubs. How often does LeBron play without at least 2 of the Bosh Haslem Battier group? The man can lock up 1-3. Exaggerating and saying he does things he doesn’t only takes away from his accomplishments.

  • MUBWAR

    im not gonna lie conor lbj doesn’t lock up most 4 and 5′s these days like last year but it’s spo job to figure different things. this season he is mostly guarding 1 through 3 mostly. Last night alone, in the 3rd he was guarding Elis and in the 4th Jennings.

  • MUBWAR

    MJ lost to Barkley that 1 time and im sorry Melo is not the Sir Charles who put up 25 12.5r 5a 1b and 1.6s that season and made all the way to the Finals against MJ himself. Besides Melo, the top 5 players on the 2003 draft all have rings

  • TSmoove

    I feel like they already did that with D.Rose

  • danpowers

    mmmhhh

  • Ben Ireland

    I know I’m gonna regret this…. But what are the LeBron rules exactly?
    Also, Melo should be in the conversation. Doubt he’ll win, but he’s been awesome so far.

  • Matt

    It’s ugly as hell, but he gets amazing elevation and has a quick, consistent release.

  • danpowers

    yup

  • Matt

    No, I think that the Knicks will be able to do it. The Knicks are running more off-ball screens and using ‘Melo as a playmaker from the high and low posts (esp. high though). The Knicks can follow the Grizzlies offense and utilize ‘Melo in the same way that Gasol is utilized.

    The Grizzlies had bad spacing last season and combated that by using Gasol in the high post as well as a lot of off-ball screening and cutting to create momentary space. And this was last year when the Grizzlies had maybe one reliable shooter on the perimeter. Looking at this year, they are using Gasol in the same way, but because of Ellington and Bayless’ hot shooting (and pump-faking, drawing defenders, and kicking it out), they are spacing the floor extremely well. This has translated into one of the L’s best offenses thus far.

    http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0501/play_diagram2_576.jpg

    Looking at the diagram, Felton can sub for Conley while Smith can sub for Gay. Chandler can stand in for Z-Bo (no jumpshooting necessary). Have Amar’e stand on the strong-side corner (Conley’s side in the first pic) and have him cut to the high post when Chandler ducks in and ‘Melo hits Chandler with a high-low pass. This will help prevent Amare’s man from helping onto Chandler. Amar’e also has the option of cutting across the baseline instead, get a cross-screen from Chandler, receive the ball into a post-up, and then have ‘Melo cut to the basket from the high post afterwards. Felton can also run the PNR early w/ Chandler…
    And then there are a lot of variations out of this. Of course, this is all theory and there are still spacing issues w/ this, esp. having Amar’e stand on the strong-side corner.
    Basically, what i’m saying is that ‘Melo’s improved mindset/passing allows for him to be used as the main cog in the Knicks offense. However, he’s not as good of a passer as Gasol and putting Stoudemire on the strong-side enables his man to help out on the dribble-handoff and force a skip pass… It also makes Stoudemire only a cutter when he should really be used early in possessions in the PNR. Damn, this is a head-scratcher… Hopefully Woodson will be able to figure this out.

  • Whoareyou

    @chukaz:disqus Educate yourself: http://youtu.be/AV3O94yv4vc

  • Marcus

    Exactly. Should Melo be in the MVP conversation at this moment? Absolutely. Will he win it? Depends if he keeps playing at this level and how far he takes the Knicks with him. If the Knicks go deep into the playoffs and maybe win it all then you can’t deny him that award.

  • Cole

    I know their record isn’t good right now, but if you haven’t noticed Kobe is balling right now. He’s shooting high percentages in every category, 53.1/41.8/87.6 and averaging 27/5/5 with 1.5 steals. If he keeps up those numbers and the Lakers get it together he’s a contender, at the least to make up for the MVP Steve Nash robbed him of in ’06.

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