Knicks-Nuggets Post Game (Free Candy Strikes)

[DowNY]

I'll let Harrington, Gallo, & Mozgov get their little revenge game win over the Knicks in the garden. Call it karma.
But when Melo finally returns to Denver, he's going to go off. I'm talking 40+ points 10 assists game from him with a victory. & I'm oh so serious.

You know, none of us really care what he scores. It seems just like MElo cares. We want to win as a team not have him carry us to a victory over a team that probably doesn't get past the 1st or 2nd round. This type of thinking that he is our savior is a part of the problem. We need to play as a team.

I'm not trying to be hard here, really, we need to play as a team. Let MElo get is 27 points, Stat his 20 and the team play well TOGETHER.

Wasn't calling him a savior you idiot. What's the deal with the board this week?

I said that because judging Melo on the kind of person most think he is, he's going to want to show out in Denver remembering how the Nuggets came to the Garden and stole one from us.

[Thugger HBC]

Its funny to me how getting to the line is seen as a bad thing only when it comes to Gallo. Sure he flops around a lot (like most star players) but getting to the line is a skill, and Gallo is elite at it. There is nothing puzzling about how he gets to the line. Hes lanky and he can sell a call like an Oscar winner. He also attacks the basket nonstop. Dude is a slasher through and through. By comparison guys like Wilson Chandler and Shumpert are athletic beasts but they're lucky to get to the line once a game because they dont know how to draw contact and flop properly. I cant hate on a guy who flops well, its the refs and league you should be mad at if thats your thing.

Gallo is actually getting to the line less this season than he did last year, and has concentrated on finishing inside more instead, and its showing in his higher FG%.

Gallo in 2010-2011 w/ Knicks - 80% of his shots were jumpers, 20% at the rim.
Gallo in 2011-2012 w/ Nugs - 67% of his shots are jumpers, 33% at the rim.

via 82games.com

By comparison 78% of Melo's shots are jumpers, 22% at the rim.

So Gallos driving more on the Nugs than he did with us and banking less on getting to the line than finishing. Isnt that what you wanted KG mah man? He still has to get his 3P% up but you cant complain about Gallo on either side of the ball. Also to call him "unathletic" is laughable since he checked soopahstar Melo all game, and guards the best perimeter player every night. His athleticism at 6'11 is what sets him apart actually.

FYI Shumpert shot 44% from the field against the Nuggets. He scored 17 points on 7-16 shooting. From a FG% perspective that is fine for a guard, but as a TS%/efficiency perspective that is horrible. 1 point per shot. If Shumpert had Gallo's foul drawing ability he would be Dwayne Wade, but right now hes looking more like Jamal Crawford.

Great post. Gallo is a player. And to think we could have had him and Melo on this team. As well as Mos. Sorry....

Wasn't gonna happen, definitely not by trade.

[Clyde_Style]

The math was, is and will remain simple

Melo + Moz > Melo

[NoMoreThrees]

this was not a good game. this was game where knicks play good one half cause of the whole prove the trade wasnt bad bit. that motivate for one half. and without walker playing career game we prolly lose by double digits end of 4th q. u put that together and this was no okay see we went to ot so the team is doin much better. this was wow they needed to motivate by tryin to prove the trade was good and that only work for one half and it only work cause walker was crazy good for one quarter. and wow they coulda played harder the other games but didnt and only did cause of the trade stuff. wow thats really bad signs. and it is. this team is soooooo screwed now. buncha lazy wusses

[Knicks_Fan2]

this was not a good game. this was game where knicks play good one half cause of the whole prove the trade wasnt bad bit. that motivate for one half. and without walker playing career game we prolly lose by double digits end of 4th q. u put that together and this was no okay see we went to ot so the team is doin much better. this was wow they needed to motivate by tryin to prove the trade was good and that only work for one half and it only work cause walker was crazy good for one quarter. and wow they coulda played harder the other games but didnt and only did cause of the trade stuff. wow thats really bad signs. and it is. this team is soooooo screwed now. buncha lazy wusses

This post is wow.

[Rasho Brezec]

Gallo is efficient. Melo is not. Gallo got 12 more points with 10 less FGA. The flopping comments are gripes, but not a valid criticism. Drawing fouls is a skill.

Correction: Gallo was efficient this game. Melo was not this game.

Career numbers shows that Anthony is more efficient than Gallinari. Gallinari is not an efficient player. He's a streaky player, who can exploit sh**ty referees was his head flailing. He's also more efficient with the Nuggets because he's not playing for the Knicks Godawful coach anymore. Any ref worth a d**n wouldn't always his floppy a** to draw shooting fouls of charging fouls. Stern has ruined the professional game of basketball. He's a 16 PPG player who went up against a Mike Dumb'toni defense, with horrible refs calling the game.

He got fouled on every drive because our defenders are stupid. Refs were fine.

Also:

Gallo's career EFG%/TS%: 52,14/59,76
Melo's career EFG%/TS%: 48,3/54,97

Whatever the hell are you talking about? I know he's making you look completely clueles by comparing him to Steve Novak, but this is just making it worse. Ignore the Gallo debates and accept your losses.

[Rasho Brezec]

Correction: Gallo was efficient this game. Melo was not this game.

Career numbers shows that Anthony is more efficient than Gallinari. Gallinari is not an efficient player.

Gallinari's scoring efficiency this year, blows Melo's out of the water. In fact, Gallinari was a more efficient scorer in all of his seasons, than Anthony, in his best, so you have no idea what you're talking about. Gallinari is not an efficient player? He's probably the most efficient perimeter second option in the league, with almost a career 60%TS, he's a very efficient player, and that's a fact.

Due to these questionable foul calls which may or may not last forever.

Are they really questionable if they've been consistent for two seasons now? Or could it be that he's just that smart at drawing contact and working the angles like Paul Pierce?

1) He has no post-up game.
2) He is unathletic.
3) He is a decent playmaker but not nearly as good as advertised when he came over.
4) His ability to hit the 3 has been below par.
5) He looks out of control and/or awkward going to the hole and blows a lot of layups -- more than his fair share.

Everything except 2 is correct. You don't drive to the basket from 3pt line with ease if you're an unathletic 6'11 forward. Athleticism is more than just jumping high.

[Rasho Brezec]

I'll let Harrington, Gallo, & Mozgov get their little revenge game win over the Knicks in the garden. Call it karma.
But when Melo finally returns to Denver, he's going to go off. I'm talking 40+ points 10 assists game from him with a victory. & I'm oh so serious.

You know, none of us really care what he scores. It seems just like MElo cares. We want to win as a team not have him carry us to a victory over a team that probably doesn't get past the 1st or 2nd round. This type of thinking that he is our savior is a part of the problem. We need to play as a team.

I'm not trying to be hard here, really, we need to play as a team. Let MElo get is 27 points, Stat his 20 and the team play well TOGETHER.

If the team is winning as a team then Melo won't have to average 27.

Offensive contribution should come from others so Melo won't have to score 30% of the offense.

But as we saw tonite......Amar'e, no shots in the fourth or both OT's.

It's amazing. He didn't even get the ball, but when he did, he at least played smart and passed it before commiting a turnover. I think he's becoming aware what he's been doing wrong and is just waiting for others to start carrying their share of blame.

[GnarlesOakley]

1) He has no post-up game.
2) He is unathletic.
3) He is a decent playmaker but not nearly as good as advertised when he came over.
4) His ability to hit the 3 has been below par.
5) He looks out of control and/or awkward going to the hole and blows a lot of layups -- more than his fair share.

The "Gallo is unathletic" accusation simply isn't true, especially this year where he's growing into his frame. His explosiveness has improved and you can't fault the man for getting to the rim at will, even if it looks awkward.

Other than that, his handle is very good for a 6'11" guy - but can improve, and yes he needs to work on a post up game.

[Thugger HBC]

Yeah, I'm not getting the "unathletic" part either. He forces the whistle with virtually the same move against every team.

Sent from my Asus Transformer TF-101

[[GR]]

he tried to pass the ball but lost the handle, are you forgetting the only reason the knicks got back in the game was because of melo?

There was .3 seconds left on the clock when he was stripped, which means he's have given Fields about 1 second to catch and shoot. Not exactly putting your teammate (or the team) in position to succeed no? 2.8 on the clock in that picture. If he gives Fields the ball there all is good. He doesn't though. He turns and drives into 3 guys and is consequently stripped. In Melo's mind Fields wasn't an "opened man", he was a "bail out". He wasn't trying to get his teammate the ball until the very last second he knew he couldn't do it by himself. That's not the way a leader should think.

He didn't drive into 3 guys; Lawson came from the backside which he didn't see.

Even if he gave to Landry to shoot with a second left, that's still a good shot.

[Rasho Brezec]

This is how a real coach is supposed to treat the team's best player:

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf ... rowin.html

Scott met with his rookie point guard Saturday in Atlanta to discuss the youngster's lax defense, which has been a source of consternation for the coach since the season started. In his most pointed comments to date, Scott said Irving's minutes won't increase until the No. 1 overall draft pick elevates his defensive intensity.

"If you can't get stops it doesn't matter what you are doing offensively because sooner or later you're going to cool down."

"You are going to run into a guy every night that can play and if you are not ready or you're lazy or you're just not into it, you are going to get eaten up," Scott said. "When he starts playing better defense and playing at the pace I want him at -- getting the ball up and down the floor the way he's capable of doing -- than his minutes will increase."

Star or no star, everyone should be held accountable. That's where it starts if you want to be a winner.

[dk7th]

And yes, there is a reason why they're open. Denver didn't want Melo to beat them, and they don't respect the shooting abilities of those two. Different story if we had legitimate shooters on the wing there.

every post you have made in this thread is dead wrong but this one surely takes the prize: you triple carmelo because you know he won't pass out of the double or triple team-- not because wide open teammates won't hit open shots!

god almighty!

[dk7th]

^Miller could get to Landry easy in that pic and as soon as Melo turns to pass it to TD, Brewer is right there in the passing lane. Looks simpler in a still pic than it really is in live action.

Well a) the problem started when Melo decided to stand there dribbling for 6 seconds before the photographer took that doozie of a snapshot (yeah that's right there was 8+ seconds on the clock preceeding that 3pt extended 3 man post-up move Melo had on full display). And b) so you feel like Melo going up against 3 guys a few feet behind the 3 pt line and heaving (or losing it which was thes actually result) is better than letting Fields or Douglas shoot an open or slightly contested shot? Uh-huh.

It's hard to know exactly what Melo saw during that play, I doubt he saw both players open at the same time and chose to go 1 on 3. As the clock was winding down all 3 defenders closed in on him. It's not like we're experienced playing together and everyone knows what to do in that situation.

quit making excuses for him! there is no excuse for not anticipating the double and triple team and making a quick pass to either of open teammates as the defenders converge. the ball moves faster than any rotation. melo flat out plays dumb. take dirk in last year's playoffs-- he always made that quick pass that melo won't or can't make. or stoudemire won't or can't make either.

quit making excuses!

[dk7th]

It's hard to know exactly what Melo saw during that play, I doubt he saw both players open at the same time and chose to go 1 on 3. As the clock was winding down all 3 defenders closed in on him. It's not like we're experienced playing together and everyone knows what to do in that situation.

Also it's the job of his teammates to let him know that they are open. Not just so Melo is aware but also to at least help pull the defenders away from him. Don't think either guy said a thing. Didn't hear it. Heard plenty of squeaking of sneakers from the 3 defenders around him.

oh

my

god

[dk7th]

I think people need to accept the trade is going to get talked about, and to not to get so butthurt and take it so personal when it does. It doesnt mean people arent over the trade. It happened. Everyone knows we cant go back in time, but the Melo trade completely changed the future for this franchise, for better or worse is yet to be determined.

This is the big problem i have with some of you guys, you're quick to get angry over the Melo trade but never have I seen you guys get angry towards the AMare signing? WHY NOT? 100 million dollars for a big man that plays no D and has NO post game. He's trash right now...
That guy is much of a culprit to our struggles yet rarely is venom spewed towards him from you guys.
And I'm talking about the same 4-5 guys that come in after every Knick loss and whine about the melo trade. You guys know who you are.

Stop letting Amare go unscathed.

The blame goes as follow:
Dolan- only caring about what goes in his pocket
D'Antoni- never holding players accountable for lack of defense but quick to yell at a player for passing up a 3 pointer
Amare- No D , No post game, low IQ
Melo- Almost same thing, chucker, brain dead on D
Grunwald- not bringing the right pieces to surround these 2 scorers...

i know who i am you're right. i was the guy who held his nose while amare was signed as a free agent-- and who then made a point of saying he is going to have to share the ball a lot more than he had been known for, aiming for 4 assists per game or perhaps five. i kept saying it throughout the first 30 games of the season including during his overrated stretch of games where he "put the team on is back" all while not getting teammates involved, failing to create chemistry. all he did was exhaust himself by mindlessly barreling into 3 defenders-- and not actually help his team in any longer-term and deeper fashion-- the creating of cohesion and synergy. this is the same exact critique i have had of carmelo anthony.

i am not going to get on stoudemire's case for being who he is but i am disappointed that he hasn't imroved his game. yes he was grossly overpaid but walsh was compelled to get some big name or it would have been a public relations nightmare. and walsh was trying to assemble the correct pieces around stoudemire, ie building a team. then dolan stepped in and ruined that plan completely, betraying stoudemire. THAT'S why i am not angry with stoudemire.

the culprits/catalysts are mainly dolan and carmelo. grunwald is an after-effect. the casualties are walsh, d'antoni, stoudemire, and fields.

i have tried to root for this present team. i changed my sig to "melo you got your money i want my championship" when i was angry about this deal.

then when my anger subsided and got behind my team again i changed my sig to "stat and melo's prescription for success: be a ball over and a facilitator and defend the position"

and i recently changed my sig to what it presently is because as a fan i like to come up with solutions to our problems.

being upset with the same 4-5 posters is a waste of time and besides that completely misguided.

[dk7th]

Also...it's also the job of his teammates to read the triple team (they see it even better than Melo would...bystanders usually do) and come to him to help. No one was around him and...voila...they got what they got. Yes, Carmelo should have not held the ball so long, but his teammates need to come get the ball. ESPECIALLY the one that's supposed to be a point guard! This is not a one guy problem...it's a team problem!!!

Are you kidding me?

There's guys standing around for a wide open 3. You're telling me Melo can't make a pass to one of them? Simple basketball. Stop making excuses for him.

Who is making excuses for him? Read what I said again. I'll repeat..."Yes, Carmelo should have not held the ball so long..." That means YES HE HELD THE BALL TOO LONG. Ok pumpkin? But his teammates are supposed to do basic things like coming to the ball and helping out when he's being swarmed. They do not do that. They just stand there looking. Basic basketball is to go to your teammate in trouble and attempt to give him an outlet to pass out of trouble. Basic. Doesn't have anything to do with Melo being a ball hog...has to do with the other guys knowing what to do it that situation themselves.

wrong again. you are supposed to anticipate the double and triple and make a pass as the defenders converge-- NOT hold on to the ball and then ask wide open players to come to you to bail you out and completely ruin your advantage of having two men open. so your statement of his holding the ball too long is pure misdirection and in and of itself misguided.

i expect more insightful and objective posts from a global moderator.

[dk7th]

On a side note, Im sick of seeing melo playing point forward and dribbling it from the top of the key.. cant wait to have a real PG that will get the ball to our players' sweet spots.. If were going to iso melo, do it right.. get him the on the wings and let him make a play.. Melos been doing too much dribbling for my taste..

EXACTLY. Melo is NOT a PG. He's not Lebron. He's not Kobe. He's not Wade. He's not MJ. He's not Pippen. He's not a guy that can be used in that type of situation where he gets the ball at the 3 point circle and is expected to either: a) find an open man or b) put the ball on the floor and create for himself. That's not his game. Has never been his game. He's better when he's closer to the basket. Any Nugget fan should be able to confirm that. Not when he's always starting the play out by the arc. Have been saying that for days now.

then why did dolan pay him max money AND gut the roster for him? why was he brought here if he isn't a franchise level talent capable of doing the things you outlined?

[dk7th]

What exactly is a head coach for again? What exactly is a point guard for again? If the argument is that we have neither then fine, Carmelo Anthony should be getting the ball in those situations he shouldn't be getting the ball and doing whatever the heck he shouldn't be doing.

go tell that to george karl who had to put up with these willful antics for all those seasons. or is he also a bad coach? can't you just admit that most of melo's problem is melo, not his coaches?

[dk7th]

I don't know that Melo chose this role to play point forward. Obviously, it's from lack of better options.

Yeah. To say that somehow Melo has overrode both the head coach and the teams point guard and is putting himself in that situation all the time is just crazy. And if he is able to do so, all the more reason to get rid of both coach and point guard.

I don;t think Melo overrode the coach. I think the play was drawn up for Melo (the guy who usually comes up big in these situations). I just think Melo's recognition was awful and moreso, his ego takes a backseat to rational thought with less than 10 seconds to go in a game.

absolutely, except the right-decision takes a backseat to ego with him, not the other way around. i believe that is what you intended to say.