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Both never had success in the playoffs, especially all the first round exits. Carmelo only got out of the first round in 2009 & 2013 with Denver and New York plus, never missing the playoffs until last season and this year. T-Mac on the other hand was even worse since the Rockets in 2009 moved on to the next round without him due to injury and got to the finals riding on the Spurs bench in 2013. So overall, who do you think has the better career?

This is clearly T-Mac. He was just a much better all around player during his peak and short prime. I don't see an argument in favor of Melo since peak T-Mac and Melo aren't close to being comparable. Melo's only edge is longevity and it's just not enough to close the gap.

Melo already has better longevity, but I just think so much more highly of McGrady's peak (and to a lesser extent, his other prime seasons) that I rank him higher, and fairly comfortably.

Prime McGrady (2001-07): 26.9 PPG (52.8% TS), 6.6 RPG (9.6% TRB), 5.4 APG (28.6% AST), 1.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG/2.6 TPG (9.4% TOV), 25.0 PER, 18.3 WS/48, 6.1 BPM, 39.0 VORP

Prime Anthony (2008-14): 26.0 PPG (55.2% TS) 7.1 RPG (11.2% TRB), 3.1 APG (16.3% AST), 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG/2.8 TPG (10.8% TOV), 22.2 PER, 14.9 WS/48, 1.9 BPM, 17.1 VORP

So, T-Mac was a much better playmaker (WAY higher assist numbers, and even lower turnovers), defender and his advanced numbers are clearly better. His scoring efficiency was much lower, but the league was clearly less efficient before 2005, when he had his best seasons.

Especially peak for peak, McGrady was MUCH better (even if his 2002-03 campaign was an outlier year, it was an all-time great season - Melo never quite got to that level).

BTW - even McGrady's 2007 season is better than Anthony's peak in xRAPM, let alone his 2001-05 seasons.

Not that it's outside the realm of possibility for Melo to yet catch and pass him......but at this point I'd say it's clearly McGrady. TMac peaked so much higher, and has at least two prime years ('02 and '03) which were better than Melo's peak.

TheBomb81 wrote:Both never had success in the playoffs, especially all the first round exits. Carmelo only got out of the first round in 2009 & 2013 with Denver and New York plus, never missing the playoffs until last season and this year. T-Mac on the other hand was even worse since the Rockets in 2009 moved on to the next round without him due to injury and got to the finals riding on the Spurs bench in 2013. So overall, who do you think has the better career?

I'm really not a fan of Anthony's career at all. No disputing he's a great talent, but he basically never worked with Denver in a way like a superstar should, and while his peak in New York has been more synergistic, it's still largely been a train wreck.

I tend to think McGrady was overrated too, but I'd still taking pretty clearly over Anthony.

I think Melo has never been a superstar, while McGrady was. Even with the whole first-round exit thing, I'd easily take McGrady over Melo. Don't think I'll be voting for Melo at all in the top 100 project.