Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce (offensively)

[RocketPower23]

How similar do you think these two Small Forwards are offensively. They both love to post up, have a terrific mid-range jumper, Pierce has more range, a better ball-handler, better footwork, and is a better playmaker, but Melo is a slightly better post up player. All in all, how similar are the two.

[Patterns]

Pierce shoots his midrange closer and around the free throw line area. Melo shoots it a step in front of the 3pt line. Melo likes to post a lot more than Pierce and he's much better at it. I'd say Melo is the best post up SF. Pierce is the better 3pt shooter both off the dribble and set up. Melo is the better finisher around the rim.

Their offensive game isn't that similar. I've watched Melo play vs the Lakers and I've seen every Celtics game in the playoffs. Pierce uses more screens while Melo avoids the screen and would rather play 1v1. Pierce likes to dribble before he takes a fadaway while Melo would rather just rise up and shoot over his defender and gives a couple of jab steps before so.

[ITK9]

Pierce is a better 3 pt shooter and a better playmaker but Melo is better at anything else

[SOUL]

I'd take Pierce.. though they are very similar offensively. I think Pierce could be more reliable.. that's pretty much the only reason.

[yunggunz]

Melo is the far better offensive player, and its really not close.

[skillz23]

yunggunz, how can you say that? It is actually VERY CLOSE, unless you are looking at stats only. Paul Pierce has that 'game changer' intangible, to the point where he can carry a team to a victory. In his prime, there wasn't a swingman better than him outside of Kobe Bryant and possibly Tracy McGrady, who was going through tough times with the Magic.

Carmelo isn't a guy you build a franchise around, plain and simple. He's a complimentery piece who needs to be put in his place (kill his ego). He doesn't play defense and his stats are better than his is. It probably has to do with the pace the Nuggets play and their non-existant defense.

Paul Pierce was the MAN in Boston during the early 00's when they (Walker+Pierce) constantly played 2v5 on Offense and were surrounded by defensive-minded role players. The defenses new they had two, actually one guy to focus on, Pierce. Yet, he managed some amazing games, including what seemed like a catapultingcomebacks for a dozen 20+ pt deficits.

Offense only, I still take Pierce. When he's on fire, he changes the outcome of the game. Carmelo doesn't seem to.

[chrice]

Melo is the far better offensive player, and its really not close.

[OmniDEN]

Pierce is better at every facet of the game, except the post game and maybe rebounding.

[Relentless88]

Pierce is better at every facet of the game, except the post game and maybe rebounding.

[celticfan42487]

Melo can post up, Pierce can box out to get positioning then use that to score from with a layup and such.

And similarly Pierce has a reliable 3 point shot.

Other then that they have similar skills but employee them very diffrently.

Pierce uses them moreso he can blend in as a second option[mostly because of the 3 ball option here] whereas Melo it seems like it'd be best if he was the first option almost all the time.

I'd want Melo as my scorer but Pierce if I have another place to go for a reliable scorer [like a good post option or wing player].

[etopn23]

yunggunz, how can you say that? It is actually VERY CLOSE, unless you are looking at stats only. Paul Pierce has that 'game changer' intangible, to the point where he can carry a team to a victory. In his prime, there wasn't a swingman better than him outside of Kobe Bryant and possibly Tracy McGrady, who was going through tough times with the Magic.

McGrady, Bryant, and Carter were clearly on another level than Pierce in their individual primes. Every single stat available indicates that. No revisionist history please.

[EHL]

Melo is the far better offensive player, and its really not close.

This statement is beyond idiotic unless you don't care about playmaking, range, and individual creativity and body control.

[Feed Your Head]

-= original quote snipped =-

McGrady, Bryant, and Carter were clearly on another level than Pierce in their individual primes. Every single stat available indicates that. No revisionist history please.

Kobe and T-Mac you cant argue with, but PP's best season was right there with Vinces best. Vince always had the ability to go off more than PP but because of PP's consistency their primes are very similar.

Vinces best year on 00/01- 27.6ppg/5.5rpg/3.9apg on 46% shooting. Had a PER of 25.

Pierces best season in 05/06- 26.8 ppg/6.7 rpg/4.7 apg on 47% shooting. Had a PER of 23.6

[The Main Event]

yunggunz, how can you say that? It is actually VERY CLOSE, unless you are looking at stats only. Paul Pierce has that 'game changer' intangible, to the point where he can carry a team to a victory. In his prime, there wasn't a swingman better than him outside of Kobe Bryant and possibly Tracy McGrady, who was going through tough times with the Magic.

Carmelo isn't a guy you build a franchise around, plain and simple. He's a complimentery piece who needs to be put in his place (kill his ego). He doesn't play defense and his stats are better than his is. It probably has to do with the pace the Nuggets play and their non-existant defense.

Paul Pierce was the MAN in Boston during the early 00's when they (Walker+Pierce) constantly played 2v5 on Offense and were surrounded by defensive-minded role players. The defenses new they had two, actually one guy to focus on, Pierce. Yet, he managed some amazing games, including what seemed like a catapultingcomebacks for a dozen 20+ pt deficits.

Offense only, I still take Pierce. When he's on fire, he changes the outcome of the game. Carmelo doesn't seem to.

What are you talking about? He has more rebounds and blocks than Pierce on the season. Pierce has him beat in 3P%, FT% AST & STL's. So offensively Pierce would be considered more efficient but not defensively.

[OmniDEN]

-= original quote snipped =-



What are you talking about? He has more rebounds and blocks than Pierce on the season. Pierce has him beat in 3P%, FT% AST & STL's. So offensively Pierce would be considered more efficient but not defensively.

You can't measure defense with stats, Pierce is a much better defender than Carmelo. Everything else is close though.

[yunggunz]

People are doing two things here:

A) Severely underrating Carmelo anthony's offensive game

B) Taking into account the Celtics succes this season when voting.

Had this poll been taken a year ago before Iverson came to Denver, Melo would have won in a landslide. Has Melo gotten worse since then, or Pierce better? No (although some would argue that Pierce was injured....but his numbers are even lower this season). But the Celtics have gotten better.


Melo is on of the top scorers in the NBA. The only other two players in his league are Bron and Kobe (and no, Iverson is not a better offensive player, but he did dominate the ball more). his offensive arsenal is vast......deadly 20 foot jumper, the best jab step in the league, one of the quickest first steps off of the pivot, a solid turn around J, and the best post game of any swingman out there. He was the best scorer on team USA for a reason.


Pierce has never scored more than 27 point in a season, nor shot over 47 percent from the field in his entire career. Melo did both last year.

As I said, melo takes this easy.