Why is Melo playing so poorly?

[ubernathan]

I haven't watched any Thunder games this season but I checked his stats and at first blush it looks like he's playing really poorly. Are the numbers deceptive, or is something about the Thunder making him play below his potential? We're talking a fringe All-NBA level talent.

[bondom34]

I haven't watched any Thunder games this season but I checked his stats and at first blush it looks like he's playing really poorly. Are the numbers deceptive, or is something about the Thunder making him play below his potential? We're talking a fringe All-NBA level talent.

He hasnt been fringe all NBA in years. He's not very good is the problem

[Pillendreher]

Honestly? He looks like he's 50 going up to the rim.

[ThunderBolt]

He’s not that good and we make players look worse.

[spearsy23]

Mostly because he sucks, partially because he's a dumb player, and somewhat because he's less athletic than your average YMCA 40 year old.

[bbconair]

cuz he sucks. he built a great "aura" of being good, but hasn't been good (statistically) for a few years. he can still make some pretty shots, but that doesn't mean he's been playing winning basketball...

[Andre Roberstan]

Melo's athletic fall-off has been dramatic.

He also takes a lot of midrange fallaway jumpers. But the athleticism is a big issue too. I think it's probably part of the reason he's taking as many yucky shots as he is.

[slick_watts]

there is no accountability. when melo takes a 21 footer with 14 seconds left on the clock in isolation, there's no one to tell him that's a bad shot. maybe billy could but billy's authority has been undermined by westbrook.

[Pillendreher]

maybe billy could but billy's authority has been undermined by westbrook.

Or he's just not the kind of person to be in this position. There's a difference between coaching kids and grown men.

[slick_watts]

maybe billy could but billy's authority has been undermined by westbrook.

Or he's just not the kind of person to be in this position. There's a difference between coaching kids and grown men.

eh, maybe. billy doesn't have nba clout. but on some level that's on the leaders of the team to assign it to him. we kinda know from way early on that westbrook wasn't on that train.

[bondom34]

It always is.

[Pillendreher]

maybe billy could but billy's authority has been undermined by westbrook.

Or he's just not the kind of person to be in this position. There's a difference between coaching kids and grown men.

eh, maybe. billy doesn't have nba clout. but on some level that's on the leaders of the team to assign it to him. we kinda know from way early on that westbrook wasn't on that train.

Yes I agree. I just think we can't rule out the possibility that this just isn't for Donovan. You gotta have a certain personality for this kind of job. Him starting his NBA career on a contender and basically not changing anything after taking over from Brooks might have hurt him in that regard.

[slick_watts]

Or he's just not the kind of person to be in this position. There's a difference between coaching kids and grown men.

eh, maybe. billy doesn't have nba clout. but on some level that's on the leaders of the team to assign it to him. we kinda know from way early on that westbrook wasn't on that train.

Yes I agree. I just think we can't rule out the possibility that this just isn't for Donovan. You gotta have a certain personality for this kind of job. Him starting his NBA career on a contender and basically not changing anything after taking over from Brooks might have hurt him in that regard.

oh i never thought it was. there's two ways to get respect as a coach in the nba- either already have it from being a player or in the league in some capacity a long time. or through a vocal leader's outright support. billy has neither. and his reputation was further tarnished with the kd tweet. westbrook was brushing him off from day one. notice mike d'anatoni goes to houston and immediately has the ear of the team. that doesn't always work that way forever, but a coach with clout in the league has a much easier time getting respect from their players at least to start out.

[IAmTheBest]

I've been wanting Melo off the Knicks for years now.

He's a delusional, washed up, cancerous chucker. I hate that it had to be you guys who got afflicted with this disease (I was hoping it was the abomination known as the rockets or the cavs)

Melo has always thought he's better than he actually is. His incredible ability to make difficult shots once overshadowed all the other massive flaws in his game. But ever since he had knee surgery in 2014-2015, he as been rapidly declining. Nowadays finishing at the rim for melo means finishing the last donut. His scoring is no longer good enough to compensate for his **** defense, his ball-stopping, his **** decision making, and overall poor effort off the ball.

I dont know how this is going to boil over. Either melo gets puts in his place, which is on the bench, or the Thunder will be garbage as long as Melo starts.

Melo is delusional and egotistical, so I dont know how anyone on the Thunder is going to convince him to come off the bench without melo making a stink. Even Phil **** Jackson, who is a basketball legend, couldnt get Melo to change his ways. That's why Phil, realizing what Melo was, did everything he could to make the Knicks as inhospitable as possible to force Melo out.

I think if Melo comes off the bench the Thunder would be fine. Melo can go ham against weaker bench lineups, and he fits better with felton than he does with westbrook.

After watching Melo for years, I've come to understand that the only way melo can be a net positive to a team nowadays is if he comes off the bench. He cannot be salvaged as a starter since the last few years. I just dont know who on the Thunder can make this happen, which is sad, because even Wade, who was infinitely better than Melo back in the day, is willing to come off the bench.

[ubernathan]

Youse guys have given me a lot of food for thought.

[Old Man Game]

eh, maybe. billy doesn't have nba clout. but on some level that's on the leaders of the team to assign it to him. we kinda know from way early on that westbrook wasn't on that train.

Yes I agree. I just think we can't rule out the possibility that this just isn't for Donovan. You gotta have a certain personality for this kind of job. Him starting his NBA career on a contender and basically not changing anything after taking over from Brooks might have hurt him in that regard.

oh i never thought it was. there's two ways to get respect as a coach in the nba- either already have it from being a player or in the league in some capacity a long time. or through a vocal leader's outright support. billy has neither. and his reputation was further tarnished with the kd tweet. westbrook was brushing him off from day one. notice mike d'anatoni goes to houston and immediately has the ear of the team. that doesn't always work that way forever, but a coach with clout in the league has a much easier time getting respect from their players at least to start out.

It's sort of interesting that even guys who started out low but paid their dues like Erik Spoelstra have more respect than somebody coming in from the college ranks (Brad Stevens being the exception). Pro athletes just don't respect the college game I think that goes across basketball baseball and football.

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[One Love]

“Father Time hasn’t Lost a Battle Yet...

[knuckles862]

I've been wanting Melo off the Knicks for years now.

He's a delusional, washed up, cancerous chucker. I hate that it had to be you guys who got afflicted with this disease (I was hoping it was the abomination known as the rockets or the cavs)

Melo has always thought he's better than he actually is. His incredible ability to make difficult shots once overshadowed all the other massive flaws in his game. But ever since he had knee surgery in 2014-2015, he as been rapidly declining. Nowadays finishing at the rim for melo means finishing the last donut. His scoring is no longer good enough to compensate for his **** defense, his ball-stopping, his **** decision making, and overall poor effort off the ball.

I dont know how this is going to boil over. Either melo gets puts in his place, which is on the bench, or the Thunder will be garbage as long as Melo starts.

Melo is delusional and egotistical, so I dont know how anyone on the Thunder is going to convince him to come off the bench without melo making a stink. Even Phil **** Jackson, who is a basketball legend, couldnt get Melo to change his ways. That's why Phil, realizing what Melo was, did everything he could to make the Knicks as inhospitable as possible to force Melo out.

I think if Melo comes off the bench the Thunder would be fine. Melo can go ham against weaker bench lineups, and he fits better with felton than he does with westbrook.

After watching Melo for years, I've come to understand that the only way melo can be a net positive to a team nowadays is if he comes off the bench. He cannot be salvaged as a starter since the last few years. I just dont know who on the Thunder can make this happen, which is sad, because even Wade, who was infinitely better than Melo back in the day, is willing to come off the bench.

While melo isn’t perfect not sure how that fixes the thunders problems that they can’t score him coming off the bench isn’t going to fix the offense it’s not gonna fix Westbrook’s shot selection plus unless Patterson starts hitting shots you have Andre Adams and pat that can’t spread the floor and Westbrook who isn’t really a shooter himself as well so all you have for shooting in that starting lineup is George and if he is the only one teams will just make sure not to leave him open and load the paint so they’d be even easier to guard

[dakomish23]

I've been wanting Melo off the Knicks for years now.

He's a delusional, washed up, cancerous chucker. I hate that it had to be you guys who got afflicted with this disease (I was hoping it was the abomination known as the rockets or the cavs)

Melo has always thought he's better than he actually is. His incredible ability to make difficult shots once overshadowed all the other massive flaws in his game. But ever since he had knee surgery in 2014-2015, he as been rapidly declining. Nowadays finishing at the rim for melo means finishing the last donut. His scoring is no longer good enough to compensate for his **** defense, his ball-stopping, his **** decision making, and overall poor effort off the ball.

I dont know how this is going to boil over. Either melo gets puts in his place, which is on the bench, or the Thunder will be garbage as long as Melo starts.

Melo is delusional and egotistical, so I dont know how anyone on the Thunder is going to convince him to come off the bench without melo making a stink. Even Phil **** Jackson, who is a basketball legend, couldnt get Melo to change his ways. That's why Phil, realizing what Melo was, did everything he could to make the Knicks as inhospitable as possible to force Melo out.

I think if Melo comes off the bench the Thunder would be fine. Melo can go ham against weaker bench lineups, and he fits better with felton than he does with westbrook.

After watching Melo for years, I've come to understand that the only way melo can be a net positive to a team nowadays is if he comes off the bench. He cannot be salvaged as a starter since the last few years. I just dont know who on the Thunder can make this happen, which is sad, because even Wade, who was infinitely better than Melo back in the day, is willing to come off the bench.

In what world is Melo cancerous. All the guys on the Knicks loved him.

The only thing delusional and egotistical is this post.

[dakomish23]

somebody has to the scapegoat.