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I'm sorry, but getting Anthony more touches won't help them.
Especially not with Bruce Bowen draped all over him.
Anthony has answer: Anthony
Web Posted: 05/04/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...23ccd8af0.html
DENVER Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony watched, with admiration and envy, as the Spurs pounded the ball inside to Tim Duncan, play after play, during the critical stretches of the Spurs' 126-115 overtime victory Monday night.
As clearly as Duncan is the Spurs' "go-to" guy, Anthony deems he should be the player on whom the Nuggets lean when the game is on the line.
It is what he did for Syracuse when he led the Orangemen to the 2003 NCAA le. And while Anthony understands the NBA isn't college, it is what he believes he can do for the Nuggets in their Western Conference playoff series with the Spurs.
"I think San Antonio stuck to their game plan," Anthony said. "Every time down the court they went to their go-to guy. They went to Tim Duncan every time down the court. He was either going to create something or he was going to get fouled."
The Nuggets' pre-series game plan to fast break the Spurs into submission has been nullified by the Spurs' rigorous discipline. The Spurs have kept at least two defenders back around the half-court line every time a Spur drives to the basket or puts up a shot. Denver's fast-break opportunities have been severely curtailed.
Limited to a half-court attack, the Nuggets occasionally have seemed dazed and confused, able to score big only when one point guard or another Andre Miller or Earl Boykins has had a breakout performance.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets' most creative half-court scorer, Anthony, is growing increasingly frustrated by what he perceives is a relatively paltry number of crunch-time touches.
"What did they do (defensively)?" Anthony responded, when asked what had kept him from being more productive in the second half Monday after he scored 15 in the first half. "Or what did we do?
"They didn't do anything. I think we didn't get me the ball. I don't want to sound selfish, but I had something going and I don't think we took advantage of that."
Nuggets coach George Karl respectfully disagrees with his young star, who he says has not yet reached the same "go-to" status as a player like Duncan.
"I don't really think there's necessarily a need to think he deserved more touches, to be honest with you. I think he got great touches, great looks," Karl said. "We're not a team that's going to be one-dimensional at the end of the game, like Duncan. We're a team that's got to go to the situation or the hot hand.
"I'm happy he wants more," Karl said of Anthony, "but I'm not sure he deserves more."
Anthony scored a playoff career-best 28 points Monday, but not because he was the focus of the Nuggets' offense. Boykins assumed that role, in a 32-point outburst that had the Spurs shaking their heads at the audacity of the NBA's smallest player.
"San Antonio made us play a half-court game," Anthony said. "When we've got to play a half-court game, I don't think we've practiced that much all year, focused on a half-court offense. Our game was to get out in the open court. And every time we shoot the ball they're getting three guys back, so it was kind of hard to get out in transition."
Figuring out how to score in the half court won't be as important for Karl and his staff as picking up the spirits of players devastated by the disappointment of losing a game they fought hard enough to win.
"We're in the NCAA tournament now, men," Karl said. "Single elimination. You don't play well and you lose, you're going to sit down for a long time.
"It's not a fun place to be. You don't want to think about anything except bringing it back here (to Denver) for a Game 6 and have some fun. It's been done. The statistics are probably against us, but basketball has strange twists."
As for possible adjustments in the quick travel turnaround between games, Karl knows there are few adjustments for which the Spurs don't have answers.
"We're going to have to figure out how to do better," Karl said. "We're going to have to change up a little bit."
Anthony clearly believes there is an easy offensive adjustment the Nuggets can make: Give him the ball.
I'm sorry, but getting Anthony more touches won't help them.
Especially not with Bruce Bowen draped all over him.
go ahead.
Bog the offense down, make it a one on one offense.
That plays right into the Spurs's hands.
I know that there is legislation in some school districts against using this but here is what carmelo's test looks like after that answer.
WRONG!
Did George Karl just call Tim Duncan one-dimensional? That's it. He's on my ignore list.
there he goes again, just like in the Olympics...
wants to be more like Lebron. Or AI. well Lebron can pass, can shoot, and definitely a unselfish when it comes to finding the best guy who has a better look at the rim.
Sorry, Jello. It's not just about time yet. But you can try. And you'll find Bruce Bowen at the other end of the rainbow. He's ready enough to prove something after missing again that DPOY this yr.
I've been trying to stay out of the "George Karl sucks", "Melo is a selfish pig", "Buckner should be shot and sacrificed to the God of Ginobili" threads, but I have to enter this one.
This is one of the first times I can ever recall Melo demanding the ball. It's kind of nice to see to be honest. He's been labeled a selfish jack ass by everyone and I realize if all you read are national media reports that's exactly what everyone thinks he is.
I can't change that opinion and won't even try.
But I want you to think of a couple of things here:
1) This was not Melo attempting to bog down the offense. Lets not forget he tied for Boykins with the lead in assists in that basketball game. The 28 - 7 - 5 line made him the only player in the game for either team to get 5 rebounds and assists.
2) Bruce Bowen picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter. He sat for the rest of the third quarter. Melo was on the court the rest of the third. During Bowen's time on the bench, the Nuggets attempted 18 shots. Only 2 of them were by Carmelo Anthony.
Duncan attempted 5 shots during this stretch, and spent four minutes of it on the bench.
Say what you want about Melo, but he's dead on here. It was poor coaching by Karl and poor recognition of a young team as to who needed the ball. Melo was getting to the line, was hitting shots and MOST IMPORTANT was creating shots for his teammates.
And for some unknown reason, the team avoided him. It was a killer mistake and I think it was probably the thing that cost this team the basketball game. Bowen on the bench for 8 minutes, Melo with the hot hand. . . and you get away from him at the exact time you need to feed him the basketball.
-------------------------------------------------
That said, I know exactly what Karl is trying to do. Karl "likes" rattling his players cages. He also knows there are lessons to be learned from this series and that he's not likely to win it. By continually saying Melo "isn't" a go to player YET, he setting the stage for the years to come.
I'm not upset in the least Melo is complaining about it though. I would much rather him demand touches and WANT the ball with the game on the line, then want some guy who dissapears and doesn't care. The key is twofold: 1) Did the frustration make him quit playing hard (answer, NO) 2) Did his wanting of the ball have to do with personal selfishness or a desire for the team to be successful.
My opinion is that he wanted the team to win. He never said a thing in the loss on Saturday night, despite having a relatively solid basketball game.
I know the haters will continue out in full force and that's fine. I just wish he'd get a little more credit for what he is than he does. Maybe in a couple of years I'll be ragging on him and wanting him out of Denver. But I think it's much more likely he'll be shredding this league with games that are very consistent to what he did on Monday night.
We went 24-5 after the break. Melo led the team in scoring in 19 of those games, shooting near 50% in doing it. No matter what Karl is saying publicly, he knows who the key offensive player is for this basketball team. So does Pop, or Bruce would be busy chasing Dermarr or Dre around the court.
Hey, Troy... quit making sense while we're bashing people - don't you know your proper netiquette?
Melo is the most awsome player in the world.
He is an all around great guy.
He is never caught with weed at the airport.
[/what are 3 things that aren't true about Carmelo Anthony]
Hey, Troy... quit making sense while we're bashing people - don't you know your proper netiquette?
lol. That's why I try to avoid this stuff and also why I try to be VERY careful about judging other players based on their "media personalities."
Some guys come off as being classy guys you love cheering for. Then you find out they are s . Case in point, Kirby Puckett, my childhood hero.
Others come off as thugs, selfish, immature dirtbags. Yet when you are around them and look at what they are doing objectively, you realize the media has overdone it. I could spend three hours typing names and never finish the list of these guys.
Then you have the guys who are the true jerks (Barry Bonds) and are the true heros (Tim Duncan)
I've followed Melo closely through his two years in Denver. Watched every up/down moment. I STRONGLY feel he's in the second group I listed. I don't think he's ever going to be as classy as a Tim Duncan. Then again, few are, that's why guys like that are so special.
But I do feel he'll be a superstar (I know others here think different, and that's just fine) and that he'll be a solid citizen and teammate.
I hope to God I'm right about that. If I'm not and he truly does implode, we'll be back in the lottery in a couple of years. We are good right now, but Melo is the guy who sets everything up on offense. I shudder to think of what this teams offense would be like if teams didn't have to pay attention to him.
Too late, chump."What did they do (defensively)?" Anthony responded, when asked what had kept him from being more productive in the second half Monday after he scored 15 in the first half. "Or what did we do?
"They didn't do anything. I think we didn't get me the ball. I don't want to sound selfish, but I had something going and I don't think we took advantage of that."
After reading this, it suddenly dawned on me that entropy has set in within the Nuggets team. They're admitting that they don't have a clue as to how to play in the half court, and their "star" player and coach are bickering (if politely) in the media.
They're in for a rough time tonight.
Denver has a very Portland in '99 look right now -- grasping at straws. Let's hope the Spurs take advantage.
Yes, keep giving the ball to Melo! We'll win big tonight!
I agree with Anthony for that one game. The way it was being called he could have set a tecord for free throw attempts. I don't think that strategy will work tonight, but he is right, the Nuggets should have given him the ball more.
Melo had a good game, his best of the series to date. Personally I think a large part of it had to do with the refing, that the refs were unusually strict, among other things not allowing the low post defender to fight to deny Melo position for the entry pass. Bowen and Manu were whistled on this quite a bit. If refing reverts to normal I wonder if Melo will have another good game.
I've actually been impressed with Melo's demeanor this series. He hasn't been the pouty player we've seen in the past. But that said he is not a dominant go to player yet, maybe he will be. I think Melo admired Bernard King and said he's tried to fashion his game after King. I know King and Melo's no King, no where close yet, if ever. That was a go to guy. He's no Bird at SF either, or a number of other "dominant" SFs. You start going to Melo every time like he asked and the Spurs would adjust and Nuggets would be down 20 in the blink of an eye. He is NOT that dominant. Karl knows that.
And finally for him to say that he's the dominant, go to player on his team, given his talent relative to some others is almost demeaning to the other players. Do you think Kenyon Martin or Camby like basically to be called out to the press as chump change. I'm trying to imagine Duncan, who is a go to player, saying in the press "I'm the go to guy" so they need to get me the ball. Not imagining it.
Last edited by picnroll; 05-04-2005 at 10:12 AM.
Dude, EVERYONE who was going to the bucket for Denver was getting FTs. What difference does it make if 'Melo got more, it's not like his teammates were turning it over. They were shooting FTs too.The way it was being called he could have set a tecord for free throw attempts. I don't think that strategy will work tonight, but he is right, the Nuggets should have given him the ball more.
bowen was in fire trouble
why not go to him more
karl was stupid to busy ing at the refs to use his head
Give the ball to melo all they want...either way, the Spurs are gonna win.
Bowen is doing a good job on him, and I don't want Earl ing Boykins to score more than 3 points tonight...
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