Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: Could the Anthony-Led Knicks Beat Miami or Boston?

The New York Knicks' pursuit of Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony has reached its critical stages, as ESPN has recently reported that Knicks owner James Dolan has become involved in direct talks with Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke.

Most Knicks fans view Anthony as the crucial final piece to a NBA championship puzzle, but will the presence of Anthony thrust New York into the same atmosphere with Boston, Miami or even Chicago?

The Knicks are currently 26-24, and although the additions of Amar'e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton have greatly improved the team, New York still resides in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference's playoff picture.

Still, to be mentioned in the same breath as the postseason is a great accomplishment for the Knicks, but it's doubtful that Anthony can make New York a serious threat in the playoffs because his presence really doesn't address the team's greatest need.

Anthony's 24 points per game will definitely improve the Eastern-leading Knicks' points per game average, which currently sits at 106.5, but how much can Anthony boost the Knicks' conference-worst defense?

Anthony has never had the reputation as a superior defender, and contrary to some opinion, the Eastern Conference will be won on the merits of a strong defense.

New York has proved that it can beat Miami, Boston or Chicago on any given night, but the NBA regular season is like a snapshot while the playoffs tend to have the feel of a major motion picture.

And that script usually centers around controlling the tempo, rebounding and defense.

In the postseason the pace of the game usually slows down and the emphasis is placed on the half court game since the importance of every possession is increased.

New York will find its opportunities to push the tempo limited, and it's doubtful its scrambling defense can be as effective in a half court setting.

Miami, Boston and Chicago have the horses to keep up with the Knicks on the offensive end, even with Anthony, but more importantly the Celtics and Heat have separated themselves as arguably the NBA's top defenses.

If the Celtics or Heat have bad nights offensively, they can rest on the laurels of their defenses and still have a chance for victory, but can the Knicks say the same?

The relationship between strong defense and NBA titles is no coincidence, and recent history has shown us that that even the most offensively gifted teams have captured championships on the strength of their defenses.

Anthony will definitely make the Knicks even more exciting to watch, but unless the culture of the team changes and an emphasis is placed on defense, New York's playoff run will be a short one.