New Look New York Knicks: Analyzing Carmelo Anthony's Debut
The moment after the Milwaukee Bucks' starting lineup had all been introduced, the lights went off at Madison Square Garden and Diddy's newest single, "Coming Home," filled the arena. A Carmelo Anthony video montage filled with past highlights and quotes from Carmelo about his love for the city began playing on the jumbo-tron.
Fans cheered, Carmelo was introduced first and the 26-year-old superstar was finally back where he belongs.ย
The 27-point performance was impressive, but his shooting was not. Given all that Carmelo has been through in the last couple days and the fact that this team has yet to even practice together, to come out and win last night should leave Knicks fans feeling a great sense of hope.
Here's a review of everything from last night.
Carmelo Anthony
1 of 10
Carmelo Anthony put up 25 shots last night. Amar'e only shot 13.
Last night, Carmelo showed that he is ready to be the main offensive option.Yes, Amar'e was out of the game with 26 seconds left to go, meaning Carmelo should have been the obvious number one. But still, to see the other four Knicks defer to Anthony is a sight I am sure we will see hundreds of times in the coming years. Despite having struggled from the field for most of the night, Anthony pulled it together when it counted, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter.ย
The pressure of being on a new team, debuting on Legends Night and playing on two nights of little sleep can explain why Carmelo at times looked tired and missed shots he normally makes.
If Carmelo can still score 27 points on an off-shooting night, the Eastern Conference should be very concerned.
Amar'e Stoudemire
2 of 10
The media seems to have their hearts set on stirring up some jealousy between Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.
Carmelo got the ball more and took more shots. Amar'e fouled out and threw his goggles to the ground, giving him his 15th technical foul of the year (one more and he receives a one game suspension).
Do not over-analyze these examples, and do not buy into anyone trying to say Amar'e's frustration at the end of the game came from no longer being the main man. Amar'e said he wanted to win titles in New York City and for Carmelo to come here, and he knows he has to share the spotlight. The fans still chanted MVP when Amar'e went to the foul line and will continue to exalt him.
Amar'e still ended up with 19 points.
The Forgotten Piece of the Trade: Chauncey Billups
3 of 10
The common misconception after the blockbuster trade was that the Knicks traded four starters away for Carmelo Anthony.
Chauncey Billups reminded all of us last night that he too was included with 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Billups also got to the line and was a perfect 12 of 12.
What we saw last night were several incredible passes from Billups that made it look like he had been playing with this supporting cast for years. They will only get better with more games and practices.
The other important note is Billups' impact on the game by getting to the foul line. First of all, Billups is automatic from the stripe, giving the Knicks a nearly guaranteed two points every time he is sent to the line. What it also does is allow the other guys to rest and get back into a defensive set. For a team that struggles with defense, being able to catch your breath and set up in a half-court set does wonders.
Toney Douglas
4 of 10
Toney Douglas played the most efficient game of anyone last night. He scored 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, 3-of-5 from behind the arc.
Douglas will benefit greatly from this trade. With 34-year-old Chauncey Billups running the point instead of the younger Raymond Felton, Douglas will gain eight more minutes a night at the point guard position. Add that to the backup minutes he puts in behind Landry Fields, and suddenly Douglas will be in the game for 25 to 30 minutes a night.
If Douglas can play the way he did last night, the Knicks have found their sixth man.
The Myth: The Knicks Gave Up Everybody
5 of 10
Keeping Landry Fields was incredibly important for this team. His stat line last night may not show it (seven points, six rebounds, one assist), but last night Fields played another very good game.
Fields grabs so many important offensive rebounds and can always be counted on to make the extra pass. More so than Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler, Fields is the perfect role player to have with two superstars in the lineup.
Ronny Turiaf Works for Now
6 of 10
A lot of Timofey Mozgov's points came off of easy dunks, the result of defenses treating him as the fifth option on the floor. Ronny Turiaf had a taste of that last night.
Turiaf is a decent defensive center. He is not the permanent answer for the Knicks, but he does fill Mozgov's gap fairly well.
I think the reason Shelden Williams and Renaldo Balkman were not used last night is because trades could still happen, and they would be pieces used. The Knicks may still ship away some guys to bring in another true big man.
The Hidden Piece: Shawne Williams
7 of 10
Shawne Williams causes an interesting matchup problem when he enters games. He usually subs in for either Amar'e Stoudemire or Ronnie Turiaf, but offensively steps out and hits a few threes a night. He is shooting 47 percent from behind the arc this season.
He also is a versatile defender. At 6'9", he can guard big men, but he also showed in the Knicks' 93-88 win over the Heat in January that he can cause problems for a small forward like LeBron James.
By no means am I saying Williams is the secret for the Knicks if they want to make a run in the playoffs, but he is a forgotten about piece that the Knicks kept around when it seemed like they traded everything away.
Bill Walker's Minutes Will Become Corey Brewer's Minutes
8 of 10
Bill Walker got in last night for a surprising 17 minutes.
He shouldn't get used to it.
Walker did not do a bad job during his time on the court, but expect Corey Brewer to come in and provide a defensive boost in a similar amount of minutes per game.
Lack of Size Down Low but Tons of Length
9 of 10
Chauncey Billups is a big point guard at 6'4". Landry Fields is a tall shooting guard at 6'7". Carmelo Anthony is 6'8" and Amar'e Stoudemire is a long 6'11".
Corey Brewer is 6'7" and Shawne Williams is 6'9". If the Knicks ever decide to embrace playing defense, the amount of length they have on this roster will help make up for having sub-seven foot centers.
The Knicks Are Better after the Trade
10 of 10
They upgraded at point guard from Raymond Felton to Chauncey Billups. Their shooting guard, Landry Fields, becomes better with Carmelo Anthony in the lineup. Carmelo Anthony is an upgrade from Danilo Gallinari.
Down low, starting Amar'e Stoudemire as power forward and Ronny Turiaf at center is a better combination than Wilson Chandler at the four and Amar'e at the five. Timofey Mozgov is a better center than Turiaf, but the Knicks can live with that switch.
Carmelo gives the Knicks another reliable fourth-quarter option if Amar'e has foul trouble again. When both are on the court to finish games, look out.
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