Rox to play Melo only at PF?

I'm sure we'll play him where he can help the team the most. If anything, we are analytical but sometimes you have to make choices based on lineups and/or injuries

 

"During the 2017-2018 season, Anthony spent only 44% of his time on the floor defending power-forwards, while 23% against small-forwards and 16% against centers."
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That only adds up to 83%. So, the remaining 17% of the time he was guarding no one, I guess. @Zboy

 

Melo’s best position is at PF, so I hope he’s spending the vast majority of his time there

D’antoni knew this all the way back in 2012, but Melo didn’t want to listen

 

All that really matters is "we know for a fact" that he will guard Green, if not Bell or Looney. Who cares who he guards in the regular season. It's the switching we have to figure out.

As for other playoff teams, OKC is an easy match-up for him. Hell, we can go Melo on Roberson and Harden on their unused PFs. That way switching isn't a problem. You never have to switch when Roberson sets a pick...just double the ball-handler. Favors picking for Mitchell is another story though. But I don't fear Utah, not after Capela destroyed Gobert. We can beat them with Melo tied behind our back. And even if Spurs return to form with DeRozan, that will be a contest of midrange vs Morey-ball, good luck. Plus, they've never proven reliance on LMA gets them anywhere, no matter how much he scores. They beat us partly by not going to LMA while he sulked, but mostly because of their defense, which took a huge loss.

 

Capela be like : Ruudy, mon ami........

 

Modern NBA is position-less. Even more less with us because we switch on everything.

 

I hope so, the earlier reports of him playing SF scared the **** out of me.

Melo doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend the majority of SF's anymore. Our PF rotation is set with Tucker / Melo, that's a damn good defense/offense combo. It's also positive that they should help limit each others minutes, neither of them should be playing over 26 MPG next season considering their ages.

 

I fully expect to see a lot of 3 guard line ups this year. So makes sense.

 

PJ Tucker is a better PF than Melo.

 

But but H-Town Melo told us that Melo wouldn't play PF because it's "beneath him".

 

Just look at all star games too. No true centers. I know we switch a lot and that's modern NBA but I wish it was still played the way it has been played since always. Or at least of 20-25 years ago.

 

So is Melo a point forward?

 

At this stage of his career and in this system Melo is a 4 and is a small ball 5. Can't wait to see him stand at the arc and force Green to face guard him while Harden Paul and Gordon go crazy without Green being able to roam around defensively.

 

I agree with you that the NBA is positionless now. I'm worried about wing defensive matchups in the West though. We've been good defensively at the PG position with Bev and now CP3, with EGo being a capable defender as well. But we used to be able to throw Ariza at the top offensive wing to preserve Harden's energy and might not be able to do that now. Can we put PJ on Butler, Derozan, and Mitchell? Ariza had that flexibility whereas I don't think we can expect it from PJ. I'm seriously hoping Ennis can be that menace he promises to be while shooting a good percentage from 3.

 

YOOOoooo @hakeem94, another post of the week!

 

'Back in the day' there were two forwards and two guards. Not PF/SF PT/Shooting. NBA basketball really began evolving what, mid-70s? and never stopped; likely never shall.

 

So we have to worry about who Melo will guard against Golden State right? I want to see how Golden State will guard:

CP3
HarGod
Ego
Melo
TuckWagon

What team in the league can keep up with that team on the floor during crunch time or anytime in the game when we want to score?

What team can stop that lineup from scoring almost every time down the court? We can only miss shots, they can't stop us from getting a good shot with that lineup.

Golden State or no team in the league has the defensive players to stop that lineup from consistently scoring at the rim and from the 3 point line.

5 players that can hit the 3 and 4 players that can take you one on one! DEADLY!!!!

 

And, when Capela plays, Green still can't roam around, as we saw in the playoffs. Kerr makes him stick to Capela's hip (with no help, to cover the perimeter with everyone else), thus allowing Harden, Paul and Gordon go crazy driving without Green being able to roam around defensively.

Capela and our shooters forces them to give up on the Hampton 5 and play Bell or Looney to help out Green on the Harden drives.

 

So he won’t start then I guess. Starting PF position is Tucker’s to lose.

“Who, me? Off the bench?”