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I've always said elite players should be able to take a bag of doritos and make the playoffs. He has made the playoffs every year in the league. When martin,nene,camby and others were injured, he still got them in the playoffs. He's the 2nd best sf in the game behind james. He and durant are very close,but carmello has the post game on his side. Durant has age on his side. Carmello is a better player than bosh and i dont even think its debateable.
His court vision and ballhandling skills are very average though, which prevent him from being the elite playmaker that Lebron, DWade, Kobe, DWill, etc. are. Even when they don't have it going, they can create scoring opportunities for their teammates - something you can't really say about Melo.
Then debate it... Because he's right. Durant is the more efficient scorer, better rebounder and better defender.
is he an elite player? does a bear **** in the woods? hes game planned to stop game in and game out, hes one of the top 5 players in the game
Of course there's a difference however you make it sound like Melo's team making the WCF is already justification for him being an elite player. LOL in case you weren't aware the nuggets are stacked. Its not like Melo carried a crappy team to the WCF LBJ style. Hell if LBJ had played there instead of Melo they probably would have won a ring by now. What is your definition of elite anyway? To me the elite is the best of the best, and a guy with below-average defense and average vision and rebounding won't make it. Sure Melo scores a lot, but he lacks a reliable 3 pointer, and unlike LBJ he doesn't contribute across the board with assists, blocks, steals. Durant scores more efficiently both inside and out than him, and unlike Melo Durant has better vision and amazing 3 pt range. As a perimeter player I'd put him below LBJ, Wade, Kobe, Durant, Paul, Williams, Nash, Roy and Granger simply because the lack of a 3 pt shot and bad D. Harldy "elite".
Every team plans for the other team's best player. By your definition there are 32 elite players in the league. Top 5 in the league? Let's see....Pau Gasol, DH, Kobe, LBJ, Durant, Wade. That's 6 easily already.
Hmmm, don't really see much of Melo, saw a couple of games last season, including him and LBJ going back and forth in overtime (Melo hit the GW shot over James). But then I saw him in the playoffs against the Jazz and saw him fail. Honestly he'll be better off being a side-kick, he's in the same class as Chris Bosh. One of the best players in the league, but not elite IMO
of course Melo is elite. When you're in a league with 30 teams and 15 players on each team and you can be TOP 5 scoring and maybe TOP 3 closers. He is a TOP 10 player in a league of over 400 of the BEST players in the WORLD. don't get it twisted, he is ELITE
whats funny is the folks saying he isnt elite will be the first to say melo is the guy we nedd to put us over the top as soon as trade rumors come out. buncha yahoos
Do you guys remember what Melo was shooting when he came in? He was shooting below 40% for like half the season, but the Nugs were so damn bad they just let him keep chucking.
LeBron and Durant are in their own class right now, but I'd still say Melo sits in a room with Howard, Wade, Dirk, Paul, and Kobe. Carmelo's everything Glenn Robinson could have become if he had any work ethic. That guy got lazier every year and was on Shaq's offseason conditioning program (Burger King).
