14-4, since the trade Seating steadily at #5 in the West, and playing some of their best basketball of the season. No superstar or true go-to player, but they are loaded from top to bottom Personally, I think with one key player this team could be very dangerous in the near future.
Their depth is incredible. They have two players at each position who can start on an NBA team. They have no stars though and that will hurt them in the playoffs when things tighten up.
They're similar to the Rockets with their depth, but whereas the Rockets are desperate to sacrifice some of their balance for a superstar, the Nuggets traded their superstar and gained more balance.
From what I've seen of them. They have a very balanced roster. With size and scoring at the wing with Chandler, Smith and Gallinari. As well a size in the post with Nene, Mozgov, Koufos, Martin and Birdman. They also have a very strong bench with Felton, Smith and Harrington. Truth be told they should be in the conversation as one of the most deepest and balanced teams in the NBA.
The difference between that team and the Rockets is that they have some nice-sized bigs in Nene and Birdman.
Yep. If we get some size, we'd be in the same league with them. I think they are going to make some noise in the playoffs, scaring the top seeds. Too bad they have to slug it out with OKC, two up and coming teams. New York is really stupid trading so much away for Carmelo.
IMHO they were really stupid for trading for Melo in the first place. Its clear he has no place in a team hell bent on winning games.
Mozgov at $9 million for 3 years is a bargain. Look for his mpg and his play to go way up next season after K-Mart's contract expires...if there is a next season.
As great as they are playing right now, the post-season is about superstars. We'll see if the accolades continue after the first round.
I don't know if it matters now..... ...but after watching the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets play after Carmelo Anthony switched teams, it seems more than obvious that New York obviously overspent for Anthony. Not that Anthony isn't the best player of all those involved in the trade—a top-10 player in the league (possibly top six or seven...and you always want to get the best player available in a trade)—but judging by the Knicks' performance before the trade, they did indeed surrender more than they needed to to secure Anthony's services. As it stood, Carmelo Anthony was going to New York regardless of where he was going to be traded at the end of the season. That fact alone should have been enough for the Knicks' front office to sit on a potential gold mine of players who were proving how talented they were (Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari most notably), and simply add Anthony at whatever asking price he claimed. I can't imagine how good the Knicks would have been had they added Anthony to the wing opposite an emerging Gallinari, and a stable and capable point guard in Felton. And the Knick depth at the swing positions was solid, too. I personally did not sense any asking price by any team other than New York would be too much for Anthony. It is difficult to give Anthony credit for being as good a player as he is because he isn't as good as Lebron James. They are comparable in size, speed and athleticism...but James' ball-handling, playmaking and decision-making place him in another stratosphere beyond Anthony. But even during his NCAA title run at Syracuse, Anthony has shown an ability to play winning basketball (particularly with a quality point guard that handles the playmaking a decision-making for him), and that ability, coupled with the right group of players, will make the Knicks fearsome next season. Of course, the Knicks will become better much more quickly if Anthony and Amare Stoudemire become better individual and team defenders, but that may be asking too much.... If you were to look at the trade now, you'd have a hard time convincing me that the Knicks couldn't have traded Anthony for Gallinari straight-up (I am becoming more and more impressed with Gallinari each time I see him play—the Nuggets got their instant Anthony replacement with him, I believe...and if the Nuggets can get someone other than Nene Hilario to play center, they may be set for the next several years)..... ...the one problem I feel the Knicks are having with Anthony right now is, they're trying to make him a playmaker. Anthony FINISHES plays. He doesn't create them. Sometimes, the tendency with some players is to iso them and let them create a shot for themselves or their teammates if they have an abundance of individual talent. This is precisely what Carmelo Anthony does NOT do well. Add to that the fact that Mike D'Antoni's system largely needs a great decision-making point guard (like Steve Nash—or even Raymond Felton earlier this season) who can score and facilitate when needed, and the Knicks' current aversion to any kind of defensive effort, and you have that team's current struggles in a nutshell.
What about all those who were saying Denver got ripped of? They would have never seen this coming. Suck crap Knicks.
melo is a top ten player from a pure talent standpoint. amare possibly top 15. but both he and amare don't impact the game as much as their talents indicate simply because they're both not great defenders and creators. new york may have given up too much for carmelo, but anytime you can acquire a superstar, you'd do it. they won't win it this year because melo is no lebron with respect to carrying a mediocre squad throughout the postseason, but they've acquired the rarest and hardest piece of the puzzle, which sets them up for a easier road in the future. all they need to do is complete the rest of the puzzle with additional easier-to-find pieces. at the end of the day, new york is closer to winning a championship than denver is even though denver is the better team at the moment.
We'll see. If NY ever becomes ECF FInals contender with Melo playing a significant role then I'll take back what I said about Melo. I just don't think he's that good period. Landry Fields is far more valuable to me than Melo is.
Just as ridiculous as KM being better than Melo? You're right what do I know, KM is just fool's gold while Melo is the 3rd best sf after LBJ and Durant: Landry Fields: 9.8 pts, 6.4 rebs, 1.9 assist, 60.3 TS%, solid D Melo: 26.2 pts, 6.3 rebs, 3.1 assist, 56.9 TS%, crappy D I don't think the difference between the two is as far as you think, take away Melo's gaudy ppg (which really is just Melo chucking 2x more than he should), and you see they have nearly identical stats, except that Fields is more efficient, plays better defense, and actually outrebounds Melo despite playing 5 minutes less a game. Factor in salary (20M vs 2M), youth and potential for upside (26 and 7 year vet vs 22 and rookie) and to me Fields is clearly more valuable. All Melo will give you is Melodrama attached to a max contract for the next 5 years. Fields? He'll actually be an extremely valuable player if you want to win games, and who knows, maybe he'll develop into a star in his own right.
Ros ,I was with you mane until you posted the stats between the two..Doesnt mean I'd rather have Fields than Melo (because I would)...but he's nowhere near Melo's superstar status nor will he ever be...upside is one thing but "his ceiling" is another..
