Are the Denver Nuggets a better [TEAM] without Carmelo Anthony ?

[D-TOWN REP]

A lot of us were saying that was a great trade for Denver when it was announced they reloaded completely.

It was pretty much the best possible deal they could get

They rolled the dice and held out to get what they wanted out of the Knicks and now they are seeing the results

 

[RunawaySlave]

No, they are just showing what can happen when you abandon the idiotic notion that it takes "star players" to be successful.
Basketball is a five man sport. It's most effective when FIVE men play as ONE unit. That means everyone does everything

 

[M.H.C.]

Yes. I hear all this talk about who they have played. Well let's look at it at it like that. As of right now the Nuggets have won 3 straight on the road. It's been a long time since they did so with Melo. Nuggets are a terrible road team. Since the trade they are 9-2 with big wins over Boston and Atlanta on the road. Also, they are beating the teams that they are supposed to beat, something the Nuggets didn't do with Melo. They would beat LA and then lose to the Pacers.

They are playing excellent team ball and defense. I don't think any team is taking them lightly. They hit 35 3's in the span of two games. They have the ability to throw a fresh five out there that can bust yo ass off the bench.

Also they don't need one person to take over a game or hit a clutch shot. They have at least 5 who can do that.

Yes they are a better team.

 

[M.H.C.]

Oh and 7 out of the 9 games they won were against teams .500 or better.

 

[Uncontainable_Spirit]

They are WAY deeper. WAY!

 

[Blaq]

They are WAY deeper. WAY!

Co-sign

 

[Nobody]

It's not so simple as better or not.

They have professionals with pride on that team. They're good players who play hard. They're a team with something to prove. They are trying to prove that they aren't Cleveland, that one monkey dont stop no show.

With no Melo, Karl has complete control of the team. No egos so guys play hard. Remember Karl said himself he didn't push Melo as he should of on the defensive end, hell hes the one who told Melo to take it easier on that side of the ball to save for offense.

So you have professionals who saw what happened in Cleveland and are out to say it's not us, we're better than them.

The Knicks are still trying to figure things out. It's harder adding a major major piece than it is adding guys who just have to fit in. With gallo being injured that's one less player who has to fit- peep how the Knicks played when Billups went down. They looked better because it was one less player learning how to fit in.

Add to that George Karl is a much better coach than D'Antoni and that they play two sides of the ball. Remember, the Knicks don't practice defense. It's played, but pretty much on their own.

The difference is, without Melo they don't have as high a ceiling. Who could they beat in the top four? The Knicks raised their ceiling.

The Knicks are losing to teams they should be beating also.

I think they should hire mike brown as an assistant to teach some defense.

 

[Ming Fei Hong]

Oh and 7 out of the 9 games they won were against teams .500 or better.

Beating .500 or better teams? What a novel concept.

 

[M.H.C.]

Beating .500 or better teams? What a novel concept.

This is how MIA is measured. By their ability to win against good teams.

 

[TREY-GA]

I think they should hire mike brown as an assistant to teach some defense.

..Carmelo is considered a top 5 talent in the NBA...he's been in the league a while now....No coach is gonna teach him to play defense now....superstars should have that when they enter the league ...Its called "desire" to play defense...Melo DOES NOT have it.....He didn't play for Karl, he won't do it now for D'antoni...but he'll get you 25-30 points a night, which doesn't win championships...

 

[Chitownheadbusa]

..Carmelo is considered a top 5 talent in the NBA...he's been in the league a while now....No coach is gonna teach him to play defense now....superstars should have that when they enter the league ...Its called "desire" to play defense...Melo DOES NOT have it.....He didn't play for Karl, he won't do it now for D'antoni...but he'll get you 25-30 points a night, which doesn't win championships...

A la Boozer. Nigga wont move his feet for nothing. Thats why I sometimes wish Tom Tibby would put him on the bench sometimes after he gets his 16-17 points. Like when the Bulls get leads and but start to fuck up defensively...thats why Tom needs to start making substitutions. Theres a few players on our bench that can play his position and they play way better defense. The fact that my Bulls are still one of the best defenses in the league despite Boozer not wanting to play defense is incredible.

 

[dtownsfinest]

Yea they play defense now. When that trade went down I said they would be better. They got younger and grabbed 3 starters for 2. I don't know what they'll do in the playoffs but trading Melo has allowed guys like Nene to step his game up. They hit the wall with Melo. They weren't going to do shit with him in the playoffs anyway. Denver made out damn good.

 

[dtownsfinest]

..Carmelo is considered a top 5 talent in the NBA...he's been in the league a while now....No coach is gonna teach him to play defense now....superstars should have that when they enter the league ...Its called "desire" to play defense...Melo DOES NOT have it.....He didn't play for Karl, he won't do it now for D'antoni...but he'll get you 25-30 points a night, which doesn't win championships...

Pretty much. Knicks are going to have their handful because they have the two worst defending superstars in the LEAGUE and there's no competition.

 

[Spectrum]

..Carmelo is considered a top 5 talent in the NBA...he's been in the league a while now....No coach is gonna teach him to play defense now....superstars should have that when they enter the league ...Its called "desire" to play defense...Melo DOES NOT have it.....He didn't play for Karl, he won't do it now for D'antoni...but he'll get you 25-30 points a night, which doesn't win championships...

Yep. He is who he is at this point...anyone expecting melo is to be a good defensive player is living in lala land...

 

[Nobody]

..Carmelo is considered a top 5 talent in the NBA...he's been in the league a while now....No coach is gonna teach him to play defense now....superstars should have that when they enter the league ...Its called "desire" to play defense...Melo DOES NOT have it.....He didn't play for Karl, he won't do it now for D'antoni...but he'll get you 25-30 points a night, which doesn't win championships...

Bullshit.

George Karl HIMSELF said he didn't press the issue.

Melo isn't going to become an all NBA defender, not now, not ever. Hell he may not have become one if Karl had him develop that side. But with proper coaching team defense can get better, and as an individual defender Melo may see improvement.

When Lebron came into the league he wasn't a good defender. It really wasn't until Mike Brown was the head coach and pretty much focused on defense primarily did we see Lebron start to develop as a defender. And it started with an improved team defense and strategy.

It's rare when players have a mix of top level defense and top level offense. Often you see guys who are great defenders and just average offensive players. They know what they have to do to keep a job in the league.

It's not too late for him to become a better defender. But at this point it's going to take a coach with a lot of respect to get that out of him.

 

[Nobody]

Yep. He is who he is at this point...anyone expecting melo is to be a good defensive player is living in lala land...

The knicks don't even really practice defense.

No one is expecting him to start locking down defenders.

But as a TEAM the Knicks don't play an organized defense. There's no one really pushing that issue because it comes down from the head coach.

What the Knicks do have are two superstars who care a lot about winning. Considering Amare's drive to win and be a leader - with the right coach you can see him improve his defense.

 

[Nobody]

Yep. He is who he is at this point...anyone expecting melo is to be a good defensive player is living in lala land...

The knicks don't even really practice defense.

No one is expecting him to start locking down defenders.

But as a TEAM the Knicks don't play an organized defense. There's no one really pushing that issue because it comes down from the head coach.

What the Knicks do have are two superstars who care a lot about winning. Considering Amare's drive to win and be a leader - with the right coach you can see him improve his defense.

 

[dtownsfinest]

Bullshit.

George Karl HIMSELF said he didn't press the issue.

Melo isn't going to become an all NBA defender, not now, not ever. Hell he may not have become one if Karl had him develop that side. But with proper coaching team defense can get better, and as an individual defender Melo may see improvement.

When Lebron came into the league he wasn't a good defender. It really wasn't until Mike Brown was the head coach and pretty much focused on defense primarily did we see Lebron start to develop as a defender. And it started with an improved team defense and strategy.

It's rare when players have a mix of top level defense and top level offense. Often you see guys who are great defenders and just average offensive players. They know what they have to do to keep a job in the league.

It's not too late for him to become a better defender. But at this point it's going to take a coach with a lot of respect to get that out of him.

His head coach is D'Antoni and he plays alongside Amare. The only way team defense can be improved is if they get a DOMINANT defensive big man and a dominant perimeter defender. Its going to take a lot but its all MOOT being that D'Antoni doesn't give a damn about defense.

 

[alexw]

lets see Denver make it out the first round first

if things remain the same

ny has a chance against miami to move on
denver doesnt have a chance in hell to beat the thunder

id say ny wins here

but im biased...not a knick fan but a fucking cuse alumni

su tommorow at 7 u bitches...watch bball at its finest

 

[crazyace718]

Damn, cancer is a motherfucker. George Karl looks like a fucking sith lord.

 

[TREY-GA]

Bullshit.

George Karl HIMSELF said he didn't press the issue.

...IF, thats what you believe he really meant, there is a REASON why he didn't press the issue....you think?....if I've heard it from Karl over the years, from NBA analysts, NBA columnists, and from players who actually like Melo, that his defense has always been lacking, don't you think Melo realizes it and has heard it too??.....

 

[dtownsfinest]

Aight they lost to the Magic but can't be mad at a 3 point loss to a contender. Whoever sees the Nuggets in the 1st round better not take them for granted.

 

[MoneyInTheBank]

Pistons rally past Knicks 99-95

 

[bigman23]

lets see Denver make it out the first round first

if things remain the same

ny has a chance against miami to move on
denver doesnt have a chance in hell to beat the thunder

id say ny wins here

but im biased...not a knick fan but a fucking cuse alumni

su tommorow at 7 u bitches...watch bball at its finest

knicks are not making it out the first round if they play boston or miami they have no bench

 

[M.H.C.]

Aight they lost to the Magic but can't be mad at a 3 point loss to a contender. Whoever sees the Nuggets in the 1st round better not take them for granted.

It was a ugly game period but a loss on a GW 3 by Jameer is better than getting blown out especially on the road. They competed to the end but until they beat a top team, the jury is still out. MIA tonight, San Antonio, Lakers on deck. I can't wait to see how they perform.

 

[alexw]

knicks are not making it out the first round if they play boston or miami they have no bench

the knicks could definitely beat miami

they dont have a chance in hell of beating boston tho

 

[M.H.C.]

Good way to bounce back. Now time to go at the league's best on Wednesday.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Fuck cuse nigga

 

[M.H.C.]

Fuck cuse nigga

Northwestern? Fighting Illinois? Chicago State? Where you stand?

 

[M.H.C.]

So does a win over the Duncanless Spurs count? Spurs got a nice 3pt game.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Northwestern? Fighting Illinois? Chicago State? Where you stand?

 

[dtownsfinest]

So does a win over the Duncanless Spurs count? Spurs got a nice 3pt game.

Its a solid win but without Duncan the Nuggets caught a break. That being said, Spurs even without Duncan are still a good team and IMO they still have the best coach in basketball or atleast top 3. Pop can go out there with his reserves and still give any team a run for their money.

 

[BDR]

the knicks could definitely beat miami

they dont have a chance in hell of beating boston tho

Keep dreaming knicks are imploding and they aint beating no Mia believe that

 

[Sango]

Its a solid win but without Duncan the Nuggets caught a break. That being said, Spurs even without Duncan are still a good team and IMO they still have the best coach in basketball or atleast top 3. Pop can go out there with his reserves and still give any team a run for their money.

Agreed! Pop is definitely top 3. He coaches the fuk out of his team until they get shit done right!

 

[MoneyInTheBank]

San Antonio 112
Denver 115
Final Box Score