ANTHONY SHOWS AGAIN WHY HE’S NOT WORTH THE TIME OR THE HYPE

Another year, another playoff round, another one sided performance by the opposing team that leaves the Carmelo Anthony led Denver Nuggets walking off the court, their heads bowed in shame, their minds filled with confusion.  As the Los Angeles Lakers completed their first round playoff series sweep against the Denver Nuggets, in what was little more than a glorified scrimmage for the Lakers, the questions and criticisms will focus on Carmelo Anthony. The criticism will be harsh, and at times not fair when where to lay the blame for this latest playoff disaster. The main question directed towards Anthony will be, “Will we ever win a championship with Anthony as the leader”?

I have always questioned the wisdom of Denver giving Carmelo the amount of responsibility bestowed upon a franchise player. Coming off a brilliant one year college career in which he led Syracuse to the NCAA championship, he was one of the crown jewels of a draft class that included a player that is able to carry a franchise, a player that could carry his team to a NBA championship…and Darko Milicic (sorry to bring up the major blemish on a very clean resume Mr. Dumars!!!).

He career numbers say Melo has been everything the Nuggets have hoped and wanted. He’s averaged 24 points per game over his five years in the NBA, the Nuggets have made the playoffs ever year he’s been in the league, the year  before he played for Denver, they were 17-63. The next year, his rookie year, he led Denver to a 43-39 record. He’s made the All-NBA 3rd team two consecutive years, and has made the all star team two straight seasons, with him starting for the Western Conference All star’s this season. He’s one of the core players that will be competing for the gold at the 2008 Olympics and has done great charity work in the Denver area.  On the surface, how could one fathom the idea of questioning this budding/already arrived 23 year old star.

The reason I can question his importance, and would be receptive to offers to trade him (albeit it would take an unbelievable offer for me to consider it) is some of thing underlying issues beneath that surface of talented excellence.

Despite the fact he has been a big part of Denver making the playoffs the last five years, he has fallen short when it comes to “winning time”. The first two or three postseasons Anthony should’ve receive a pass for not playing at superstar level, but the last two playoff season’s there was no reason why Carmelo couldn’t have elevated his play like superstar players are suppose to do. Was Denver favored to defeat San Antonio and Los Angeles the past two postseasons? Clearly the Spurs (who went on to win the championship) and Lakers were and are the better team (even though one could argue Denver has the more talented individual players). . But I felt Melo came up small going against true “franchise” players.  There is no excuse for Luke Walton to take Anthony totally out of the series like he did. In his wildest dreams, Luke Walton can’t guard the top 10 players in the league let alone outplay them like he did with Anthony.

Those who are in Carmelo’s corner will say the majority of blame should be passed to Denver Nuggets coach George Karl. He is the coach who starts two #1 overall draft picks on his team (Allen Iverson and Keyon Martin), with Iverson being a scoring machine, Eastern conference champion, and multiple all star. At the center position, Marcus Camby is a player who is always among the top shot blockers in the league along with cleaning the offensive and defensive backboards, and of course, you have Anthony. Carmelo fans will argue that the incredible lack of defensive intensity, defensive philosophy and defensive execution falls on the shoulders of the head coach. And I agree that Karl should take the heat for the incredible lack of intelligent shot selection, individual play and defensive accountability. But if you’re a “max paid” player like Anthony, a “face of the franchise player” like Anthony, and a so called “superstar” like Anthony you have to take it upon yourself to hold yourself and your teammates responsible. Calling them out in the media after an ass whupin’ when you have done nothing to help the team win is not showing leadership, it called running away from it. That’s not what superstars do.

Carmelo Anthony is far from a finished product both physically and mentally. Before Michael Jordan became Michael Jordan, he had to go through the lesson pains of being a leader. He was the guy many thought would never win a championship because he was too selfish. Magic Johnson heard boos from the Forum crowd his second season after it was perceived he got his then coach Paul Westhead fired. Akeem Olajuwon was labeled a selfish, hot headed, malcontent before his reputation improved. So maybe somewhere down the road after Tim Duncan retires, Kobe Bryant knees fail him for good, and Chris Paul is playing in the East, Melo will be ready to write the happy story. As of now he’s more hype than the truth.