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http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/1/6/10723176/Carmelo-Anthony-highlights-leadership-growth-passing-new-york-knicks
Long considered a scorer and scorer only, the Knicks' superstar is expanding his game and becoming the leader so many wished he'd become.
By Yaron Weitzman @YaronWeitzman on Jan 6, 2016, 3:52p
Maybe it's because Carmelo Anthony is now 31 and coming off the worst season of his career. Maybe Phil Jackson's beloved Triangle offense -- and the Zen philosophy he attaches to it -- has rubbed off on Anthony. Maybe Anthony now actually respects the players surrounding him and even seems to enjoy playing with them.
Whatever the reason, Anthony has changed this year and is having greater awakening over the last week. He still calls for isolations and tough pull-up jumpers, and he always will. But now, dazzling passes and tough defensive rebounds are sprinkled in. Better yet, he's often smiling and has surprisingly become the wise old head for the New York Knicks.
"He's starting to find out how he can dominate the game in different fashions," Knicks head coach Derek Fisher said Tuesday night following the Knicks' 107-101 road win over the Atlanta Hawks, via the Wall Street Journal's Chris Herring. "That's what leaders do."
Leader isn't a label we've associated with Anthony over the years. But after a Tuesday victory in Atlanta in which Anthony finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, the Knicks have 17 wins, exactly as many as they won all of last year. Standout rookie Kristaps Porzingis has certainly made a difference, as have newcomers Arron Afflalo, Robin Lopez and Derrick Williams. But Anthony's maturation -- from last season to this one and from the beginning of this season to now -- has played the biggest role.
Anthony's newfound interest in moving the ball jumps out the most. Not only is he embracing the "sharing is caring" mantra, but he's also been efficient with his passes. He's especially focused on using his ability to suck in a defense to create open looks for his teammates. Only once in his career has Anthony assisted on a higher percentage of teammates' baskets.
Recently, he's become even more generous. Over the Knicks' last four contests, Anthony's assists have created 13.5 points per game, according to NBA.com. That's five more than the 29 games prior to that. This is how the Knicks have managed to go 3-1 in that span despite Anthony struggling with his shot.
These dishes have come in a variety of ways and from all over the court. Some have been off dribble penetration.
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Some have come off the pick-and-roll, where Anthony's size and ball-handling ability allow him to thread the smallest of openings.
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Some have come from the middle of the floor, where he's able to survey a defense like a quarterback in the pocket.
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Many have come out of the post, where Anthony has always been a dangerous passer, if not always a willing one.
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Over the last four games, Anthony is dishing the ball out of the post nearly seven percent more frequently, per NBA.com. He's become especially adept at drawing double teams and then hitting either Jose Calderon or Aflfalo cross-court for an open three-pointer.
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It's no accident that Afflalo has gone off for 61 points in his last two games, including that Klay Thompson impression against the Hawks on Sunday.
More noteworthy, though, is what Anthony has been doing without the ball in his hands. He's never had a problem sweating or banging on the offensive end, but he hasn't exactly made defensive effort a priority throughout his career.
That is no longer the case. He's now pressuring opponents when on the ball and being attentive when off it. Notice how he positioned himself perfectly in the paint and then jumped in for a steal.
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When shots go up, he's now crashing the boards in a way he never has, on both sides of the floor. If Draymond Green pulled off the following rebound-and-tap-out move, the clip would go viral and the talk would focus on his innate knack for making winning plays. Apparently Carmelo has that ability, too.
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The clip above is not an outlier, either. Over the last four games, Anthony is grabbing more than double the percentage of contested rebounds that he was earlier in the year, via NBA.com.
All this gels with his evolved public personality. In 2015, Anthony spoke out about gun control and prison reform and marched with Black Lives Matter protesters in Baltimore. Obviously, none of that directly has to do with basketball, but Anthony's commitment to social causes does suggest that he's becoming more introspective.
That quality also manifests itself on the court. Instead of appearing jealous over the praise being heaped upon his city's new favorite son -- like he was when Jeremy Lin burst onto the scene -- Anthony has gone out of his way to make Porzingis feel welcome and at ease. His decision Tuesday night to jump in the middle of a scuffle between Porzingis and Hawks forward Kent Bazemore was just the latest example of Anthony standing up for his prized teammate.
"We're going to do something about that to help him out a bit ," Anthony said afterwards, via the New York Post. "He showed some grit out there. Someone walked up into your chest, you stand your ground. That's what he did. He showed some grit out there. Someone walked up into your chest, you stand your ground. That's what he did.''
Anthony is showing that he is capable of being a more complete player and leader. It's no accident the Knicks are overachieving.
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<----- Long Live The King
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