Managing Melo's Malaise
Struggling of late, Melo urged to pick up intensity
You can't expect to keep Melo in a conversation about the forwards who deserve to be in this year's NBA All-Star game. Nope, sorry folks. not this year. Even with his team off to a decent-enough start this season, and certain stat improvements, its all for spite as Melo's slumping attitude is starting to 
surrender to the quality of his play.
It seems like I have spent the last two seasons bowling blind in order to argue in Melo's favor. The last couple of years, right about this time in the season, I would have been well into my Melo 4 AllStar Campaign. Politicing like Oprah on an all-week bender, I have always done so knowing that the fight was easily justified. I've fought hard for Carmelo. I felt that the maturation was further along last year as compared to where it is right now. Yes! I know that reads ass backwards, but its true. I thought Melo was, up until the Madison Square Garden punchup, a more consistent, business first attitude type guy than he ever had been . In theory you would have not problem in seeing that progression roll over into next season. Not so right now. Regression, there is a buzzword. While there hasn't been an incredible drop off in Melo's production, the real noticable drop off has come via his attitude. No, no Nuggets fans you can breathe easy, Melo has not up and made himself back into a worse basketball player. He's not going Channing Frye on us, so to speak. But what's troubling is that he might not be a worse player, but he sure as sunlight not made himself into a BETTER player.
And its not all attitiude. Stats don't lie. The points are down a mere 3.something. If you need a full Melo stat breakdown, you can check out the NuggetsInsider.com's newly updated player bio pages (complete with new Stat & data layout). He's actually doing a better job this year, by a small statistical margin, in the area of Turnovers, his most significant improvement is on the donations. He's up 1.2 assists per game this season compared to last. So he's not completely flat lined. But has he? Just a little bit maybe? I have seen a struggling Melo this season. Its not the low production on certain nights that is bothering me. Rather, its Carmelo's lack of urgency and tenacity. Indeed, at times in certain games this year, (think.. both Laker games, Dallas, Sacramento, Clippers, Minnesota game etc. upon unfortunate etc.)) where he just has looked like somewhat of a sour. Does he seem terribly happy when the offense is engaged. Maybe I should be directing this critique at someone else. Is someone else responsible for Melo's malaise? Its tough to say its Iverson's doing. For me, anyway. I am well aware of the anti-Iverson crowd. Not all of their points are lacking in possible worth. But, the problem is that you have to call out a lack of effort above all else. And, no matter if Iverson is a ball hog off the pick and roll. I don't mind if he is a little selfish with the ball, because at least I know that he is giving it his all. Melo, on the other hand, has been ever too quick to hang his head and get jammed up in making it extra fancy or highlight worthy. When this team is at their worst, they are taking shots simply for the fact that it was there. This team has no idea how to play patient and get the best shot possible. They need to run, sure, that's apparently their personality. But when you aren't running, and inevitably to the disdain of Doug Moe, there are going to be times when, be it because of timeouts, fouls.. you can't run your offense out of the break. EVERY TIME I see see an opponent assemble in the 'obvious-as-orange' shift to a zone defense, I damn near soil myself. Its disgusting how, because of our youthful-energetic/aimless-style-of-play, that we just are unable to play smart basketball. This team needs to learn to get comfortable and manipulate an offensive set. Good shots. Bad shots. Its as simple as having a little discipline.
Any perceived confidence that this team is claiming to emit, is wickedly banter driven. I think they know by know that things are far from perfect. And it starts with Melo. He is the captain, isn't he? Lets cross our fingers in hopes that Melo re-adopts the same focus and anger that powered his superlative leadship-tuned play this past summer in the FIBA World Championships. Given the low amount of passing going on between Melo and A.I. right now, is anybody else sitting back and just saying: "man if we just had Andre Miller on this squad."? Anybody thinking that is what were lacking. Oh pipe dreams. Speaking of pipe dreams, you know who isn't a pipe dreamer? Kenyon. Homeboy is really bringing it right now. He is boasting that he is more than ready for 40 mins a night. Should be interesting, considering that injured forward Nenê is days away from resuming court work following the surgery to replace the severed ligament in his hand. Again on, Carmelo: don't label me an out and stout hater. He's not necessarily dogging it. But certainly not giving it his all, on every possession, game in - game out. Also, it is getting tiring to see Melo arise to the National TV Broadcast occasions where he gets to try and convince the world that he actually gives a horse's left nut about defense. The fact is simple, Melo seems to have two on-court personalities. A Jekyll who has complete control of the Hide. And visa versa. Worst of all, when dealing with a Melo~Bag' O Donuts~ slump is knowing that Melo has it within his means to turn it on at any given time. I wish he was half as intense as Detlef Schrempf, who never strived to bare the image of a thug, but everyone knew when they played him, they were getting an angry, fired-up, prideful basketball player. Detlef laid it on the line. Carmelo needs to take some steps toward fulfilling the sweltering dosage of potential that he showed us this summer during the World Championship Tournament.
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