Carmelo Anthony’s career has been tumbling in the last four years until he found a place, first at the Portland Trail Blazers, and this year at the Los Angeles Lakers where he has been able to assume a secondary role.
The forward trained in Syracuse has understood that he is no longer that young player who landed in the NBA in 2003, and his task is to oxygenate the attack starting from the second unit. To date, he has played seven official games with figures of 16.7 points and 3.9 rebounds with large percentages: 50% in field goals and 52% in triples.
Now that the decline of his sports career is approaching, Carmelo has wanted to clarify the bad reputation that preceded him, especially regarding his signing for the Oklahoma City Thunder and later for the Houston Rockets where it was said that he was not willing to give up on his leading role.
I think people really don’t understand me. I think there is a misconception about me and that I am not able to adapt to situations. But I adapt easily. To anyone, man, “he highlighted in the middle ESPN.
It should be remembered that his experiment in OKC with Westbrook and Paul George barely lasted a year, and later his adventure in the Rockets of Mike D’Antoni was only 10 official games. Since then he has not played for more than a year, preparing in the shadows and demanding a new opportunity until the Blazers, out of mere necessity, dared to sign him through a contract for an “unsecured” course.
Anthony had an Oregon a first season where he started before transitioning to bench man in his second. And from there to the mega project of veterans who have mounted in the Lakers together with LeBron and Davis where in these first meetings he has performed as an elite substitute, included in the defensive work, as his coach Frank Vogel recognized after last night’s triumph. against the Rockets.
“I didn’t expect him to have a defensive performance like tonight,” admitted Frank Vogel. «It was great. Forget about thefts, plugs, etc. It is always good with your hands. But it has been in the right position. When you watch their matches this year, the effort is there. Play hard on that side of the court, ”he explained.
Carmelo completed an 8/14 shooting from the field to become the top scorer of his team with 23 points, 3 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals in just 25 minutes on the floor.
“When it comes to efficiency and what he’s doing right now, we’re just trying to break through the defense and he’s finding himself,” LeBron said. “He’s just getting his shots scored,” he added.
“Right now it’s about being mentally prepared about what’s coming our way. And the rest will take care of itself. At that time it’s just basketball. If you’re open, throw. If you don’t make the play for yourself or for others. The more you can simplify the game, the easier it will be for everyone, especially at this stage in my career, “concluded Carmelo.
(Cover photo: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
