Can Carmelo Anthony live up to the expectations set by Jeremy Lin? – NBA Feature
Luck is a strange phenomenon. It can take you
from the depths of gloom and frustration to the heights of success. Over the years we have heard stories of famous personalities arriving on the grand stage out of nowhere and taking the industry and the world at large by storm. These people have always
captured the imagination of people as a whole.
Jeremy Lin is one of those personalities.
Lin graduated from Harvard in 2010, and was not selected in the NBA draft. He signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Golden State Warriors that fall and played for the Warriors for some time. He was at the centre of numerous
trade moves by different clubs till he finally landed in New York.
With Baron Davis suffering from injury, Mike D’ Antoni had used up all of his reserve point guards and none had delivered the result he was expecting. The Knicks were sliding down the Eastern Conference table. Desperate to turn
around the things, Mike gave Lin the opportunity against the New Jersey Nets on 4th February 2012 and in nearly 36 of playing time, Lin responded with 25 points and 7 assists.
This was the beginning of an era that today is known as Linsanity.
Jeremy Lin started every game since that and led the Knicks to six straight wins, without Anthony and Amare' Stoudemire. He is averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 assists per game and 1.6 steals per game for the season and his stats since
he has become a regular starter for the Knicks are even better.
But now, Jeremy Lin has been sidelined with a partial meniscus tear in his left knee, and is expected to be out for the next six weeks. With Stoudemire also not available dur to a bulging disk in his back, the spotlight has shifted
to one of the best small forwards in the league, Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks are hanging on to the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference by life itself, and can easily be displaced by Milwaukee Bucks, who after Tuesday are just one win behind.
With Lin gone, the pressure is on Anthony to deliver. When New York set about the task of rebuilding the team back in 2010, Anthony was the man around whom the team was going to be built.
Ever since the rise of Lin however, people had forgotten about Carmelo. Now with Lin done and Knicks in with a fighting chance of making it to the playoffs, people are asking the question that was going to be asked sooner or later
- can Carmelo Anthony deliver to the team what was expected of him when he came to New York?
Jeremy Lin has, in a way, brought more attention on Carmelo as now the people of New York have someone to compare him to. We will see comparisons being made when he steps out on the court as once again, the lone leader of the Knicks
team. He has to deliver what Jeremy had been delivering for two months.
Statistically though, there can be no comparison between the two. Carmelo is a first grade top of the line NBA All Star who was drafted 3rd overall, only behind LeBron James and Darko Milicic.
But, Jeremy Lin, an undrafted sophomore from Harvard without a proper contract has lifted his team into playoff contention single-handedly.
The question needs to be asked, is Carmelo worth all the money and all the publicity?
If he is, now is the time to prove it when the team has been left wounded and everyone is looking up to him. The Knicks are close, closer than they have been in the past – barring the last year - to actually progress in the playoffs.
Now Carmelo needs to take the lead and take this team to its true potential.
The issue is not that simple though. Carmelo is an individual player whereas Lin was a team player.
Lin’s efforts on the court would inspire the whole team to play better. He was one of those types of players who would make others play better.
Carmelo has all the talent in the world but can he become a true leader that this team desperately needs at this time. How will Carmelo play post the Linsanity era and what changes will he make to the game play and strategy of
the team. Whatever the strategy, the people want results and if Jeremy Lin can do it, so can and so should Carmelo Anthony.
At least that is what the fans and the people of New York believe. How will the regular season end for the Knicks after the unfortunate loss of Lin and the subsequent changes in the Knicks strategy and game play, we will have to
wait and watch.
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