2013-2014 NBA Season

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Asking Anthony to cover Durant is always going to end badly because he is out of position guarding perimeter players. Problem for the Knicks is that they have no wings with any size. Look at the starting line up. Felton (PG), Prigioni (PG), Chandler (C) and Shumpert (SG). Subs are Smith (SG), Stoudamire (PF), Hardaway (SG) and Tyler (PF). That forces Anthony to chase which is obviously not his strength. Supposed this is the reason that they signed World Peace but has been hurt or atrocious. It is a big reason that Woodson's type of switching defense hasn't been effective at all. You have 2 plus defenders (Chandler and Shumpert but against a team like OKC they aren't matched up against offensive threats which takes away from their strength. When you are starting a fat 6'2" guy and a old, 5'11" white guy in your backcourt, and a 6'4" guy as your SF why are we surprised when mismatches materialize when they switch? Scary thing is the Knicks have played better since they went to this starting lineup though it would be hard to play worse than they did earlier in the season.

Aren't they both small forwards? I guess if you say Anthony is a 4 he could have guarded Ibaka, but that wouldn't be pretty either.

I'm not really knocking Melo on D. Nobody can guard KD these days. What impressed me was Durant on defense. He has been criticized for his defense, but it has actually been pretty good for a few years, and now it is really good. He completely frustrated Anthony, and he can guard 2 through 4 these days. Obviously that isn't his focus some nights, he can't do everything all the time. But when he needs to lock down, he does it.