Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

[jeebs9]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

I don't need any advance stats to tell me. Carmelo is better offensive than Durant lol. Just watch the games. jk

[Drewski]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

This is a topic I like, alot. I think it is extremely easy to dismiss Melo and say lol Durant close topic, but realistically it's pretty tight. I don't really have an opinion made 100% yet on who is greater than who, but I think both guys should definitely get the respect they deserve in this thread.

The one thing I AM certain of, is both guys suffer from the teams/coaching staff they are involved with. Brooks coaching job with OKC leaves much to be desired, even if they made it to the WCF. They did, alot of that, solely because they have very talented individual players, and a dash of chemistry that keeps them rolling. Melo's defensive liabilities will probably be glaring through the season, especially if Captain Pringles sticks around, but as we all saw he picked it up in the playoffs. Still, you need to show that effort and dedication on the D end year round.

Anyway, looking forward to more discussions, perhaps one will be persuasive enough to help me differentiate between the two without going with my gut reaction of Kevin Durant being the champion in this battle.

[Weeks]

I had Melo yesterday. But based on Bumi's stats, it's hard not to pick Durant.

[Bumi]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

This just isn't true.

Actually, it is true. And verifiable.

There's really no way to prove that one guy is better than the other offensively when they're as gifted as these two guys are, so that's strictly your opinion.

Actually, there is a way. They're called metrics.

And he isn't better "from everywhere". If you're going to say Durant is better around the rim because his efficiency at the rim is higher (while getting to the rim less than half the amount of times that Carmelo does)

Incorrect.

Durant finished the season with 4 attempts at the rim per game, and finished at 77%. Melo, finished with 5 attempts per game at 66%.

in 09-10, Durant finished with 5 attempts at the rim per game, converting at a clip of 70%, and Melo finished with 8 attempts per game, converting at a 60% clip. Either way you cut it, Durant finishes better at the rim. He scores a similar amount of points around the rim, with less shot attempts.

then I can just as well say Melo is a better mid-range and 3 point shooter because he is more efficient from there.

But that would also be incorrect.

Durant Shooting Percentages
3-9 feet: 43%
10-15 feet: 47%
16-23 feet: 40%
3 Point: 35%/53% eFG

Melo
3-9 feet: 32.3% Den/26.1% NYC
10-15 feet: 38% Den/37% NYC
16-23 feet: 43% Den/40% NYC
3 point: 33% Den/42% NYC // 50% eFG Den/ 63% NYC

I struggle even giving Melo the nod from three.

Durant
08-09: 42%
09-10: 37%
10-11: 35%

Melo
08-09: 37%
09-10: 32%
10-11: 37%

To further put this in perspective. Melo has finished below 35% from 3pt range 5 times in his 8 year career. Durant has finished below 35% once. His rookie season.

Melo gets to the rim 7.3 times per game (in Denver, I believe it was just under LeBron's number) while the next closest SF (LeBron) gets there 5.9 times. Durant gets there 3.6 times a game, which is less than Andrei Kirilenko and Danny Granger. That's pretty weak.

Durant is the only perimeter player to finish with 100+ dunks on the season. Finishing with 23 more than the next closest perimeter players. Andre Igudola and Dwayne Wade. He finished with 27 more dunks than LeBron, and 72 more dunks than Carmelo Anthony.

He can obviously get to the rim. And when he gets there, he converts.

Also, the vast majority of Durant's shots are assisted by teammates, which while you can argue that it means he's good at working off the ball, it can also be used to point to the fact that he has a hard time getting his own shot.

%Ast

Durant
08-09: 57%
09-10: 52%
10-11: 62%

Melo
08-09: 41%
09-10: 48%
10-11: 47%

Ironically, Durant's best season to date came when he was assisted the least. Anyhow, the change in team dynamics is largely responsible for the 10% increase in %ast rating. The emergence of WB presented less iso situations for Durant, and increased his movement off the ball.

Lastly, you say Durant is a better finisher because of his sky high % around the rim on 3.6 attempts per game. However, you look at Melo who averaged 7.3 attempts per game in Denver and shot like 55% (Durant shot 77%), but then when Melo got to New York, he didn't attack the rim as much (only about 5.5 times per game, which is still a lot more often than Durant but a lot less for himself), his percentage jumped up into the high 60's, so I think one could argue that if Melo didn't force it as much as he did in Denver (where he didn't have a Russell Westbrook caliber player), that his efficiency around the rim would probably be on par with Durant's.

Presumptuous are you?

FG% at Rim

Durant:
08-09: 68%
09-10: 70%
10-11: 77.2%

Melo:
08-09: 60%
09-10: 57%
10-11 Den: 57%
10-11 NYC: 66%

So no, you couldn't argue it. Melo simply doesn't finish as well as Durant. That's all there is to it.

Durant took 19% of his shots at the rim. In Denver, Carmelo took about 36% of his shots at the rim, and in New York, I believe it was somewhere around 27% of his shots. So yes, considering 81% of Durant's shot attempts were jumpers/floaters, I think you can definitely argue he turns into too much of a jumpshooter at times.

Ok. He's a jump shooter that finishes better at the rim than Melo and most perimeter players.

No, I saw him refuse to run the offense that Brooks had called for (which was designed pretty well), and instead, got forced out to almost half court because of his own mental mistake.

Durant broke off the play, probably because it seemed slow developing and he might not have gotten the ball if he flared out and Westbrook would have had to take a contested shot. It seemed like a weird play to run to close the game, something that would have trouble being executed with the amount of attention Dallas was giving Westbrook and Durant.

The ball probably would have never even gotten to Durant. Nowtizki was already cheating over, and Marion had been in passing lanes all game.

Also, you can just as easily look at this article from the same website about Kevin Durant's struggles running the offense.
http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/05/24/di...ay/#more-14669

Um... they're referring to a single play?

Once again, that is strictly your opinion.

It is, and one I find to be accurate.

Lots of people think Russell Westbrook lost the series (not me). A lot of people blame Brooks, and some people just accept the fact that Dallas was the better team (my opinion).

Dallas was undoubtedly the better team. Still though, OKC didn't get much help from their coach.

And I think it's kind of silly to say "you don't put young players in that position" when you're giving the guy credit for being one of the top 5 players in the NBA (pretty sure you've said he's top 5, but if not, my mistake). When you're credited as an elite player, it's your job to put the team on your back a little bit when the going gets rough.

This isn't NBA 2k. Rotations, floor spacing, and a structured offense matter. Especially against a veteran team in the western conference finals.

Hero ball sucks.

Also, you say "Sometimes there's just nothing you can do", but then blame Scott Brooks. If there was nothing you could do, then it seems to me that the Thunder lost because the Mavs were a superior team, not because of any deficiencies from Scott Brooks.

The Mavs were a superior team. Still, OKC had a chance that didn't come to fruition due to Scott Brooks deficiencies. You don't start and or close games out with a rotation of Thabo, Perkins, and Ibaka and expect to be successful. That line up ended with -9.73 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs, including 89.19 points per 100 possessions on offense. Combine that with Scott Brooks, by his own admission, "allowing the offense to work itself out", and you have a disaster.

[Pared]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

They're both close stats-wise.

I honestly feel if you want both play closely you would take Durant. Durant seems to make players around him better. I don't think I can say the same about Melo, even after watching him as much as I have his entire career.

[Drewski]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

I had Melo yesterday. But based on Bumi's stats, it's hard not to pick Durant.

Bumi's coming hard with the stats. I think anyone who looks at those stats begins to bury Melo in this discussion. Wondering if anyone has a decent rebuttal in Melo's favor, but I can't imagine anything as convincing. I'm drinking the Kool-Aid but I'm waiting to see if anyone else stirred up a batch before I claim it to be the best available.

[ZB9]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Bumi is coming hard with the stats and certainly making a convincing argument for Durant

the main advantages for Melo are his ability to be a go to guy on the block and score with his post up game as well as any wing in the league.

To Bumi, of course his field goal percentage is going to be lower than Durant's in that area considering Melo takes so many of his shots in that area, while Durant shoots 81 percent jump shots (nothing wrong with that, Durant does it at a very high level). You cant compare such FG percentages in a vacuum. Most of Durant's points in the paint come from slashing and dunking. As far as posting up, that water is still too deep for Durant.

Also Melo's BBIQ and play without the ball gives him an advantage. Durant needs to really improve his offense without the ball. I dont know if those two things are enough to compensate for Durant's better overall numbers (they probably arent lol), but they are certainly big advantages for Melo to have. Durant's BBIQ will certainly get better though as he gains more experience.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Actually, it is true. And verifiable.

Seriously, I don't mean to be rude, but how do you expect anyone to even want to debate with you and or take you seriously when you say stuff like this, basically implying that your opinion (and that's all it is) is fact?

Actually, there is a way. They're called metrics.

If you want to believe that metrics tell you everything that you need to know about the game of basketball, then by all means, go ahead, but to a lot of other people, there's other important things that the metrics don't really take into account.

Incorrect.

Durant finished the season with 4 attempts at the rim per game, and finished at 77%. Melo, finished with 5 attempts per game at 66%.

in 09-10, Durant finished with 5 attempts at the rim per game, converting at a clip of 70%, and Melo finished with 8 attempts per game, converting at a 60% clip. Either way you cut it, Durant finishes better at the rim. He scores a similar amount of points around the rim, with less shot attempts.

In Denver, Carmelo attempted shots at the rim 7.3 times per game. Durant attempted 3.6. So yeah, for at least half the season, Durant attempted less than half of the attempts that Melo attempted.

I also love how you round all of Durant's numbers up (attempting 4 shots at the rim per game when it's actually 3.6) while you round Melo's numbers down (attempting 5 shots at the rim in New York per game when it's actually 5.4. The fact of the matter is Melo attempted 6.6 shots at the rim per game this season while Durant attempted 3.6, so yes, I was incorrect in saying it was less than half, but Melo still attempts almost twice as many shots from that area.

But that would also be incorrect.

Durant Shooting Percentages
3-9 feet: 43%
10-15 feet: 47%
16-23 feet: 40%
3 Point: 35%/53% eFG

Melo
3-9 feet: 32.3% Den/26.1% NYC
10-15 feet: 38% Den/37% NYC
16-23 feet: 43% Den/40% NYC
3 point: 33% Den/42% NYC // 50% eFG Den/ 63% NYC

I struggle even giving Melo the nod from three.

Durant
08-09: 42%
09-10: 37%
10-11: 35%

Melo
08-09: 37%
09-10: 32%
10-11: 37%

To further put this in perspective. Melo has finished below 35% from 3pt range 5 times in his 8 year career. Durant has finished below 35% once. His rookie season.

This year:
16-23 Feet: Durant shot 40%; Melo shot 42%
3 point range: Durant's eFG was 52.5% (below the league average); Melo's was 54.7% (above the league average)



[quote=Bumi;2042507854]Durant is the only perimeter player to finish with 100+ dunks on the season. Finishing with 23 more than the next closest perimeter players. Andre Igudola and Dwayne Wade. He finished with 27 more dunks than LeBron, and 72 more dunks than Carmelo Anthony.

He can obviously get to the rim. And when he gets there, he converts.

Ok. He's a jump shooter that finishes better at the rim than Melo and most perimeter players.

%Ast

Durant
08-09: 57%
09-10: 52%
10-11: 62%

Melo
08-09: 41%
09-10: 48%
10-11: 47%

Ironically, Durant's best season to date came when he was assisted the least. Anyhow, the change in team dynamics is largely responsible for the 10% increase in %ast rating. The emergence of WB presented less iso situations for Durant, and increased his movement off the ball.

Presumptuous are you?

FG% at Rim

Durant:
08-09: 68%
09-10: 70%
10-11: 77.2%

Melo:
08-09: 60%
09-10: 57%
10-11 Den: 57%
10-11 NYC: 66%

So no, you couldn't argue it. Melo simply doesn't finish as well as Durant. That's all there is to it.

You don't think it's questionable that Durant is supposedly one of the best finishers at the rim and yet he has one of the lowest attempts numbers compared to other SF's that get over 30 minutes? Durant attempts 1 shot at the rim per 10.8 minutes. The only SF in the NBA that plays at least 35 minutes per game and attempts fewer than that is Dorell Wright, so this either points to a guy that:

A. Only attempts shots at the rim when they're easy shots (which would result in the higher efficiency)

B. Lacks in basketball IQ based on the fact that he attempts just 19% of his shots from his most efficient place on the court while the other 6 SFs that play at least 35 minutes per game attempt a higher % of their shots from that spot despite being less efficient. This would mean that based on the idea that you presented that Durant is actually at his best when he isn't getting assisted (assuming that was your point of saying how ironic it was that the year in which the lowest percentage of his buckets were assisted was actually his best season), Durant just simply chooses not to get to the rim despite obviously having the ability to do so.

or C. Struggles to get to his best spots on the court, which would explain why he attempts more shots from 3-15 feet out (his worst spots) than he does from around the rim (his best spot).

For comparison's sake, Carmelo gets most of his shots from at the rim or 16-23 feet, and then the 3 point line (his best 3 spots on the court).

Durant broke off the play, probably because it seemed slow developing and he might not have gotten the ball if he flared out and Westbrook would have had to take a contested shot. It seemed like a weird play to run to close the game, something that would have trouble being executed with the amount of attention Dallas was giving Westbrook and Durant.

The ball probably would have never even gotten to Durant. Nowtizki was already cheating over, and Marion had been in passing lanes all game.

You have no idea what was going through his head, so you really can't say why he broke off the play. The fact of the matter was that there was a designed backscreen to get him the ball with some space to either take the shot or get the defender closing out hard and allowing him to get by for a pull-up jumper.

You say he did it because if he didn't, then he wouldn't have gotten the ball, and Westbrook would have been forced to take a contested shot. So once again, you're assuming Durant's thought process, which you really have no clue about, you're assuming he wouldn't have gotten the ball, which again, you really have no clue about, and you're assuming Westbrook couldn't create a shot for himself. Moreover, you're saying it was a smart thing for Durant to heave a shot from almost half court that ended up getting blocked, rather than have Westbrook try to beat his man (who he had a serious mismatch over) and take a shot at least near the 3 point line. Either way you slice it, nothing good is coming from this argument.

It is, and one I find to be accurate.

Once again, you're coming across as a condescending person here. Nobody wants to debate with someone like that.

Dallas was undoubtedly the better team. Still though, OKC didn't get much help from their coach.

But you said yourself that there was nothing OKC could do about it, so what does it really matter?

This isn't NBA 2k. Rotations, floor spacing, and a structured offense matter. Especially against a veteran team in the western conference finals.

Hero ball sucks.

Well Melo has carved himself out a nice reputation for being able to take over down the stretch with hero ball due to his elite offensive abilities, and by your account, if Durant is "better offensively", "from everywhere", and is also at his best when he is getting shots unassisted, then you would think OKC would be in good hands like New York is with Carmelo.

The Mavs were a superior team. Still, OKC had a chance that didn't come to fruition due to Scott Brooks deficiencies. You don't start and or close games out with a rotation of Thabo, Perkins, and Ibaka and expect to be successful. That line up ended with -9.73 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs, including 89.19 points per 100 possessions on offense. Combine that with Scott Brooks, by his own admission, "allowing the offense to work itself out", and you have a disaster.

I'm pretty sure Harden fouled out, and that was the reason Thabo came into the game. Ibaka played a major role for OKC in the series against Dallas and played pretty well offensively. And Perkins is a defensive guru and the veteran leader of the team. There's nothing wrong with playing those two, and Thabo wasn't the guy that Brooks wanted out there.

Lastly, I'm going to once again point out how irritating it is to debate anything with you with the way you carry yourself on this message board. If you continue to say that your opinion is concrete fact and continue to act like you know better than all of us, I won't continue to debate with you.

[Tyrant8RDFL]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

I love that Durant is modest, a team player, humble, all that great stuff....but right now im taking Melo...

I think Melos killer instinct and toughness is what sets the two apart...

while Melos D is definitely questionable, IMO its not for lack of trying....dude is just not a good defensive player..

I was pretty dissapointed by Durant this post season, on and off court.....but hes got time to grow. RIGHT NOW though? Im taling Melo.

I second this post. Melo is much more of a warrior right now then Durant. i was dissapointed in Durant on how adversity made him give up.

Adversity is a welcome challenge to for a true warrior, and certain players have it. Melo is one of them and Durant is not at this time.

This will change in the future, but for today I'm taking Melo also.

[ybtherockstar]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Im taking melo barely though. To me they both can dot the same things except melo is bigger and stronger than KD and can be more trusted in the clutch.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Bumi is coming hard with the stats and certainly making a convincing argument for Durant

the main advantages for Melo are his ability to be a go to guy on the block and score with his post up game as well as any wing in the league.

To Bumi, of course his field goal percentage is going to be lower than Durant's in that area considering Melo takes so many of his shots in that area, while Durant shoots 81 percent jump shots (nothing wrong with that, Durant does it at a very high level). You cant compare such FG percentages in a vacuum. Most of Durant's points in the paint come from slashing and dunking. As far as posting up, that water is still too deep for Durant.

Also Melo's BBIQ and play without the ball gives him an advantage. Durant needs to really improve his offense without the ball. I dont know if those two things are enough to compensate for Durant's better overall numbers (they probably arent lol), but they are certainly big advantages for Melo to have. Durant's BBIQ will certainly get better though as he gains more experience.

Agreed with all of this. Durant has a lot of room to grow, and yet he's still one of the top 10-15 players in the league today. Really the last thing Melo has to improve upon is putting more effort towards the defensive end consistently. For now though, I personally would take Melo (not talking about for the future, but right now).

[Bumi]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Seriously, I don't mean to be rude, but how do you expect anyone to even want to debate with you and or take you seriously when you say stuff like this, basically implying that your opinion (and that's all it is) is fact?

At this point, it really isn't an opinion. Sans a metric, or two(if that), Durant literally posts better numbers than Melo across the board. This is verifiable. An opinion graduates into being a fact once it's supported by objective and nondiscriminatory measures.

If you want to believe that metrics tell you everything that you need to know about the game of basketball, then by all means, go ahead, but to a lot of other people, there's other important things that the metrics don't really take into account.

I understand your perspective, and I'd venture to say there's even some truth to it. However...

Metrics and statistics are particularly reasonable to talk about here and now because, based on APBR-metrics, people have been saying for years that Melo is overrated. Now he's switched teams, and he's had arguably less impact than predicted.

And, the idea that really nuanced discussion of basketball was occurring before we had all of these stats is a fairy tale. The reality is that most debates that don't use stats don't end up going anywhere. Often it's two people yelling at each other "Did you even watch the game?", when in reality, neither one really knows how to watch a game and pick up its nuances. Even those that do know the nuances to some degree will fixate on certain aspects without having an ability to properly gauge how it all fits together.

With all that said, I get that it's frustrating when someone's complete response is a wall of stats. It can feel like there's no beauty at all in the conversation, and make one feel like none of this has anything to do with the actual game.

In Denver, Carmelo attempted shots at the rim 7.3 times per game. Durant attempted 3.6. So yeah, for at least half the season, Durant attempted less than half of the attempts that Melo attempted.

And converted at a markedly better clip. There's no denying that. Even when their attempts at the rim are within range of one another, Durant still prevails. Significantly I might add.

I also love how you round all of Durant's numbers up (attempting 4 shots at the rim per game when it's actually 3.6) while you round Melo's numbers down (attempting 5 shots at the rim in New York per game when it's actually 5.4. The fact of the matter is Melo attempted 6.6 shots at the rim per game this season while Durant attempted 3.6, so yes, I was incorrect in saying it was less than half, but Melo still attempts almost twice as many shots from that area.

I don't dictate the laws of mathematics.

This year:16-23 Feet: Durant shot 40%; Melo shot 42%
3 point range: Durant's eFG was 52.5% (below the league average); Melo's was 54.7% (above the league average)

And again, I present to you...

Durant
08-09: 42%
09-10: 37%
10-11: 35%/53% eFG

Melo
08-09: 37%
09-10: 32%
10-11: 33% Den/42% NYC // 50% eFG Den/ 63% NYC

Based on consistency within their respective careers. I'm giving the nod to Durant.

Presumptuous are you?

What is it that I'm presuming?

You don't think it's questionable that Durant is supposedly one of the best finishers at the rim and yet he has one of the lowest attempts numbers compared to other SF's that get over 30 minutes? Durant attempts 1 shot at the rim per 10.8 minutes. The only SF in the NBA that plays at least 35 minutes per game and attempts fewer than that is Dorell Wright, so this either points to a guy that:

Conversion and volume are two separate statistics, and given the sample size, conversion rates may stay consistent despite an increase in volume. So, no.

A. Only attempts shots at the rim when they're easy shots (which would result in the higher efficiency)

Smart basketball.

B. Lacks in basketball IQ based on the fact that he attempts just 19% of his shots from his most efficient place on the court while the other 6 SFs that play at least 35 minutes per game attempt a higher % of their shots from that spot despite being less efficient. This would mean that based on the idea that you presented that Durant is actually at his best when he isn't getting assisted (assuming that was your point of saying how ironic it was that the year in which the lowest percentage of his buckets were assisted was actually his best season), Durant just simply chooses not to get to the rim despite obviously having the ability to do so.

He scores more than everyone, as efficiently as anyone. Two scoring titles at the age of 22, and is coming off a season in which he lead his team to the western conference finals. Maybe how he scores works for he and his team?

or C. Struggles to get to his best spots on the court, which would explain why he attempts more shots from 3-15 feet out (his worst spots) than he does from around the rim (his best spot).

This would make sense, especially considering the floor spacing, or lack there of, OKC has when their starting lineup is on the court.

For comparison's sake, Carmelo gets most of his shots from at the rim or 16-23 feet, and then the 3 point line (his best 3 spots on the court).

And yet, still scores less, less efficiently than Durant.

You have no idea what was going through his head, so you really can't say why he broke off the play. The fact of the matter was that there was a designed backscreen to get him the ball with some space to either take the shot or get the defender closing out hard and allowing him to get by for a pull-up jumper.

Forgive me, I thought it was obvious.

You say he did it because if he didn't, then he wouldn't have gotten the ball, and Westbrook would have been forced to take a contested shot. So once again, you're assuming Durant's thought process, which you really have no clue about, you're assuming he wouldn't have gotten the ball, which again, you really have no clue about, and you're assuming Westbrook couldn't create a shot for himself. Moreover, you're saying it was a smart thing for Durant to heave a shot from almost half court that ended up getting blocked, rather than have Westbrook try to beat his man (who he had a serious mismatch over) and take a shot at least near the 3 point line. Either way you slice it, nothing good is coming from this argument.

A 22 year old players ran a busted play in the western conference finals against a veteran team and eventual champions. Forgive me if I didn't treat it as an indictment on his overall BB IQ and skill level.

As he said, he didn't know what to do. The back screen was covered well and Durant was tripled. Just as he had since Harden fouled out. So, he threw up a terrible shot. It happens.

Once again, you're coming across as a condescending person here. Nobody wants to debate with someone like that.

I came off as condescending because I find the notion that Scott Brooks is a poor coach to be accurate?

But you said yourself that there was nothing OKC could do about it, so what does it really matter?

Not sure what your point is.

Well Melo has carved himself out a nice reputation for being able to take over down the stretch with hero ball due to his elite offensive abilities, and by your account, if Durant is "better offensively", "from everywhere", and is also at his best when he is getting shots unassisted, then you would think OKC would be in good hands like New York is with Carmelo.

And Durant was better down the stretch than Melo this season. And OKC is obviously in good hands. Durant is better than Melo, and OKC is better than NYC. I just don't find Scott Brooks to be a competent coach.

I'm pretty sure Harden fouled out, and that was the reason Thabo came into the game. Ibaka played a major role for OKC in the series against Dallas and played pretty well offensively. And Perkins is a defensive guru and the veteran leader of the team. There's nothing wrong with playing those two, and Thabo wasn't the guy that Brooks wanted out there.

Thabo should have staid on the bench. He's a defensive stopper. Daequan Cook would have been a better option given the shooting he brings to the table. This would have spaced the floor, and given Durant and Westbrook more room to work. Having 3 defensive players that can't create their own shots on the floor at one time, in the closing minutes of the game, is a disaster. There's a reason that lineup finished with -9.73 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs, including 89.19 points per 100 possessions on offense. It's not because it/they were an effective lineup.

Lastly, I'm going to once again point out how irritating it is to debate anything with you with the way you carry yourself on this message board. If you continue to say that your opinion is concrete fact and continue to act like you know better than all of us, I won't continue to debate with you.

Ok.

Kevin Durant at 21 had a better regular season than Carmelo Anthony ever had. Now, at 22, he's had a better playoffs than Carmelo Anthony ever had. He scores more points, more efficiently. He plays better defense. Etc.

Heck, Durant was arguably the second best player in the NBA at 21. The last player to put up more than 27 PT/G (Durant had 30.1) on better TS% was 1990. Melo has never been that good. Just look at their career averages, and this is with Melo having significantly more prime years than Durant.

Melo career averages 25/6/3 54.5 TS% 20.3 PER .126 WSp48
Melo's best season 29/6/4 56.3 TS% 22.0 PER .153 WSp48
Melo's postseason averages 25/7/3 52.1 TS% 19.6 PER .106 WSp48

Durant's career averages 26/6/3 57.6 TS% 21.8 PER .154 WSp48
Durant's best season 30/8/3 60.7 TS% 26.2 PER .238 WSp48
Durant's postseason averages 29/7/3 56.5 TS% 23.3 PER .192 WSp48

I honestly don't see how an argument in Melo's favor can be made.

[Bumi]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Bumi is coming hard with the stats and certainly making a convincing argument for Durant

the main advantages for Melo are his ability to be a go to guy on the block and score with his post up game as well as any wing in the league.

To Bumi, of course his field goal percentage is going to be lower than Durant's in that area considering Melo takes so many of his shots in that area, while Durant shoots 81 percent jump shots (nothing wrong with that, Durant does it at a very high level). You cant compare such FG percentages in a vacuum. Most of Durant's points in the paint come from slashing and dunking. As far as posting up, that water is still too deep for Durant.

Also Melo's BBIQ and play without the ball gives him an advantage. Durant needs to really improve his offense without the ball. I dont know if those two things are enough to compensate for Durant's better overall numbers (they probably arent lol), but they are certainly big advantages for Melo to have. Durant's BBIQ will certainly get better though as he gains more experience.

I can't give Melo the advantage there. Durant is far more prolific, and more efficient, with off the ball possessions.

Carmelo Off Screen: 3.3% of plays / .73 PPP
Durant Off Screen: 20.2% of plays / .97 PPP

Carmelo Spot Up: 12.6% of plays / 1.11 PPP
Durant Spot Up: 12.2% of plays / 1.2 PPP

Carmelo is one of the best isolation players in the league but Durant is not that far behind there, either:

Carmelo Isolation: 37% of plays / .97 PPP
Durant Isolation: 24.9% of plays / .92 PPP

Keep in mind these are using Carmelo on the Knicks only, which is very favorable to him.

I second this post. Melo is much more of a warrior right now then Durant. i was dissapointed in Durant on how adversity made him give up.

Adversity is a welcome challenge to for a true warrior, and certain players have it. Melo is one of them and Durant is not at this time.

This will change in the future, but for today I'm taking Melo also.

Durant quit? Melo a warrior?

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[NYJets]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Stop bringing age into it, just about everyone in this thread has said they would take Durant for the future. The discussion is about the 2 players right now, age isn't relevant.

[Bumi]

Re: Let's settle this: Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony

Stop bringing age into it, just about everyone in this thread has said they would take Durant for the future. The discussion is about the 2 players right now, age isn't relevant.

Ok.

Durant last year. Durant now. Durant next year.

The last time Melo was better than Durant, Durant was 19.