Knicks team president Phil Jackson believes Carmelo Anthony could play better on the offensive end, Al lannazzone and Laura Albanese of Newsday write in a collaborative piece.
“Carmelo a lot of times wants to hold the ball longer than — we have a rule: If you hold a pass two seconds, you benefit the defense,” Jackson said. “So he has a little bit of a tendency to hold it for three, four, five seconds, and then everybody comes to a stop. That is one of the things we work with. But he’s adjusted to [the triangle], he knows what he can do and he’s willing to see its success.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Coach Jeff Hornacek admitted that there are times when Anthony is a ball-stopper, but he doesn’t see it as a major issue for the Knicks, lannazzone and Albanese relay in the same piece. “It’s a fine balance,” Hornacek said. “He’s a star player who can really create his own shot from that midrange area. Sometimes we talk about maybe moving the ball and holding it, maybe it’s a second or two too long for a normal guy, but for Carmelo it’s fine because he can make that play.”
- Derrick Williams said he never heard from Jackson during free agency this past summer and Hornacek didn’t reach out to him either, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. Williams said he expected to at least get an offer from the Knicks, but he’s happy with his decision to sign with the Heat. “I love my time in New York,” Williams said. “Being one of the fan favorites, leaving a place where I felt I could keep getting better, keep growing. But ultimately I feel it was the right decision. It might not seem that way right now. But I’m getting better each day. Even though I may not be on the court right now, this is for the second half of the season.”
- Williams said that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is “by far” the best coach he’s ever had, Berman adds in the same piece. “Really having a coach to teach me the right ways to play defense,” Williams exclaimed. “He really gets you in a defensive mode, with offense second. That’s what I needed in my career.”
Michael Beasley 2.0 is saying all the right things, but when the Heat FINALLY get healthy, and get Winslow back, I expect for Winslow and James Johnson, and Josh McRoberts to share time at the 4, with Beasley 2.0 on the inactive list for most nights. He just has looked lost on both ends of the floor throughout the season so far, as well as in the preseason, to be honest. James Johnson actually leads the team in real plus minus, and has been really good for them, especially on defense
Man, don’t ever compare anyone to supercoolbeas. Unbelievable that the Heat signed that dude more than once. Williams is more athletic, and actually puts effort into the defensive end. He may be left out of the rotation when Winslow gets back, because as you said, Johnson is balling (was, prior to injury), but just bringing up Beasley’s name brings back too many bad memories.
The last time Beasley came back from China though, he seemed like a totally different person and player, in every way. His maturity seems to have come around, and I think that has shown in the last couple of years. He also seems to have improved his decision making, and his effort on the defensive end, and when he filled in with all the injuries at the end of the 2014-2015 season, he was even able to give us big minutes at the 5, and guarded multiple positions for us. Honestly, you have to be willing to change your opinion on guys when they show you they’ve changed, and I can say that I can do that with Michael Beasley. Derrick Williams has looked worse, on both ends of the floor, than Beasley did in his first 2 seasons. That is scary. The only thing I’d say for him in that regard is at least he is saying all the right things, and he is trying to figure it out. He just isnt