Earlier this week, the Knicks were handed some devastating news when it was announced that point guard Jose Calderon is expected to miss 2-3 weeks after an MRI confirmed a strained right calf. Calderon has been dealing with this injury for the past week or so, which caused him to miss Wednesday night’s opening loss to Chicago. However, the injury appeared to be minor, so Thursday’s news comes as a shock to Knick fans, who were banking on their new point guard to lead the triangle offense.
The timetable is not long, but it still takes up a good chunk of the season’s first month. As any Knick fan from last season knows, it is crucial to get off to a good start or else it is very difficult to climb back into playoff contention. The Knicks began their past season with a putrid 3-13 record, which included a skid of nine losses in a row, and from there, the Knicks were never able to turn their season around. Similar fate could be in store for the Knicks this year, if Calderon’s replacements play as poorly as they did Wednesday night. Shane Larkin got the start, but was a -17 on the night, while his backup Prigioni was not much better at -12. The backcourt was simply unable to slow down Chicago’s guards, who combined for 38 points between Derrick Rose, Kirk Heinrich, and Aaron Brooks. The offense looked lost as well under the lead of Larkin, who at this point is just not ready to be a starting floor general in the NBA. Clearly, the Knicks can’t let this slide for the next several weeks; a change must be made soon, or else it looks like they’ll be headed for a second consecutive losing season. One option is to use shooting guard Iman Shumpert at the point, however, there is another enticing scenario which is flying under the radar: Using Carmelo Anthony as a point-forward more often, and having him play the point on certain plays instead of solely at the 3 or 4 for the entirety of games.
This is a role Carmelo has been in before, although not for an extended period of time. Back in 2011, Jared Zwerling of ESPN wrote how Melo was playing well as point-forward during the preseason. An interesting point from Zwerling’s piece is when he rattles off several non-traditional point guards who’ve thrived in the floor general role.
"It’s no secret that in today’s NBA, head coaches want their best shooting guards/swingmen usually running the show to create mismatches and better spacing on the floor, which leads to more open corner 3’s and lanes to the basket. Kobe Bryant in the Triangle; LeBron James in anything. Then there’s Joe Johnson and Danny Granger."
Kobe Bryant- in the triangle. The same offense the Knicks are now running for the first time. If Bryant was able to play the point well under Jackson, then why wouldn’t Melo be able to do the same? Despite Melo’s brief experience playing point-forward, Amar’e Stoudemire had high praise for his ability in 2011, which Zwerling also writes.
"“He’s doing a great job of playing point-forward,” Amar’e Stoudemire said. “He’s really, really doing a phenomenal job of creating space and keeping the floor open so we can make great plays out there. The game is starting to become easier for us. Once we figure out how it flows, we’re going to be pretty good.”"
As these comments were made three years ago, hardly any of the players on that team still remain in New York. The team today is constructed completely differently than it was then, which was Melo’s first full season as a Knick. And, the most important difference is that Mike D’Antoni is no longer the head coach. Still, using Anthony as a point-forward in Calderon’s absence should still very much be an option that Derek Fisher must consider.
This offseason, Anthony has been adjusting to the fact that he will need to pass a substantial amount more in the triangle. Given his score-first mentality, this will be a tough transition for the 2013 NBA scoring champ. As the point-forward, though, passing will become more second nature, rather than something he feels forced to do. When Calderon does eventually return, Anthony will have the knowledge to be a more efficient passer from here on out, a skill which is necessary if the Knicks strive to do well this season in their new system.
Shane Larkin has the potential to be a more-than-adequate filler for the Knicks as Calderon works his way back to the court, but it’s time to think out of the box. Meet your new point guard, Carmelo Anthony.