When the New York Knicks cooked up this unholy alliance between Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire (in a Mike D'Antoni system), the aim was clear: score the snot out of the ball. Ring up huge numbers on the Madison Square Garden scoreboard. Bathe in points the way Kevin Love bathes in double-doubles.
Jazz vs. Knicks: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire Realize Dreams In Win Over Utah
It's working, as the Knicks rung up the Utah Jazz with a 131-109 win at MSG. 'Melo scored 34 and Stoudemire had 31. Even more impressively was how quickly and efficiently they got it done. The stars played a combined 54 minutes and took a combined 31 field goal attempts and 13 foul shots. It was a ridiculous downpour.
Part of the success stems from the fact that Utah simply has no one to guard Stoudemire, and that the loss of Deron Williams has turned this mediocre defensive team into one that doesn't appear to live and die with each possession any longer, which is to say Utah's defense is even worse, ignoring the position-specific downgrade. But even facing a dilapidated foe, you have to execute to score 65 points on 31 shots in 54 minutes. 'Melo and Stoudemire executed unbelievably well.
Al Jefferson showed a bit of the downside of S.T.A.T. and 'Melo by ripping off 36 points and 12 rebounds (eight offensive) of his own; Utah destroyed New York on the glass, getting an absurd 22 offensive rebounds in 48 opportunities. That's incredible, and shows the defensive pitfalls of a frontcourt made up of 'Melo, Stoudemire and small-forward-masquerading-as-a-center Jared Jeffries. Pit that unit against the Magic or Bulls in a seven-game series, and the bleeding on the glass may be too much.
But for now, everything is wonderful. These are the Knicks New York always deserved.
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