Debby Wong – USA Today Sports Images
The New York Knicks seemed poised to sweep the Boston Celtics and roll onto the second round of the NBA Playoffs, but that has hardly been the case. After losing game four with J.R. Smith out because of suspension, the Knicks then dropped game five on their home floor. Now the series heads back to Boston for game six and New York has to be getting worried.
They have Smith back, but the Celtics have been quite scrappy over the past couple of games and have caused the Knicks to struggle on offense. In their two losses the Knicks have scored just 90 points and 86 points respectively. In addition they have also shot the ball with relatively poor efficiency. No player embodies that more than Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony has never exactly been known as an efficient scorer, but he has at least always shot the ball over 40 percent when he’s been putting up his big numbers. Over the first three games of the series, that’s what he was doing, averaging 32 points per game on 36-78 shooting. However, it’s been a different story in their two losses.
In the last two games for the Knicks, Anthony has scored 36 and 22 points respectively, but has combined to shoot just 18-59 shooting and 0-12 shooting from beyond-the-arc. Part of this is the fact that the Celtics have tightened up their defensive scheme in regards to defending Melo, but it’s also because Anthony has been forcing the offense.
If the Knicks want to close out the Celtics and not have to come into a do-or-die game seven, Anthony has to get back to his normal form offensively. He doesn’t need to shoot over 50 percent from the floor or anything because that’s not the type of player he is. However, he does need to be smarter with his shot selection and needs to do whatever he can to get his shots falling again.
Cody Williams is a Senior NBA Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20 and like his Facebook page.
