Right now, you wouldn’t want your most hated enemy to shoot like Carmelo Anthony or J.R. Smith. Anthony and Smith shot the New York Knicks out of their game against the Indiana Pacers Sunday afternoon. Their combined 14- for-43 effort was the latest example of their offensive futility. Anthony and Smith forced way too many shots, effectively playing into the hands, and arms, of the Pacers who possess a distinct height and length advantage at every position on the floor.
What’s clear is that in order for the Knicks to have a chance this series, these two leading scorers will have to completely alter their offensive approaches.
First, they will have to attack Pacers Center Roy Hibbert by relentlessly driving to the rim, where he is normally positioned. Both players were beginning to do this more often in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, and the approach yielded some positive results.
Smith and Anthony will also have to facilitate more ball movement to generate open shots for themselves and their teammates.
Sunday afternoon, the Pacers were everywhere, smothering Smith and Anthony. Those poor boys will probably dream of those “Pineapple Kool-Aid” Pacers road jerseys when they go to sleep.
When the Pacers closed out New York in game one, a familiar pall was cast over the hearts of Knicks fans everywhere. It was the familiar pang of disappointment, which emerges every time the Knicks have been in the playoffs in recent memory.
And if the Knicks losing ways continue, it will be due largely to the impulsive hands of Anthony, who is now shooting 37.8 percent in the playoffs and averaging close to 27 shots per game, according to ESPN.
Smith hasn’t been much better. No really, dude has been dreadful; he started off the game by shooting 1-for-10 from the field before finishing with 17 points. The Knicks’ lone bright spot was again Raymond Felton, who notched 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
The series resumes Tuesday night, back at Madison Square Garden, where fans should see some adjustments from the blue and orange. Could the Knicks reactivate Amar’e Stoudemire, their best interior scorer? Stoudemire, who has been out since early March, is one of the few players who could present a matchup problem for Hibbert or power forward David West. What’s more, the Knicks have to get more offense from center Tyson Chandler.
If Smith and Anthony don’t step up and get more help from their teammates, the Knicks’ offseason could begin next week, before Memorial Day.
Tacuma R. Roeback is a New York Knicks writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TacumaRoe, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+
