What’s the best way for teams to defend Carmelo in the post?
• Force him to back down his defender. With his back to the basket, Carmelo is shooting 6-for-15 this season.
• Once he starts backing down his defender, it may be wise to bring a hard double team. When Anthony has been double-teamed with his back to the basket, he has passed the ball on nine of 12 plays. All of those nine passes have been kick-outs to the perimeter. In fact, Anthony hasn’t passed the ball once to a cutter with his back to the basket this season.
• Once he faces up, Carmelo will almost always either take a one-dribble jumper or drive all the way to the basket. On one-dribble jumpers, he’s shooting 4-of-8 and has been fouled twice.
• If Carmelo faces up, don’t let him drive to the basket without help defense. This season when Anthony faces up and drives without help defense, he’s 5-for-8, and all three of his misses came in the Knicks’ opening game against the Miami Heat.
• After his first dribble, send a hard double team. Anthony has faced a hard double team only twice this season when he faces up and drives to the basket. On those two plays, he has a missed shot and a turnover.