Has Carmelo Anthony played well enough this season to be atop the MVP ranks, as Greg Anthony believes?
The forward has certainly done his part on the offensive end, averaging 26.8 points – third best in the league behind Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. After a monster 45-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, that average will move past Durant for second best in the league with an average of 27.7 points.
More importantly, the New York Knicks are an Eastern Conference best 16-5 on the season. Accolades usually come with being on a dominant team, and Anthony is certainly a huge part of the team’s success. The only question at this point is whether he can keep up the scoring barrage once Amare Stoudemire returns. Recent reports have indicated a return is on the horizon for the actual starting power forward of the team.
Whether he should be ahead of the likes of LeBron James and Durant in MVP conversations is debatable at this point. His defensive presence – no matter how many times he jumps into the stands – is still not near the level of some of his peers at the small forward position.