Tyson Chandler

Offense: Chandler began the 2012-13 season on the same pace he totaled in 2011-12. His offense, though still at times frustratingly limited, consisted of a league-high number of alley-oops, plus the usual assortment of dunks and finishes around the basket. He even surprised teammates, fans, and broadcasters alike by stepping out and hitting a midrange jumper every once in a blue moon. His field goal percentage was tops in the league again, heading towards the historical precedents he had reached the season before.

However, over time, for injuries unreported and reasons unknown, Chandler’s offensive output dipped dramatically. The Knicks found him less in the pick-and-roll, definitely, but it’s hard to pinpoint why, exactly. Perhaps different ailing body parts than Chandler refused to use as an excuse to sit out? The numbers alone tell the tale:

• Pre-All-Star: 11.4 ppg, 67.3% FG, 6.4 FG attempts per game, 11.1 rpg,
• Post All-Star: 7.6 ppg, 50% FG, 5.1 FG attempts per game, 9.1 rpg,

Chandler’s scoring output and efficiency on offense took a serious nosedive after February. He was logging high minutes because of the Knicks’ season-long mixtape of injuries to back-up big men like Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby, and Amar’e Stoudemire. Chandler, throughout his career, hasn’t been a big minutes player, and his 32.8 per game this season is higher than his career average. The overall drop in his offense didn’t hurt the Knicks too much, as their Offensive Rating was still better with Chandler on the floor than off. It can be looked at two ways. One, Chandler isn’t supposed to be on the floor for offense, so whatever he can give the team should be seen as a bonus; or two, given his age, mileage on his body, and knack for injuries, things won’t be getting better.

Grade: C+

Defense: Chandler still remained the defensive backbone for the Knicks all year, but it was to a strikingly lesser degree than the prior season.

Whereas in his first season in New York, Chandler directed a bunch of mediocre defenders all over the floor, calling out screens, mismatches, double-teams, and directions for any player in orange and blue, this year, his impact was less noticeable. The defensive floor-scrambling — hedging pick-and-rolls, recovering to stop the roll man, sending help on double-teams, trapping, protecting the basket, and usually gathering the rebound — became more infrequent. It was odd, considering he helmed a lesser cast to a top five Defensive Rating in 2011-12. This year, the Knicks finished just 17th in Defensive Efficiency, according to NBA.com/Stats. Amazingly, the Knicks’ Defensive Rating was actually .5 points better with Chandler off the floor this season.

Unlike his offense, Chandler’s defense should be able to recover. Though as he gets older — a legitimate concern at this point — he may not be able to switch onto guards as effectively or rise up to block a shot, his communication and understanding of team defense can uphold. Many older defensive geniuses (Kevin Garnett, for example) have remained effective in keeping a defense glued, simply by barking out instructions and having an understanding of where to be at all times. The Knicks’ defense seemed a bit fluky this season, simply because a better defensive coach and roster would, imaginably, be a better overall defensive unit. Despite what the numbers say, it’s still hard to think the Knicks’ defense could get them anywhere without Chandler.

Grade: B-

Overall: It will be interesting to see how Chandler rebounds next season. He began the year at a pace that could’ve placed him on First, Second, or Third All-NBA team and simply faded out. As mentioned, nagging injuries or overuse could have done it; it certainly appeared to be both in his lackluster playoffs (though he blamed catching his daughter’s illness for that). Overall, Chandler is still a vital piece to this Knicks team, but it feels as though the Knicks’ only chance of ever reaching the elite level they desire is if Chandler is that indispensable player that Knicks fans grew to love in 2011-12.

Final Grade: B-

Carmelo Anthony

Offense: Carmelo Anthony’s reputation in the NBA has always been as a scorer. It’s his first instinct on the floor and it’s really his only elite skill. This year, he did it better than anyone in the league. Anthony’s first full, 82-game season with the New York Knicks produced the best offensive season in his career. He led the NBA in scoring at 28.7 points per game, the highest average of his career. Though his overall FG% was down from his career rate, for some reason his three-point field goal accuracy jumped to the highest percentage of his career at 38%. Similarly, he posted a 56% True Shooting Percentage, which was almost two whole points higher than his career average. ‘Melo took a step forward in eliminating jap-step-happy deep twos and focused more on shooting three-pointers, taking it to the basket, or posting up defenders. His offensive eruption this year (a 50-point game and seven 40-point games) surely had something to do with his move to the power forward. He stretched the floor and knocked down jumpers on big men unwilling to come out to the perimeter. When they did, Anthony blew past them off the dribble. Then, when teams tried to cross-match with him, he posted up most small forwards.

The progression we saw in Anthony was also reflected in his passing. Though he had moments of regression, he took out some of his ball-stopping isolation habits for the most part. And even when he did regress, it seemed – for the most part – that he chose his opportunities more carefully, like when he was cooking from the field or had obvious mismatches with the defense. His assist numbers were down across the board, but this is a case where the stats don’t reflect the eye test. Anthony was a far more willing passer, especially out of double-teams. When defenses sent help, Anthony happily kicked out to the perimeter (sometimes on lovely skip passes) and let the ball swing until a shooter was open.

Unfortunately, some of these good progressions fell apart in the playoffs. His three-point stroke disappeared, he settled for jumpers, and defenses often denied the Knicks’ swing-swing-shoot offense. Nonetheless, we just experienced Anthony’s best offensive season in the NBA, and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Grade: A

Defense: The lovely season Anthony blessed fans with also had to do with an increased focus on defense. Anthony wasn’t, nor will he ever be, a consistent, lock-down defender. However, more often than not, Anthony gave effort this year. He does much better battling power forwards who post-up or try to work off the dribble than guards or forwards who run off screens and curls. Anthony is quicker than almost any four in the league, and his strength is comparable, allowing him to bang in the post or stick with them should they try to isolate on Anthony. At times he was over-matched (see: West, David), but overall, Anthony gave a willing effort when he didn’t have to chase his man.

There were still let-downs, however. He’s prone to ball-watching, his effort on the glass wanes, and he doesn’t always hustle back on defense. When things on offense weren’t going ‘Melo’s way, we saw more defensive breakdowns. The Knicks were a tad better defensively with Anthony off the court than with him on, according to NBA.com/Stats, but he rarely appeared to hurt the team.

Grade: B-

Overall: The Knicks just had their best season in 13 years and their star player just had (likely) the best season of his career. There’s not a lot to complain about there. Anthony is still an imperfect player and his flaws are glaring compared to other elite stars (LeBron James, Kevin Durant, etc.). However, a position change, a roster and coach he approves of, and a talented supporting cast brought out the best in Anthony. If he’s willing to build on the positive changes he made this season, he could only stand to improve while he’s in the prime of his career. For the first time in his short Knicks career, Anthony resembled a top ten player for most of the season.

Overall Grade: A-

Dec 5, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith (8) gets congratulations from his teammates as he scores the winning basket with 3.9 seconds left during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Knicks win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Through much of the game, the Knicks and the Bobcats wrestled back and forth in a seesaw affair. However, with six minutes left to go, the Knicks found themselves down by eight, unable to stop a feisty Bobcats team led by the uber-quick Kemba Walker and his band of rascals. For the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony had gone mysteriously cold; J.R. Smith was unable to throw a rock into the ocean; the defense looked ill-equipped to make enough stops to get back into the game.

But at that six-minute mark, like we’d seen in the win in San Antonio, the Knicks just flipped the switch. Their defense tightened, forcing the Bobcats east and west around the perimeter, unable to get a good look. The Knicks forced five turnovers in those final six minutes. On offense, with Anthony back in the locker room treating a lacerated finger, Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler ran the pick-and-roll to perfection, parting the Bobcats’ defense and getting to the rim to get easy baskets.

On the final play – after a timeout following a weird sequence where the Knicks forced a turnover and  J.R. Smith pulled the ball back on a two-on-one fastbreak with just seconds remaining – the Knicks inbounded the ball to Smith. Smith darted to his left towards the baseline, did his signature step-back jumper, faded away, and swooshed the 18-footer at the buzzer to win the game. Like that, the Knicks started the getaway cars, escaping Charlotte with a 13-4 record and sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.

Some individual report cards, starting with the man of the hour:

J.R. Smith – 31 minutes, 13 points, 6-16 FG, 1-9 3FG, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Smith came into the game trying to forget a dreadful 1-11 shooting performance against the Phoenix Suns this past Sunday. If that game’s off-target marksmanship was triggered by a night out on the town the Saturday beforehand – as Smith has suggested he’s wont to do – then his game tonight looked like he was going out during commercial breaks. Though Smith shot the ball better than 9%, and his looks were generally clean – a variety of looks off the dribble and catch-and-shoots – nothing would fall for him.

To Smith’s credit, his defense rarely waned, and his perimeter defense in that fourth quarter was noticeably stellar. Likewise, his four assists show his willingness to move the ball an off night. A crucial, basket-saving block on an open, rolling Bismack Biyombo in the fourth, and of course, a game-winning, step-back, fade-away 18-footer… well, those help heal the earlier wounds.

Final Grade: B-

Tyson Chandler – 35 minutes, 18 points, 8-10 FG, 17 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Though Chandler’s production slowed down after a stellar first quarter in which he nearly notched a double-double, he was nonetheless vital every minute he was on the floor. Though he didn’t have much success stopping the Bobcats’ speedy, slithery guards at the basket, he generally made mincemeat of the Bobcats’ big men, allowing just 12 combined points on 6-17 shooting from Brendan Haywood, Bismack Biyombo, and Byron Mullens. Though the Knicks were out-rebounded 50-36 (!), Chandler had half of those boards and it’s doubtful New York would have ever had a possession without Tyson’s dominance. On offense, too, Chandler was crucial late in the game, sucking in the Bobcats’ defense with hard rolls to the basket and some forceful finishes, including a few alley-oops and a nice little back-to-the-basket baby hook.

After a few scary weeks where Tyson just didn’t look like his court-roaming monstrous self, he seems to be a full health and energy once again, making a living in the paint on both ends of the floor. The Knicks absolutely do not win this game without a lovely 18-17 performance from Chandler.

Final Grade: A+

Carmelo Anthony – 38 minutes, 23 points, 8-22 FG, 3-7 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

Anthony began the game firing on all cylinders, connecting on his first three three-pointers and finding success shimmying off the dribble and finishing around the basket or otherwise drawing fouls. Facing the slower-moving, 7-foot (not seven-footed) Byron Mullens, one would have expected Anthony to begin the game in attack mode, and he responded. Though his typical rebounding prowess was absent (he just didn’t seem to be around the basket much), he made up for it with some truly beautiful dishing out of double teams. When the Bobcats sent an extra defender, Anthony did a wonderful job moving the ball on a variety of kick-outs, swing, and skip passes to find open teammates.

‘Twas a tale of two halves, though, for ‘Melo. In the second half, Anthony rimmed out his other four three-pointers, and in general was only 1-11, while failing to get to the free throw line at all. As we’ve seen, the right combination of these things – along with a surging opponent – tends to make ‘Melo a little grumpy, and there was a noticeable let-up in energy and effort from him after halftime. When he finally got untracked, defending with vigor in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, and after hitting a running bank shot, he got injured. ‘Melo chased down a loose ball and dove into the Knicks bench to save it. Much to chagrin of Clyde Frazier who insists Anthony is too important for such reckless play, ‘Melo left the game with a laceration on his finger, which required six stitches. His status is up in the air for tomorrow night’s game.

Despite a less-than-lovely second half and a somewhat unnecessary injury, that wonderful first half kept the Knicks in the game to begin with.

Final Grade: B+

Raymond Felton – 36 minutes, 17 points, 7-19 FG, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 0 TOs

Playing in front of his family and a supportive crowd in his former stomping grounds, Felton took the floor with a flipper of a left-hand bundled in protective padding. Felton refused to miss a homecoming because of the bruised bone in his hand, so he took the floor, hoping to play through the pain. In the first half, the results were not good. Raymond looked tentative off the dribble and on defense, and though he shoots righty, the left hand is needed to guide the ball going up on a shot, and Felton just couldn’t bury many of his looks. Felton resorted to dishing to his teammates with some success, but in general the early returns were lacking.

So, what did he do? Felton came out in the second half with his injured left hand unwrapped and had himself a ballgame. To open the third quarter, Felton sank two three-pointers, dished to Chandler on an alley-oop, picked up a loose ball and fed Ronnie Brewer for a fastbreak layup. Felton was borderline heroic to close the game as well, harassing Kemba Walker (who’d been torching Felton all game) and denying him the ball on a critical inbounds play. On the other end, as mentioned, Felton mastered the pick-and-roll when it mattered most, assisting on a Novak three and Chandler dunk, scoring on a floater and driving layup. All the while, his adorable three-year old son slept, missing his dad’s prideful, inspiring play.

Final Grade: B+

Steve Novak – 26 minutes, 9 points, 3-8 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Novak continues a tear of games in which he’s shot (if I heard Mike Breen correctly) 17-31 from downtown, not including tonight’s performance. Novak missed a big, open corner three down the stretch, but had previously hit a big one off the elbow on the aforementioned kick-out from Felton. Tonight wasn’t one of those noticeable explosions from Steve, but each of those treys were important. Otherwise, he was pretty quiet, getting burned on a number of plays by the more fleet-footed Bobcats, and not taking a single attempt from inside the arc. Novak started the second half, continuing a trend of Woodson’s.

Side note: I love watching the Knicks swing the ball back and forth in a desperate attempt to get Novak open. This almost always results in him getting the ball, but not being open enough, passing it, and then getting it right back.

Final Grade: C

Ronnie Brewer – 18 minutes, 9 points, 3-8 FG, 2-5 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

Never has someone looked so precarious possessing the ball on offense as Ronnie Brewer. Wait, I just remembered Jared Jeffries. Besides Jared Jeffries, never has someone looked so precarious possessing the ball on offense as Ronnie Brewer. Yet for the fear that runs through me when Brewer tries to run a fastbreak, or when his elbow plunges out on his awkward shooting release, it’s been effective. 40% shooting from beyond the arc for Brewer (though five attempts is a bit too many). Five rebounds (second most on the team) and some handy defensive work and Brewer played himself a typical game. At times, Woodson’s penchant for playing Smith over Brewer – especially when Smith is off-target – can be maddening, but by some miracle it worked tonight.

Next time out, more smart, lovely cuts, less threes, Ronnie.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd – 25 minutes, 7 points, 2-3 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 0 TOs

Jason Kidd returned to action after missing some games due to back spasms, and didn’t miss a beat. The game just feels so safe in Kidd’s hands. He drilled two three-pointers (though he missed his biggest attempt late in the game) and generally kept the offense moving. On defense, Kidd gets his mittens on everything, and 3 blocks (!!!) has to be league-leading among guards. Like the comfort you feel relaxing at home, Kidd just brings a much safer, confident feeling to the game

Final Grade: B

Rasheed Wallace – 13 minutes, 2 points, 1-5 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Rasheed Wallace didn’t bark at any refs tonight, he didn’t get ejected, nor did he do much of anything, really. ‘Sheed saw limited action in the second half, but his first half play didn’t warrant it except to give Chandler a breather. Wallace’s refusal to roll to the basket after picks instead of popping out to the three-point line is aggravating. The one time he did roll to the basket, he got an open layup. Believe it or not, though, 3 rebounds ties him for third most on the Knicks tonight.

Final Grade: C-

Pablo Prigioni – 12 minutes, 2 points, 1-1 FG, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 0 TOs

Pablo hardly saw action in the second half, too, but he generally looked like his Pablo-y Priggly self in the first half. Some noticeably nice entry feeds and dishes on the pick-and-roll, and a lovely Clyde-like theft from Ramon Sessions off the dribble for Prigioni. On a second night of a back-to-back with Felton and Kidd both mending injuries, one has to expect he’ll see more minutes tomorrow night.

Final Grade: C

Final Grade for Reaction to Game-Winner : A+

Kurt Thomas – 5 minutes, 0 points, 0-0 FG, 0 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Kurt Thomas started and then he sat. He threw a nice pass from the elbow to a cutting ‘Melo.

That’s it for tonight. A scrappy, exhilarating win made this a happier, kinder, sillier report card. The Knicks now sit alone in first place in the Eastern Conference, and will go to Miami to face the second place Heat tomorrow night.

Nov 28, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives for the basket around Milwaukee Bucks forward Ekpe Udoh (13) during the second quarter at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

In a new feature here at Buckets Over Broadway, we will grade each player’s performance after every game.

So let’s get right into it with the Knicks’ report card following their 10th win of the season.

Game Stats

Field Goal Percentage- 47.9 (35-of-73)

Opponents Field Goal Percentage- 45.8 (33-of-72)

Three-point Percentage- 52.4 (11-of-21)

Opponents Three-point Percentage- 38.5 (5-of-13)

Free-throw Percentage- 84.0 (21-of-25)

Opponents Free-throw Percentage- 81.0 (17-of-21)

Rebounds- 38-36 (Knicks +2)

Points in the paint- 30-32 (Knicks -2)

Individual Grades

Raymond Felton (12 points; 5-of-10 shooting; seven assists, three rebounds, four turnovers): Felton rebounded nicely from Monday’s horrible shooting performance. He seemed more comfortable without having Jason Kidd next to him and didn’t force things as much. He had seven dimes and played a part in Brandon Jennings not having an impact on the game in the second half. Grade: B+

Ronnie Brewer (two points, 1-of-5 shooting, two rebounds, one assist, one steal): Most of Brewer’s impact isn’t seen on the stat sheet and that was the case against the Bucks. Monta Ellis and Jennings combined to score five second half points. Ellis finished with only 17 points. Grade: B

Carmelo Anthony (29 points, 9-of-18 shooting, eight rebounds, one steal, one block) Anthony set the tone early with another good first quarter. Scoring 29 isn’t a big deal, but scoring 29 efficiently is. ‘Melo did that on only 18 shots, got to the charity stripe and made his free-throws. The Knicks aren’t effective when he puts those numbers up on 28 attempts, but when he does it on 18 they are tough to beat. Grade: A

Nov 28, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) loses the ball on the way to the basket during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Kurt Thomas  (no points, 0-for-1 shooting, one rebound): It makes very little sense for Mike Woodson to start Thomas and play him four minutes, especially when Marcus Camby gets no run. Thomas had no impact at all, nor played enough to do so. Grade: D

Tyson Chandler (17 points, 4-of-4 shooting, eight rebounds): It was the second big game for Chandler in a row. He made his shots from the floor and got to the line, making 9-of-10 free-throws. The Knicks are a better team when he is involved. Grade: B+

Pablo Prigioni (11 points, 4-of-5 shooting, seven assists, three rebounds, four turnovers): If there was any doubt that Prigioni could handle major minutes playing the point, he answered them. Prigioni played 28 minutes and the Knicks didn’t miss a beat when he was on the floor. Grade: A-

Steve Novak (19 points, 7-of-10 shooting, four rebounds, two steals): Novak played a career-high 40 minutes and contributed. He knocked down five shots from behind the arc and wasn’t exposed too much defensively. He’s another guy that must stay involved in the offense on a nightly basis. Grade: A

Chris Copeland (five points, 2-of-5 shooting): Copeland played 11 minutes, mostly with the game out of hand, but got some first-half run, which was surprising. Grade: C

Rasheed Wallace (five points, 2-of-10 shooting, five rebounds): ‘Sheed couldn’t find his shooting touch, but grabbed five rebounds in 15 minutes of playing time. Grade: C

J.R. Smith (two points, 1-of-5 shooting, two rebounds, one steal): Smith continues to take awful shots from the floor and take the Knicks out of their offense. He only played 18 minutes because of foul trouble and had little impact on the game. Grade: D

James White (one rebound): White played four minutes of mop up time. Grade: Incomplete

Marcus Camby (DNP, Coach’s Decision): Camby must be in Woodson’s dog house. There isn’t much other explanation of why he rarely plays.

Jason Kidd (DNP, Back Spasms): Luckily Kidd wasn’t missed as much inn this one as he was in Brooklyn.

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