What a difference a week makes. When Carmelo Anthony went for 43 points in an Easter overtime win against the visiting Bulls, it was yet another reminder the offense ran through him and all was right with the world.
This past Sunday, Melo’s 42 (four in the fourth quarter) in 43 minutes were a smidgen fewer than half of the Knicks’ total in a home loss to Miami. Yet, all we heard was there was too much standing around from the subordinates, and one man can’t do it alone.
Interesting, in that Melo was equally efficient (16-for-31 from the field) against Chicago; 14-27 against Miami) in both games, and even got to the line 15 times in the loss.
“But, hey, I’m happy as long as the Knicks are happy,” column Intel Officer Sam Lefkowitz caustically contributes. “Melo got congratulated with hugs all around from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, etc. He had a big smile on his face because he’s getting the ball 80 percent of the time and Mike Woodson is happy because he uncovered the formula for making Melo happy, albeit at the expense of the team.
“I’ve got news for Woodson: The Knicks will not win this way. Melo is working too hard to score, which is completely unnecessary. Tyson Chandler is running all over the court trying to set a pick, but Melo prefers working without one.
“They are lost in the half-court game and the playoffs are a half-court game. The Heat loss doesn’t have to be a total loss. If Woodson and Melo learn from it, they can turn it into a long-term win.”
* Dwayne Schintzius died Sunday following a prolonged bout with Leukemia. The 7-foot-2 center put the Florida Gators on the basketball map, leading them to their first three NCAA appearances (1987-90) and then played eight years in the NBA with the Kings, Nets, Pacers, Clippers and Celtics.
I didn’t know the inventively quotable Schintzius that well; however, while on a Pacers’ road trip, we did spend some “quality” time together one afternoon at a San Francisco Victoria’s Secret.
I was passing by and saw him rummaging through some items. I walked in to see what he was doing, and we killed a couple hours pretending to be shopping for ourselves.
At least he was pretending.
By the way, the Heat stuck around for an area encore last night in Newark, where — at halftime —Mayor Cory Booker plans to pull Shane Battier out of a burning building.
* So, Dwight Howard might miss the remainder of the regular season with a herniated disk.
Upon being told, Howard demanded the Magic team doctor be fired.
How good are the Lakers? They took out the Nuggets without either of their two head coaches — Mike Brown left before tip-off for family reasons, while Kobe Bryant sat out his fourth consecutive game with an injured shin — and then outlasted the Mavericks with Brown back in town.
Disregarding my own advice, I visited the bemusement park that was ABC’s Sunday studio.
* Where else can you hear a Hall of Famer of Magic Johnson’s pedigree pronounce at halftime (when the Lakers trailed by six and Andrew Bynum was struggling), “This is the type of game they can really use Kobe.”
As opposed to the passels of play dates L.A. couldn’t use the guy.
Thank you for such incisive insight, Magic.
That comment was only matched by the following astute observation. When asked what he learned from the Heat’s victory over the Knicks, Magic held nothing back. “The Heat wanted it more.”
Meaning Miami had lost eight of previous 11 on the road because it wanted it less.
Mike Wilbon had to go a long way to top the above, but, evidently, was up to the challenge. He said in essence it was good for Kobe to sit and watch so he can see where Bynum and Pau Gasol like the ball.
As opposed to being on the floor for 6 1/2 and four seasons, respectively with those two, and winning a title or two.
Naturally, Magic agreed with Wilbon.
* A funny thing happened on the way to keeping the Kings in Sacramento.
If you believe Kevin Johnson, Sactown’s mayor, the Maloof militia added a whole new set of demands to what had already been agreed … only after K.J. surprised them by getting the city’s public and private ducks in a row. This never would have happened had the franchise remained in Rochester … or Cincinnati … or Kansas City-Omaha … or, never mind.
Props to New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, who bought the Hornets from David Stern’s clearance rack. The price: A cool $338 million, but that also includes a cup holder and the right to veto Chris Paul’s next change of address. Benson plans to rename his new team, wants it to be associated with something positive about NOLA. “How about the Saints?” suggests column chondriac Richie Kalikow.
This just in from column contributor J.R. Roberts: “To entice Howard to come to the Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov is offering a perk no other city can equal — an endorsement from Mohan’s Custom Tailors.”
Today’s column would be sadly lacking if I didn’t wish Ed Searcy (Power-St. John’s-Celtics’ ring bearer) a happy 60th birthday.