First, let's take a look at the scoring efficiency of the man who handles the ball for the Knicks, point guard Raymond Felton.
Felton's 3 point field goal average is quite average. According to this chart he made 35.5% of his three point shots during the 2012-2013 regular season. This places him 88th out of the top 100 players that have attempted at least 55 three pointers throughout the 2012-2013 season. That's not terrible. Kevin Durant comes in 31st on this same list and he hit his three's 39.9% of the time. There's a huge aberration at the right corner three where Felton shot near 50%. Maybe he should take more than 21 shots from this spot next season.
While Felton isn't a Steve Novak type threat from three point land he fares much better in the paint and the left baseline. The man can finish in the post, but he has nothing resembling a floater type shot as you can see from his numbers right below the free throw line. That's something he should work on more than his three point shooting. If the Spurs taught us anything it's the value of creating wide open threes, and a penetrate and dish type of point guard does this well only if he's known for having a good enough floater or teardrop to draw the attention of multiple defenders.
This is Amare Stoudemire's shot chart for the 2010-2011 season in which he averaged 25 points per game. Let's skip over three point shooting because that's just not a part of his repertoire. Although I recently read that Amare should transform into a three point shooter, it seems impossible for him to make this transition. He's turning 31 in November with 11 NBA seasons under his belt.
Amare's most impressive work is done in the paint. This is followed by his right elbow jumper, the anti-Felton area beneath the free throw line, and the left baseline. His right baseline efficiency is similar, but in order to work with Melo he's going to have to avoid the right wing often. That includes one of his sweetest spots, the right elbow.
Carmelo Anthony's shot chart for the 2012-2013 season demonstrates how he won a scoring title. I mentioned earlier that Stoudemire may have to limit his activity on the right wing. This chart shows you why. Melo should be taking the majority of his shots from the right wing because of what he was able to achieve offensively last season. His three point shooting percentage from the right corner is almost double that of his left corner threes, and he loves the right elbow jumper inside and beyond the three point line. While both Amare and Melo shared equal success from the right baseline, Melo more than doubled Amare's attempts from that zone.
We have to return to the conclusion that Raymond Felton must create more shots for his teammates. Something as simple as driving and dishing to Stoudemire or Melo could be the beginning of something beautiful. The pick and roll featuring Amare and Felton with the Melo option should be explored more often. Of course, Anthony can create his own shot. The occasional isolation doesn't hurt, and neither do both Amare's and Felton's love for left baseline shots. It would be nice if Felton could hit the left corner three as efficiently as he did in the 2010-2011 season, or if someone like Shumpert could develop the shot. It would flood the left side and disrupt the defenses ability to double team Melo while giving him the comfort of knowing that swinging the ball cross court can produce points.
Say hello to Andrea Bargnani's 2010-2011 shot chart for the regular season. This was the last 80 game season Bargnani was able to play before injuries sidelined him. If he comes off the bench to relieve either Stoudemire or Chandler, Bargnani wouldn't get in Anthony's way. Prowling left, he can pick his shots. The seven footer has demonstrated the ability to hit threes along the left as well as baseline shots. He's a very good free throw shooter so you may want him in the post where he finishes very effectively on the left.
This may sound blasphemous to some but I see upside in starting our latest acquisition over Amare. Splitting a time share would allow Stoudemire to come off the bench and work on the right more often than if he starts with Anthony. Sure, Melo and Stoudemire will be on the court together for stretches, but it would be best to get Amare going in his most comfortable spots and make a transition- possibly into the post where he can be fed the ball more consistently- when Anthony returns. Bargnani could be used as Stoudemire's catalyst if nothing else; although he is a very capable scorer.
Raymond Felton may benefit from Bargnani's presence and a Stoudemire/Bargnani time split. He has two big men with which he could run pick and rolls as well as the ability to improve his accuracy below the free throw line as shown in this chart from his first season with the Knicks:
Felton's offensive output has decreased dramatically since the 2010-2011 season. His shot chart from last season had few bright spots which may just be due to his ongoing slump since the first time he was traded. His corner three point percentage is flipped here compared to his 2012-2013 output from those spots. This may be because Melo draws double teams on the left, allowing Felton more and better looks in that corner. This situation should be exploited as often as possible to benefit both players.
You have the peace of mind attained by knowing that I can in no way affect what the Knicks will do this season. How Amare and Melo work together may come down to sacrifices. The addition of Bargnani is an offensive positive, especially if JR Smith does not return. Tyson Chandler's role will continue being what his role has been since the beginning of time, and if Iman Shumpert improves offensively it would work wonders for a team that at times seemed to have too few options.
- Alex Moran
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