Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Player Power Rankings: Has Stephen Curry Won MVP Yet?

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after being called for a foul against the Dallas Mavericks in the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after being called for a foul against the Dallas Mavericks in the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 23
Next
Jan 20, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Arron Afflalo (4) high-five against the Utah Jazz during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Jazz 118-111 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Arron Afflalo (4) high-five against the Utah Jazz during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Jazz 118-111 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Last Rank: No. 17

Position: Small Forward

Age: 31

Slash Line: .433/.331/.817

Season Averages: 34.6 MPG, 21.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 3PM

Carmelo Anthony has changed the way he approaches the game, and the New York Knicks are a better team because of it. He’s willingly embracing the role of a facilitator, is thriving defensively, and has trusted his teammates to find him openings as a scorer.

When he’s absent, the Knicks fall to pieces—a telling sign of a player’s value to a team.

Thus far in 2015-16, New York is 22-20 when Anthony is available and in the rotation. That record plummets to a mark of 0-5 when he’s unable to compete, which is the difference between a postseason appearance and, literally, not winning a game.

Five games is a small sample size, but it’s an accurate representation of the current state of the Knicks.

With Anthony, New York is a team worth fearing due to its improved play on the road and its above-.500 work at Madison Square Garden. Without Anthony, its solid players fail to win games as Kristaps Porzingis goes through the inevitable ebbs and flows of a rookie season.

Anthony struggled this past week, scoring a combined 25 points in two games before suffering a minor knee injury, but that’s not enough for him to fall out of the Top 20.

Next: Dominating the Glass