NBA Player Power Rankings: Change of the Guard

Mar 16, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) steals the ball from New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 123-108. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 16, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Ian Clark (21) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Last Rank: No. 18

Position: Small Forward

Age: 31

Slash Line: .435/.331/.821

Season Averages: 35.4 MPG, 21.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.4 ORPG, 4.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.3 3PM

The New York Knicks haven’t been winning many games, but Carmelo Anthony is the last player to blame for their misfortune. He leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists per game, and is playing some of the best defense of his career.

Anthony is one of the most commonly ridiculed players in the NBA, but at some point, people will need to pay him the respect he deserves for the late-career changes he’s made.

Anthony is averaging a career-best 4.2 assists per game, and is pulling down the second-most rebounds per contest of his NBA tenure. He’s limiting opponents to 40.1 percent shooting from the field, which is a sharp decline from their average field goal percentage of 45.3 percent.

No one will dare mention it, but Anthony is playing at a borderline elite level defensively.

Anthony’s done much of this to himself as a player known for his brilliance as a scorer and lackluster effort in all other phases. He’s long underwhelmed defensively while playing with tunnel vision that created impressive scoring numbers, but suggested he refused to facilitate.

New York may not be winning with Anthony, but he’s the last player to blame.

Next: Emerging as a True Star