What went wrong in Carmelo Anthony’s last 2 stops?

What Carmelo Anthony did right during his last two trips

To properly appreciate, or at least understand the puzzling career arc attached to Carmelo Anthony’s career, we should take a trip down memory lane — to the heart of his prime, during his run with the New York Knicks.

For a team that had only just recently put a nine-game losing streak in its rear view mirror, there was an unusual aura about the locker room in Madison Square Garden. The standings showed a team eight games under .500 in the middle of December, somehow inspired by its win over the lowly Orlando Magic.

At every turn, there was confidence; point guard Raymond Felton had even remarked that upcoming teams on the schedule were going to “feel the wrath” of this 5-13 team.

But it was what Carmelo Anthony said that night that above all else provided something to ponder. At that point in the season, the once revered superstar had been generating a steady 25.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per night — though it was a 17-word postgame statement that captured the stories of the New York media that night.

"“I wanted to do something a little different to see if it worked. Me scoring 30 wasn’t working.”"

Given Anthony’s media-driven reputation as a me-first, team-second superstar, suffice to say Anthony’s take that night likely raised more than a few eyebrows.

The glaring difference was that this was 2014, a year in which only one-fourth of the teams in the NBA had embraced in-game analytics and tracking. There was no one to call Anthony’s bluff. In itself, that has become a problem: we’ve given Anthony his proper respects as a generational scorer.

But we haven’t given Anthony his due for his willingness to conform with his better days behind him.

It was seldom the topic of discussion, but Anthony did embrace the 3-point shot. Over his last two seasons, 42 percent of his shot attempts have come from deep, compared to just 29 percent during his time in New York.

As for the defensive side of the ball (and brace yourself for this one), Anthony had glimpses in both Houston and Oklahoma City where he could be a serviceable defender, especially with elite defenders around him to cover his mistakes.

In the same way that players like Chauncey Billups, Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd had shielded him during his prime, Anthony had All-Defensive caliber talent around him and that allowed him to hide and still produce.

The Andre Roberson injury is of particular interest, considering it robbed Oklahoma City of its best chance to succeed long-term. That Westbrook-Roberson-George-Anthony-Adams lineup outscored opponents by 13.5 points per 100 possessions.

And then, in Houston, Anthony saw similar success when paired with the right personnel.

As for how this translates into Anthony’s return in Portland remains to be seen. This year’s Portland Trail Blazers team will feature no Andre Roberson. It will feature no Gary Clark. There are no Tyson Chandlers in the lineup, rotating over to cover for his missteps.

But for whatever Anthony’s future holds, the main idea remains the same: a Hall of Famer has a chance to leave the game on his terms.

As Skip Bayless brought out on Undisputed, the Blazers don’t necessarily need “Melo.” They don’t need the nightly 25-to-30. Carmelo Anthony is suffice. If Anthony comes in and plays at least close to the game we’ve come to admire over the last one-and-a-half decades, it could be enough to put the proper bow on the career of one of the game’s all-time greats.

Who, me?

Yes, you, Carmelo Anthony.