Syracuse’s first game was against mighty mite Manhattan, an opponent that many believed would give the team fits. But a balanced scoring attack led by the Orangemen’s impressive freshman trio—Carmelo, McNamara and Edelin—keyed a 76-65 victory.
Up next was Oklahoma State, another squad that matched up well against Syracuse. Equally imposing was coach Eddie Sutton, who rarely entered a game anything less than fully prepared. With the Cowboys playing swarming defense, the Orangemen found themselves down 17 points in the first half. Carmelo was non-existent, hitting on just one field goal attempt. Syracuse, however, managed to cut the score to 31-25 at intermission. In the second half, Carmelo and McNamara heated up and, with Edelin also feeling it from the floor, Syracuse turned the tables. The Orangemen’s 68-56 win provided a major emotional boost. Syracuse got another when Carmelo was named Freshman of the Year by Basketball Times.
Heading into their Sweet 16 tilt with Auburn, the Orangemen were riding high. They jumped out to a big lead versus the Tigers, moving in front by 17 points. Auburn, however, pulled within a bucket with eight minutes to go on the lights-out shooting of Marquis Daniels and Nathan Watson. That’s when Carmelo took over. He scored Syracuse’s next seven points to put the game on ice. Boeheim, who marveled afterwards at his freshman’s sense of timing, earned the 650th victory of his career.
Carmelo and Boeheim also made headlines in Syracuse’s Elite Eight victory over Oklahoma. The 18-year-old went for 20 points and 10 rebounds, while the coach’s signature 2-3 zone completely handcuffed the Sooners. On the strength of a 63-47 laugher, the Orangemen advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1996.
Facing the University of Texas—the team many experts predicted would capture the title—Syracuse had its hands full. Point guard T.J. Ford was a lethal penetrator and the Naismith winner as national player of the year. In Brandon Mouton and Royal Ivey, the Longhorns had two athletic swingmen, and forward James Thomas was a rebounding machine. The squad was the deepest team Rick Barnes had ever coached.
What Barnes and the experts didn’t count on was Carmelo’s ability to dominate a game—an almost unheard of quality in a player his age. From the opening tip, the game belonged to the fabulous freshman. He poured in a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting, and pulled down 14 rebounds. At one point, Carmelo joked with Barnes about the Texas defense. Both knew that no one was stopping Carmelo this night, and the Texas coach couldn’t help but smile. Though the Longhorns battled hard, Syracuse ran away late in the contest, cruising to a 95-84 victory.
The Championship Game was a television executive’s dream. The storylines were thick with drama. Kansas coach Roy Williams was agonizingly close to his first title. So was Boeheim. Rumors also swirled that Williams would bolt the Jayhawks to take the North Carolina job. His two best players, Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison, were suiting up for the their final college contest. And, of course, there was Carmelo.
Syracuse charged from the gate to seize an 18-point lead in the first half. McNamara couldn’t miss from the outside, and Carmelo was putting together another masterpiece. But Kansas refused to go quietly. The Jayhawks sliced the lead to 80-78 with under a minute remaining, then had a chance to tie the contest on their last possession. Warrick, however, blocked a 3-pointer by Hinrich to seal the deal. Carmelo (20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists) finished just shy of a triple-double. He was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, making him the third freshman ever to claim the award. The others were Louisville's Pervis Ellison in 1986 and Utah’s Arnie Ferrin in 1944.
Less than three weeks later, Carmelo announced his intentions to leave college for the NBA draft. He cried several times during the press conference at Syracuse’s Manley Field House. Boeheim didn’t fight his star’s decision. Carmelo was certain to earn millions as one of the top three picks.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers the odds-on favorite to win the draft lottery, LeBron James—an Ohio boy—was the popular choice as the #1 selection. Then it was a toss-up between Carmelo and Darko Milicic, a 7-0 forward from Montenegro. When the Detroit Pistons secured the second spot in the draft, they opted for the big man, partly because they wanted more size in the paint and also because they liked the future of Tayshaun Prince, who already played Carmelo’s position.
Fortunately for the Denver Nuggets, Detroit’s decision allowed Carmelo to fall into their laps. Coming off another miserable year—the team went 17-65—the 6-8 forward was exactly what the franchise needed to re-energize its fans, not to mention its offense. The Nuggets averaged a paltry 84.2 points per game in 2002-03, the second lowest mark in the league. Carmelo slotted easily into a starting lineup that included Andre Miller at the point and Marcus Camby and Nene Hilario in the front court. Coach Jeff Bzdelik also figured to get contributions from Earl Boykins, Voshon Lenard and Jon Barry.
Denver’s most highly touted rookie since David Thompson in 1975, Carmelo was sure to benefit from the teachings of Kiki Vandeweghe, the team’s GM and a former All-Star. The rookie showed up for camp about 10 pounds overweight, but was in shape by Denver’s pre-season game against the Pistons at Syracuse’s Carrier Dome. Carmelo pumped in 19 in the first half, then returned to the floor briefly in the fourth quarter with fans screaming his name.
Tens days later Carmelo made his regular-season debut. In a rousing 80-72 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, he scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
As the season progressed, Carmelo experienced most of the normal ups and downs of an NBA rookie—though there were considerably more ups. Two of those came in wins over the Cavs and James. Both contests attracted national media attention, and Carmelo displayed his amazing sense of cool, letting the game come to him instead of forcing the action.
By season's end, Carmelo proved he was worthy of the #3 pick. In fact, he was the main reason why the Nuggets rose to a record of 43-39, a surprising turnaround from last year's 17-win year. Carmelo averaged 21 a game, including a 41-point outburst in March against Seattle. He shot almost 43% from the field and 78% at the free throw line. Named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, he garnered tremendous support as Rookie of the Year. But James had the inside track on the hardware. Carmelo wound up the runner-up in the voting to his buddy.
But Carmelo had more success where it counted: in the standings. Denver returned to playoffs against the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Though the Nuggets were eliminated in five games, they gave their fans a treat with a win at home. Carmelo was fantastic in the victory, scoring 20 points with 10 rebounds and four assists. But he showed his inexperience three night later with a dreadful 1-for-16 shooting performance. He sat out the last contest of the series with a mild knee sprain.
Carmelo assumed he would get more rest over the summer—he wasn't invited to play for the U.S. hoops team going to the Olympic Games in Greece. But in July he was a late addition when several NBA stars bowed out. Carmelo joined fellow rookie standouts James and Dwayne Wade, as well as perennial All-Stars Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan.
As had been the case since the original Dream Team dominated the Olympics in 1992, there were golden expectations for the Americans, particularly with Larry Brown in charge. But a rout at the hands of Puerto Rico shook the confidence of the U.S. squad. Though they fought back to win their next two games, the best they earned was a shot at the bronze medal, which they won after a victory over Lithuania.
For Carmelo, the Olympics proved another valuable experience. He saw little playing time, just 47 minutes in the entire tournament. Unaccustomeed to being a bit player, he complained about his role, which drew the ire of Brown and made headlines back home. Apparently, however, Carmelo learned from his missteps. When asked if he wanted to represent the U.S. in Bejing in 2008, he said he was already on board.
Back in the States, Carmelo refocused on his health and his relationship with Bzdelik. The two had their differences at times during the '03-04 season, mostly in how to execute the offense. But they shared an important quality—both hate losing.
Off the court, Carmelo remained very busy. He was hired to co-host the three-part cable TV series, "Spike 52's Greatest Moments in NBA History," with Bill Walton. He was also involved with a wheelchair-bound friend named Nicholas Owens, and he hosted a charity basketball exhibition in Denver.
With many of the experts predicting the Nuggets to join the Western Conference’s top echelon, they got off to an awful start in 2004-05, stumbling to a mark of 13-15. The team’s play was puzzling. Denver had made a big splash in the off-season by signing Nets star Kenyon Martin, who gave them an excellent starting five, with plenty of depth on the bench.
With the club bumbling along under .500, management fired Bzdelik and replaced him with former Lakers star Michael Cooper. He did even less with Denver’s talented roster. Carmelo was as much to blame as anyone, shooting poorly from the field and often sleepwalking through practice.
Denver’s season turned in late January with the hiring of George Karl. The veteran coach introduced a new sense of discipline to the club, and allowed the Nugs to run, provided they took care of business on the defensive end.
Karl was particularly tough on Carmelo. He pushed him every day in practice, challenging him to work hard on every facet of his game and fully accept his role as a team leader. Carmelo responded amazingly well to his coach’s proddings. So did Miller and Camby. Carmelo pushed his scoring average to more than 20 points a game, while Miller looked rejuvenated at the point and Camby became a terror in the paint on defense. Carmelo also credited Vandeweghe and Martin for helping him regain confidence in himself.
The Nuggets finished the year at 49-33, good for second place in the Northwest Division and the seventh seed in the conference playoffs. Carmelo just about matched his numbers from his rookie campaign, but it was his willingness to take control when his team needed him that showed his growth as a player.
The bad news in Denver was the team’s opening-round matchup, San Antonio. Though the Nuggets suprised the Spurs with a Game 1 victory on the road, they couldn’t muster any more magic. Denver dropped the next four games and lost the series in five. Carmelo’s frustration was evident in Game 3, when he earned a $7,500 fine for shoving Manu Ginobili.
Carmelo’s transition to life as a pro has been smooth—for the most part. Aside from an arrest for marijuana possession, he has been a good citizen. Some have criticized him for acting immature at times, but for a kid who should still be in college, he has demonstrated amazing composure. Carmelo signed for $18 million over six years, and seems to be managing his money responsibly. He lives in a high-rise condo in downtown Denver, and keeps in close contact with his mom (who resides in a house he bought for her).
On the court, shooting has been the most inconsistent part of Carmelo's game. But his work with former Duke three-point specialist Chip Engelland, who helped Grant Hill and Steve Kerr develop into dangerous outside threats, has been a big help. Carmelo already knows about the work ethic he will have to embrace to stay ahead of the curve.
With some in the Denver media proclaiming him the Nuggets' savior, hehas said publicly that he wants to be bigger than John Elway. For a guy ascomposed as he is, that's quite a boast. Then again, the soft-spoken Carmelo never minces his words.
Up next was Oklahoma State, another squad that matched up well against Syracuse. Equally imposing was coach Eddie Sutton, who rarely entered a game anything less than fully prepared. With the Cowboys playing swarming defense, the Orangemen found themselves down 17 points in the first half. Carmelo was non-existent, hitting on just one field goal attempt. Syracuse, however, managed to cut the score to 31-25 at intermission. In the second half, Carmelo and McNamara heated up and, with Edelin also feeling it from the floor, Syracuse turned the tables. The Orangemen’s 68-56 win provided a major emotional boost. Syracuse got another when Carmelo was named Freshman of the Year by Basketball Times.
Heading into their Sweet 16 tilt with Auburn, the Orangemen were riding high. They jumped out to a big lead versus the Tigers, moving in front by 17 points. Auburn, however, pulled within a bucket with eight minutes to go on the lights-out shooting of Marquis Daniels and Nathan Watson. That’s when Carmelo took over. He scored Syracuse’s next seven points to put the game on ice. Boeheim, who marveled afterwards at his freshman’s sense of timing, earned the 650th victory of his career.
Carmelo and Boeheim also made headlines in Syracuse’s Elite Eight victory over Oklahoma. The 18-year-old went for 20 points and 10 rebounds, while the coach’s signature 2-3 zone completely handcuffed the Sooners. On the strength of a 63-47 laugher, the Orangemen advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1996.
Facing the University of Texas—the team many experts predicted would capture the title—Syracuse had its hands full. Point guard T.J. Ford was a lethal penetrator and the Naismith winner as national player of the year. In Brandon Mouton and Royal Ivey, the Longhorns had two athletic swingmen, and forward James Thomas was a rebounding machine. The squad was the deepest team Rick Barnes had ever coached.
What Barnes and the experts didn’t count on was Carmelo’s ability to dominate a game—an almost unheard of quality in a player his age. From the opening tip, the game belonged to the fabulous freshman. He poured in a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting, and pulled down 14 rebounds. At one point, Carmelo joked with Barnes about the Texas defense. Both knew that no one was stopping Carmelo this night, and the Texas coach couldn’t help but smile. Though the Longhorns battled hard, Syracuse ran away late in the contest, cruising to a 95-84 victory.
The Championship Game was a television executive’s dream. The storylines were thick with drama. Kansas coach Roy Williams was agonizingly close to his first title. So was Boeheim. Rumors also swirled that Williams would bolt the Jayhawks to take the North Carolina job. His two best players, Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison, were suiting up for the their final college contest. And, of course, there was Carmelo.
Syracuse charged from the gate to seize an 18-point lead in the first half. McNamara couldn’t miss from the outside, and Carmelo was putting together another masterpiece. But Kansas refused to go quietly. The Jayhawks sliced the lead to 80-78 with under a minute remaining, then had a chance to tie the contest on their last possession. Warrick, however, blocked a 3-pointer by Hinrich to seal the deal. Carmelo (20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists) finished just shy of a triple-double. He was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, making him the third freshman ever to claim the award. The others were Louisville's Pervis Ellison in 1986 and Utah’s Arnie Ferrin in 1944.
Less than three weeks later, Carmelo announced his intentions to leave college for the NBA draft. He cried several times during the press conference at Syracuse’s Manley Field House. Boeheim didn’t fight his star’s decision. Carmelo was certain to earn millions as one of the top three picks.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers the odds-on favorite to win the draft lottery, LeBron James—an Ohio boy—was the popular choice as the #1 selection. Then it was a toss-up between Carmelo and Darko Milicic, a 7-0 forward from Montenegro. When the Detroit Pistons secured the second spot in the draft, they opted for the big man, partly because they wanted more size in the paint and also because they liked the future of Tayshaun Prince, who already played Carmelo’s position.
Fortunately for the Denver Nuggets, Detroit’s decision allowed Carmelo to fall into their laps. Coming off another miserable year—the team went 17-65—the 6-8 forward was exactly what the franchise needed to re-energize its fans, not to mention its offense. The Nuggets averaged a paltry 84.2 points per game in 2002-03, the second lowest mark in the league. Carmelo slotted easily into a starting lineup that included Andre Miller at the point and Marcus Camby and Nene Hilario in the front court. Coach Jeff Bzdelik also figured to get contributions from Earl Boykins, Voshon Lenard and Jon Barry.
Denver’s most highly touted rookie since David Thompson in 1975, Carmelo was sure to benefit from the teachings of Kiki Vandeweghe, the team’s GM and a former All-Star. The rookie showed up for camp about 10 pounds overweight, but was in shape by Denver’s pre-season game against the Pistons at Syracuse’s Carrier Dome. Carmelo pumped in 19 in the first half, then returned to the floor briefly in the fourth quarter with fans screaming his name.
Tens days later Carmelo made his regular-season debut. In a rousing 80-72 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, he scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
As the season progressed, Carmelo experienced most of the normal ups and downs of an NBA rookie—though there were considerably more ups. Two of those came in wins over the Cavs and James. Both contests attracted national media attention, and Carmelo displayed his amazing sense of cool, letting the game come to him instead of forcing the action.
By season's end, Carmelo proved he was worthy of the #3 pick. In fact, he was the main reason why the Nuggets rose to a record of 43-39, a surprising turnaround from last year's 17-win year. Carmelo averaged 21 a game, including a 41-point outburst in March against Seattle. He shot almost 43% from the field and 78% at the free throw line. Named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, he garnered tremendous support as Rookie of the Year. But James had the inside track on the hardware. Carmelo wound up the runner-up in the voting to his buddy.
But Carmelo had more success where it counted: in the standings. Denver returned to playoffs against the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Though the Nuggets were eliminated in five games, they gave their fans a treat with a win at home. Carmelo was fantastic in the victory, scoring 20 points with 10 rebounds and four assists. But he showed his inexperience three night later with a dreadful 1-for-16 shooting performance. He sat out the last contest of the series with a mild knee sprain.
Carmelo assumed he would get more rest over the summer—he wasn't invited to play for the U.S. hoops team going to the Olympic Games in Greece. But in July he was a late addition when several NBA stars bowed out. Carmelo joined fellow rookie standouts James and Dwayne Wade, as well as perennial All-Stars Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan.
As had been the case since the original Dream Team dominated the Olympics in 1992, there were golden expectations for the Americans, particularly with Larry Brown in charge. But a rout at the hands of Puerto Rico shook the confidence of the U.S. squad. Though they fought back to win their next two games, the best they earned was a shot at the bronze medal, which they won after a victory over Lithuania.
For Carmelo, the Olympics proved another valuable experience. He saw little playing time, just 47 minutes in the entire tournament. Unaccustomeed to being a bit player, he complained about his role, which drew the ire of Brown and made headlines back home. Apparently, however, Carmelo learned from his missteps. When asked if he wanted to represent the U.S. in Bejing in 2008, he said he was already on board.
Back in the States, Carmelo refocused on his health and his relationship with Bzdelik. The two had their differences at times during the '03-04 season, mostly in how to execute the offense. But they shared an important quality—both hate losing.
Off the court, Carmelo remained very busy. He was hired to co-host the three-part cable TV series, "Spike 52's Greatest Moments in NBA History," with Bill Walton. He was also involved with a wheelchair-bound friend named Nicholas Owens, and he hosted a charity basketball exhibition in Denver.
With many of the experts predicting the Nuggets to join the Western Conference’s top echelon, they got off to an awful start in 2004-05, stumbling to a mark of 13-15. The team’s play was puzzling. Denver had made a big splash in the off-season by signing Nets star Kenyon Martin, who gave them an excellent starting five, with plenty of depth on the bench.
With the club bumbling along under .500, management fired Bzdelik and replaced him with former Lakers star Michael Cooper. He did even less with Denver’s talented roster. Carmelo was as much to blame as anyone, shooting poorly from the field and often sleepwalking through practice.
Denver’s season turned in late January with the hiring of George Karl. The veteran coach introduced a new sense of discipline to the club, and allowed the Nugs to run, provided they took care of business on the defensive end.
Karl was particularly tough on Carmelo. He pushed him every day in practice, challenging him to work hard on every facet of his game and fully accept his role as a team leader. Carmelo responded amazingly well to his coach’s proddings. So did Miller and Camby. Carmelo pushed his scoring average to more than 20 points a game, while Miller looked rejuvenated at the point and Camby became a terror in the paint on defense. Carmelo also credited Vandeweghe and Martin for helping him regain confidence in himself.
The Nuggets finished the year at 49-33, good for second place in the Northwest Division and the seventh seed in the conference playoffs. Carmelo just about matched his numbers from his rookie campaign, but it was his willingness to take control when his team needed him that showed his growth as a player.
The bad news in Denver was the team’s opening-round matchup, San Antonio. Though the Nuggets suprised the Spurs with a Game 1 victory on the road, they couldn’t muster any more magic. Denver dropped the next four games and lost the series in five. Carmelo’s frustration was evident in Game 3, when he earned a $7,500 fine for shoving Manu Ginobili.
Carmelo’s transition to life as a pro has been smooth—for the most part. Aside from an arrest for marijuana possession, he has been a good citizen. Some have criticized him for acting immature at times, but for a kid who should still be in college, he has demonstrated amazing composure. Carmelo signed for $18 million over six years, and seems to be managing his money responsibly. He lives in a high-rise condo in downtown Denver, and keeps in close contact with his mom (who resides in a house he bought for her).
On the court, shooting has been the most inconsistent part of Carmelo's game. But his work with former Duke three-point specialist Chip Engelland, who helped Grant Hill and Steve Kerr develop into dangerous outside threats, has been a big help. Carmelo already knows about the work ethic he will have to embrace to stay ahead of the curve.
With some in the Denver media proclaiming him the Nuggets' savior, hehas said publicly that he wants to be bigger than John Elway. For a guy ascomposed as he is, that's quite a boast. Then again, the soft-spoken Carmelo never minces his words.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar