New York Knicks president Phil Jackson says that superstar Carmelo Anthony's offense will "move forward" under his tenure and new coach Derek Fisher 's in the coming NBA season.
In an exclusive Q&A with the New York Post, Jackson openly stated that "The ball can't stop with Carmelo."
Asked what can Knicks fans expect from a Jackson-Fisher team basketball, the former Chicago Bulls coach was prompt and candid to respond: "Unselfish, they move the basketball."
"They recognize situations on the court. They're intelligent or have good group-think. Defensively, they help each other out. And they're scrappers," adds the 13-time NBA champion player and coach. "I think there are probably 15 players in the NBA that are in very similar position (with Carmelo Anthony's)."
Jackson also noted how sharing the ball will affect other team's scouting report of the Knicks, especially with how team's prepare for Anthony.
"GMs and coaches are talking about it in terms of how much does this guy hurt (their) team, or hurt the game flow because he's trying to score. The attempt to score, the need to score, and the pressure that he feels he has to score. Does he take away from the team game?" he cited. "That's where Carmelo's (offense) gonna move forward this year in that situation - the ball can't stop. The ball has to continually move. It moves, or goes to the hoop on a shot or a drive or something like that. In our offense, that's part of the process of getting players to play in that rhythm," points out the Knicks president.
In a blog by Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo! Sports, it noted how Anthony does not get as many ball touches as a Knick as much as he does when he was still donning a Denver Nuggets uniform
"The ball doesn't stick to his hands nearly as much as it has in the previous years. He has taken a few steps back from time to time in his first few years with the Knicks," cited the blog.
"During the 2012 playoff run, Anthony was a bit of a downer along those lines. But despite his scoring instincts, he seems primed for a well-run triangle offense. His ability to quickly flash to the post, nail mid-range jumpers and finish in the lane off of a cut and pass are more than suited for this potential setup," it added.
The biggest question now for many Knicks fans is whether Anthony is ripe for Phil Jackson's beloved triangle offense.
Whether or not the Knicks have put in place the right supporting crew for Anthony to take the Knicks to the 2014-15 season is still left to be seen.
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