Is ‘Melo And Westbrook Among The All-Time Greatest NBA Players? | Sports Takes & News | TooAthletic.com

The basketball world has marveled at the achievements of Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook this season. ‘Melo is poised to move into ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list before the end of the season, while Westbrook is weeks away from averaging a season long triple-double for the fourth time in his career, a feat only achieved once by one other player. With stats come accolades as observers look to place a current player in the ranks of those who came before them. So, I ask: Is Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook among the all-time greatest NBA players?

Front Office Sports produces many e-newsletters, one called the “Sports Section” providing headlines, another called “The Association” which is devoted to basketball. The first asked in their headline Tuesday afternoon: “Is ‘Melo an All-Time Great?” It led off by saying, “Ring or no ring, Carmelo Anthony continues to cement his NBA legacy.”

The second asked in their headline: “Will Russ Get Legend Status?” It started off the story by saying, “Russell Westbrook is a ring away from a serious conversation about one of the greatest to play the game.”  So, from the start, the standard for what NBA excellence is open for debate.

Let’s begin with the soon-to-be 37-year-old Carmelo Anthony, who began the week by moving into An achievement he helped reach by averaging at least 20 points per game over each of his first 14 seasons, almost evenly split between Denver and the New York. As a Knicks fan, however, I would point out that it is a lot easier to dominate the regular season when your teams don’t go deep into the playoffs. In fact, even including his five games last year with Portland, ‘Melo has yet to play a full season of games in the postseason, having only suited up for 77 playoff matchups. Making it worse is that only twice (2009 and 2013) has a team that Anthony played for reached double digit playoff games in the same postseason. 

Is Carmelo Anthony an All-Time Great?  Sure, as long as you don’t count playoff success, and don’t mind overlooking he’s the only scorer in the top ten NEVER to win a single MVP award.

Now, let’s take a look at Russell Westbrook, whose name is now almost always followed with a new and improved stat about the triple-doubles he is tallying.

On Monday he recorded his 178^th such NBA game, leaving him three behind Oscar Robertson on the all-time list, something he will likely do over his last seven games this season. Westbrook has often been forced to defend the rebounding portions of his triple-doubles, with his “stat padding” critics noting it is easier to get more rebounds when you are not playing true team defense and hanging around the rim. Many point to his “passion” for rebounding by showing videos of him boxing out his own teammates to make sure he records as many as he can during games. 

In his own defense, Westbrook said of his collection of triple-doubles:

“”

Just like Anthony, however, Westbrook’s style of play has proven effective in the regular season, earning him two scoring titles to ‘Melo’s one as well as the 2016-17 MVP … and just like Anthony, despite Russ reaching one NBA Finals, none of his teams have earned a title during his career.

You can call both Carmelo and Russ the Mike Trouts of the NBA, great stats during the season that make everyone want them on their fantasy teams, but like the Angels outfielder, not players you want on your postseason team since, well, neither of them do well when it matters most.

Anthony and Westbrook are the product of a softer, more scoring friendly NBA that encourages and rewards stat padding and great numbers season after season. What both players don’t understand and history will always remember, however, is how they underachieved in the playoffs; and in sport that is postseason driven, both Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook will be talked about as good regular season players as other are talked about as great players.

It is the players in the second group you want to be in since they did it and helped their teams win rings, something that, to date neither Anthony or Westbrook have done or probably ever will do in their careers. 

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