“I Bring Something Different”: Carmelo Anthony Talks About His Impact On The Portland Trailblazers

Carmelo Anthony had to fight to keep his position in the league. After a few rough seasons with OKC Thunder and the Houston Rockets, Melo was basically out of the league.

He struggled to find a job during the off-season, starting the season unsigned. After the Portland Trail Blazers’ injury crisis worsened, they called upon Melo to add depth to the team. Which he has done, and how!

Melo has exceeded people’s expectations of him and was a key tertiary star for the Blazers and their run to the playoffs. People recognized his positive impact on the court, and he sat down with ESPN to talk about it at length.

“I bring something different to the team. A different type of leadership to the team. I bring a work ethic to the team. I bring a mental stimulation to the team that guys feel comfortable just talking like, ‘Oh damn, Melo is out there working out like that’.

“You know that is a domino effect. Those are the things that I bring to the team’s experience in situations where some the guys have probably never been to and give advice. Just being there for the team.”

Carmelo Anthony and his resurgent season

Carmelo Anthony had to adjust his expectations to get a job in the NBA. While he obviously couldn’t be a star on any team, he also couldn’t expect to be a regular starter. However, Melo’s performances throughout the season helped him earn a regular starting spot on the team. After Zach Collins returned, Melo went through the effort to lose weight to play the small forward position more effectively.

Carmelo Anthony has averaged 15.4 points this season, along with 6.3 rebounds a game. However, he improved in the bubble season, averaging 16.5 points in the eight seeding games. He, along with the entire Blazers team, struggled in the playoffs series against the Lakers. However, he was the one to score the three-pointer that iced game one in Portland’s favor.

Melo has made a case for a fruitful twilight for his NBA career with his performances in Portland. What we are waiting to see is how he capitalizes on this success next season.