Being called a better Carmelo Anthony would be a moment of praise for most, but not exactly when Colin Cowherd said it for Luka Doncic. The Dallas Mavericks star had an impeccable regular season this year, with the highest points per game in the league. And although he has had impressive stats in the NBA Finals as well, the Mavs have failed to secure even a single win in three games of the series so far. A lot of that blame has fallen on the Slovenian’s shoulders.

Media personality Colin Cowherd highlighted Luka Doncic’s areas of weakness. “Your legacy is largely framed by Finals… This is going to stick to him. Like he was atrocious defensively in these Finals and that’s going to stick. That’s why I say my comp to him is he’s a better Carmelo Anthony. I don’t think he’s in great shape… Don’t think he’s easy to play with… Don’t think he’s committed on the defensive end,” he said on The Colin Cowherd podcast.

There is a lot of discussion going around as the Boston Celtics have further exposed Doncic’s shortcomings on the defensive end. Notably, the Mavs star was “blown by” 13 times in Game 2, which is the highest for a single player in the last 10 postseasons, as per ESPN. Even Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has spoken on Doncic letting opponents penetrate easily.

“He’s definitely got a bullseye on his chest, he’s gotta be able to guard and understand that we’re there to protect him and help him if he does get beat. … They are putting him in every pick-and-roll and iso [plays],” Kidd said. This explains Cowherd’s “better Carmelo Anthony” remark, as defense was one area where Melo struggled through his career. But this extends beyond just his shortcomings on the defensive end.

A deeper analysis of Cowherd’s Carmelo Anthony remark

There is no denying Melo was a proficient scorer and one of the best basketball stars with no ring. But could he have been more than what he made of himself in the NBA? Well, there are numerous articles on the internet stating Anthony could have had a better NBA legacy had he upgraded himself with the changing scenario of the league. As good a scorer as he was, after a point, Melo was competing with players who could be more.

According to a Bleacher Report article, the 2008-09 playoffs were a turning point for Melo. But his pure stats won’t reflect this, as he continued averaging impressive points per game. However, the BR article states his And-1 percentage had dipped to 44 per game by 2012. Notably, ‘And 1’ is when a player scores a basket while the opponent fouls him, for which he gets one free throw. Melo could have used age as an excuse had Kobe Bryant‘s And-1 percentage not been at 71. 

This was the 10x All-Star’s lack of ability to pressurize defense, which he earlier did by averaging 9.4 shot attempts at the rim. However, the figure dipped to 5.0 by 2012, reflecting a decline in his aggression and increased settling on the offensive end. As the years progressed, so did the issues for Anthony, as stated in a 2018 article by The Standard Daily.

“He doesn’t do the little things, he’s not in top-notch shape and able to out-hustle or outwork other guys… Hasn’t updated his game as quickly or innovatively as other players. He has largely settled for what he is — a very, very good basketball player…,” the article read. In the end, Melo’s legacy stayed limited to ‘a great basketball player with no ring’, something which Luka Doncic would want to avoid.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.