If the Knicks are to maintain their two-game lead over Brooklyn and deliver New York their first Division Title since 1994, the overarching story line will undoubtedly be Carmelo Anthony.
There should however be a large asterisk next to his name.
No, not an asterisk suggesting any foul play or any asterisk which in any way disputes the brilliance of his season, but an asterisk which works as a commemoration of his teammate J.R Smith’s season, which has been almost as vital to New York’s ascension.
Anthony has indeed been sensation this campaign. He’s at times been forced out with injury and suspension but the reality is his season has been near flawless and if not for a man named LeBron could possibly be the lead candidate for this season’s MVP award.
And that list includes Kevin Durant.
Yet the credit placed on Anthony’s season wouldn’t have had the same gravitas if not for the Knicks success, which in turn mightn’t have happened if not for Smith.
Smith’s tattoos and some of the off-field story lines he generates rarely go unnoticed, yet his night to night contribution to the teams he’s been a part of unfortunately do.
This has probably been the banner year of Smith’s resume. In a season where so many questions have been asked of New York’s ability to find scorers outside outside of Anthony, Smith has responded time and time again.
For a player who hasn’t started a single game this season, Smith has been called upon for more minutes than any other Knick, thrown in to any number of line-ups.
He has played well with and without Anthony, in addition to playing among a litany of questionable talent.
Yet all Smith has done is kept shooting and scoring, averaging 20 points this month alone while posting career best numbers across the board including both assists and turnovers.
It’s therefore little surprise that he’ll be posting his career best win share number by the time the season expires.
Equally impressive is that of the Knicks players to have posted heavy minutes, numbers suggest his defensive contribution is equally outstanding, with the Knicks giving up more points per possession when he rests than any other player.
Smith’s value might be most evident come playoff time when matches are often decided on the ability to execute in the half court and when pure shooting and the ability to get to the basket are paramount.
In this regard having both Anthony and Smith on the floor together will play a huge role in how far New York can progress in the post-season.
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