'Melo vs. KD: The Anatomy of a Scorer

There's no denying that 'Melo and KD are the ultimate bucket-getters in the game. (Credits: Mike Seger/Reuters)

As the great Bill Russell once said in a Pepsi Max commercial, "This game has been, and always will be about buckets." LeBron James might try to dispute that, but Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony will nod their head in agreement before they drop fifty in a blink of the eye. You can try and argue Steph Curry into the mix after this season, but Durant and 'Melo head up the bucket-getting department in the NBA. Yet as similar as their points per game averages are, their styles of getting there are vastly different.

Durant is an ultra-athletic, uniquely long big man. He stands 6-foot-10, but his reach makes him 7-foot-5, which as a scorer gives you an ultimate advantage. KD's biggest strength is his long arms which allow him to fire off shots right over even the tallest of defenders. Once those defenders close in on him, he'll blow right by them with a quick first step. That reach again comes into play when finishing. Not only is he an explosive leaper (despite the chicken legs) but his arms are so long that he can finish up-and-under defenders with ease as well as slamming it right in their faces. He might not be the biggest body, but he absorbs contact pretty nicely.

'Melo is quite different. He's a pretty average athlete, with not the greatest pop and not the most explosive first step, though it's still relatively quick. What is quick for Melo, and I mean blindingly quick, is his hands. There is no one better in the game at getting off a shot, no one is even close. When he pulls up out of his 3-point attacking stance, the defender can't blink or the basketball will be in the hoop. By the time 'Melo has released the ball, most of the time his defender will have barely raised his hand in defense. This also benefits Carmelo when he attacks the rim. Though he doesn't have the world's greatest first step, 'Melo is a monster at absorbing contact and finishing. LeBron is probably the only guy with a greater ability to absorb contact. But another thing Anthony does so well is getting his own rebound. He doesn't always explode to the rim and finish, but his second step (and ability to find the ball) is amazing. This is a huge reason why 'Melo often finishes with two or three extra missed shots during the course of a game that makes his field goal percentage look so horrendous at times. Even in some of his inefficient box score games, he still scores the ball efficiently. Strange, I know.

The question remains to who the better scorer is. Most people will go with Durant simply because he's the better offensive player and is far more likable. People see 'Melo as a ball hog and a complainer. The latter I agree with, the former I don't. But this world is all about perception and it is perceived that KD is the better scorer. I mean his stats would back it up, but stats and perception only tell half of the story.

Look at what 'Melo has to work with in terms of physicality. Durant is a freak of a nature, much like LeBron and Dwight Howard. These guys are gifted specimens not just gifted athletes. They are already ahead of the curve simply because they can fly through the hair and have explosive first steps (well not Dwight but you get my point). 'Melo is an average physical specimen. Yeah he is big, but he's not swollen like LBJ or freakishly long like KD. 'Melo is like you and I, if we were 6-foot-8, 230 lbs. Tall, big, but seemingly average in every other athletic category.

That's a big reason why I believe 'Melo is the better scorer. He is isn't exactly naturally built to put the ball in the basket like Durant, he's had to work at is game. Yeah he has some exceptionally quick hands, but other than that it's his offensive game which has really been crafted over the years. I like Melo's quick release and unbelievable ability to grab his own rebound and put it back in one sync motion. I like that 'Melo has to work for his buckets with a tough post game and a beautiful turn-around shot. I like that 'Melo grinds and grinds, absorbs aggravated assault and still finishs. I love Durant's high-flying athleticism, but that is one seriously unfair advantage Durant has over 'Melo. If we're talking scoring in the purest form, I'm taking Carmelo Anthony. Just think pure. Think about that word, think of what it actually means. Scoring in its basic form runs through 'Melo's blood.

So say what you want, pull the bias card, but it's undeniable that these two are the best in the game. Save me the Steph Curry talk because he can't absorb the contact that 'Melo can or explode to the rim like Durant. There are no two players I enjoy watching more than these two when their clicking, it's as beautiful as any artwork you ever could display.

Maybe if we're really lucky we'll see these two in the NBA Finals. Really, really lucky.