"I don't think people are talking enough about what Carmelo is doing in Year 19"- Frank Vogel hails LA Lakers veteran Carmelo Anthony
Frank Vogel spoke highly of Carmelo Anthony after the veteran dropped a 24-point performance for the LA Lakers in their win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The 37-year-old has been an important part of the Purple and Gold and despite the team's poor run of form, he has proved to be an asset to the franchise.
His mid-range ability and three-point shooting have helped the Purple and Gold out of many tough situations. Apart from his on-court exploits, Anthony also brings experience to the locker room and can mentor youngsters like Stanley Johnson, Talen Horton-Tucker and Austin Reaves.
LA Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has repeatedly emphasized Anthony's importance to the team. After the veteran's stunning performance, Vogel was asked about Anthony's night and replied:
"LeBron gets a lot of credit for what he's doing in year 19. I don't think a lot of people are talking about what Carmelo is doing in Year 19, it really is remarkable, he was terrific tonight."
"Obviously he was scoring the basketball, but we had some coverages we were trying to work out down the stretch in the fourth and defensively he was right on top of all that stuff, communicating it, you know, just talking some of the guys through to where they need to be and you know the IQ and the leadership and the desire to win and the competitive spirit, it was just great. But his shot-making, it was fun to watch and he was a big part of the win tonight," Vogel added.
Anthony Davis also heaped praise on the veteran after his terrific performance When asked about Carmelo Anthony's impact on the Lakers, Davis replied by saying:
"He's always talking to me, to the guys about what he sees on the floor, what he thinks we should do, what he thinks we should be running."
Carmelo Anthony tonight:
24 Points
8 Rebounds
2 Blocks
67% FG
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How good has Carmelo Anthony been with the LA Lakers?
Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers in the history of the game. After being a constant in the league for years, his career took an unexpected turn as he found himself without a team for a while.
But he responded like a true champion and worked hard to make his way into the Portland Trail Blazers. Anthony was not a starter there, but he embraced the role he got and fulfilled his responsibilities with utmost diligence. Seeing how impactful he still could be, the Lakers decided to go for him in the offseason.
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Although the Lakers' campaign has not gone as planned, there is no doubt that the recruitment of Carmelo Anthony has been massive for the Purple and Gold. He has averaged 13.6 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 26.9 minutes per game. The veteran has been shooting the ball at 43.7 % from the field, which is his highest since the 2014-15 season. He has also been terrific from three-point range and is shooting a decent 38.9% from beyond the arc. He is also attempting six three-point shots per game, which is great for a player coming off the bench.
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The former Knicks man is an elite scorer and his presence guarantees 10-14 points per game. The Lakers have a star-studded team and despite their current struggles, they are expected to make it to the playoffs.