Amar'e vs. Carmelo

I must admit that I wasn't thrilled when the Knicks signed Amar'e. I felt a little better when he turned out to be a Jew. I felt even better when he turned out to be a better player than I expected.

I continue to be impressed with Amar'e. Watch the interview he and Carmelo did with ESPN today. When asked about bringing a championship to New York, look at the reactions of Amar'e and Carmelo. Carmelo says, "It's my job," behind a well-placed smile. You get the feeling Carmelo would've given the same answer if he was in Minnesota. It was a rehearsed response.

Amar'e's was not. His eyes sparkled thinking about the prospect of a Knicks championship. I know that expression. As a teenager, I remember making the same face upon dreaming of a potential title for the Knicks. Amar'e gets it. Carmelo doesn't... yet.

Further proof that Amar'e gets it comes from tonight's game against Miami. Amar'e took just 14 shots. He made 8 for an efficient shooting night. Amar'e sacrificed his numbers for the good of the team. He added the game-saving block of LeBron late in the fourth quarter. Carmelo had a good game. But he still only shot 10-22 from the field, his best as a Knick. He's now 29-69 with the Knicks in three games, a 42.0% mark. He has only six total assists. Thank G-d for Chauncey Billups!