Carmelo Anthony has added energy, he carries a Hall of Fame aura, he’s been fun, the team loves him, and he’s coming off a 25 point performance. He’s got a hot hand right now. But let’s be clear, Carmelo Anthony, like it or not, will not be the determining factor that turns the Trail Blazers season around.
Currently, the Blazers are sitting at a 6-12 record and are just as close to last place in the conference as they are to the playoff picture. The Blazers were in the bottom third of the league in defensive rating before adding Carmelo, and to put it frankly, Carmelo Anthony makes the team even worse on the defensive side of the ball.