It appears Portland Trail Blazers small forward Carmelo Anthony used the NBA hiatus to work on his body.
Anthony, who has a history of being a little overweight, came to Orlando looking extra slim. The Blazers veteran has gone from “Hoodie Melo” to “Slim Melo.”
Hoodie Melo? How about Skinny Melo 👀 pic.twitter.com/fa0nQ68FcX
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) July 13, 2020
The Blazers are hoping Anthony can turn back the clock in Orlando. To make the 2020 playoffs, Portland has to compile a better seeding-games-record than the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs to clinch the eighth and final postseason spot out West.
The eight seeding games have the Blazers taking on the Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets. Portland's first game is on July 31 against Memphis.
Before the season was suspended in March, Anthony was averaging 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists for the Blazers. The 10-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer was also shooting 42.6 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from beyond the arc and 84.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Once the seeding games start, the Blazers will need Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Anthony to play like All-Stars for the team to ultimately reach the 2020 playoffs. After making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season, Portland was very inconsistent in 2019-20, though much of that had to do with the absence of center Jusuf Nurkic.
With Nurkic and Zach Collins back in the lineup for the “bubble” games, the Blazers are finally at full strength for the first time all season.
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