Carmelo Anthony at power forward makes perfect sense for Knicks

• Amar'e Stoudemire is out for the Knicks with a knee injury
• Carmelo Anthony will shift to small forward in his stead
• Anthony should succeed in this role because of his skill set

The New York Knicks may not be the best team in their own city, but they got one key move right this week.

When Amar'e Stoudemire went down with another knee injury, coach Mike Brown responded by telling the news media he would use Carmelo Anthony at power forward. Anthony has played small forward for his entire NBA career, but the move makes so much sense it's remarkable no one's thought of it before.

UPDATE:Stoudemire will miss 6-8 weeks as he needs knee surgery.

"It's kind of a nightmare for a lot of (power forwards) in this league because he's capable of doing so much offensively," Mike Woodson said Monday (via the New York Daily News). "He can come off screens, can run pick-and-rolls, isolation and post. There's a variety of things he can do (against) bigger fours that have to guard him."

To balance the Knicks' lineup, Ronnie Brewer will start at small forward.

Anthony may be the most pure scorer in the NBA. Let's be clear: He's not the best scorer in the NBA. That would be Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder star who has led the league in points a game for three seasons running. But Anthony's gift is more straightforward: While Durant showcases myriad skills, the Knicks star puts the ball in the basket.

He led the USA in scoring at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, then was second (behind Durant) in far fewer minutes at the London Games this summer. One of his big advantages in international play: Anthony can shift to power forward because of smaller lineups.

Anthony is not a wing player or a post player. He operates best from the elbows, where he can use his remarkable jab-step to free himself up for jump shots or drives.

Let's turn to some video (h/t The Hoop Doctors) for a demonstration:

Anthony initially played small forward because he measured out like one. He entered the league at 6-8, 230 pounds, and size decides positions as much as anything in the NBA draft. He also went to a team, the Denver Nuggets, with a strong post duo in Marcus Camby and Nene. Denver needed help on the wings, as the Knicks did when they added him.

Oh, and there's the whole thing about Anthony being really good at small forward. He was behind only LeBron James at the position for a few years, before Durant's ascension. Why mess with what works?

But Anthony has drawn criticism in recent seasons for selfish play, poor defense and lack of physical fitness.

This move is temporary. Anthony will move back to the wing, at least to start games. But it's easy to see that, if Anthony succeeds, he could be used more frequently in the role even when Stoudemire returns. Center Tyson Chandler is a defensive force but offensive liability, and Stoudemire has a long history of injuries and excessive minutes that would be good to cut into.

Also, his return remains uncertain. From the Daily News:

The severity of Stoudemire's injury is unknown. The Knicks are cautiously optimistic that Stoudemire, who was found to have a popliteal cyst behind his left knee, will only be sidelined two to three weeks. Stoudemire has a long history of breaking down but he also has a reputation for being a quick healer.

The problem, however, is that the cyst was found on the same knee that required microfracture surgery five years ago.

Stoudemire's health has been an on-going issue from the moment he signed a five-year, $100 million contract in July 2010. The player has also become sensitive to the topic. During an appearance last month in Manhattan to unveil the club's new uniforms, Stoudemire appeared agitated when asked about his knees and back.

The Knicks should be fine while they wait.