NBA superstar and former scoring champion Carmelo Anthony signed with the Portland Trail Blazers last week. After spending the previous season as a Houston Rockets trading chip, he was eventually traded to and waived by the Chicago Bulls. He only played 10 games for the Rockets last season before ending up having an unplanned hiatus.

The team lost both of his first two games with the Trail Blazers. They fell deeper in the Western Conference rankings with a 5-11 record. In the second game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony scored 18 points, 7 rebounds, and shot an amazing 5 for 8 beyond the arc. According to NBA.com, those two games are too small a sample size to determine if Anthony will have an impact with the Trail Blazers. He is putting in good numbers, but it's not enough to give Portland a victory.

The 35-year-old Anthony is clearly showing his age. In spite of his performance against the Bucks, it is a far cry from his career 24-point average. In his rookie year, he averaged 21 points per game, and when he won the scoring champion award six years ago, he did 28.7. His 18 point tally is closer to his 2017-18 performance with OKC, his last complete season before he became a bargaining chip for General Managers.

In all fairness, NBA analysts did say that two games are not enough to get someone in top shape for NBA games, especially someone as old as Anthony. There is also the issue of learning to work with his new teammates and build synergy. It will take a while, but hopefully for everyone's sake, not too long. His contract is non-guaranteed, and if Portland feels he is not contributing enough, then they might let him go. At the moment, he is, at the very least, selling tickets. It should be enough to keep the franchise happy for a while.

Carmelo Anthony while he was still playing for the New York Knicks Reuters

Anthony has a lot to prove. Young players such as reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is dominating the game. His 2003 draft mates Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James are assured future Hall of Famers and NBA champions. James is even putting up stellar numbers this year.

Anthony admires his long-time rival, King James, who will also turn 35 this year. He is still in great physical shape and Anthony is willing to do what he can to end his career with a bang.