Now down 3-0 in their first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, the Knicks have struggled to contain LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

After two full seasons together, the "Big Three" have found effective ways to play together, producing a balanced attack that often proves too hot for opponents to handle. But as the Knicks have begun to learn as they build their squad around the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, overall success will not only come from their stars' production. Instead, a strong team ultimately emerges when the group surrounding its core completes an even stronger effort.

Mario Chalmers has played his role in Miami to perfection, helping the Heat build a 3-0 lead on the Knicks (Getty Images).

With so much cap space already dedicated to its star talents, both teams have not only had to hope to get lucky with some bargain veteran signings, but also to draft well too. The Knicks found strong young talents in Landry Fields and Iman Shumpert, and Heat 2008 second-round selection Mario Chalmers has fit in perfectly among his team's top talents.

Clearly not the biggest star on the stage, Chalmers simply does whatever is necessary to help the Heat win.

Of course, as a point guard, he can play the part of floor general, effectively moving the ball and getting his teammates involved. Though he undoubtedly has this capability, the need to handle the ball often becomes secondary when you have both James and Wade as teammates.

As James and Wade both often thrive with the ball in their hands, Chalmers' other main objective simply becomes not getting in the way. It becomes much easier for the young guard to let his superstar teammates do what they do best, which is dominate offensively. His nonexistent ego makes him an ideal player to just slide into the lineup to put in solid work on the defensive end while the stars pour in the points.

Though as subtle as it may be at times, Chalmers also has the ability to affect the offense, even when the ball is not in his hands. His long-range shooting ability makes him a constant threat from outside, forcing teams to cover him and thus not smother one of his all-star teammates with a double-team.

Chalmers keeps the opponent honest, but he's not just a well-placed decoy, either.  The Heat are so confident in his abilities, that in addition to positioning him effectively enough to space the floor, they'll look to him to shoot at times too.

The endless possibilities of offensive onslaughts from various members of the Heat make it impossible for an opponent to pinpoint just whom to cover at any given moment.

A "Three-Point Shootout" competitor during February's N.B.A. All-Star Weekend, Chalmers finished the year shooting a career-high 39 percent from deep.

After watching him knock down five shots from beyond the arc (on his way to 19 points) to help sink them on Thursday night, the Knicks could learn something from Chalmers' skills.

A steady point guard who knows his role is all that is necessary to succeed with even greater stars already on board.

The Knicks would be smart to take pages out of Miami's book when it comes to cracking the code for the most successful of lineups.

ORIGINAL STORY
http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/04/why-mario-chalmers-is-so-effective/