Knicks Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Admonished Teammates Following PHI Loss
Carmelo Anthony reportedly lambasted his New York Knicks teammates following the 98-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Find out the reason why.
The New York Knicks aren’t exactly where they were hoping to be. After beginning the 2016-17 NBA regular season at 11-9 through 20 games and 16-14 after 30, the Knicks have fallen to 18-22 with 40 games behind them.
Of the Knicks’ 22 losses, none were quite as painful as the 98-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 11.
New York led Philadelphia by 10 points with 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, yet it still found a way to lose. Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points on 11-of-25 shooting, but the ball didn’t find his hands on the Knicks’ final offensive possession.
According to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, Anthony ripped into his teammates for not getting him the ball on that fateful possession.
According to a source close to the Knicks’ veteran forward, Anthony went on a tirade after the shocking loss, admonishing his teammates for blowing a 10-point lead in the final 2:30 to the inexperienced 76ers. He was also upset that he was frozen out on the Knicks final possession, a sequence that ended with Kristaps Porzingis shooting an air ball from the corner which led to Philadelphia’s fast-break.
The Knicks’ poor offensive execution, as well as Anthony’s defense, ultimately allowed the 76ers’ T.J. McConnell to hit a game-winner.
It’s worth noting that Anthony and the Knicks played exceptionally well just one day later. During the second game of its back-to-back, New York defeated the Chicago Bulls 104-89 in one of its best all-around performances of the season.
Anthony led the way with 23 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and a steal on 10-of-19 shooting from the field.
It’s no coincidence that the performance against Chicago was one of Anthony’s most well-rounded showings of the season, as well.
Unfortunately, the Knicks have left wins on the table and are now in a preventable four-game hole. New York lost under similar circumstances against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 4, when it blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead and lost on a buzzer-beater.
If New York hadn’t blown the games against Philadelphia and Milwaukee Bucks, it would be 20-20. Instead, it’s four games below .500 and searching for answers.
For as frustrating a stretch as this may be, Isola reports that Anthony has never once considered requesting a trade.
The same source claims that requesting a trade is something Anthony has never considered.
Anthony is committed to playing in New York.
Whether or not Anthony blamed his teammates for the Philadelphia loss, it’s clear that he and his teammates were motivated in the game that followed. They executed on both ends of the floor and played as a team from start to finish.
If there’s some form of dissension between the players, it certainly didn’t show against the Bulls.
On Sunday, Jan. 15, the Knicks will have a chance to prove just how ready they are to respond to adversity against the division leading Toronto Raptors.
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