The New York Knicks have hit a huge slump in these past couple weeks. They’ve dropped 6 straight and hold a 16-19 record, good for 10th place and just outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Though they had high expectations coming into this season due to their star-studded lineup, we haven’t really seen the team play up to its potential. Recently acquired point guard Derrick Rose has been playing well as has young 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis. This results in a large chunk of the blame being placed on veteran and franchise centerpiece Carmelo Anthony. After a tough loss to the hands of Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony gave his two cents on New York’s latest skid. Following from The Record’s Steve Popper:
“We’re not going to let anything seep into this locker room as far as negativity,” Anthony said. “I don’t even want to think about last year or the year before, those situations. I know right now we’re not going to allow ourselves to get down, especially with the guys on this team. We know how to react to situations like this. So it’s just a matter of sometimes when things are not going your way they’re not going your way. We’ve got to figure out a way to get out of that.”
“It is what it is,” Anthony told reporters Thursday. “Regardless of what happens when we win, it’s us. When we lose, it’s me.”
As the team continues to falter, Anthony makes an easy scapegoat for the media and Knicks fans everywhere. Though he is still throwing up 22.1 points on a nightly basis while adding 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists, Anthony’s 42.1% shooting from the field and tendency to play more isolation basketball has resulted in critics picking him apart.
Melo’s frustration is surely understandable. Every time you are a star player and your team has high expectations coming into the season, not seeing the campaign pan out the way you envisioned is rough.
The Knicks may look to make an addition via free agency or trade, but either way, their ship is sinking rapidly and they need to figure out a way to get out of this hole they dug themselves.
