Carmelo Anthony Might Sit Out Extended Time This Season
Amidst the worst start to the season in franchise history for the New York Knicks is a sore knee for their lone superstar Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks lost their ninth straight game on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers, falling to 4-19 on the season. Anthony has averaged 22.9 points per game as the focal point in the Knicks’ newly applied triangle offense. He’s been pretty efficient but his usage rate is still extremely high. Following Sunday’s loss, after he spent 40 minutes doing treatment on the knee, Anthony spoke about the possibility of sitting out extended time this season
Via Marc Berman of the New York Post:
“At this point, it’s evaluating and seeing,’’ Anthony said. “Some days are better than others. It’s a matter if I want to continue to play on it and the pain threshold. The flip side to that is we are losing games. I hate it, I hate to sit on the sidelines and watch my teammates.
“At this point, sitting down with trainers and coaches and seeing what’s best for everybody. If it’s best for me to sit out, take some time to get it right, then that’s a decision we’ll have to make. But they’ll have to pull me out.”
Carmelo’s expectations before the season were for this team to contend for a playoff spot. Instead, as Phil Jackson worded it to the media this week, the Knicks have only been a disappointment. Even if Anthony was 100 percent, having to carry the load for this team constantly would eventually wear him down, and it still wouldn’t be enough.
Suddenly the Knicks, Lakers, and Celtics, three of the storied NBA franchises, all legitimately find themselves in today’s tanking discussion. For Anthony, as he alluded to, it doesn’t make sense to keep competing and endangering that knee further if the Knicks aren’t able to win games. At this rate, the Knicks could earn themselves a lottery pick in next year’s draft. If you’re on pace to be in that position with or without Carmelo Anthony, particularly if he’s still not fully healthy, it’s probably best to pull him soon.
The Knicks are in San Antonio tonight, at Boston on Friday, and home against Toronto on Sunday.
