Carmelo Anthony again says he's committed to Knicks
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony comes out after his third foul in the first half as New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher slaps his hand against the Toronto Raptors in an NBA game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Carmelo Anthony reiterated Saturday that all the losing isn't impacting his desire to remain with the Knicks.
He was asked how long he'll be able to put up with all the losses. "[Shoot], as long as I have to, I guess," he said. "I don't really know how to answer that question."
The 99-90 loss to Phoenix leaves the Knicks 5-24, only four losses shy of their total of two seasons ago, when Anthony led them to 54 wins and the Atlantic Division title and finished third in the MVP voting.
Anthony re-signed with the Knicks for five years and $124 million last summer and maintains he's not thinking of bailing out. "No, I wouldn't do that," he said. "I won't do that. As long as I can go out there and play, I always feel like any game that I'm in, we have a chance to win the basketball game. So I would never start thinking like that."
Down and out
Amar'e Stoudemire received the "recovery day" he was supposed to take Thursday night in Chicago. Derek Fisher hopes he will return Sunday in Toronto. After that, the Knicks have three days off until Christmas Day against Washington. J.R. Smith missed his sixth straight game because of a partial tear in his left plantar fascia. Fisher said Smith probably wouldn't travel to Toronto.
Win-win
With nine Knicks in the last year of their contracts, some -- including TNT's Charles Barkley -- have said many of them are looking out for themselves. Said Fisher, "That's why we emphasize to our guys that success kind of makes everybody look good. If you can find a way to win, even in the last year of your contract, you still look better to this team or any other team that might want to sign you."
Buzzer-beaters
Iman Shumpert said it was "music to my ears" when an MRI revealed that his left shoulder was only dislocated and that he didn't need surgery. The shoulder is back in place and he is shooting one-handed. He is to be re-evaluated in two weeks . . . The Knicks used their 15th starting lineup in 29 games . . . The Suns' Markieff Morris was called for a technical foul after launching a near full-court shot a few seconds after the first half ended that sailed out of bounds and hit a female fan in the head.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
