Carmelo Anthony's healthy and his play shows it
Carmelo Anthony watches a free throw during a game against the Indiana Pacers. (April 3, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
CHICAGO -- Being without two starters hasn't hurt the Knicks and their playoff chances because perhaps for the first time since the season began on Christmas Day Carmelo Anthony is healthy.
"Physically, I feel great," Anthony said before the Knicks played the Bulls without Derrick Rose, who has an ankle injury. "Nothing is bothering me. I feel 100 percent. Mentally, I feel great. I think a lot of times when you're going through injuries and things like that it can affect you mentally. But now I'm just coping. I'm good.
"The game has become fun for me right now. And I'm enjoying every moment of it."
This is good news for the Knicks as they continue their fight for a playoff spot and with no clear date for Amar'e Stoudemire's return. A resurgent Anthony being of sound mind and body puts the Knicks in good shape in their chase.
The Knicks are holding on to the eighth and final place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind the seventh-place 76ers. They entered last night 11/2 games up on the ninth-place Bucks, whom they face in Milwaukee Wednesday night in what should be a playoff-type atmosphere.If the Bucks win, they would take the season series 3-1 and thus the tiebreaker. If they wind up 2-2, the second tiebreaker is conference record. The Knicks were 22-18 before the Chicago game and the Bucks are 21-17
But the Knicks weren't looking ahead to Milwaukee. Their focus was on the Bulls, who could be the Knicks' first-round opponent if the Knicks finish eighth in the East, and winning as many games as possible to secure a postseason berth.
Anthony carried the Knicks to an overtime win against the Bulls Sunday at the Garden. He scored a season-high 43 points and hit the game-winning three-pointer, after forcing the extra period with a tying three late in the fourth.
Without Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin for the last seven games, Anthony has averaged 29.9 points and led the Knicks to five wins before Tuesday night.
The Knicks were hoping for similar numbers from Anthony throughout this season, but he has struggled through wrist, thumb and groin injuries and had trouble meshing with Lin, playing in Mike D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense.
Since D'Antoni left, Anthony has become more of a focal point under Mike Woodson, and more so now that the Knicks don't have two of their top players. The offense is running through Anthony, with more isolations and post-ups. That's what he's been accustomed to for most of his career and he seems much more comfortable on the court and much more relaxed off it.
"It's not so much the offense," he said. "I think it was just getting back to 100 percent and getting back healthy. I was dealing with injuries all year long. I was trying to play through it. Some nights it worked, some nights it didn't. Some weeks it didn't. But I feel good right now. That kind of seems like a long time ago."
Even when the Knicks were struggling earlier this season and dealing with issues related to D'Antoni's offense, it was widely believed Anthony would prove his worth in tight games and the postseason. He can score or get fouled. He's also one of the best fourth-quarter players and closers, which is suited for tight playoff games.
"I don't look at it like that," Anthony said. "My playoff mentality is to step every aspect of my game up."
Anthony and the Knicks had that mentality in Sunday's game after a 31-point swing had them down 10 with about 3:30 left in regulation. They refused to lose and that showed interim coach Mike Woodson something.
"That to me is a sign of a team that is hungry, is trying to make the playoffs, is trying to move up in the standings," Woodson said. "Chicago is going to be in the playoffs, is going to win their division and we're trying to move up. Every game is important."
