Knicks excited to be hosting Carmelo Anthony and Trail Blazers
Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 3, 2019 Credit: Getty Images/Katharine Lotze
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Remember when Carmelo Anthony was being vilified as a ball hog who slowed down the development of the Knicks franchise?
After enduring these last couple of brutal basketball seasons, the Melo years are looking pretty good for many Knicks fans. As the team prepares to host Anthony and the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, nostalgia for Anthony’s six and a half years playing in a Knick uniform and appreciation for his talent have pretty much erased any ill feelings people once had.
“I think he should get a standing ovation,” center Taj Gibson said after the team’s practice Tuesday. “He did a lot for the city. Came back, did well for the team. Great all-around player, great all-around person.”
During Anthony’s tenure with the Knicks, from February 2011 to September 2017, the team went to the playoffs three times though never made it past the first round. In 2012-13, they won 54 games, which remains their best regular-season mark since 1996-97. It also is just one less win than the 55 games the Knicks have totaled in the two and a half seasons since they traded Anthony.
Since Anthony’s departure, the Knicks have changed general managers once and coaches twice. They also have completely turned over the roster and no player on the current team played with Anthony. Point guard Frank Ntilikina was technically a teammate of Anthony’s since he was drafted before the Knicks traded their star, but the two never wore a Knicks uniform at the same time.
Still, there is a great deal of respect on the Knicks for Anthony, a 10-time All-Star whom a lot of players grew up watching.
“Oh man, growing up I wanted to be just like him,” Marcus Morris said. “In college, I used to watch a lot of film of him. Coming into the league, go back and watch my first interviews, I was comparing myself to Carmelo. He was a great player. He did a lot for this team.”
This won’t be Anthony’s first trip back to the Garden since the team traded him to Oklahoma City before the 2017-18 season. Yet, it might be more special considering that this time last year it wasn’t a given that Anthony would ever play another game there. Or anywhere.
After an ill-fated, short stint with the Rockets at the start of last season, Anthony took nearly a year hiatus before signing a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with Portland in November. After getting off to a hot start — Anthony was the Western Conference’s player of the week in early December — his shooting has cooled somewhat. Still, he has averaged 15.7 points in 19 games, making him a third scoring option behind Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
“I think he’s played really well,” Knicks interim coach Mike Miller said. “He’s been an outstanding NBA player. He’s had a tremendous career. When I was working for [G League] Westchester, he was here I think my first couple years and was really a talent, obviously. He’s had a great career.”
Notes & quotes: Ignas Brazdeikis (illness), Reggie Bullock (cervical disc herniation), Kevin Knox II (illness) are probable for Portland Wednesday. Damyean Dotson (sore lower back), Ntilikina (sore groin) and Dennis Smith Jr (strained left oblique) are questionable.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
