Carmelo Anthony needs to win to cement his legacy
Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks controls the ball in the first half of a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Carmelo Anthony cares what people think and say about him, and he is concerned about his legacy.
Anthony always has been this way, but he expounded on it in an interview with ESPN The Magazine, saying he wants "a bulletproof legacy" and to be "known for being a visionary, for being truly great."
This has nothing to do with basketball. Anthony says he doesn't want to be known as just a basketball player. It has more to do with finances. But basketball has helped Anthony's finances tremendously, and aided his ability to create a venture capital firm that focuses on tech start-ups.
It's good to have something for life after basketball. But Anthony has to know that his legacy will be shaped by what he does inside Madison Square Garden, how far he takes the Knicks before he retires or is in another jersey.
Winning makes you bulletproof in a lot of ways, and Anthony hasn't done enough of that.
You know the history: three playoff series victories in his career, only one with the Knicks.
They missed the postseason last season, for which Anthony got a pass. The Knicks don't look like a playoff team this season, either. If they don't make it, the 124-million-dollar man will have to take some heat, along with Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher.
As LeBron James knows, you ultimately are judged by your record. Leading Miami to two titles -- and then returning to Cleveland -- changed James' legacy after his ill-conceived "Decision" in 2010. If he wins a championship in Cleveland, James will be bulletproof.
The same goes for Anthony, especially in New York, where it's been 41 years and counting since the Knicks last won a title. Jackson, of course, needs to get Anthony help.
Anthony wants to be known for being more than just a basketball player. Being a champion is much more.
Felton ready for Mavs' debut
Raymond Felton is set to make his Mavericks debut Monday against Indiana and could play when the Knicks visit Dallas on Wednesday.
An ankle injury sidelined Felton, who was shipped with Tyson Chandler to Dallas in June in an eight-player trade. After Felton was cleared, he served his four-game suspension for pleading guilty to weapons charges and now is eligible to play.
Felton was a main scapegoat for the Knicks' losing last season. Chandler also received some blame.
Phil Jackson said he made the trade "to change some of the chemistry." A first-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year with the Knicks, Chandler was surprised at how he was portrayed.
"I did nothing but try to help the culture there the three years I was there," Chandler said earlier this season.
"If you call holding people accountable daily being a bad influence, then hey, I'm a bad influence. But I'm going to be that as long as I'm going to strap up my shoes and step on the basketball court. And that was the big problem there."
Recently Derek Fisher and some players talked about there being less finger-pointing and a more positive atmosphere this season. Some took that as shots at Chandler, who was critical of former coach Mike Woodson's defensive philosophies last season.
Chandler is playing well. He was averaging 10.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the 10-3 Mavericks heading into Saturday and probably is looking forward to Wednesday's game more than anyone else.
Losing is a crime to Kobe
You probably didn't know Kobe Bryant fights crime.
Bryant, the all-time leader in most missed shots, said he shoots more than he would like because the Lakers keep falling behind by big margins and he has to stop crime from happening. You read that right. Bryant took at least 25 shots in seven of the Lakers' first 12 games.
"I'd rather get guys involved early, but a purse gets stolen in front of you, how many blocks are you going to let the guy run?" Bryant said. "You can chase him down, keep him in sight yourself and wait for the authorities to get there, or you can decide to let him run and wait for the authorities to get there.
"I just try to keep us in the game. I'd rather not have to do that, but we can't just sit back and watch crime happen right in front of you."
Happy returns
Wednesday was a strange night in the NBA.
Jason Kidd returned to Brooklyn for the first time since his power play, and understandably heard heartfelt boos a little more than a year after he got a standing ovation when the Nets retired his No. 5 jersey. Kidd laughed last as the Bucks won in triple overtime.
In Toronto, Vince Carter became emotional when he received a video tribute and was cheered for the first time at Air Canada Centre since forcing a trade 10 years ago. In past returns, Toronto fans showed him no mercy.
Jeremy Lin got a video tribute in his Houston return after two unspectacular seasons there. It was a make-nice gesture after the Rockets had Carmelo Anthony in Lin's No. 7 jersey in pictures outside the Toyota Center when they pursued him last summer. Lin was traded to the Lakers. "They took a lot of heat for the whole jersey thing," he said. "I feel like [GM] Daryl Morey tried to make up for that."
Buzzer beaters
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez addressed the Bucks for about 20 minutes while the team was in Miami last week to play the Heat, according to the Racine Journal-Times. The Bucks won their next three games . . . Mavs owner Mark Cuban, whose team crushed the Lakers by 34 points Friday night, is enjoying Los Angeles' struggles. Cuban told radio station KFWB in L.A., "I just hope they [stink] forever." . . . Google Lance Stephenson against the Warriors and watch the video. You won't be disappointed. The Brooklyn product ran into a screen, slapped himself in the face and flailed his arms yet drew the foul.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
