So this is not a good sign for the Knicks, losers of nine-games in a row. As if being 3-13 wasn't bad enough, Iman Shumpert and Carmelo Anthony had a heated exchange during a timeout in their game versus the Pelicans.
It seems it all stemmed from blown defensive assignments (not shocking at all) with the Knicks which led to a Ryan Andersen three pointer and at the center of it all was Shumpert. From there, a timeout was called and Shumpert and Anthony were seen having some words for one another on the bench.
A shouting match with Carmelo Anthony and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr.’s breakout game may have pushed Iman Shumpert closer to the door.
Hardaway is fighting for playing time with Shumpert, who got into a heated rant with Anthony on the Knicks bench during a third-quarter timeout. Anthony didn’t look at him as Shumpert raved. Shumpert, who was then benched for the fourth quarter of the 103-99 loss to the Pelicans, called his tiff with Anthony “a miscommunication’’ on defense.
“Of course I wanted to play,’’ Shumpert said. “Tim was making shots. J.R. [Smith] had it rolling. We were just trying to get a win.’’
Anthony declined to talk about Shumpert, who has been on the trading block since the middle of last month.
By now, one would think coach Mike Woodson would be on the hot seat for this early-season debacle for New York. But if Shumpert wants out, what better way to get traded than to argue with the team's star player. Add the fact this display between the two will not help maters with the Knicks. They need team unity not team dysfunction right now.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jRKlLtu24T4
