The New York Knicks stink. At 4-19, only the Pistons and Sixers have a worse record than them in the entire NBA. The Phil Jackson era doesn’t look much different from the pre-Jackson era. And of course, everyone on the team hates each other and coach Derek Fisher. This ESPN New York piece by Chris Broussard highlights the discord, which includes an on the court conflict between Carmelo Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr.
The New York Knicks were en route to their fifth straight loss last week against Brooklyn when a frustrated Tim Hardaway Jr. screamed angrily, “Get the rebound!”
Certain his second-year teammate was speaking to him, Carmelo Anthony approached Hardaway on the way down the court and used an expletive to ask Hardaway who in the world he thought he was talking to.
Anthony, according to sources, then used another expletive in telling Hardaway he was going to beat him up when they got into the locker room after the game.
But wait, there’s more.
Several Knicks, in addition to Hardaway, are at odds with Anthony and believe he’s not playing team basketball. Sources said players voiced their displeasure with Anthony this past weekend, telling him he shoots too much, doesn’t move or pass the ball, and only plays defense when he feels like it.
Sources said the most tension exists between Anthony and Hardaway as they haven’t cared for one another almost since Hardaway joined the team last season, with each player believing the other shoots too much and doesn’t care about defense. Sources said Hardaway was also bothered by the favorable treatment Anthony received under last year’s coach, Mike Woodson.
Sources said one thing Anthony and his teammates do agree on is their disdain for the triangle offense. For weeks, if not longer, the players have been ready to ditch the triangle and move on to another system. They feel like other teams know what they’re going to run and where they’re going to go on the court, which makes it easier to stop them.
The details in Broussard’s article are embarrassing for the organization. Maybe it’s better to openly tank like the Sixers instead of putting an awful, dysfunctional team on the court for a lot more money.
[ESPN]
