Carmelo Anthony Played With Torn Left Shoulder in the Playoffs


Accordingt to multiple reports, Carmelo Anthony played all 12 Playoff games for the New York Knicks with a partially torn left shoulder. It’s unclear at the moment if Anthony will require surgery this summer. Melo wasn’t the only wounded Knick during their postseason run. Per the NY Daily News and NY Post: “An MRI of Anthony’s shoulder revealed a partially torn labrum, according to a Knicks source, and he may need surgery. The Knicks are hopeful that the injury will heal on its own and the club has told Anthony to rest for the next three to four weeks, at which point he will be reevaluated. […] The Knicks had not given a medical update on Anthony as of Wednesday night. If surgery is needed, it could sideline Anthony from three to five months and could compromise his availability for the start of training camp in October. Throughout the playoffs, Anthony refused to use the injury as an excuse, even though his shooting percentage dipped considerably. Having to play against two defensive-minded teams in Boston and Indiana also didn’t help, but it was obvious that Anthony, the NBA’s scoring champion, wasn’t 100%. In the Knicks’ second-round series loss to the Pacers, Anthony made 65 of 150 shots, including scoring 39 points on 15- for-29 shooting in Game 6. […] Not only did Carmelo Anthony play with what an MRI exam Wednesday revealed was a partial tear in his left shoulder, but J.R. Smith’s nightmarish playoff performance was partly because of a swollen left knee that contained fluid buildup. According to a league source, Smith likely will have his knee drained of the fluid in the next two weeks — the same procedure Anthony underwent in March. So Smith’s struggles weren’t only about his sharp elbow in the Celtics series, alleged hangover and viral infection. Meanwhile, Anthony’s MRI exam showed he had played in the playoffs with a small, partial tear in his shoulder, but the Knicks don’t expect him to need surgery, according to a league source. Anthony has been prescribed rest and physical therapy for a month to allow the shoulder to heal. Had the shoulder sustained a full labrum tear, surgery would have been required. Now it’s unlikely.”