Thursday, January 5th, 2012 at 10:10 am  |  99 responses

Carmelo Anthony on the Knicks: ‘It Can’t Get No Worse Than This’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Things were supposed to be different this time around for the New York Knickerbockers.

Ownership twisted Mike D’Antoni’s arm into hiring a defensively-minded assistant coach in Mike Woodson, the team splurged on defensive specialist center Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire promised to defend with more tenacity, and the jaded fans at MSG even managed to launch into a few early-season chants of “DE-FENSE!”

Things have not been different for the Knicks this time around. It’s pretty much business as usual, as defense in New York remains a fantastical concept.

Last night in New York, the Charlotte Bobcats humiliated the Knicks, making Boris Diaw look like a Hall of Famer in the process. Afterward, Carmelo Anthony and embattled head coach Mike D’Antoni did their best to put a positive spin on the sputtering start (2-4) to the season.

From ESPN:

“Just stick with it,” Anthony told his teammates. “It can’t get no worse than this.” Expectations were lofty for the Knicks coming into the season. With Tyson Chandler in tow, the Knicks believed they had the best front line in the NBA. Mike D’Antoni went as far as to say his team should contend for an NBA title. It’s early, but after six games, the Knicks don’t have the look of a title contender. And, naturally, there is some frustration in the locker room.

“I’m sure they’re frustrated,” Mike D’Antoni said after the Knicks’ loss to the Bobcats on Wednesday. “They didn’t want to start off 2-4, but at the same time, there are 60 more games left. So we know what we’ve got to do. They’ll hang in there, they’re good guys, a good group. We’ll solve the problems and we’ll get it done here. But it’s got to be sooner than later. We’ve got to get going.” The Knicks allowed the Bobcats to shoot 55% from the field on Wednesday, a night after Charlotte lost by 14 to Cleveland. Afterward, Chandler acknowledged that the Knicks were upset.

“Obviously, guys are upset,” he said. “Anytime you lose and you lose to a team that you know you should have beat then you know you’re going to be frustrated. If not, we [should] to be in different of sport.” Anthony said players were “down” after losing for the fourth time in five games.

The New York Knicks’ problems aren’t just on the defensive end of the floor. With Baron Davis nursing a back injury, and Mike Bibby rotting away, they don’t have any playmakers to make life easier for Carmelo and Amar’e Stoudemire.

As for Mike D’Antoni, his seat continues to heat up as he trudges through the final year of a $45 million contract, with fans and media turning on him almost daily.

But, hey, cheer up Knick fans. As ‘Melo said, things can’t possibly get any worse. Right?

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  • http://nyill.wordpress.com Enigmatic

    Don’t worry IAMORANGE, Melo said it can’t get no worse than this.

  • Honduran

    I’m sick of this no-defense minded team. I love my Knicks, but they need to show more PASSION and HEART if they really want to win!!

  • meloman2.0

    I’m pretty sure if things dont change soon, Mike D’antoni will be fired. Melo and Amare need a defensive minded coach

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    iamorange disappears when the Knicks struggle.

  • Rik Smits Mullet

    Werent the big three of melo amare and chandler supposed to be much better then the big three in miami or boston.
    Thats what i heard from knicks fans early on.
    I hope for spike lee’s sake the knicks turn it around.

  • KHALID SALAAM

    Stay classy Knicks fans. They’ve played six games. Gimme a break.

  • Sean

    Melo and Amare need a defensive minded coach? HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

  • MUBWAR

    loooooooooool at rik. im guessing that’s y the heat took Bosh over Amar’e. even if there games are similar Bosh actually tried on D. remember that hunting you guys had for the heat, start lower like not losing to the raps and bobcats on back to back nights.

  • Jono

    1 of those 2 wins were actually against a Piere-less celtic team, I’d almost count that as a loss too.

  • biggieman

    Carmelo is a punk… He can score like crazy, but he never plays any defense, that’s why he will never contend for a championship. He’s always been selfish and lazy, that’s he’s the reason it never worked with Camby, AI, Kenyon with the Nuggets. So give him another stacked lineup or a defensive coach it doesn’t matter Carmelo is a cancer.

  • neaorin

    Um, this is the Knicks. It can always get worse. It’s one of the laws of the Universe or something.

  • ClydeSays

    When your two Franchise cornerstones don’t or ‘haven’t been taught’ to play D and the coach doesn’t preach it every single practice & game, this isht happens. Knicks could still be Suns East with a decent PG, but I don’t see them as a Finals contender over Heat, Chi or Boston.

  • Fat Lever

    Wait, I thought Melo and the Knicks were committed to defense? Then again, Boris Diaw has been called Bernard King 2.0, so I guess it’s ok.

  • http://www.facebook.com/joe.l.brewer3 BlackPhantom

    C’mon iamorange it’s only the first six games of the season…right?

  • http://www.fiba.com Darksaber

    Man, orange is getting clobbered here.
    Funny.
    I still can’t believe D’Antoni has nearly earned 45 milli for the ‘job’ he’s done with this team.
    Crazy money.

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    Lol at all the comments

  • http://www.nba.com showtime

    Never shouldve waive Billups, No D-fence , No pg, oh wait baron will be the saviour lol…BOOK IT right orange???

  • Nella

    That’s what happens when you talk crazy about a team with obvious deficiencies acting like they’re going to be in finals…

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Book it is Seeds thing. Don’t get your crazies mixed up.

  • robb

    Actually it can. If Melo loses motivation the Knicks could do even worse. I don’t know why that overpaid Pringles man is still NY’s coach.

  • AD

    this team does not want to play d…. you can say w.e about mike d. but a basketball player knows that defense winS games and you need team defense as well. their defense was lost when they traded wilson and gallanari

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    Lets play, spot iamorange4ever, I cant seem to find him, can anyone help.

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com O

    We SUCK! No rythm during games. No defense. Crazy lazy. My man, Iman be getting right, but he injured himelf again! We need to fire Antoni and get Jeff Van Gundy back in the mix.

  • http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html Allenp

    One of the main problems, besides their horrid defense, is that Toney Douglas feels way too comfortable taking any effing shot he pleases. It’s crazy.

  • http://bleachreport.com yumyumman

    what the knicks need most is an Identity. They dont know who they are!

    Are you a defensive team, a three point shot team. team, fast or slow. I could put together some boys from the block and beat the knicks.(seriously). also I dont see any plays being run. no pick and roll for amare!or tyson! GET IT TOGETHER. I am available

  • http://bleachreport.com yumyumman

    I always wanted jeff or Hubie

  • AQWORD

    Said like a true seasoned veteran. Way to motivate the troops man.

  • anthony y

    If he doesn’t turn it around in the next 6-8 games, look for mike woodson to take over. Personally, I think the celing was too high in the first place. Yes the made a solid move in bringing in tyson,but the knicks are not built like the mavs were last year. They had a deep squad. Who do the knicks really have past their big three? A better playoff run is the best you could hope for from this team. In NO way are they ready for the big boys in the conference.

  • T-Money

    amar’e is a bum, boris diaw was beating him off the dribble yesterday! i expect tyson to play better once they get baron – tyson can’t do anything without a point guard. mike woodson is so good at over-switching. all you have to do is run a 1-5 pick and roll and voilà, tyson chandler is 25 feet away from the basket and there’s no rim protector.

  • http://www.slamonline.com megatron

    I don’t remember who was arguing with me saying the knicks would play alot better defense this year but yeah.. so far I was right..

  • Kadavour

    if Amare insists on being a vocal “leader” on this team then he must lead them. He shows little inclination to perform consistently on defense and for someone with his is physical abilities, it’s hard to watch. All that big dog talk with a chihuahua bite. 6’10 starting ALL STAR FORWARD with less than 8 boards a game. Melo is going to average more boards than him and he’s defending dudes on the perimeter. that’s pitiful.

  • http://dsjfklfl.com Jukai

    Ahhhh, years ago I spoke of how awful Mike D’Antoni was. Knicks fans didn’t listen. Pity pity.

  • http://www.slamonline.com megatron

    I also don’t understand that people still believe Amare is better than Chris Bosh. It astounds me

  • http://www.slamonline.com megatron

    don’t understand how**

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    There’s only so much blame that can be placed on coaches, especially for a lack of defense. Defense is all about effort and if Melo/Amare aka the team’s two best players, put little to no effort on the defensive end, what incentive is there for their teammates to play D? NONE.

  • http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html Allenp

    The coach is responsible for getting his players ready to play and punishing them when they fail to adhere to his principles.
    Tom Thibodeau benches people who don’t play defense.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Amar’e has never played defense under any coach. Neither has Melo. Bad defensive habits are harder to break then y’all are acting like. D’Antoni didn’t make them bad defenders, they were bad before he was their coach. They will be bad after. I don’t understand how anyone thought this team was going to be successful without a PG. I didn’t personally think they would be THIS bad, but it’s pretty clear that you need a PG in that system. Especially if your two main scorers are notorious ball stoppers.

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Should have never got rid of Billups..

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    So, you think Antoni is going to bench Amare or Melo? Let’s be real. Those guys have never played defense in their entire career, so I doubt getting benched is going to force them to change their ways. Has Boozer changed his none defensive ways despite be on the bench at times in the 4th qtr?

  • T-Money

    nbk: bosh was a bad defender before going to miami. ray allen was a bad defender before boston. defense can be coached. mike brown, erick spoelstra, tom thibodeau… why do they always have great defenses regardless of personnel?

  • http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html Allenp

    Mike Brown had cats playing defense. Or they sat down.
    I understand that it’s hard, but why are we pretending like D’Antoni has really tried to focus on defense? If you don’t hold people accountable, you’re not really focusing on something.
    Amare and Melo are not good defenders, but who knows what they could be with the right system and emphasis and accountability.
    It’s not all the coaches fault, but I can’t absolve him either. He really doesn’t care that much.

  • anonymous

    defense is not only abt effort but it is abt every player buying into an effective defense system. the knicks don`t seem to have neither.

  • http://www.listerblister.blogspot.com rainman10

    D’Antoni needs to go. Promote Mike Woodson or see if Jeff Van Gundy wants a job again. Yea, yea it’s so early in the season and Bdiddy hasn’t joined them yet. But this NYK script is just too predictable.

  • Heals

    Line of the night belonged to Clyde when he called a pump-fake, one dribble then shot by Diaw, “ooohhh, there’s Diaw ah dupin’ and ah hoopin’.” Love his flow during games…

  • chingy

    Bosh > Amare. Amare’s mouth > Bosh’s mouth…

  • eoc1w

    Melo was atleast keeping them in the game last night. Plus he had 3to steals. He’s playing harder then anyone on the court. Give him a break..

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pawtucketymca Gametimeweezy

    Oh it could be worse… we could have a crap offense too lol… And this is not a knock on Toney Douglas because I love his effort, but he’s not a point he’s a 2. Our problems were evident after Rondo torched us on Christmas.
    Tyson needs to play big. Period. He’s not going after blocks, he’s getting out rebounded. He’s not going after blocks. He’s tentative going for blocked shots. He’s not going for blocks. I think he’s still getting used to NY… Did I mention he’s not going for blocks! Biggest pet peeve is seeing the other team getting a layup and my center is just STANDING there.
    Haven’t seen Melo take a charge all year. Not even getting into that one… Yea I could go on and on.
    All you haters are still funny though sometimes.. Chris Bosh?
    @Jukai… I have always hated D’Antoni… you aint saying anything we dont already know, friend.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Boozer has played for two defensive minded coaches in 8 out of 10 seasons in his career yet he continues to be a bad defender. I think people really overrate great defensive coaches while underrating the effect of having a team’s best player also be the team’s best defender.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Monty Williams: Perfect example of a coach who coaches defense regardless of whom he coaches.
    Even Dwayne Casey has gotten the Toronto Raptors, whose starting line-up includes both Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon (!), to defend. They’re now seventh in fewest opponent ppg.
    A good coach will MAKE his team defend. Maybe they won’t always turn a bad individual into an All-NBA defender, but they’ll make their teams work. That’s the difference between a good coach and a bad coach, because even the sh!ttiest of teams can compete when their defense is right.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    @ JTaylor: Right now the Raptors’ “best” player is probably Andrea Bargnani. We all know that guy cannot defend a lick. It’s starting point guard is Jose Calderon. How do you explain the Raptors’ sudden and insanely unexpected improvement on defense? It’s the Raptors, man. The freaking Raptors.

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