Carmelo Anthony Says the Pressure is on Him Not Andrea Bargnani


New Knick Andrea Bargnani has nothing to worry about during his first season in New York. Carmelo Anthony says he’s the one who has to shoulder all of the burden. Per Newsday: “After Andrea Bargnani’s first practice with the Knicks, Woodson said he thinks he can bring the best out of the former first overall pick. But Woodson wouldn’t say acquiring Bargnani from Toronto had any correlation to the health of Stoudemire, who had a knee procedure over the summer. ‘I don’t think you can pass up on a piece like that,’ Woodson said after the Knicks opened camp Tuesday. ‘Bargnani, he’s one of those, I think, gifted players that I think I can reach. And in reaching him, hopefully he can return it and help our team win basketball games and perhaps a title because I think he’s good enough to help us.’ The 7-foot Bargnani averaged 15.2 points in seven seasons with Toronto, but has been considered a disappointment after being taken No. 1 in 2006. Raptors fans turned on him last season when he scored 12.7 points in 35 games. […] ‘Ain’t no pressure on him,’ Anthony said. ‘You come here and do what you do, play ball. All the pressure’s on me. It should be easy for him. It should be an easy transition and adjustment for him. He just has to come here, play basketball, do what he’s got to do and do it the right way. I’m looking forward to getting up and down the court with Bargnani. I know his capabilities. I know what he’s about. I know what he can do. And for me, it helps me out a lot now to have another stretch four that can stretch the court, that can shoot, that create off the dribbles, create for him, create for others. It’s another weapon we have.’ […] ‘The main thing is winning because in Toronto, we didn’t go to the playoffs for five straight years, so I’m starving for winning and to get back to the playoffs,’ Bargnani said. ‘It’s all about the team. I can score the ball. That’s what I do. I hope that my scoring skills can help the team.'”