At least once, usually more often during a calendar year, the New York Post’s Phil Mushnick will note some individual triple digit scoring achievement in a men’s or women’s lower division collegiate or high school contest, often replete with obituaries for sportsmanship, common sense, perspective, etc.
Phil’s more akin to a locked groove than a broken record, but either way, I’m none too pleased at circumstances that have essentially turned me into The Bearded Conscience Of All Things Sporty & Sports Media. To wit, New York F Carmelo Anthony dropped 62 points on an hopelessly overmatched Charlotte Bobcats squad last night at MSG, setting a new all-time scoring record for both the Knicks and the venue. Melo, who seemed physically spent by the time of his 4th quarter benching, seemingly had the ball in his hands for the length of every Knicks possession — yeah, I know, what else is new (other than most of his shots going in) — a scenario Mike Breen found more thrilling than any playoff game I’ve heard him work for a national network.
It cannot be debated that Anthony is a prodigious scorer and on a handful of occasions, capable of putting a rather confused team on his back. In this instance, however, the outpouring of joy over routing a team with a 19-26 record seems a tad misplaced, unless of course, your goal going into the 2013-14 season was to beat Charlotte for the 8th seed.
I’ll not suggest there’s anything easy about scoring 60 + against a professional opponent (or in this case, the Bobcats). Nor was Anthony’s performance unworthy of recognition. But what was the purpose for trading 4 fucking starters bringing Melo to New York? Was it James Dolan’s hope the former Baltimore product would lead the Knicks deep into the postseason, or was this all about the glorification/sucking up to a potential free agent who might end up with fewer rings than Darko Milicic when all is said and done?
As historic moments at MSG are concerned, this was somewhere above Kings Of Leon headlining the room and substantially below Willis Reed taking the floor in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals. Heck, I’d argue this wasn’t even Carmelo Anthony’s most memorable night at the Garden. But full credit to Mike Woodson for getting what oughta be his most attractive piece of trade bait out of the game before suffering further fatigue or injury — Terry Collins thought Anthony deserved a shot at 70.
minor point, but is it the “4 f#cking starters” that’s the problem with the deal? It’s the f*cking unprotected first round pick in 2014! You could argue the deal led the Knicks directly to their best season in years when they won 54 games and made it to the 2nd round. I mean they were a 40 win team at best with Gallo and Chandler and Timofey in tow. It’s the draft picks that kill.
you’re presuming that Gallo, Chandler, Mozgov and Felton had all gone as far as they could go as Knicks — or that they’d gone as far as they could go under D’Antoni. I’m less than certain that was the case.
agreed the unprotected first round pick this june is awful to relinquish, but if the Knicks were an actual contender in the Eastern Conference, that pick wouldn’t be nearly so valuable. That they’re not a contender is at least partially down to reliance on Anthony. So we’re back at the start.