The New York Knicks are going nowhere this season and Carmelo Anthony is hobbled by lingering knee pain. Might it be prudent for the high-scoring superstar to take some time off and heal properly? We think so, but Anthony insists he isn’t entertaining the possibility despite the advice of so many that he do so.
From Al Iannqzzone of Newsday:
“I’ve had multiple people say just shut it down or just take time off,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s hard for me to just do that right now amidst what’s happening with the team. So I’m just trying to be smart about it.”
He was asked what it would take for him to shut it down.
“I don’t know, man,” he said. “I take some days off, some days it feels like I can go. Some days it feels like I have everything. It’s going to be off and on like that.”
Anthony sat out last Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs with left knee pain, but played three straight games thereafter. He supposedly aggravated the injury on Tuesday versus the Dallas Mavericks, missing last night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls as a result.
It’s honorable and encouraging that Carmelo is intent on playing through manageable pain for a team that has no realistic playoff aspirations – especially considering recent reports of disharmony between he, teammates, and the franchise at large.
But if there’s any chance that this pain could lead to a serious injury down the road, Anthony – and the Knicks – would be best-suited by him “shutting it down” until he’s fully healthy. New York has committed $124 million to him over the next four and-a-half seasons; the last thing it needs is for Carmelo to be anything less than his best when the team is playing meaningful games in the future.
The Knicks have Friday off before a back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors this weekend. They host the Washington Wizards on Christmas Day.
What do you think?
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