Trying to deflect criticism away from his star player, New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that Carmelo Anthony asked out of Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers before suffering a knee injury. Speaking with 98.7 ESPN New York, Woodson insisted that blame should be centered on himself.
Mike Woodson: Carmelo Anthony ‘asked out’ before knee injury
Before leaving Monday’s game with a knee injury, Knicks star Carmelo Anthony asked to be pulled from the game and was turned down. His coach publicly questioned that decision Wednesday.
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During the chat, Woodson detailed his frustration with opting not to pull Anthony. Sports Radio Interviews has the transcript:
I should have. But stubborn coach, I just didn’t. We’re down 22, I’m going to leave one of my best players in the game. Maybe I should have taken him out before he actually stumbled and took the fall. Again, I’m thinking the game. I’m thinking he’ll play through it, he’ll figure it out. But hey, he was hurting.
Anthony played just 14 minutes in Monday’s game before going down with a knee injury. Some criticism was pointed in his direction afterwards given New York’s sizable deficit when he left the game, but it’s clear that the Knicks’ coaching staff doesn’t place any blame on Melo for the ordeal.
It’s not exactly clear what’s wrong with Anthony’s knee at this point, as SB Nation’s Knicks blog, Posting and Toasting, writes, but it’s clear he’s playing through pain these days.
Anthony is still considered day-to-day, so his status for games against the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder in coming days is uncertain.
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