The New York Knicks will officially rule out All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony for the remainder of the 2014-15 season on Wednesday, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. The news comes after the Knicks star told ESPN Radio on Sunday that he was "very likely" to stop playing after the All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden.
Carmelo Anthony to miss rest of season due to knee injury
After suggesting he would shut it down after the All-Star break, Anthony and the Knicks are readying to announce the decision this week.
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Anthony missed significant time this season while battling knee pain, but managed to play over 30 minutes -- second only to LeBron James -- in the All-Star Game on Sunday. It appears that was a last hurrah of sorts, as he's now readying to shut it down and get ready to come back next season.
Despite the pain, Anthony had been reluctant to get surgery or sit out extended periods of time this season. He told reporters in December that he felt he needed to play because the Knicks’ roster was so short-handed, but a week later coach Derek Fisher acknowledged the possibility that Anthony would need to be shelved to get healthy.
Nevertheless, Anthony returned later in January, determined to continue playing through the pain. He suited up in 10 of the Knicks' next 12 games after a six-game break and helped lead them to a few victories after a dreadful start. But he re-injured the knee in their loss to the Heat on Monday and spoke openly about needing to go under the knife after the All-Star Game.
A popular theory is that Anthony would normally have sat out far sooner than this, but felt obligated to play through the pain because New York was hosting the All-Star Game. Anthony didn’t exactly deny this view, telling reporters “maybe” when asked if he would have undergone knee surgery sooner were it not for the All-Star Game. Anthony was voted in as an Eastern Conference starter.
Anthony averaged 24.2 points per game in 40 contests this season for the 10-43 Knicks, though his scoring efficiency was down from the last two seasons.
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