Carmelo Anthony Reportedly Went on a Locker Room Tirade After Knicks Lost to 76ers

Carmelo Anthony reportedly ripped his team after the Knicks blew a 10-point lead late to the 76ers.

Bill Streicher
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports

Bill Streicher

If it seems like Carmelo Anthony headlines have dominated sports websites this weekend, that’s because they have. Melo’s been all over the place, and everyone wants to know if the 33-year-old forward is going to stick around New York.

Initial reports indicated Melo was totally unwilling to waive his no-trade clause, but Phil Jackson’s ghostwriter and close friend—who wrote a critical piece about Anthony—says those reports aren’t entirely accurate and Anthony would accept a trade to either the Cavaliers or Clippers.

Anyone with knowledge of those two teams’ rosters and payrolls knows the odds of such a deal are slim to none.

So, what is it with Melo now? Well, apparently all the frustration surrounding the Knicks of late—they’re 18-22, you know, and were supposed to be a “super team,” as Derrick Rose put it—got to Anthony last week.

New York blew a 10-point lead late against the 76ers Wednesday and fell 98-97. They had a chance to seal it in the final seconds, but Brandon Jennings elected to pass to an open Kristaps Porzingis instead of an open Anthony. Porzingis missed, and the 76ers hit the game-winner seconds later.

After the game, Anthony reportedly lost his cool, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News—one of the most plugged-in NBA writers out there.

As Isola reports, “according to a source close to the Knicks’ veteran forward, Anthony went on a tirade after the shocking loss, admonishing his teammates for blowing a 10-point lead in the final 2:30 to the inexperienced 76ers." Isola continued:

He was also upset that he was frozen out on the Knicks final possession, a sequence that ended with Kristaps Porzingis shooting an air ball from the corner which led to Philadelphia’s fast-break. Anthony never touched the ball.

Anthony told reporters after the game that the loss was “unacceptable.”

Is he fed up? Definitely. He’s watching his championship window close in depressing fashion. His team is underachieving while his good buddies like LeBron James and Chris Paul are playing for strong contenders.

With that being said, he’s probably not going anywhere. The pieces just don’t seem to fit together. So we may be seeing more headlines in the future about Melo’s frustration boiling over.

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