Carmelo Anthony suffered an ankle injury back on Dec. 23 in Orlando, and at the time he didn’t seem concerned that it would keep him from playing in the Knicks’ Christmas Day matchup with the Thunder two days later.
But Anthony remains sidelined, and in addition to the shellacking New York suffered on that holiday, the team has dropped back-to-back contests against the Raptors, both by double-digit margins.
The Knicks are barely built to compete with Anthony in the lineup, and certainly can’t afford to be without their primary scorer for an extended period of time. Head coach Mike Woodson is hopeful that his star will return in time for a three-game trip through Texas later this week, but it’s far from a given at this point.
From Al Innazzone of Newsday:Carmelo Anthony didn’t make the trip [to Toronto], and there is no clear timetable for his return from a sprained left ankle. But Mike Woodson hopes Anthony will play on the Knicks’ three-game Texas trip, which begins Thursday. ...
The Knicks’ next game is Thursday in San Antonio. Anthony will have had nine days off if he’s available for that game.
“I’m hoping he will be,” Woodson said. “When Melo’s ready to play, he’ll play. My track record with Melo has been he plays. And if he’s hurt, he’s hurt, and you got to believe that. So I’m sure when he’s ready to get back out on the floor from his ankle, he’ll let us know and medical will let me know.”
That Texas trip includes a back-to-back set against the Spurs and the Rockets, followed by a game in Dallas against the Mavericks. Even with Anthony in place it’s going to be tough for the Knicks to get even one of those games; without him, it doesn’t seem possible.
Anthony has averaged 26.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 39.4 minutes per contest this season.
