Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim went on a verbal tirade against Carmelo Anthony’s Knicks teammates, shocked his former player is receiving blame for the team’s second-round flameout to Indiana.
In the Syracuse Post-Standard, Boeheim ripped Tyson Chandler, whom he coached on the U.S. Olympic Team, point guards Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni and even coach Mike Woodson in trying to defend Anthony’s honor.
When asked if Anthony can lead the Knicks as constructed to an NBA title, Boeheim told the paper: “Not on that team. He did what he can do. He played very well the final game. Everybody’s killing him but Tyson Chandler just didn’t try to catch the ball. He threw him the ball and Tyson Chandler went like this” and the paper reported Boeheim dodged in his chair.
“[Tyson] was wide open,’’ Boeheim added. “He should have been looking for the ball right here. Kenyon Martin should have been looking for the ball. They both went like this [Boeheim dodged again]. Carmelo gets turnovers and the announcers aren’t smart enough to even think, ‘Well, the guy should try to catch the ball.’
“Tyson Chandler claims he never gets the ball,’’ Boeheim continued.” He doesn’t try to get the ball. He had two points and Hibbert had [21].’’
Knicks GM Glen Grunwald responded to the criticism on Tuesday.
“Jim’s a great coach and he’s obviously very loyal to Melo,’’ Grunwald said. “So I understand where his comments came from.’’
Boeheim went on his diatribe at the Carmelo K. Anthony Center in Syracuse, which Anthony helped pay for. The Syracuse coach catches most of the Knicks’ games on television to watch his former player.
“What was the difference in the series?,’’ Boeheim said. “Raymond Felton was 0-for-7. Lance Stephenson had [25] points. They’re going to blame it on Carmelo? I told him when he went to New York, ‘They’re going to blame it on you.’
“They have no chance to win,’’ Boeheim continued, according to the Syracuse daily. “Pablo Prigioni has never scored against [Team USA]. We played Argentina six or seven times in different events. He hasn’t scored against us. You have to have players to win in the NBA.”
Boeheim said J.R. Smith and Felton “weren’t great players where they were and now they’re asking them to be second and third options.”
Boeheim said the Heat have second, third and fourth options of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen and have Shane Battier, too.
“The New York Knicks have who?” Boeheim asked.
Anthony, for his part, scored four points in three fourth quarters during the three losses to the Pacers at Bankers Life Field House. When asked about Woodson’s offensive scheme, Boeheim said: “I said to my son, ‘[Carmelo’s] going to have to get 50 for them to win.’ That’s what he needed. Fifty. You’re not going to get that against Indiana.’’