NEW ORLEANS — Carmelo Anthony has been granted a leave of absence from the Nuggets following the death of his sister, Michelle.
The Nuggets reported the tragedy on their website last night. Anthony left the team to be with his family and will return after Christmas.
All talks regarding a trade for the superstar have been put on hold while Anthony deals with the loss of his sibling, who died of a pre-existing medical condition Tuesday in Baltimore. She had four children.
The Nets have been very positive, very confident in their ability to trade for the star and have been willing to expand the parameters of a deal to include additional teams, additional players and additional salaries.
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It took nearly 30 games, but Nets coach Avery Johnson has found his nine-man rotation. And it wasn’t easy.
“It’s a combination of those guys bonding and gelling, of the coach finally figuring out a nine-man rotation after 30 games and also the arrival of Sasha [Vujacic with his] positive energy,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the gnawing inconsistencies and injuries caused the team to be in a constant upheaval, a state if “one step forward, five steps back.” But now he is comfortable with his rotation that includes defensive specialist Stephen Graham, Troy Murphy as a backup four and Derrick Favors as a backup center. Favors’ use in the new role basically snuffs Johan Petro, though the 7-footer played six garbage time minutes in the Nets’ 105-91 loss to the Hornets last night.
There has been real praise for Graham lately, and deservedly so. He knows his role is primarily defense and sets out to do it with a chip on his shoulder.
“My biggest thing is impacting the game on defense,” Graham said. “I take it personal if someone scores.”
He took it personal in his last two starts, helping to hold Joe Johnson of Atlanta to 4-of-16 shooting and 14 points and Memphis’ Rudy Gay, also to 4-of-16, with 11 points.
“Graham’s playing his best ball of the year. What he’s done to some of these guys that are scorers – the Joe Johnsons and the Rudy Gays — he’s really upended these guys and getting in their faces and space and making it hard on them,” Johnson said.
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The fate of the NBA in New Orleans is uncertain. But Johnson is pulling for his home. On Monday, the NBA Board of Governors voted to pass ownership to the league. There is an attendance benchmark the team must meet or it can opt out of its lease with the state.
“I’ve been following what’s been going on with the team and the league takeover,” Johnson said. “More than anything I just want the team to be able to survive here in New Orleans. . . . There are a lot of folks in this community that really depend on this team surviving here. I think they’ve done a good job overall of supporting the team. So more than anything, I just want the team to make it.”
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Johnson found a positive in the loss.
“This is the first time this year we’ve been 3-2 in a five-game set,” he said.