Carmelo Anthony wanted to make a couple things – actually, a lot of things – clear last night.
First, he would have met with the Nets, specifically owner Mikhail Prokhorov. And the reports that had a trade gone through, he wouldn’t have signed an extension with the Nets? That never came from him.
“I would have took that meeting,” Anthony said after he scored 37 points in the Nets’ 115-99 victory over the Nuggets in Newark. “That meeting was going to take place. I can agree to that. As far as anything else, I can’t really speak of that.”
Anthony also addressed all the talk of him not wanting to sign with the Nets.
“I really don’t know where it came from, as far as if I was to come here, the extension wasn’t going to get signed,” he said.
The entire escapade came to a screeching halt when Prokhorov ended the talks and canceled the meeting that had been planed for Jan. 20.
“What he did, I think he just put an end to that meeting that was supposed to take place,” Anthony said. “I think he really did it more for his team, for those guys to get it out of their own heads. At that point, they weren’t playing that well. Ever since he made that statement they’ve been playing well, they’ve been playing hard. They seem like they’re committed. As a result they beat us tonight.”
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Even with so much attention on Anthony, the point guard position rose to prominence all day and night for the Nets.
Jordan Farmar‘s back has not healed as hoped, so the Nets are bringing in added protection at that spot by signing former Celtics draft pick Orien Greene to a 10-day contract. Greene is expected to be at practice today if he completes a physical. He has been playing with the Utah Flash on the Developmental League.
And then there was Devin Harris setting a career high in assists and undrafted rookie Ben Uzoh making one of the biggest plays last night.
Farmar, who strained his lower back Friday during warmups in Indianapolis, missed his third straight game last night and is expected to miss a fourth game tomorrow when the Nets entertain the 76ers.
“The earliest we’ll get him back is going to be on Friday,” said coach Avery Johnson. “So, he’s going to probably get an MRI sometime in the next couple of days. That’s his status – we’ll probably have more news on him, if and when we get an MRI and when we get the results. But he’s not going to play any earlier than Friday.”
Greene, 28, was a second round pick (No. 53) overall of the Celtics in 2005. He also played with the Pacers and Kings. He has an iffy past that includes speeding at nearly 100 MPH in suburban Boston and a drug test issue overseas.
But Harris and Uzoh were more than enough. First Harris with 18 assists, two more than the 16 he garnered as a career high Saturday.
“I just keep passing and hope it goes in. When guys make shots they come in bunches. And as long as they keep shooting them and making them. I’ll keep throwing it to them,” said Harris.
Then there was Uzoh, who stopped Chauncey Billups to waylay a Denver rally. Denver, down 18 at one point, was within 99-93 when Billups tried to sucker Uzoh into a foul on a 3-point shot. Instead, Uzoh stripped the ball and wound up going to the line. Billups was T’d up and Anthony Morrow hit the free throw.
“Huge play,” said Harris.
“I was just trying to remember our defensive principles on that side for that particular play, and I guess he was trying to lean in and get my hands in the cookie jar,” said Uzoh (six points and four assists in 13 minutes). “Fortunately, I was in the right position where I had my own space, and so the refs didn’t feel like it was a foul. Once I saw the ball loose, I tried to grab it, and they fouled me.”
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Yankees ace CC Sabathia sat courtside. . . Brook Lopez on Harris (34 assists in two games): “He’s been incredible, and I’m sure we can count on him to continue to play like that.” . . . Travis Outlaw was tremendous early, outscoring Anthony 13-12 in the first quarter. “It was just a nice night. I got some nice, wide-open looks and just took my time and shot,” said Outlaw, who had his first 20-point game since Dec. 3. “I’m just trying to make sure I keep my form and everything, stay aggressive, just make sure I look for my opportunities.”