This past spring, for the first time in 11 usually brilliant NBA seasons, Carmelo Anthony found himself watching the start of the playoffs, not playing. It is not something the Knicks All-Star wants to experience again, especially not this season.
“I’m not the type of guy that becomes bitter but at the same time I know what I went through last year from an emotional standpoint and I don’t want to feel that again,” Anthony said Thursday at Barclays Center during a charity basketball game/celebrity event supporting CC Sabathia’s PitCCh In Foundation and Robinson Cano’s RC22 Foundation.
Anthony this week expressed his belief the Knicks “absolutely” are a playoff team. Thursday, he proclaimed that avoiding that empty non-playoff feeling will go a long way in driving a team that went 37-45 and finished ninth in the Eastern Conference.
“I don’t think we will have another season like we had last year. When I say that, I believe that we will make the playoffs, that’s where I’m coming from,” said Anthony, who served as an honorary coach for the event, along with league MVP Kevin Durant of the Thunder.
“We will have a much better season than we did last year,” Anthony said. “As far as putting a number on the games we want to win, it’s hard to say right now. But as far as us feeling good about this upcoming season, the way we feel I’m confident in what we’re about to create. I believe we will be in the postseason.”
Anthony, of course, had a rather hectic summer, which included his decision to re-sign with the Knicks for five years, $124 million, rejecting considerably less financially from Chicago, but also spurning the chance to join the Bulls, the team many view as the favorite in the East. Instead, he chose to stay with the rebuilding plan of Knicks president Phil Jackson.
It was, however, a close call.
“As far as me staying here, a lot went into that decision. At the end of the day, I did have to believe in Phil, I did have to believe in my teammates. So that’s all that matters,” Anthony said. “It was close, it was close. I don’t even like to talk about that.
“This is home. There is no place like New York. Although the other situations were very intriguing, there is no place like New York.”
The slimmed-down forward has been in touch with teammates all summer. He cited the offseason regimens of Amar’e Stoudemire, J.R. Smith, Cleanthony Early and Iman Shumpert.
“Everybody is just putting in the proper work. I think with the new energy that we have now with the team and the coaches, everybody is just excited to get back,” said Anthony, who added “I can’t wait” — or a variation thereof — about 30 times.
“Everybody’s antsy, waiting to get back,” he said. “And I can’t wait. I look forward to this season.”
But before you purchase playoff and Finals tickets, Anthony cautioned there will be an adjustment period. There are new players (Samuel Dalembert, Jose Calderon, Jason Smith, Early, Travis Outlaw, Shane Larkin, Quincy Acy), a new coach (Derek Fisher), a new system (the triangle offense). Learning the triangle will take time.
“It’s something that’s not going to happen overnight,” Anthony said. “That’s why I’m kind of getting into it right now and studying it, learning it and just trying to figure out where I’m going to be on the court. It’s not about really me, it’s about everybody else. If everybody’s not on the same page in the triangle, then the triangle is not going to work. So it’s about everybody coming together, playing their role and doing what they have to do to make it work.”
And to make the playoffs.