ORLANDO, Fla. — Chris Paul has appreciated Jeremy Lin’s rags-to-riches tale but believes the Knicks are still Carmelo Anthony’s team.
“At the end of the day, Jeremy has played amazing, it’s been three weeks, something like that,’’ the Clippers guard said during the All-Star Game media session yesterday. “’Melo has been doing it for nine years. We all tend to forget how great a player he is. At the end of the day, it starts with ‘Melo and ends with ‘Melo.’’
Paul did not understand why it was an issue when Anthony, his friend, rejoined the squad during Lin’s heroic spree amid perceptions he might ruin the winning chemistry.
“I was surprised about it,’’ Paul said. “The Jeremy Lin thing has been great. It’s great to see him doing well and the Knicks doing well. But that’s something everybody shouldn’t be trying to throw on ‘Melo, or to throw on Jeremy. Those guys aren’t worried about that situation. It’s more the media.’’
Ironically, Paul was once viewed as the Knicks’ potential point-guard savior before being dealt to the Clippers. Now, Linsanity has reached epic proportions, even despite Lin’s wretched 1-for-11 night in Miami on Thursday.
Anthony will start in tomorrow’s All-Star Game for the Eastern Conference, but it was Lin holding his own jam-packed press conference last night before playing in the Rising Stars Challenge game.
The Knicks are just 1-2 since Anthony’s return from injury. However, Anthony is not ready to acknowledge the Knicks offense goes through Lin and his penetrations. Anthony indicated coach Mike D’Antoni has to sort it out after the All-Star break.
“We have to figure out our identity as a team, what kind of team we want to be,’’ Anthony said yesterday. “Before Jeremy stepped into the play, we were a different team. When he stepped into it, we’re a different team. Now we have different guys and different situations, we have to identify ourselves, figure out what’s our identity. Once we do that, everything will fall.’’
Anthony was very positive about the Knicks as title contenders but admitted “it will take time.’
Whether his Knicks become champs could depend on whether Lin’s the real deal at point guard, blends in with Anthony and whether Anthony is comfortable not being The Man. Yesterday, the first five questions thrown at Anthony were about Lin. Anthony seemed perplexed when he heard the first query: “What’s the strangest question you’ve been asked about you know who?”
“Who’s you know who?’’ ‘Anthony answered.
The lingering issue is whether Anthony will accept not being top dog. He said he heard that same charge when Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups came to Denver and when he joined the Knicks with Amar’e Stoudemire as top gun.
Anthony has taken criticism because his play has been subpar, though he will make his fifth All-Star appearance. Anthony is shooting just 39.7 percent and didn’t play well in Miami on Thursday.
“I accept it through,’’ Anthony said. “I don’t sit back and complain about anything. You never heard me complain once about anything in New York. I love playing with Jeremy Lin. As far as sharing the spotlight, I’ve been in this game a long time. I’m not going anywhere. The Knicks aren’t going anywhere. The spotlight isn’t going anywhere. If we do what we have to do, everybody will share the same spotlight.’’