Greg Anthony
5 questions for...
Q: How do you think Carmelo has handled this whole situation?
A: He still wants to win on the biggest stage, but obviously there is a lot of frustration involved with how disappointing the team has played. The key is to keep your focus on what your goals were coming into this year and determine if they are still attainable. And as bad as things have been, and all the issue that have evolved, that’s still in front of him.
Q: How difficult is it when there is friction with the front office?
A: It’s frustrating, but I think in Carmelo’s case that’s kind of par for the course. He knows how to and has handled it as well as he can. He also understands that the market he is playing in, things get magnified. All he can do is lead this team and see where it takes him from there.
Q: Why have the Knicks fallen off so much in recent weeks?
A: They don’t seem to trust each other on defense or really offensively, either. There’s a lot of parts that haven’t come together. I don’t think it’s any one player. … They are not all on the same page, and there is no commitment.
Q: Where is Derrick Rose’s game at?
A: He’s been fine, but he’s still trying to get himself back. That’s creating a conflict. He has to have complete confidence and trust in his abilities again. Sometimes, when you are worried about fixing yourself so much it can affect the improvement of the team. As he gets better and more confident, his ability to make others better will improve. And right now that hasn’t existed for him on this team. Q: Will Phil Jackson’s legacy be harmed if his Knicks run continues like this? A: Of course you doubt him as a front-office guy because of how a lot of this stuff has been handled. I am sure he would be the first to tell you that he wishes he had done some things differently. But his standing in the game is not going to be affected by this. There’s still time, and he could still right this ship. This stuff is not easy. Every team out there wants to win. The Knicks have what’s necessary to improve the issues that they have and improve this roster.