Carmelo Anthony: Pathetic.

Little over a week ago the Denver Nuggets were defeated by the Atlanta Hawks when Marcus Camby in bounded the ball to Andre Miller instead of Carmelo Anthony on the last play of the game. The Nuggets had a chance the win the game on Miller’s drive, but Andre missed, and Camby, after in bounding the ball ran underneath to tip the ball twice, but missed and Denver lost. While all of this was going on Carmelo stood atop the key with his thumb wedged in a dark, warm place. After the game Anthony ripped off his jersey and threw it in the stands in a fit of rage. He was upset that the ball didn’t come to him for the last shot. Apparently Camby hadn’t seen Carmelo’s commercial where the ball hog says, “Why wouldn’t I want to take the last shot? I’ve already made it.” Otherwise Marcus would have passed to the hero. Of course the Hawks were expecting the ball to go to Anthony and had him covered. But it wouldn’t matter to Carmelo. He would shoot into a quintuple team if he had the chance.
I have not liked Carmelo Anthony from day one, and this temper tantrum further irritated me. I think he is a whiner and a jerk. I read an article last summer about how much he’s matured and how he’s ready to take on a leadership role. I had to stand on my chair to finish the article because the horse poop was getting so deep. When I think of maturity I don’t think of Anthony.
The axe I grind against Carmelo got a little bit sharper tonight when the Nuggets and Knickerbockers brawled in MSG. Rumor has it that Knicks coach Isaiah Thomas ordered a hard foul on Denver because he was upset that George Karl still had his starters in the game when Denver already had the game wrapped up. I don’t agree with Thomas’ tactic in sending a message to Denver, but I do think it’s pretty low to leave starters in to run the score up and pad their numbers at the expense of a struggling team. But then again, no one will ever accuse George Karl of having too much class. And don't mistake me for being sympathetic to Thomas' Knicks.
After a hard foul push came to shove and the ruckus escalated until some brawling players spilled into the crowd right in front of the owner of Madison Square Garden. The fracas was starting to wind down when Carmelo ran in and took a swing at Mardy Collins, who was looking the other way. It was a real cheap shot. After taking the swing (a haymaker, but a sissy one at that), Anthony backpedaled from under the basket all the way to mid-court because he knew that if he stayed in there that he’d get his clock cleaned. It was cheap and cowardly, and for me it defines who Carmelo is. Maturity? I scoff at the very notion.
I don’t like the Denver Nuggets in general. I detest them more than I hate the Lakers, which says a lot if you know me. Kenyon Martin, Nene, Carmelo, Camby, Eduardo Najera, George Karl: throw them all in the garbage can. Except for Andre Miller, who I watched play his college ball at Utah, I can’t think of one Nugget I do like. Oh, one other: that little kid that plays for them, Earl Boykins. You can’t help but have some respect for that guy. I revel in the fact that Carmelo will get a long early Christmas break.


I have heard the debates about Carmelo vs. LeBron vs. Dwayne Wade over and over. The draft that year produced some great talent, and I don’t argue against Anthony’s talent. The kid can score and score in the clutch. But for me the debate doesn’t involve Carmelo. I would take LeBron in a second, with D-Wade in a close second. I wouldn’t want Anthony. King James and Wade play selfless ball, and make other players better. At the end of the day that is more beneficial than a one-trick-pony who can just put the ball in the hole. There is no shortage of guys who can score a lot. There is an abundance of shooters. But when the game is on the line and the defense is focused on my superstar, I don’t want someone who is going to act like a crybaby when he doesn’t get to take the last shot.
There was one great thing about the whole melee. During the fight, the officials were trying to restore order, and right in the middle of it all was Dick Bavetta (I can feel Jazz fans squirming at the mention of his name), the one-hundred-twenty-year-old official who was being pushed around like a rag doll. It was great to see the Dick get shoved around. It should happen more often….