The New York Knicks are preparing for their next game and the news and rumors are ramping up, with both good and bad things happening.
Check out the latest buzz below.
Anthony Speaks Out After Loss to T-Wolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming off consecutive blowout losses to end a six-game road trip, were missing three starters and had two other key veterans getting IV fluids before the game just to suit up.
Then came the cure for what ails any reeling NBA franchise these days — the New York Knicks.
Kevin Martin shook off an illness to score 37 points and the Timberwolves snapped a five-game losing skid with a 115-99 over the Knicks on Wednesday night.
“I know a lot of guys just wanted to lay down,” Martin said after the Wolves went 1-5 on a six-game trip in which Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic were injured and Thaddeus Young left the team after the death of his mother. “And Flip (Saunders) came in here and had one of the most intense practices I’ve seen in the last 10 years. ... We knew we had to respond so we don’t have another one of those practices.”
Martin tied a career high with seven 3-pointers and Shabazz Muhammad had 17 points and eight rebounds in his first career start for the Wolves.
Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and Amare Stoudemire added 19 for the Knicks. But New York’s 23 turnovers led to 28 points by Minnesota, and the Knicks got swept in the Milwaukee-Minnesota back-to-back.
Anthony and Stoudemire combined to shoot 14 of 19 and the rest of the Knicks were just 20 for 50.
“I just don’t want to get used to feeling this feeling, you know, losing basketball games, games that we should be winning,” Anthony said. “Just letting it slip out of our hands, regardless if it’s early in the season or not.”
Anthony was playing with a sore knee after aggravating the injury uring New York’s 117-113 loss Tuesday night to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Anthony said his knee has been sore since New York’s 95-90 win on Oct. 30 at Cleveland. He said after Tuesday’s game that he has had tests and that he knew “what’s going on with it.”
Fisher said he didn’t know if it was “anything major,” and that he thought Anthony would be OK.
“We played a lot of games in a short time and you know Melo’s obviously carrying a big load,” new Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. “I’m sure he‘ll be OK. We’ll keep an eye on him and make sure he’s good, though.”
The Wolves were playing their first home game in 18 days and both Martin and Corey Brewer needed fluids before the game in order to play. Martin then scored 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting in the first quarter to get the Wolves rolling.
The Knicks have been among the worst teams in the league at defending the 3-pointer this season, which invited even the Timberwolves to let it fly. They entered the night last in the league in 3-point attempts per game at just over 14 tries a night.
Martin hit 3 of 4 from deep in the first quarter and the Wolves made eight by halftime, which was more than they had made in an entire game this season. They finished with 11.
The gimpy Stoudemire was spry in the first half against the depleted front line, but both he and Anthonycombined for just four points in the entire second half.
“A lot of things have to change,” Fisher said. “It’s not really to talk about. It’s for us to do the work and get there.”
Calderon and Bargnani Returning Soon
Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon--both penciled in as starters--are expected to return from injury very soon.
Bargnani, the 7'0” center, practiced on Monday and could make his season debut on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bargnani was injured during the Knicks’ second preseason game. He was scheduled to scrimmage this week to prepare for his full return.
“Whenever he’s back, his versatility is huge for us on both ends of the floor,” Fisher told ESPN.
“I think he can guard multiple positions and offensively he can play multiple positions. He’s another guy on the floor that defenses have to think about how they want to cover him. He makes the game easier for Carmelo [Anthony], J.R. [Smith], Iman [Shumpert]. So we’re excited to get him back soon hopefully, and start to kind of rebuild our team again once we get some guys back out there.”
Calderon was thought to be progressing slower but the New York Post says that the point guard, who was acquired in the trade with the Dallas Mavericks, could also play on Saturday.
The team doesn’t have an official practice on Thursday but both Calderon and Bargnani are expected to conduct a 3-on-3 scrimmage with Derek Fisher bringing in some of the younger guys to participate.
Friday’s practice will feature a full scrimmage, during which both players will be evaluated. Fisher said on Wednesday night that the players would be evaluated on Thursday and Friday before making a decision about the game on Saturday.
Rookie Out for At Least a Month
Cleanthony Early is out for at least a month with an injury.
Early, nabbed late in the draft and considered a steal, underwent arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to remove a loose fragment from his right knee, reported the Post.
Early will be reevaluated in a month, and the timetable for his return will be set then.
“I don‘ t think it’s been bothering him for a while — maybe in preseason he mentioned it kind of in passing,’' coach Derek Fisher said.
“We feel bad for Cle, just because he’s a young guy who’s been doing everything we’ve asked him to do. He comes early to practice every morning and was working hard. I hate to see him go through this setback. He‘ll bounce back fine. We’ll miss him, but he‘ll be good.’’
Early is averaging 2.7 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in a total of 54 minuets over seven games.
Early will likely play for the Knicks’ D-League squad immediately after returning from injury.
Harris Headed for Knicks?
The latest rumor is that Tobias Harris of the Orlando Magic could be headed for the Knicks next summer.
A source told the Post that Harris, who will become a restricted free agent, is interested in joining the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony, whom he became friends with this summer.
Harris went to high school at Half Hollow Hills West in Long Island.
Harris bonded with Anthony during Team USA practice before working out with him several times at Anthony’s Terminal 23 gym in midtown Manhattan.
The Magic can match any offer made to Harris, but he turned down a four-year, $36 million extension offer.
Then again, Harris told John Denton of the Magic website that he’s focused on the Magic right now.
“I’m all about where I am now and that’s with the Orlando Magic,” he said.
Harris has 24 points, 5 steals, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the Magic’s recent win over the Detroit Pistons.
Knicks May Target Faried
Nuggets energy player Kenneth Faried is becoming the subject of trade rumors, and the Knicks might make an offer if he does hit the block.
Faried just signed a four-year, $50 million extension but there are rumblings that people throughout the organization aren’t happy with Faried, and that the Nuggets may try to trade him.
The potential trade gets easier since the team acquired J.J. Hickson as insurance if Faried didn’t sign an extension.
“With no end in sight to Denver’s struggles, Faried makes an ideal trade chip for the Nuggets should they want to acquire some assets such as future draft picks or even young talent. After his performance in the FIBA World Cup this summer, which included being named to the All-Tournament team, Faried ascended to the edge of the vaunted ’star' category, which makes him even that more attractive,” Rant Sports writer Greg Sacidor said.
“No matter when the Nuggets make Faried available, teams will be lining up with trade offers. In the East, teams like the Detroit Pistons, who have young trade assets, or the New York Knicks, who are just looking to get younger, will definitely make an offer.
“While in the West, playoff contenders like the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets or even the Los Angeles Clippers will make an offer in an attempt to bolster their roster for the rigors of the Western Conference playoffs.”
J.R. Smith has been the primary subject of trade rumors on the Knicks end, but Iman Shumpert, Andrea Bargnani, and Amare Stoudemire are among the others who have been linked to one or more potential deals. The latter two have attractive expiring contracts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
