Any team is like a mechanism, with many components, all fitting into a singular objective although each component has their own functioning. When one such tool fails to operate, the system becomes defunct. The use of heavy euphemism is to portray how the presence of Anthony upset the balance. Carmelo Anthony had been absent from the NBA championships for the last seven games. In the meantime the team performed well, developed chemistry and worked well as a team securing six wins from the seven. The players had adjusted to each other’s gameplay but Antony’s introduction ruined the fragile system. Make no mistake, Carmelo Anthony is no minion, but a sound player, a star in his own right but at the same time, his introduction didn’t make the New York Knicks team the stars ofd’ the match. As D’Antoni, the coach of the New York Knicks, aptly put it, stating that “when a guy comes back other guys stand around and watch what he is doing” the team loses. He went on to say that it was the entire team’s fault and no one should make Antony the scapegoat. The team went down to New Jersey Nets, losing 100-92 at the late Monday match up.
Lin had been having a few great outings before his winning streak got stomped on by the Jets. February 4 marked the beginning of their amazing run which ironically was against the same Jets. That game ended on a different note for the side with the Lin scoring 25 points for a Knicks win. Lin announced himself emphatically on the court heralding the birth of a new star, on that very match mentioned above, in which Lin led his team to a 99-92 win. On an interview with the Lin, he stated that the team lacked the fighting spirit, the energy to go out there and win. It seemed to him that the team could do with more energy as it is necessary for a win. He attributed this dearth of energy to their loss. However, Lin performed extremely well, fencing against his opponents with a triple double. The star scored 25 points for his side, but it wasn’t enough to record a Knicks victory. Lin has a fairytale story to go with his fame, a kind of modern day fable making him a person to emulate. This NBA champ is from a Taiwanese and Chinese heritage who had been deemed ‘not good enough’ to make the cut in tow other clubs before he was imbibed by the New York Knicks. Lin had a lucky break soon after he joined with the club. Since two of the Knicks stars were missing from action, Lin was given respite from bench warming. And from then onwards, Lin has not looked back. He is now the proud record holder of the most number of points from five starts for any player in the NBA since its inception back in 1976. In Monday’s match Lin scored 21 points with nine assists and seven rebounds. Others also chipped in, with all the players from the New York side hitting double digits. Amare Stoudemire scored 17 points, Tyson Chandler came home on 14 points, and while Landry Fields got 10 and the injury ridden Anthony scored 11 points. But on the other side, Deron Williams scored in with 38 points, pulverizing the Knicks defense, which hadn’t an answer to his breathtaking moves. For all you betting big on the NBA championship, go easy on the over under bets of the Knicks game, may be they have lost out one but be assured of a full throttle comeback.
D’Antoni stated that the team needs to shape up and “better identify the role of each player”. The return of Anthony from his groin injury is no reason for the team to lose its cohesive nature.
