The Brooklyn Nets have officially ended their extensive losing streak, now the Knicks are waiting to end theirs. After recording their sixth-straight loss on Monday, frustrations are at an all-time high. Rumors are now swirling that Carmelo Anthony is planning on bolting this summer and Amar'e Stoudemire is no longer an elite player. Despite all of the speculation on the season's outlook, Mike Woodson insists he has the locker room under control.
Both Anthony and Stoudemire have said they are no longer having any fun with the Knicks as the losing continues. Woodson is going on the defense, stressing everything is fine and the team is not panicked about the start of the season.
"I don't think I have lost the locker room," Woodson said during his weekly spot on "The Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show" on ESPN New York 98.7. "I don't think I have lost players from an individual standpoint. What I have lost is a Tyson Chandler and a Raymond Felton, that is what I have lost from my starting team. And I don't know if you can go on any roster and take two starters out of their roster and they still survive. They might play in spurts like we are doing today. I am not making excuses, but I would sure love to take my chances with Tyson and Raymond in my lineup."
Sitting at 3-10 on the season, the Knicks have lost nine games since Chandler exited the starting lineup with a fracture in his right leg. Felton has been out for four games with hip and back issues. The Knicks have failed to move past the losses of both players and Woodson is planning a long sit-down with the team so everyone can air out their feelings.
"When you're losing, it's not fun," Anthony said, via ESPNNewYork.com. "Are we having fun on the basketball court? No. The game is not fun right now. When you start pressing, pressing, pressing, it makes everything that much worse. So no, we're not having fun playing basketball."
Stoudemire agreed that the team is just having any fun. They are not passing the ball. They are not creating the shots needed to win and the defense is looking worse than ever. While the players are being vocal about what they believe needs to change, Woodson says he is not going to speak on the frustrations, instead promising that everything will be handled internally.
"I am not going to air out our stuff [on] the air like that," Woodson said. "I am going to address that in the locker room today when we have practice. There are a number of things that you can point the finger at. I always look at the defensive end first because that is where it starts. I will address that. It is a reflection on all of us. Me being the coach and guys that go out there and play, it all goes hand in hand."
