The New York Knicks have dropped nine games in a row. At first the losing streak could be described as a slow start, not it is starting to look like the preview to full-on season meltdown for a team that was once predicted to be competing with the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference title. While that is certainly still a possibly considering it is only November, but the team is looking scary-bad at the moment and star Carmelo Anthony is not happy.
The Knicks fell to the Pelicans on Sunday night extending their disappointing streak. New York has not lost nine games in a row since 2006. During this streak, they have lost seven games at home, the longest streak in franchise history. Anthony does not have all the answers for the team problems, but he does believe his teammates are "playing to lose" right now.
"I think we're playing to lose rather than playing to win right now," Anthony said, via ESPNNewYork.com. "When you lose games the way we've been losing them at home, on the road, you start thinking a lot. You start playing a little tense, you start playing on your heels." "We just can't seem to get it together. We can't seem to figure it out."
Anthony certainly showed effort putting up 23 points and 10 rebounds on the losing night. This is making things rather intense in the locker room considering some players are putting up solid stats while others are struggling. The result is a record that ties for the worst in the Eastern Conference next to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Knicks appeared to have a shot to break the streak when Anthony Davis left the game with 1:32 left in the first quarter. However, the Knicks then missed 12 of their final 13 shots along with three turnovers in the fourth quarter. It appears right now that the players-only meetings have fallen on deaf ears leaving Anthony to wonder what the Knicks can do to fix things.
"I don't know what we have to do as far as coming together as a group," Anthony said. "I don't know if we've got to sit here for hours and talk and get it all out, but we've got to do something. Anytime you're fighting an uphill battle, you feel like you're in a dark place. But we can't go to that place. I've never been to that place. I don't plan on getting to that place."
Some believe a trading of Iman Shumpert could help in some way. The Knicks have dangled the guard in several trade packages, but many believe a deal is far from happening. They could fire Mike Woodson, but owner James Dolan has expressed his confidence in the coach. Whatever happens, Anthony says it needs to be fast.
