The NY Knicks may have Carmelo Anthony out again on Sunday night with a back injury against the Miami Heat, as Anthony had to miss the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks games with back spasms and now Amar'e Stoudemire will have to step up again if Melo is out. UDPDATE: Anthony is likely to play Sunday night.
According to ESPN.com, Anthony is questionable for the game on Sunday night and the Knicks are worried that the spasms could be a lingering thing this season. Anthony said that his back felt much better on Saturday and while there is a chance he could play on Sunday, it's unlikely he will suit up. Anthony was able to participate in shooting drills over the weekend and now he is hoping to return soon.
Anthony originally left the game against the Houston Rockets with back spasms and he has been out since then. Anthony is making progress and this is now the second major injury for Anthony this season, as he is also dealing with a knee issue. ESPN.com reports that Anthony's back injury is not a disk issue, which would be more serious, but there is a chance the spasms could come up again later in the season. Anthony is the top player for the Knicks with 23 points per game this season, while Stoudemire is next with 12 points per game.
The Knicks lost big against the Thunder on Friday and at one point they were down 37 points in the game, which had Russell Westbrook back in the lineup. Stoudemire had 20 points and nine rebounds in the game against Oklahoma City and he will have to lead the way heading into the matchup against the Heat before playing the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. The team is averaging 94 points per game and they are ranked 18th in the league in defense with a 4-13 record.
Last season the team started off 3-13 and they are basically on the same track and at this point it looks like they could miss the playoffs again. The team has lost 12 of the last 14 games and they now face off against Miami and Brooklyn before playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers at home and that will be on TNT on December 4.
