Mike D'Antoni doesn't want to hear chants for Melo at MSG
Did you know that Carmelo Anthony(notes) might be traded soon? It's true, as we have been told for months on end with virtually no substantive developments. Sometimes I think that Melo has Imminent Death Syndrome and his last wish was to be the subject of trade rumors. Let this be a lesson that dreams can come true.
The Knicks now look like the team most likely to land Melo. But in his view, the team's fans should probably shut up about it. From Ian Begley on ESPNNewYork.com (via PBT):
The Knicks coach said the Garden crowd's chants of "We Want Me-Lo" on Wednesday night had a negative impact on some the Knicks during their loss to the Clippers.
"It's not good. There's no doubt about it," D'Antoni said. "It affects some of the players without a doubt."
For now, never mind the fact that Melo wasn't even in the building, or that trades usually don't get made just because of fan outcry. Instead, like D'Antoni, think of the wounded hearts of Knicks players who were essentially told by their fans that they're unwanted now that the team can get their hands on an honest-to-goodness superstar to pair with Amar'e Stoudemire(notes). Take that, Wilson Chandler(notes) -- your all-around contributions are now considered lackluster.
On the other hand, maybe the impact of these chants is being overblown. NBA players deal with boos and taunts during every road game, and while they don't expect to hear those things at home, it's not as if the Melo chants are direct expressions of disappointment in their play. Can you blame Knicks fans for wanting Anthony in blue and orange? He's very good!
D'Antoni might just be tired of all the Melo talk, but it also seems as if he's trying to explain his team's poor play against the Clippers for reasons unrelated to coaching, focus, or a lack of talent. Those are the issues more worth investigating, not whether or not it's mean for fans to express their desire for a man who plays thousands of miles away from Madison Square Garden.
