PORTLAND — Carmelo Anthony understood why Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving spurned his former team, the Knicks.
Not everyone wants the challenge and pressure of reviving one of the NBA’s most storied and most scrutinized sports franchises. Brooklyn is still New York, but as Anthony said, it’s not the same as playing for the Knicks.
Anthony, who faces the Knicks Tuesday at Moda Center after reviving a dead career, embraced that challenge when he demanded a trade from Denver.
In a reflective mood after the Blazers were defeated by the Thunder 108-96, Sunday night, the Brooklyn native also stated it was “sad” the Knicks fired David Fizdale on Friday, making him the fall guy.