Report: Carmelo Anthony threatened to 'beat up' teammate Tim Hardaway Jr.

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Carmelo Anthony, Tim Hardaway Jr.The New York Knicks are a mess right now.

The New York Knicks are off to their worst start in franchise history at 4-19, and according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com, their horrendous start has tempers flaring in the locker room. Broussard reports that Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony, and second-year guard Tim Hardaway Jr. had a verbal sparring during and after New York’s fifth straight loss to the Brooklyn Nets last week, and Anthony threatened to “beat up,” Hardaway after the contest.

The New York Knicks were en route to their fifth straight loss last week against Brooklyn when a frustrated Tim Hardaway Jr. screamed angrily, “Get the rebound!”

Certain his second-year teammate was speaking to him, Carmelo Anthony approached Hardaway on the way down the court and used an expletive to ask Hardaway who in the world he thought he was talking to.

Anthony, according to sources, then used another expletive in telling Hardaway he was going to beat him up when they got into the locker room after the game.

While the two players never wound up fighting, the episode was emblematic of the volatile state of the Knicks. Off to their worst start in franchise history at 4-19, the Knicks are a team full of discord, defiance and doubt, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

“Nobody’s taken a swing at anybody, but there’s a lot of arguing and cursing each other out after games,” one source said.

Broussard also claims that several other Knicks are currently frustrated with Anthony and his style of play, and that the team is in favor of abandoning the triangle offense. 

Several Knicks, in addition to Hardaway, are at odds with Anthony and believe he’s not playing team basketball. Sources said players voiced their displeasure with Anthony this past weekend, telling him he shoots too much, doesn’t move or pass the ball, and only plays defense when he feels like it.

Sources said the most tension exists between Anthony and Hardaway as they haven’t cared for one another almost since Hardaway joined the team last season, with each player believing the other shoots too much and doesn’t care about defense. Sources said Hardaway was also bothered by the favorable treatment Anthony received under last year’s coach, Mike Woodson.

One thing Anthony and his teammates do agree on is their disdain for the triangle offense, sources said. For weeks, if not longer, the players have been ready to ditch the triangle and move on to another system. They feel like other teams know what they are going to run and where they are going to go on the court, which makes it easier to stop them.

The hits just keep on coming for New York, who is currently on a nine-game losing streak. The Knicks were also blasted by former Chicago Bulls forward Dennis Rodman, who won three NBA championships playing in the triangle offense under current Knicks president Phil Jackson in the 90’s, on Tuesday afternoon. Rodman accused Knicks head coach Derek Fisher of “not really coaching,” and said that New York “isn’t running the triangle.”

New York hoped to distance themselves from the nightmare that was last season, but evidently they cannot escape the ills that come with losing and it’s now causing friction within the franchise. 

New York will look to rectify things on Wednesday night, as they take on the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on the road.

@wcboyer24

 

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