Carmelo Anthony will make his not-so-long-awaited return to New York City on Saturday night when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit his old stomping grounds to play the Knicks. This will be Melo’s first game in New York since the Knicks traded him to the Thunder back in September.
There has been a steady stream of speculation over the last week regarding what kind of reception Anthony will receive when he makes his return to Madison Square Garden. His relationship with the Knicks organization has always been complicated, particularly during the Phil Jackson era. It wasn’t just Anthony vs. the organization, though, as many Knicks fans weren’t so fond of Anthony’s on-court work regardless of his clash with the front office. It’s going to be a fascinating night.
Kristaps Porzingis gave his two cents on the matter, even though he’s currently listed as day-to-day with a knee injury and could miss Anthony’s return altogether. Porzingis has remained consistent in defense of Anthony over the years and is hopeful that Knicks fans show their former star some love on Saturday.
In an interview with Marc Berman of the New York Post, Anthony revealed that he doesn’t even know what to expect, but he’s excited to play basketball in front of his friends and family again.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to go back and play in the Garden,” Anthony said. “Play in front of those fans. Play in front of my family, my friends. But at the end of the day, it’s business to me. But I’d be lying if I said I’m not ecstatic to be going back and playing there. Like I said, I got a different feeling with New York. A different relationship, different bond with the city, with the fans, with the people. It’s a little bit special for me.”
Anthony’s love for New York is nothing new. If Phil Jackson had his way, Anthony would have been dealt long before September, but Melo was consistently reluctant to waive his no-trade clause mostly because he and his family wanted to play and live in the city.
As far as what kind of reception Anthony thinks he’ll receive, like everyone else, he couldn’t provide a definitive answer. “I don’t know until I actually get there on the court, feel the reaction,” Anthony said. “Be in that atmosphere, be in that environment. If I sit here and say, it’s going to feel the same kind of way, right now, I’d be lying to you. I really don’t know, what it’s going to feel like, what it’s going to be like. I’m just looking forward to that.”
We’re looking forward to it, too, Melo.
