Anthony keen to avoid setting any goals thereafter…
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has insisted that they will “absolutely” make the playoffs next season as they look to bounce back after last year.
Following on from a season in which they were rocked by injuries, poor form and coaching issues, the Knicks missed out on the playoffs after finishing with a dismal 37-45 record in the regular season.
It came after a year in which they enjoyed a great amount of success under Mike Woodson, reaching the second round before a disappointing defeat to the Indiana Pacers ended their season earlier than many had expected.
With a great deal of speculation surrounding Anthony’s future heading into this past summer, the 30-year-old ended the talk by signing a new deal with the Knicks and believes that they are set for a bright future with Phil Jackson and new head coach Derek Fisher.
As a result, he believes that they will make an immediate return to the post-season next year but he isn’t going to set targets thereafter as it will likely be a difficult task to progress in a competitive Eastern Conference.
“Yeah, I think so for sure. Absolutely,” Anthony said of the Knicks’ playoff chances, the New York Post reports.
“I can’t wait to get started. No goals. Not setting any goals, but I just can’t wait to get it back on.”
While the Knicks have been restricted this summer in terms of bringing in free agents, they did make a trade move by bringing in point guard Jose Calderon from the Dallas Mavericks which is a significant upgrade.
Whether that is enough coupled with the new triangle offense and Fisher’s motivational skills remains to be seen, but a slimmed-down Anthony is undoubtedly ready for the season to begin as they will compete with the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards and the Toronto Raptors for a high seeding.
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