Is This Rock Bottom?

This has to be rock bottom right? Well, I hope for the sake of Knicks fans everywhere it is. The New York Knicks put forth another lousy performance last night and lost to the Toronto Raptors (100-98). Granted the Raptors are 7-3 since Rudy Gay arrived, but they are still a team the Knicks should beat handily. We all know the Knicks weaknesses, but right now it’s more than that. They look wildly uninspired. They look like they could care less about losing basketball games night in and night out. Maybe it’s because they have been too busy complaining to the referees rather than focusing on playing basketball. The Knicks have now lost 5 of their last 6 games and are in serious danger of falling to 2nd place in the Atlantic Division. Carmelo put up his usual 32 points, but in my opinion he played his WORST game of the year. Do you want to know why? it’s because he doesn’t care!! He wants to be called a superstar, but he doesn’t want to do all the things that that title comes with. He is not a leader. He doesn’t rally his team and get everyone amped up. He doesn’t dive on the floor and do any of the dirty work. And he certainly doesn’t play the type of defense a superstar should be playing. Never in all my life have I ever seen a player completely give up on a play like Carmelo Anthony did last night. With just 6 seconds to go in the 1st quarter, Demar Derozan took the ball and drove the length of the floor for a layup. Carmelo Anthony was planted right under the basket in prime position to take a charge, try to block the shot, or at minimum take a foul and keep him from scoring an easy basket. So what did he do? Nothing!! He didn’t even pretend to swipe at the ball. He simply braced for impact to save himself from Derozan landing on him after the ball had already fallen through the hoop. I can’t come close to overstate how pathetic this play was. And that is the overall mentality of the Knicks right now. They look totally disinterested. As for Jason Kidd, he is not disinterested, he has simply lost any confidence he once had shooting a basketball. I mean the guy made his first two three pointers right out of the gate, and still had no plan to continue shooting. He had at least 5 wide open shots later on in the game, that he passed up and swung the ball to someone who wasn’t open. This team is in total disarray, and it all starts with the coach and his “superstar”. I’m done giving solutions to how they can fix their substitutions or play better defense. Of course we already know they need an interior presence who’s not 78 years old and a real 2-guard. However, even with their current roster, they just need a leader who is going to lead by example. They need a leader who is going to take this team and carry every last person on the roster through the finish line. Carmelo “well at least I score a lot of points” Anthony is not a leader.