Remember when Carmelo Anthony waited after the game to have a conversation with Kevin Garnett? “I got to see if I just, my ears just heard what I just think I just heard. And if I heard what I think I just heard, then we have a serious issue.” Melo would pull up to the arena tunnel, near the team bus area of the Celtics, to solve the beef. Later, the Knicks legend was suspended for one game. There were multiple instances of him losing his cool.
In another instance, the Syracuse alum was suspended for 15 games. Because the action was very similar to the Malice at the Palace debacle. Here, Melo was the main aggregator and received the highest punishment. One other instance of Anthony losing his cool was close to a decade ago, when the Knicks faced the Mavericks. During the game, Dallas was comfortably winning, which could have been more reason for the 10x All-Star to be more upset.
The incident happened in the third quarter when Melo and Chandler Parsons squared up. With the Mavs already ahead 81-62, the duo ended by grabbing each other’s necks. Plus, Parsons grabbed the Knicks #7 shorts during the foul play. Recently, Parsons and his new teammates at RunItback spoke about the incident. The host of the show, Michelle Beadle, asked, “What is it gonna be? Oh, no, I didn’t know what it was gonna be, Chandler.” Then the former Mavs star had to address it.
“This picture makes me look like I didn’t want any of the smoke, and I don’t like it. Let’s show the video. I think I was at the free-throw line. He tried to get over.” Despite retiring in 2020, the 36-year-old changed his tune and the statement within seconds. Beadle asked that she felt Parsons was ready to swing at Carmelo Anthony. “You’re about to do something with your right hand like a something…” Parsons clarified his stance and shut down any beef rumors that the video might lead to with Carmelo Anthony.
The Gators alum also said, “I’m lover, not a fighter.” Denied any past, present, and future instances that could kick off past beefs. Anthony had 17 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but shot 6 for 18 from the field and also picked up a technical foul in the fourth quarter. Parsons played the role from the bench and contributed 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 25 minutes. This did not lead to any suspensions for either of these stars. As the situation quickly de-escalated. But not all issues are like this.
Carmelo Anthony and his Malice moment in the league
It was Dec. 16, 2006, when a young Carmelo Anthony — then with the Denver Nuggets — punched the Knicks’ Mardy Collins, after Collins knocked J.R. Smith to the ground when going for a layup. Yes, this time also the team involved was the Knicks and Melo, but they were on opposite sides at the time. Carmelo Anthony, the NBA’s leading scorer, got the harshest punishment, a 15-game suspension.
Dec 14, 2009; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony dribbles up the court in the first period against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Knicks also received an unprecedented half-million-dollar fine. The penalties were without pay, costing Melo about $641,000 in salary. He was not alone as the bust-up led to more people getting involved. Also penalized: Denver’s J. R. Smith for 10 games; New York’s Nate Robinson for 10 games; Mardy Collins, six; teammate Jared Jeffries, four.
The Knicks’ Jerome James and the Nuggets’ Nene each were penalized one game for leaving the bench area during the chaos. Landing a punch in the face, choking players, and following opponents to the tunnel area. These were some of the battles that Melo had to fight to sustain the court actions.
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