The story of Friday night's loss to the Detroit Pistons was the disappearance of Carmelo Anthony, both on the court and after the game. Anthony scored just six points on 2-of-12 shooting, and after the game, blew off the media, not wanting to explain his awful, silent night. Today when the Knicks visit the Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony get a chance to answer those questions ad silence his critics. If there was ever a time in his young Knicks' career for Anthony to take over and win them a game, it has to be today.
The Knicks come into today's game just percentage points ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, thanks to the Sixers' loss last night to the Portland Trail Blazers. A loss puts the Knicks in seventh, and with two tough games coming uo against the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, it could see them in seventh for a long time. The Knicks need this win today, against an inferior opponent, if they have any plans of staying in the six slot.
Inferior as they are, the Bucks are a tough team to beat in Milwaukee. They are terrible on the road but have a respectable 18-17 record on their home floor. The Knicks always have trouble containing Brandon Jennings and the size of Andrew Bogut; well, they seem to have trouble defending anyone with either size or remedial offensive talent. But the story of today's game, like it was last time, is Anthony. How will he respond to his miserable, forgettable night?