George Karl on Carmelo Anthony: “He likes to score more than he likes to play defense” – The Denver Post
Former Nuggets head coach George Karl this week stirred up plenty of activity online, including people wishing death upon him, after comments he made about his former star forward Carmelo Anthony.
Those comments?
“That Melo was a ball hog and (expletive) defender in Denver,” Karl tweeted.
On Wednesday’s episode of “Tiki & Tierney” on CBS Sports Radio, the 70-year-old former head coach elaborated on the comments and his relationship with Anthony during their tenure together in Denver. Karl coached Anthony from 2005-11 where the two made the postseason six times together, including a Western Conference Finals run in 2010.
“Melo was a great player for me. I can’t deny that he turned this franchise in Denver around. It was him more than anybody else,” Karl said on the show. “He’s a powerful player, but he’s an individualist. And he likes to score more than he likes to play defense.
“My criticism was just to poke the bear a little bit on something that happened eight years ago, and have fun with it. But unfortunately Twitter gets angry … and wants to start a battle.”
Here’s a look at some of Karl’s comments:
On Melo’s role:
“The last two or three years, Melo has been great. I wish Melo would’ve accepted this role of being a bench player, instead of two years ago, four or five years ago because I think he would’ve won sixth man of the year award. I think he would’ve been like Jamal Crawford.”
On if he would be happy if Anthony wins a championship:
“No question. (Former Nuggets guard) J.R. Smith won the championship — I never thought that could happen. … When J.R. won the championship in Cleveland, I was elated.”
On if he thinks the Nuggets could have won a title:
“I think we were good enough a couple of those years to be a championship contender. The year that I got sick was our best year to win it. That was the year I came down with cancer and couldn’t finish the season. I thought in January and February of that season we were playing a little bit better than everybody else in basketball.
“In the year we lost to the Lakers (in the Western Conference Finals) with Chauncey (Billups) … if we were a little more together and had won that series, I think we would have gone on and won the NBA championship.”
After Karl’s initial comments on Twitter, he responded to several fans and shared what he thought of Anthony’s legacy in the Mile High City.
“I’ve said it before — one of the great scorers the game has ever seen. He’s a HOFer and his jersey should hang in Denver,” Karl tweeted Tuesday.
He added: “He wasn’t a team first player or good defender here in Denver. And it upset us when he asked for a trade especially after I was sick. And so it is!”
Source: Read Full Article