Melo back in Knicks lineup for game vs. Nuggets
NEW YORK — Knicks star Carmelo Anthony will return to the lineup Sunday after a one-game absence due to left knee soreness.
Anthony deemed himself fit to play against the Denver Nuggets following a light workout Saturday.
“He kind of knows his body and whether or not he can get out there and perform at a level that he feels good about and won’t be a hindrance to his teammates,” Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. “With those things in combination, he decided to give it a shot today.”
The Knicks (23-30) are 0-7 in games Anthony’s missed due to injury, so his return is a welcome development.
Anthony had missed three of the previous seven games due to left knee soreness, which is a bit of a concern for the Knicks. The 13-year veteran had major surgery on his left knee last February. He underwent an MRI recently which showed that the current soreness isn’t related to any structural damage.
But Anthony, 31, said late last month that he may have to deal with discomfort in his knee for the remainder of the season.
There is no current plan in place to limit Anthony’s minutes.
“I think we’re going to always err on the side of the health of our players, short term and long term,” Fisher said. “Right now, it’s still day to day. If it turns to something else, I don’t think winning a basketball game has ever come before the health of our players and I think that’s always the way we’ll look at it.”
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