After coming third in voting for MVP just a year ago, Carmelo Anthony has failed to make an All-NBA Team in 2014. The NBA announced the league’s first, second, and third teams on Wednesday with Anthony, along with Tim Duncan and John Wall being the most notable names missing.
The New York Knick’s well documented struggles this season were undoubtedly the reason Anthony missed out on making an all-NBA team for the seventh time in his 11 year career. The Knicks missed the playoffs with a 37-45 record after finishing second in the Eastern Conference just a season ago. Anthony was also second in the NBA in scoring with 27.4 points a game.
Despite the Knicks failing to duplicate the success of 2013, it can be argued that Anthony - who was an All-NBA second teamer in 2013 - had an even better individual season than he did in 2013. The dynamic forward increased in both assists and rebounds from a season ago despite dealing with the incompetency of his teammates and head coach, Mike Woodson, who was fired at the end of this season. Not to mention Anthony played in 77 games this season, 10 more than in 2013 when he won the scoring title.
The 30-year-old Anthony made obvious improvements to his game in 2014, with career highs in three point shooting percentage (.401) and rebounds per game (8.1).
All-NBA Teams are voted on by a group of 125 NBA media members with each member voting for a player at all five positions to make the first, second, or third teams. Five points for a player voted to the first team, three points for second team, and one point for being voted to the third team.
Carmelo Anthony accumulated the most points (87) of players who did not make the cut. Kevin Durant and Lebron James were the leading vote getters with 625 and 623 points respectively.
The snub will have to serve as motivation for Anthony, who is still not locked in to be a Knick in 2014, though team president, Phil Jackson, has made it clear he wants to keep Anthony in New York writes Mercury News . However, Anthony will have to decide if he wants to put up with another season of carrying the team on his back, since the Knicks cannot afford to sign a marquee free agent until 2015.
Between missing the playoffs and being left off the All-NBA Team because of a lack of a supporting cast, Jackson may have his hands convincing Anthony to stay in New York.