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[Saba Sports News] Former New York Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire recently appeared on *The OGs Show*, where he seemingly took a subtle jab at former teammate Carmelo Anthony.
When co-host Udonis Haslem asked about the infamous incident where Stoudemire punched a fire extinguisher during a playoff series, Stoudemire candidly explained his frustration.
“The ball wasn’t moving,” Stoudemire said. “We dealt with it all season long. The ball just wasn’t moving, and guys weren’t able to be great. When I first got to New York, I wanted to make sure everybody felt involved.” Stoudemire went on to highlight how players like Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Raymond Felton thrived early in his tenure, adding, “I got Timofey Mozgov paid.”
He emphasized that teamwork and ball movement were crucial for success, but by the time of the 2012 playoffs, those ideals had seemingly vanished.
Though Stoudemire didn’t name Anthony directly, his comments appeared to point at the All-Star forward, whose arrival in a 2011 trade from Denver fundamentally changed the Knicks’ playstyle. Known for his elite isolation scoring, Anthony’s tendency to dominate the ball earned him a reputation as a “ball-stopper.”
While Melo was one of the best scorers in the league, critics often argued his style wasn’t conducive to winning.
The Knicks made the playoffs in 2011, 2012, and 2013 during Anthony’s tenure, but they only won one playoff series. The 2012 first-round loss to the Miami Heat was especially frustrating. After Game 2, Stoudemire punched the fire extinguisher, sidelining himself for Game 3.
Although he returned to help win Game 4, the Knicks fell to the Heat in five games.
While Stoudemire voiced his frustrations, he isn’t blameless for the Knicks’ struggles. His first season with New York in 2010-11 was exceptional—he averaged 25.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. But injuries soon derailed his effectiveness, leaving the Knicks unable to meet lofty expectations. Had Stoudemire stayed healthy, that era might have unfolded differently.
Anthony, too, shares responsibility for the team’s shortcomings. Despite his scoring prowess, he often struggled to elevate teammates in the way other superstars have. The 2012 rise of Jeremy Lin during “Linsanity” even reportedly caused tension in the locker room, with some, including former Knick Baron Davis, suggesting Anthony wasn’t comfortable sharing the spotlight. Fully embracing Lin’s emergence might have changed the trajectory of that season.
Anthony’s Knicks tenure ended in 2017 with a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While his arrival in 2011 brought high expectations, the era ultimately failed to deliver lasting success. Both Anthony and Stoudemire carried promise, but the pairing never lived up to its potential, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.