Mike Woodson Says Carmelo Anthony Doesn't Get 'Superstar' Calls from Referees

Carmelo Anthony is getting mugged out there, and New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson isn't going to take it anymore.

If that sounds a little overdramatic, wait until you hear what Woodson actually said in an interview on 98.7 FM's "The Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show." 

Per Ian Begley of ESPN, an especially candid, clearly fed-up Woody said the following about the way referees have been treating his star forward: 

"

And I'm not going to shy away from that, either. I think Melo gets hit more than ever...I've been at this thing 30 years, and sometimes I'm starting to wonder what's a foul and what's not a foul...The offense normally has the advantage when you're making plays at the rim...Melo draws a lot of contact but he comes up empty a lot of times as well.

"

Calling out officials is never a great idea, if only because it can lead to an even less friendly whistle in the future. And Woodson is almost certain to receive a fine from the league office for his criticisms, so it's hard to know what he hoped to gain from his diatribe.

Still, standing up for superstars is an age-old tradition among coaches. Woodson was just doing what Phil Jackson, Pat Riley or Gregg Popovich would have done. So, in that sense, it's hard to fault him.

The real problem is that Anthony is a uniquely difficult player to officiate. He's so strong and adept at creating contact that it's hard to know when that contact is illegal. Even when the referees see enough jostling to blow the whistle, it's often tough to say whether Anthony was the victim or the aggressor.

This is sort of the same problem officials had with Shaquille O'Neal, but obviously on a much smaller scale.

On Nov. 14, Anthony lamented his lot, comparing what it takes for him to get a call against what other stars require in a somewhat hyperbolic sound bite:

As Begley points out, 'Melo is actually fifth in free-throw attempts per game this season. So, it's not like he's being totally ignored by referees. But there were clearly a few calls that could have gone Anthony's way against the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 20, which is probably why Woody is currently so riled up.

In a way, there's something honorable about Anthony's approach to offense. Instead of desperately seeking out contact with no intent of completing a play—like James Harden, for example—he actually tries to score when he gets inside.

I guess we're seeing how far that honest approach is getting him.

The Knicks face the Washington Wizards on Nov. 23, so we'll see if Woodson's complaints lead to kinder whistles. With the way things have gone for the Knicks so far, it's probably not a good idea to bet on 'Melo catching any breaks.