Carmelo Anthony on 41-Point Loss to Celtics: 'A Good Old-Fashioned Ass Whupping'

Carmelo Anthony can appreciate tradition—just not this one.

The New York Knicks fell to the supposedly tanking, Rajon Rondo-less Boston Celtics at home, 114-73. Afterward, Anthony described the loss in six words, per NBA.com's Adam Zagoria:

Though eloquently put, 'Melo's depiction of Sunday's events doesn't do the massacre justice.

New York dropped to 5-14 on the season, the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Boston had this particular game sewn up after the first quarter, taking a 23-point lead into the second. The Knicks actually trailed by double digits for 45 of the 48 minutes played:

Put it this way: They were down by double digits for more minutes than points they lost by. Considering they lost by 41, that's saying something tragic.

Anthony himself was particularly off his game, going 5-of-15 from the floor and posting a game-worst minus-40.

Collectively, the Knicks were just as bad, shooting 34.2 percent from the floor, grabbing just 26 rebounds and handing out only 13 assists. Against the Celtics.

Don't permit that to be lost on you. These are teams the Knicks are supposed to beat...if they're actually a contender.

The Celtics are rebuilding, and the Knicks were coming off consecutive 30-plus-point victories and playing at home. Following a nine-game losing streak, they needed momentum. They had built momentum. Now all of it is gone. Squandered.

Lost in the wreckage of this good old-fashioned, downright unsettling, suddenly typical ass-kicking.

Follow @danfavale

*All stats in this article were compiled from NBA.com/stats (subscription required) unless otherwise attributed.