Carmelo Anthony Injury: Will Lingering Right Elbow Pain Extend Knicks L Streak?

Losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers may not be so stinging since it is after the All-Star Break, and almost every team in the NBA has a new look and feel to them. There is going to be a new assembly of personalities and faces running up and down the court and no one is going to doubt that there needs to be a little bit of time allotted for the on-court chemistry to take place. The New York Knicks, as celebrated as Carmelo's arrival may have been, are no exception to the rule, and their loss to Cleveland proves that.

However, they have adequate time to redeem themselves in their game against the Miami Heat Sunday at 8:00 PM ET. Without the apparent road block in Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and sometimes Chris Bosh, the Knicks must worry about how Carmelo Anthony's lingering elbow pain will affect his shooting. He participated in a shoot-around on Saturday, where all of his shots were taken with his left hand, outwardly emphasizing the pain he was still experiencing in that right elbow. 

Just like with Lebron James, when he "took his talents" to South Beach, there will be much speculation about Carmelo's mental strength if he does not perform adequately in this game. Everyone already knows that he is one of the best active players in the league, but with such a "win now or we hate you" mentality spreading widely throughout sports, a player has the added tension and weight on his shoulders to perform at the height of his potential, even through pain and injury. The pain will most likely be looked at as an excuse for what has yet to come.

His durability throughout the talks of a possible trade between NY, New Jersey and even the Los Angeles Lakers at some point of the latter part of the first half of the season, should be sketched deeply enough on his resume that it is not forgotten in the presence of one bad performance. Though he has only played a few games with the Knicks, his ability as a pure scorer has been consistent.

The drama of his move has overshadowed the quality of the player, but unfortunately that is something you have to manage. Perception has ventured into reality and Anthony has fallen into the depths of it all.