Most coaches would pretend that a regular season game against one of their former superstars is just another game on the schedule. But that’s not how it is for George Karl. Karl rarely hides what he is feeling, so it should come as no surprise that he spoke candidly this week when talking about the Carmelo Anthony situation in Denver last year. Judging by what he said, there are hard feelings.
“What happened with ‘Melo last season, that got old,” Karl told reporters this week according to the NY Daily News. “That got old fast.
“Friends and people who played with you, you actually want to beat them more than you want to beat your enemies. You want to beat people that you were close to at one time and now you’re battling them. Because you know them a little bit more and they know you a little bit more. You get more animated to kick their butt when you play them.”
Meanwhile, the Nuggets are supposed to be rebuilding in the wake of the trade while the Knicks were expected to become an Eastern Conference powerhouse. That has not been the case through the first portion of the season. Denver is sitting at a comfortable 10-5 while New York is dealing with a heap of frustrated fans and a 6-8 record. If the Nuggets go on the road and continue their early-season success in Madison Square Garden Saturday night, it will be the highlight of the young season for Karl and company.
Chest bump to I Am a GM for the story
