Did Carmelo Anthony get police escort to Madison Square Garden (VIDEO)

Carmelo Anthony, who's finding it hard to receive any help from the big shots in the Knicks front office, finally got an assist from one organization — or didn’t he? 

On Friday night, the Knicks star cruised through New York City traffic-free after appearing to receive an escort from the NYPD, reported TMZ.

Anthony — who is facing surgery on his sore left knee — posted an Instagram video after 6 p.m. Friday that shows his car trailing a vehicle with blaring sirens and lights. Both cars drive against 34th Street traffic while avoiding the chaos of All-Star Weekend as Melo makes his way to Madison Square Garden.

"Ain't nothing like a police escort, boy, in all this traffic," Melo says during the 17-second clip.

Nothing like a police escort in all this traffic. 🙏🙏🙏

A video posted by @carmeloanthony on Feb 13, 2015 at 3:54pm PST

However, a New York Police Department spokesman had not heard that Anthony received an NYPD escort.

“As a policy, we do not give police escorts through traffic for celebrities,” the spokesman said.

Carmelo Anthony to critics: I'm not 'a loser': Report

Despite leading the New York Knicks to the worst start start in the history of the franchise, Carmelo Anthony fired back at his critics who called him "a loser." 

The Knicks forward tried to take the pressure of his new $124 million contract and superstar status off himself by claiming the team's 5-23 start — on pace to post its worst record ever after going 37-45 last season and missing the playoffs — doesn't boil down to a loser's mentality.

“I didn’t think it would be like this,’’ Anthony told the Washington Post via the N.Y. Post. “I’m like, why? Time goes by so fast and one thing you realize, you can’t control winning. It’s out of your control. You can control what you do. You can control your work ethic and your mindset when it comes down to winning. Everything has to be synchronized from ownership all the way down to the staff. Everything has to be in sync.’’

Anthony is in his 12th NBA season, but has advanced past the first round of the playoffs twice. And since joining the Knicks in 2010, only once. 

Anthony, who missed Thursday’s game in Chicago and is debating whether to sit for a couple of weeks to rest his chronic left knee injury .

“At the end of the day, we all know what the goal is and that’s to win a championship,’’ Anthony said. “I know that I’m a winner. Even though you might lose some games here and there, I know I’m a winner. I’ve won already. I’ve won off the court and on the court. I’m living the American dream. That’s winning to me. Nobody can say anything about [me] being a loser.”

Anthony, who missed Thursday’s game in Chicago and is debating whether to sit for a couple of weeks to rest his chronic left knee injury, admitted he hears the negative talk.

“Everybody has an opinion,’’ Anthony said in the interview. “ Everybody knows it all. They think they know you. You kind of become what the back page says you are. That’s messed up. I think just going through it, and you’ve seen the worst of the worst. Being here at the bottom and you can easily see how people will dismiss you, step on you and forget about you. This is the belly of the beast. New York will eat you alive if you let it.”

The history of losing has bothered Anthony to the point of frustration. A near brawl with teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. and reports that Anthony would consider waiving his no-trade clause rather than nixing a trade if the Knicks struck a deal to an attractive destination have fueled reports of a departure.

Anthony responded by saying he would have a "weak mind" to want out amid "a wall of adversity."

Still, you have to wonder how much of it he can take.

Carmelo Anthony will consider waiving no-trade clause: Report

Just when you thought it couldn't get any darker for the Knicks — with that worst start in franchise history and all — Carmelo Anthony says he'd be willing to take his game out of New York.

Just five months after all the hoopla surrounding the All-Star's free-agency and finally signing a five-year, $124 million contract with the Knicks, the N.Y. Post is reporting that Anthony would be open to dropping his no-trade clause if team president Phil Jackson strikes a deal with a team the high-scoring forward would like to play for.

Part of Anthony’s deal included the rarely used no-trade provision.

Anthony claims he has no desire to be traded, but his willingness to consider giving up the no-trade clause shows how frustrated he has become with what looks like a long season for the Knicks.

"He thought things would be better than this, but he still wants to stick it out for now," a source told The Post. "He trusts Phil, but I think he’s afraid of Phil."

The Knicks have lost 10 straight games — two shy of a team-record — and at 4-20 have the most losses in the NBA.

Combine Melo's failure to adjust to coach Derek Fisher's triangle offense and Wednesday's on-court scuffle with teammate Tim Hardaway and you know things at Madison Square Garden are falling off the rails.

Anthony, who is currently nursing a sore knee, can be traded beginning Monday — the unofficial start of trade season when all free agents and draft picks signed over the summer can be moved.

Knicks fans might suggest a few choice words for Carmelo's branding expert to label his client — including quitter.

Kyrie Irving's huge game helps put Knicks in record books (VIDEO)

The New York Knicks got into the record books Thursday night. Too bad it was not the kind of notoriety they hoped for. And, after falling to the Cavaliers for their sixth straight loss, the team is officially off to the worst start in Knickerbockers history.

Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 37 points, including a layup with 10 seconds left to lead the Cavs over the Knicks 90-87, dropping the reeling New Yorkers to 4-16.

Setting a new low for the franchise.

Carmelo Anthony had one of the worst nights of his Knicks career — going 4-for-19 — and couldn’t close the deal at the end as his miserable evening ended with a missed 3-pointer that rimmed out over LeBron James in the final seconds.

Irving carried the Cavs most of the night before James had five straight points late in the game that helped Cleveland pull it out. 

Here's the clutch teardrop by New Jersey's Irving:

The Cavs won their fifth straight behind a huge game from Kyrie Irving: http://t.co/yDqayv86o7 https://t.co/muXic1mdDj via @cjzero
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) December 5, 2014

To put Melo's night in perspective, teammate Quincy Acy finished the game with six more points. Yes, that Quincy Acy.

Trey Burke's buzzer-beater trumps Carmelo Anthony's trey with 2.3 seconds left (VIDEO)

Trey Burke made a buzzer-beating jumper from the corner to give the Utah Jazz a 102-100 victory Friday night over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, despite 46 points from Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony, who looked like he had a game-tying three-point shot with 2.3 seconds left in the game, was trumped by Burke after the sharpshooting guard hit a corner jumper at the buzzer to hand the Knicks their seventh straight loss.

Anthony did all he could, including the Knicks' final 11 points, but in the end it wasn't enough.

"I looked up," Anthony said, "and I was like, 'No, please.' I just wanted it to go to overtime."

Here's how the final 2.3 seconds played out with J.R Smith's stunned pose saying it all for Knicks fans:

Carmelo Anthony's silver top hat creates Internet stir (PHOTOS)

The New York Knicks got blown out by the Brooklyn Nets, 110-99, Friday night at the Barclays Center. But after the game, it was hard to tell what was the bigger story: the lopsided loss to their crosstown rivals or Carmelo Anthony's silver and blue top hat.

One thing was for sure, it didn't take long for the Internet to light up with their own opinions and memes concerning Melo's fashion sense:

Player Haters Ball #Melo pic.twitter.com/cXi3sY9aYl
— ERV (@ervcas) November 8, 2014

Slide into your telegraph like pic.twitter.com/MjgnZ6lOG3
— netw3rk (@netw3rk) November 8, 2014

pic.twitter.com/6WZMIGjTGH
— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) November 8, 2014

pic.twitter.com/qgtQPFtDHh
— Tyler Pleiss (@Tyler_Pleiss) November 8, 2014

Next time Melo, at least consult with Walt Frazier before donning the pimp headwear — or stick to sweatbands.

Carmelo Anthony's Olympic bronze medal goes for $14K at auction: Report

While Carmelo Anthony looks to be in high demand around the NBA these days, it seems  the Knicks' free agent has just sold a little piece of himself for a measly 14 grand.

The bronze medal won by the star forward at the 2004 Athens Olympics has been auctioned off for $14,080, according to Inside the Games. The disappointing third-place medal was listed at auction house Julien’s Auctions. The buyer’s identity was not revealed.

The U.S. men’s basketball team beat Lithuania 104-96 to win bronze, while Argentina took gold and Italy won silver. It was the only time the American men didn’t win a basketball gold medal since professionals were permitted to compete in the Olympics.

Four years later in Beijing, the “Redeem Team,” which Anthony was also a member of, succeeded in their goal of winning back the gold. The 2012 London Games also saw a gold medal win for Melo and the American men. 

According to Julien’s Auctions, Anthony was unhappy with his team’s performance in Athens and “no longer cared to have [the medal] in his possession.” He then gave the bronze medal to a family member as a gift. The medal was put up for auction in May, with bids starting at $4,500.

Guess if you have two gold medals, a bronze is just tacky.

Melo rips Knicks' lack of effort after blowout loss

It didn't take long after fans booed the New York Knicks' fifth straight loss at Madison Square Garden, that a disgusted Carmelo Anthony said it looked as if the team wasn't even trying during a lopsided 110-90 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

"We ain't playing worth a s--- right now," Anthony said. "We got to play harder. 

"I am disappointed too in all of our effort. We are just not getting it done. It ain't nothing that Coach [Mike] Woodson is doing [or not doing]. It ain't got nothing to do with X's and O's out there on the basketball court. We are not getting it done from an effort standpoint. It's like we are not even trying right now."

Even though Anthony says Woodson is not to blame, Knicks fans still briefly chanted "Fire Woodson" in the third quarter.

After the Knicks dropped to 3-and-6, Anthony did not want to discuss orange uniforms or the Knicks City Dancers in the locker room. The frustrated forward was clearly focused on the fact that the Knicks had allowed the Hawks to shoot 56.4 percent and score 48 points in the paint. He said the club isn’t "trying." Anthony even suggested the team may soon dig themselves too deep a hole to recover.

"I’m disappointed in all our effort," Anthony said. "We’re not getting it done from an effort standpoint. It’s like we’re not even trying right now.

"We can’t worry about the boos."

The last time the Knicks had lost five in a row at home was February 2010, when they broke down the team for cap space with hopes of landing LeBron James in the free agency sweepstakes.

That was then but Melo thinks the Knicks time is right now.

"I can’t believe it," said Anthony, soon to be a free agent this summer. "I don’t even know what to say. I’m in awe. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know If there is an explanation.

"It’s surprising. To come into the season with a mindset of being better than we were last year and to be where we’re at right now. I know it’s 3-6, but we got to turn this around quickly. It’s a nasty feeling within the team."

And he pinned it squarely on the defense.

"It ain’t got anything to do with making shots and missing shots," said Anthony, who finished with 23 points on 8-of-21 shooting with 12 rebounds. "We’re just not getting it done on the other end. We’re not defending, giving any effort."

Anthony sounded as if he’s hoping for a turnaround before it's too late.

"I know it’s early in the season, but at the rate this is going, we’re going to be in too deep a hole to dig out," he said.

Carmelo Anthony on leaving Knicks: 'I'm not going nowhere'

Carmelo Anthony can become a free agent after the upcoming season, and has made it clear he doesn't want to talk about it. But he gave the strongest indication yet that his plans include re-signing with the Knicks when the season is through.

"I'm not going nowhere," Anthony said during an interview Tuesday with Bloomberg Television's "Market Markers." 

"That is one of the reasons why I wanted to come here to New York, just so I could take on those pressures and those challenges," Anthony said. "A lot of people do not like to deal with the pressure. A lot of people do not know how to deal with the challenges they face. To me, it is everyday life."

Anthony is due to make $23.3 million in the 2014-15 season. If he were to opt out, the Lakers likely would pursue the All-Star, but the Knicks can offer him significantly more —including a five-year deal. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the most the Lakers could offer is four years and roughly $96 million. Anthony could get a maximum five-year contract worth about $129 million from the Knicks, who can start negotiating with him in February.

Money aside, Anthony pushed for the February 2011 trade from Denver to be in the New York limelight and try to help the Knicks win their first championship since 1973. He led them to 54 wins last season and their first Atlantic Division title in 19 years, but they lost to Indiana in the second round.

The 29-year-old Anthony remains committed to bringing a title to Madison Square Garden.

"That is one of the reasons why I wanted to come here to New York, just so I could take on those pressures and those challenges,'' Anthony said. "A lot of people do not like to deal with the pressure. A lot of people do not know how to deal with the challenges they face. To me, it is everyday life.''

Still, Anthony doesn't want his future or free agency to be an everyday discussion with the New York media. He told The Associated Press at a Sept. 11 charity event Wednesday that he would not address either issue during the season. "I'm just not going to do it,'' he said. "I'm going to let everybody know the first day that I'm not going to talk about it.''

The Knicks were the No. 2 seed in the East last season behind eventual NBA champion Miami, but they lost veteran players Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace. Their big offseason additions this winter were Andrea Bargnani, Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih —making the team somewhat younger.

Anthony and the Knicks could be looking up the rebuilt Nets and improved Bulls and Pacers but Melo still believes his team is still a front runner.

"I actually see this team being better than last year,'' said Tuesday. "That's just my opinion, that's the way that we feel. And if we feel that way as a unit, then there's nothing that can come between us.''

Carmelo unaware he was 'miked up' but laughs it off

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said he was unaware that he was miked up during two games last weekend, on the special orders of owner James Dolan, and claims he doesn't care.

Anthony laughed off the notion that the team had planted two audio technicians with disk-shaped recording devices on both ends of the court to tape his on-court chats with other players.

Dolan reportedly did it to protect his star player from another Kevin Garnett type "he said-she said" incident which led to a one-game suspension for Anthony.

"I don't care about microphones," Anthony told the New York Post after he and his wife, La La, arrived at the team hotel in London for Thursday night's game against the Pistons.  "I wasn't aware of it.  I found out on the plane [trip]."

Anthony wasn't overly concerned about the on-court bugging, but doesn't understand why the team resorted to such tactics.

"I don't think the mikes are going to stop what's goes on out on the court," he said.  "But it was funny when I heard it.  No, I wasn't upset.  Not at all."

The gadgets were secretly used during last Friday's game against the Bulls and Sunday's game against the Hornets after Garnett reportedly got under Anthony's skin by saying his wife "tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios."  Anthony was suspended one game after he waited outside for Garnett and the two men had to be separated.

The third Mike on the court — Knicks head coach Mike Woodson — said he hasn't quizzed Dolan on what his boss was up to.

"That's not my concern," said Woodson.  "It really isn't.  When I step on the floor I'm not thinking about camera guys.  All I'm focused on is the guys running up and down the court. If the cameras are there, they're there.  I don't know anything about it."

The Knicks have declined to comment on their little Spygate and the NBA has said the team did nothing wrong.

Carmelo: I'm definitely going to get a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios after 15-day fast ends

Carmelo Anthony said he was so hungry after his annual 15-day fast was ending Sunday that he was even ready to have a bowl of — you guessed it — Honey Nut Cheerios.

Just six days after Anthony got into it with Kevin Garnett — after the Celtics smack talker got under his skin by reportedly telling Melo, "Your wife tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios" during a Knicks-Celtics game last Monday —  the Knicks star put a humorous buzz on his rival's heckling.

"I'm definitely going to get a bowl of that, for sure," a grinning Anthony said at the launch of his new signature sneaker, Air Jordan Melo M9, at the Wall Street restaurant Cipriani.

Melo served a one-game suspension for waiting for Garnett inside the Madison Square Garden tunnel where the Celtics team bus was idling after Garnett's crude remark on the court.  The two players had to be separated by MSG security.

On Sunday, Anthony was a lot mellower and seems to have put the episode behind him, after leading the Knicks to a 100-87 win over the New Orleans Hornets, but still wouldn't confirm what Garnett said to rile him up.

The Knicks star characterized it as "something you don't say to men."

"Like I said, whatever was said was said out there on the court," Anthony explained.  "It happened. He said it.  We handled like we're supposed to handle it.  We talked . We move on."

He did say he was in the middle of his 15-day fast to gain "clarity" when Garnett mouthed off on the court.

"Today is my last day," Anthony said of his fasting and said he was ready to eat "whatever I see."

Besides the sugary breakfast cereal, Anthony said, "I need to eat something ... Maybe some chicken, maybe a steak, I don't know."

As for life on the other home court, things taste more like Shredded Wheat.

Sources said Anthony and his wife La La Vasquez are having marital problems and she didn't show up for the sneaker unveiling as planned.  Anthony, who was there with his 5-year-old son Kiyan, downplayed her absence.

"We have our time. We have our down time," he said.  "She works. I work. We make it work. Communication is the key."

Anthony ends his fast right before the Knicks head to London for a game against the Detroit Pistons in The O2 Arena Thursday.

Enjoy those butties and mushy peas Melo.

Jeter and dad watch 'Melo take over fourth quarter at MSG

Yep, that was Derek Jeter and his dad, Charles, sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden watching Carmelo Anthony take over the fourth quarter and leading the New York Knicks to a come-from-behind victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday ... well, most of it.

Jeter — whom it seems hasn't been spotted at the Garden since dating former Miss Universe Lara Dutta (remember her) and sporting a fade haircut— watched New York's best team du jour deliver some much-needed holiday cheer with the 94-91 win although he and his dad split before the final buzzer.

The New York Yankees Captain hasn't been seen much since his so-called "fat phase" and was still wearing a boot on his surgically-repaired left ankle Sunday.  But he looked fit and happy as he watched 'Melo score most of his 19 fourth-quarter points — including the Knicks' final 12 in the last 3:04  — before finishing with a team-high 33.

Jeter might have only heard the chants of M-V-P ringing out for Anthony — as the Knicks forward drained six free-throws in the final 31 seconds of the game — since the Yankees shortstop was already hobbling out of the arena before taking any chance at getting jostled during the mad crush of exiting fans.

Seeing Jeter looking healthy, slim and out and about is a good sign for the upcoming season and an early present under the tree for Yankees fans.

Ladies look out.

'Melo Anthony gives NYC fans a pep talk before Knicks beat Heat

A sports team's season debut should never be this dramatic.  And for the New York Knicks, this wasn't even supposed to be their 2012 season opener and it almost wasn't — again.

Friday night's Knicks game against the Miami Heat became the first major sporting event in New York since superstorm Sandy hit the area on Monday.

The Knicks already had their first game of 2012 against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center postponed Thursday because of Sandy and there was still debate whether or not Friday's game should have been played either. At game time, there were still millions of people in the area still without power, water or gas.

The Knicks knew of the controversy and its star player ''Melo Anthony' — as he was called by the announcer — hoped the team could provide some sort of brief distraction from the destruction outside the refurbished Madison Square Garden by going on with the game.

'Melo — backed by his teammates — put the controversy on his shoulders, stepped out to center court before the tip-off and gave the near-capacity crowd a heartfelt pre-game speech that was short and sweet, but got a message across.

In his unscripted pep talk, Anthony told the fans thank you as they roared with appreciation, and later gave them something to cheer about after the Knicks routed the Heat, 104-84.

Call it a 'Melo-drama.

"Thank you for coming out in hard times and supporting the New York Knicks.  This is the most important time for the City of New York to come together and help rebuild this city back up."

After leading the Knicks to the resounding win, Anthony (30 points, 10 rebounds) said he wanted to let the fans know, in person,  that the Knicks players care about their plight.

"It was something I wanted to do," Anthony said.  "They rarely hear from us about how we feel in situations like this.  It was only right, me being one of the leaders on this team, to step up and give the fans some words."

Anthony's "words" went a long way in suggesting to stricken residents — still trying to pick themselves up after the storm — that the path to recovery starts with getting back to normal routines.

Maybe an NBA game won't bring lights or water to the residents still pleading for help, but it is a sign that things will return to the way they were.

Pretty inspiring all around.