Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony seemed to take exception to Knicks head coach Mike Woodson's attempt to draw up a late-game plan, saying, "Let's play the f------ game." Reuters

The New York Knicks are finally in the middle of a winning streak, but that didn’t stop star forward Carmelo Anthony from voicing his frustration with head coach Mike Woodson on Wednesday night.

The Knicks were nursing a 7-point lead over the Indiana Pacers with 19.5 seconds remaining in the game when Woodson called his team over to discuss the situation, The Big Lead notes. An MSG Network cameraman worked his way into the Knicks’ huddle to capture the conversation.

Woodson could be heard saying that the Knicks didn’t have any timeouts left, and Anthony didn’t appear interested in listening to his coach. Although background noise masks the audio a bit, moments later, a visibly frustrated Anthony said what sounded like “Let’s play the f------ game.”

That statement, an apparent attempt to end the huddle, drew a bewildered look from Woodson. Before long, Anthony relented and Woodson was able to craft a plan for the game’s final seconds.

This type of heated interaction is fairly common in professional sports, particularly for star athletes in tense, late-game situations. Still, Anthony’s blatant dismissal of Woodson’s plan could hint at a rift between the Knicks’ coach and franchise player.

The brief disagreement didn't affect the team's on-court performance. The Knicks managed to hold on for a 92-86 victory, earning a season-high seventh consecutive win.

Newly hired team president Phil Jackson has already discussed his plan to re-evaluate Woodson’s status as coach after the season, and he revealed that Anthony is a part of his “future plans” for the franchise. As the offseason approaches, the Anthony-Woodson dynamic will likely play a role in each person’s future with the Knicks.

Here's the video of Anthony's brief exchange with Woodson:

RELATED STORIES