BBNBA: Kanter Wants Out of New York After Harden Drops 61

[caption id="attachment_254851" align="aligncenter" width="600"] (Presley Ann/Getty Images North America)[/caption] Good morning, folks. Enes Kanter is done keeping his dissatisfaction as a member of the New York Knicks to himself and he's getting spicy with it. Let's talk NBA.

RECAP

[27-20] Rockets - 114 @ [10-36] Knicks - 110

• Since this isn't Arizona State Sports Radio, I'll keep my infatuation with James Harden to a minimum, but man.... I have no idea how he continues to put up these numbers. I can't not bring him up after what I saw live on Wednesday. After setting a new career-high with 61 points to beat the Knicks, Harden now has 21 (TWENTY-ONE!!!!) straight games with at least 30 points and five games with at least 50 this season alone. Harden is putting up numbers right now that not even Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant could put up. He's rivaling only Wilt Chamberlain right now in terms of high volume scoring. Chamberlain holds the record with 65 straight 30-plus games and also holds the second and third highest records with 31 and 25 straight, respectively. Harden might be able to keep this up for another four games and reach 25. 10 more seems unlikely, although not something I would bet against. But for Harden to score 30-plus in 44 more consecutive games is downright impossible.  Still, we are witnessing the greatest isolation player to ever bounce a basketball. Every shot he's made over the last five games has been unassisted. He's averaging over 45 points per outing through 11 January games. And if you're one of those ignorant fools that don't see the beauty and efficiency in what Harden is doing, my Twitter DMs are always open.

• But back to Kentucky Sports Radio, because the Knicks have more to worry about than Harden tying Kobe Bryant's Madison Square Garden points record by an opponent. Enes Kanter is officially fed up and he let the media hear about it on Wednesday night. After supposedly being told by his head coach, David Fizdale, prior to the game that he would be starting, Kanter ended up not playing even a single second. That's when his frustrations boiled over into the post game.
• “I want to play basketball,” Kanter said. “If you’re going to play me here, play me. Or if not, then just get me out of here.”
• This was the first game all season Kanter received a DNP.
• It seems like this is all about playing time and nothing more, though. Kanter professed his love and affinity for the city of New York along with the organization but didn't mince words when asked about how he's being used. Kanter has made it well-known he had plans to be an All-Star this season. “My job right now is to cheer for my teammates and try to be a good teammate,” he said. “But what they’re doing to me is pretty messed up. I deserve way better.”
• At one point during the fourth quarter with the team huddled up during a timeout, Kanter was not present within the group. This prompted fellow Knick Mario Hezonja - who also did not play in this game - to sit next to the big man and tell him to "Get the f**k up and cheer."
• These are the dysfunctional Knicks we've grown to love over the last 15 years.
• New York lost this game despite a career-high 31 points from rookie Allonzo Trier. Kevin Knox contributed 12 points on 4-15 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds, as well.

Other notes

• Somewhat good news for Anthony Davis, who is dealing with a sprained finger. There were worries after reports surfaced on Wednesday morning that Davis' finger sprain could take two weeks longer to heal than expected, however, after meeting with a specialist that night, Davis received some good news. He is now going to be re-evaluated on Friday and then again every 48-72 hours, according to ESPN, and could potentially return as soon as next week. *Exhales with a sigh of relief so heavy that I begin to choke on my own spit*
• Unfortunately, *still choking* the positive news couldn't help the Pelicans in their matchup with the Detroit Pistons, as New Orleans fell 94-98. Julius Randle led the BBNBA with 13 points and 13 rebounds in a low scoring night for former Wildcats while Darius Miller added nine points on 3-9 shooting from three.
• For the Denver Nuggets, Jamal Murray struggled all evening, shooting 3-11 from the field for only nine points to go along with three assists and two turnovers. Trey Lyles added 12 points on 6-13 shooting for Denver as they fell to the Utah Jazz 108-114. ESPN's Jackie MacMullan wrote an excellent feature piece on Murray and his childhood experiences growing up with a basketball-addicted father in snowy Canada that I implore you to check out. After reading it, it's easy to see where Murray gets his determination and bravado. The kid is going to be named to multiple All-Star teams in the near future.
• That's all the major news from Wednesday, check out the full stat sheet below for the rest of the results.

STATISTICS

[table id=267 /]

TONIGHT IN THE NBA

8:00 (TNT): Warriors (Cousins) @ Wizards (Wall-out) 8:00: Pelicans (Davis, Miller, Randle) @ Thunder (Diallo, Noel, Patterson) 9:00: Trail Blazers @ Suns (Booker) 10:30 (TNT): Timberwolves (Towns) @ Lakers (Rondo-questionable)

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