Knicks Drop Ninth Straight with Loss to Pelicans

Even after holding a team meeting to discuss their various issues earlier this week, the New York Knicks (3-13) saw their woes continue on the court Sunday night, as they lost to the New Orleans Pelicans (8-8) 103-99, a defeat that extended their losing skid to nine games.

With a five-point lead at halftime, it looked like the Knicks might be able to snap the streak, but Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson and guard Tyreke Evans stepped up for New Orleans in the second half, ending the night with 31 and 24 points, respectively.

“Obviously we played against a desperate team tonight,” Pelicans coach Monty Williams said, according to ESPN.com. “But, we’re desperate, too. Any time you can win on the road, winning eight games period, is special in the NBA.”

However, it wasn’t all good news for the Pelicans, who saw forward Anthony Davis leave the game early with a  non-displaced fracture in his left hand. Directly following the game, the team said a timetable for Davis’ return hasn’t been determined yet.

Of course, the Knicks also had to manage without their best big man, Tyson Chandler, who is still out with a fractured fibula. In his absence, Carmelo Anthony led the team with 23 points and 10 rebounds, but didn’t get enough help to avoid another loss.

“Nine straight, eight straight, whatever we lost, we just can’t seem to get it together,” Anthony said. “Can’t seem to figure it out, but we have to. We don’t have no choice but to figure this out.”

Despite owning one of the NBA’s worst records, the Knicks still find themselves sitting just three games back of the Toronto Raptors (6-10) in the underachieving Atlantic Division. As the team’s leader, Anthony is still hopeful the Knicks can turn things around and believes the solution lies in discovering a team identity.

“Last year around this time we had our identity as who we were as a team,” Anthony said. “This year we’re still searching who we are as a team and who we’re going to be as a team.”

Fortunately for New York, it has some time to address its current issues with its next game coming on Thursday against the similarly-struggling Brooklyn Nets. However, it goes without saying that bettors shouldn’t put too much stock in the 2013 Knicks until they can prove they can compete in the East this season.