BLAZING A NEW TRAIL?

Why did it take so long for Carmelo Anthony to join an NBA roster?

Zach Allen
Nov 19, 2019, 7:03 am
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

The Portland Trailblazers just recently signed Carmelo Anthony on Thursday night. Players and fans have been waiting for this acquisition for the longest.

Carmelo Anthony has been waiting for another opportunity ever since the Rockets let him go last season. When the Rockets acquired Anthony in the 2018 summer, the buzz about him already was he hated playing defense and was not a team player. The Rockets front office was worrying about if Anthony and Harden would get along. They wanted to add more perimeter shooting so they were able to match up with Golden State better. The Rockets decided to take a risk on Anthony.

As the 2018-2019 season started, the Rockets got off to a slow start with a record of 4-6. Questions were being asked if Anthony was a right fit for the Rocket's roster during the struggle. Daryl Morey and the Rockets analytics started to take a closer look at Anthony. After evaluating Anthony, Morey decided to let him go. Anthony's departure from the team had the league confused. Analysts wondered if Harden had anything to do with it. Chris Paul, Anthony's friend, was completely confused on why the Rockets let him go. Anthony at the time was averaging 13.4 ppg and was coming off the bench.


Rockets GM Daryl Morey talks about the rumors Carmelo Anthony will be dropped youtu.be

Dwayne Wade, Anthony's friend, felt like the Rockets used him as a scapegoat for the terrible start. Anthony went on First Take to explain the situation with the Rockets. He told Stephen A. Smith that Morey was not letting him suit up that night against the Spurs. Anthony was also appalled on what Morey said to him. He was defiantly confused after a 28 point performance against Brooklyn.


Carmelo Anthony talks leaving Rockets: I felt fired, CP3 and Harden didn't know | First Take youtu.be


For a good solid year people thought Anthony was black balled by NBA teams around the league. Anthony's situation was disappointing because no NBA team for the longest wanted to take chance on him. There were rumors that the Lakers were possibly going to sign him unless they made the playoffs last season. Anthony's best friend, Lakers's star, LeBron James, found it difficult to acquire him on the Lakers. Royce White, a player in the BIG3 league, called James out on Anthony's behalf. Former NBA players like Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson also believed that Anthony was black balled. They talked about Anthony's problems on their podcast "All the Smoke."


Royce White GOES OFF on LeBron James for Carmelo: "WHY IS YOUR BANANA BOAT BROTHER UNSIGNED?" youtu.be


Now that the noise is cleared, the Portland Trailblazers have recently acquired Anthony on Thursday. On Friday, Damian Lillard spoke to reporters about the Blazers acquiring Anthony. Lillard willingly expressed how Anthony can bring a veteran presence to the Blazers. The fun fact of the interview was on how Lillard mentioned he was a big Melo fan growing up. People were really excited about Anthony getting a chance to play the Rockets this Monday night. Sadly, there were reports from Adrian Wojnarowski saying Anthony will not play until Tuesday versus the Pelicans.


Damian Lillard grew up a Carmelo Anthony fan, thinks Melo can help the Blazers | NBA on ESPN youtu.be


Hopefully this transition with the Blazers helps out Anthony because a player like him deserves to be in the league.

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Houston looked much more like themselves

Astros return to form in win over Angels at home

Cristian Javier was impressive Thursday night. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Hoping to avoid spiraling further out of control, the Astros turned the page from their disappointing road trip and the recent stretch of games. They hoped to start this new homestand on a good note, welcoming in the Angels for four games of this eight-game stint at Minute Maid Park.

Houston would get the much-needed win, with their offense coming alive early in the game to put up big innings, which they rode to the victory thanks in part to a great start by Cristian Javier.

Final Score: Astros 8, Angels 2

Astros' Record: 8-10, fifth in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Cristian Javier (2-0)

Losing Pitcher: Alex Cobb (1-1)

Astros' offense starts clicking early

Houston would grab the early momentum, despite leaving the bases loaded in the first inning. They would get a leadoff double by Aledmys Diaz in the bottom of the second, followed by an RBI triple by Myles Straw to jump in front 1-0. They made it a three-run inning, with an RBI by Carlos Correa then a bases-loaded RBI-walk by Yuli Gurriel, though for consecutive innings would leave three runners stranded on base.

Correa drove in another in the bottom of the next inning, getting an RBI single to push the lead to four runs, then would come in on a two-run single by Alex Bregman, who made it 6-0. That set things up nicely for Cristian Javier, who was on the mound trying to take advantage of the opportunity for another start.

Javier has an electric start



Javier was electric over the first three innings, including getting eight of the first nine outs by strikeout while allowing only a walk and double during that span. He would have longer innings in the next two, but in both cases would keep the Angels off the board, finishing in line for the win. His final line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 98 P.

Houston gets the much-needed win

Meanwhile, Houston's offense kept scoring. They pushed the lead two runs further over the fourth and fifth, getting a run in each with another RBI each for Straw and Bregman. With Javier's night done, Bryan Abreu was first out of the Astros bullpen, and despite allowing a controversial two-run home run to Albert Pujols, of all people, that looked to be a foul ball, got through the inning.

Abreu remained in the game in the top of the seventh but would get just one out while hitting a batter and allowing a single before Dusty Baker brought in Brooks Raley to face the heavy left-handed part of the Angels lineup. Raley would get through it, sending things to the seventh-inning stretch with the six-run lead intact.

Raley would get another out before Joe Smith would finish that inning in the top of the eighth. Ryan Pressly, who has been starved for work lately with no save opportunities, would close things out in the ninth as Houston would start this series off with a win.

Up Next: Game two of this four-game set will be another 7:10 PM start on Friday night. Andrew Heaney (1-1, 5.65 ERA) will be on the mound for the Angels, while Zack Greinke (2-1, 2.81 ERA) will look to repeat the success of his last start; an eight-inning shutout performance for the Astros.

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