Houston Coach: Carmelo Anthony “Better Fit” with Rockets than Knicks

Mike D'Antoni knows Melo well from his days coaching the former All-Star in New York.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23:  Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder speaks with media after the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder speaks with media after the game against the Utah Jazz in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBAE/Getty Images

According to his new coach, Carmelo Anthony’s fading career is ready to take off once again now that he’s on the Rockets.

The 34-year-old scorer, who signed with Houston on Monday on a one-year pact for $2.4 million, is reunited with coach Mike D’Antoni, who he last played for in New York in 2012 with the Knicks.

That ended badly with D’Antoni quitting after the team got off to a horrible start and Anthony demanding that management to choose between himself and his coach.

In an interview with USA Today Sports, D’Antoni said it will be a “better fit” this time around with Anthony in Houston because the pressure will be more equally divided between the 10-time All-Star and his superstar teammates Chris Paul and James Harden.

“I think this is totally different,” D’Antoni said. “We’ve got a team that is a whole bunch of veterans that really, we’ve got one thing in mind, and that’s to win a championship, and we have the possibility.”

At this point, it’s unclear if Melo will start or come off the bench. Regardless, no matter how the Rockets use him, D’Antoni is high on the talent he brings to Houston’s lineup.

“The more talent you can have, the better the guys are, the better the team is going to be,” D’Antoni said. “Look at Golden State, how they had all those guys and you fit in [Kevin] Durant. I mean if you are committed to a certain style, and everybody is committed to the team, it works itself out.”

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