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Melo could miss All-Star Game as Knicks fall to Grizz 91-85

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Carmelo Anthony, who was out against the Grizzlies, seen struggling against the Pistons while dealing with knee pain.Allen Einstein/NBAE/Getty Images

Carmelo Anthony, who was out against the Grizzlies, seen struggling against the Pistons while dealing with knee pain.

There’s suddenly a strong resemblance to last season for the Knicks — the losing has snowballed and Carmelo Anthony is on the sideline with a knee problem.

On the same Friday night New York continued its worst stretch of the season in a 91-85 a loss to the Grizzlies, Anthony was ruled out because of the dreaded soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.

The situation could again segue into a controversy involving Anthony’s status for the All-Star Game, like déjà vu from last year.

“We won’t necessarily be able to keep him from playing if he wants to play (in the All-Star Game),” Derek Fisher said.

Anthony’s affinity for the All-Star Game prompted him to delay his knee surgery last season to participate in the game at the Garden. He successfully campaigned for another All-Star start this year, but has since been bothered the knee soreness that forced him to miss three of the last seven games.

Fisher said Anthony underwent an MRI that ruled out any structural issues, and the 31-year-old’s official status is “day-to-day.” The Knicks have two more games until the break next week. The All-Star Game is on Valentine’s Day in Toronto.

Fisher brought up a potential All-Star conundrum unprompted while confusing an availability rule. The coach said Anthony needs to play in one of the two remaining Knicks games to participate in the All-Star Game, but the league doesn’t have such restrictions.

Anthony can technically sit out three straight regular season games before making an All-Star appearance.

Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes drives past Knicks guard Sasha Vujacic.Mary Altaffer/AP

Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes drives past Knicks guard Sasha Vujacic.

“That’s not for me or us to juggle,” Fisher said. “If he physically shouldn’t play then that’s a decision he should make.”

It’s pretty clear that the Knicks (23-30), losers of eights of their last nine, need their star after falling to 0-7 without him on Friday. The Knicks, who were also missing Lance Thomas because of concussion symptoms, fought from behind again but missed the biggest shot of the game — a potential game-tying shot from Arron Afflalo that rimmed out with 8.9 seconds left.

Kristaps Porzingis (17 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks) and Jose Calderon (18 points, eight rebounds, five assists) had solid games for New York, which couldn’t overcome a 37.5 shooting night. The Grizzlies (30-20), who swept the season series, were paced by Jeff Green’s 16 points.

Matt Barnes played 22 minutes without incident, scoring 12 points with seven rebounds in his reserve role. Fined nearly $100,000 by the NBA in the aftermath of his fight in October with Fisher, he avoided all discussions about the Knicks coach by setting the parameters of an interview with, “Just basketball.”

The only fireworks came from Grizzlies guard Mario Chalmers, who was ejected in the fourth quarter for elbowing notorious agitator Sasha Vujacic.

Anthony has struggled since his knee soreness popped up last week, shooting just 32 percent in four games heading into Friday. Fisher acknowledged that Anthony was affected by the pain in Thursday’s loss to the Pistons, when he missed 14 of his 18 shot attempts.

“There’s no new injury in terms of a traumatic or acute situation. There’s inflammation. He’s carrying a big load night to night,” Fisher said. “I think he’ll be fine long term. I think we just have to get through this next set of days into the break and hopefully re-evaluate him from there in terms of something that’s not reoccurring.”  

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