Knicks' Anthony on Hardaway Jr.: 'Me and Tim have no problems'

Starting a season 4-20 is bound to open up some fissures in a team's facade, so it wasn't a huge surprise when ESPN's Chris Broussard revealed on Wednesday that the New York Knicks were a fractured group. 

At the center of the reports about a toxic Knicks locker room was an alleged spat between teammates Carmelo Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr., in which each accused the other of being selfish and playing lackadaisical defense. 

While Hardaway confirmed that the two had words during last week's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, both deny that the argument was a reflection of their relationship.

"Me and Tim have no problems," Anthony said Wednesday night, according to ESPN New York's Ian Begley. "Tim is a guy who I always wrapped my arm around and put under my wing from Day 1, helped him through times when he's been down, and I will continue doing that."

Said Hardaway Jr.: "We're brothers. Brothers argue in the heat of the moment and then they make up. It's just that simple. I look at Melo as a mentor."

Carmelo also made a point of denying another rumor surrounding the team, which is that they're frustrated with Derek Fisher's triangle offense and aren't buying in. 

"We're all committed," said Anthony. "We're all committed to the triangle and to this system. We do have times when we do get frustrated. But are we committed as a team to doing what's right by it? We are committed. We said it from Day 1."

The team held a players-only meeting last Saturday at the team facility,and Anthony said none of his teammates singled him out for any reason during the meeting.

"Everybody had the platform to kind of speak their piece on what they felt about what's going on and how they can better the situation," he said. "But it wasn't no pointing fingers or anything like that or solely pointing me out to be the blame for what's going on."

At least one former Knick is enjoying all the drama:

Regardless of the veracity of the rumors, the rest of the Knicks may get an opportunity to see how they'd fare without their nominal leader for an extended stretch. Anthony has reportedly been battling a knee issue for much of the season, one which may cost him some time and may ultimately even require surgery. 

With Anthony sitting out Wednesday, the Knicks fell 109-95 to a San Antonio Spurs team that was resting its four best players. It was the Knicks' 10th consecutive loss.