NBA teams
Ian Begley, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Carmelo Anthony doubtful vs. OKC

NBA, New York Knicks

The New York Knicks will likely be short-handed for Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The team has listed forward Carmelo Anthony as doubtful for Friday's game due to back spasms.

Anthony said on Wednesday that he remained "stiff" and "sore" due to the spasms, which surfaced on Monday night late in the first half of the Knicks' loss to the Houston Rockets.

As of Wednesday night, the team's medical staff had not given Anthony a specific timetable for his return.

"They said these things are hard to gauge -- I just don't know how long I'll be out," Anthony said Wednesday night through a team spokesman.

Knicks coach Derek Fisher said earlier Wednesday that Anthony was "making some progress, but not enough, I think, to be in a game, so it will be day to day."

Without Anthony, the Knicks lost in overtime to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

New York fell to 4-12 with Wednesday's loss and has dropped 11 of its past 13 games.

This is the second injury for Anthony thus far this season. He revealed last week that he is playing with discomfort in his left knee that first surfaced during the second game of the season.

If Anthony is out for a long period of time, the Knicks will likey be hard-pressed to fill the offensive void created by his absence.

Anthony is leading the Knicks in scoring with 23.2 points per game. Their next-highest scorer is Amar'e Stoudemire (11.6 points per game).

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