Rehab has allowed him to be available for start of new season.
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has revealed that he took a “huge risk” in not having surgery on his shoulder in the off-season.
However, the 29-year-old has insisted that he is delighted with the results of his intense rehabilitation process over the summer which has enabled him to be available for the start of the new campaign.
Anthony admitted on Saturday night that he played with a torn rotator cuff and partially torn labrum in his left shoulder at the end of last season, and the injury undoubtedly hampered him in the final stages of the season.
However, he was then given a choice over the summer as to whether or not to have surgery on the problem, with doctors predicting a four to five month recovery period which would have meant he would be ruled out for the start of this season.
“I’m ecstatic going from a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum to not needing surgery,” Anthony told reporters according to ESPN.
“Let me take that back: taking a risk in not taking surgery and letting it heal on its own. I took a huge risk in doing that. It meant I had to put more time in the offseason to do what I had to do to get it right.”
While Knicks fans will be delighted to see their main star back in action for the tip-off to the new year, there is of course the risk that Anthony could re-injure the shoulder during the course of the regular season.
While Anthony never used his injury as an excuse in the post-season last year, it undoubtedly affected his shooting numbers. If the issue flares up again, then coach Mike Woodson may need to consider a switch to small forward where he will likely face less contact than in the power forward role.
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