Carmelo Anthony 'committed' to Knicks, 'numb' to drama

— -- BOSTON -- Sounding as if he is over the entire situation with Phil Jackson, Carmelo Anthony said he is "tired" of having to constantly answer questions about where he might stand with the New York Knicks'?president.

Talking to reporters for the first time since his meeting with Jackson, Anthony didn't go into much detail about what was said between the two.

"The conversation wasn't that long," Anthony said at the Knicks' morning shootaround in Boston. "We didn't break bread. We didn't have an hour's conversation. It was a short conversation.

Asked whether he has grown weary of answering questions on the topic, Anthony said, "You get tired of it. I have to face you all every day. I'm the one that's got to have all the answers. I'm the one that's got to kind of make up something. Even when I don't want to talk to you all, I still talk to you all. It happens. That's part of the job."

The Knicks, who entered Wednesday having lost eight of 10, beat the Celtics 117-106. Anthony scored 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting, and? Derrick Rose's 30 points led New York.

"It was good to know that we were able to kind of put everything to the side, leave all of that stuff outside the locker room," Anthony said of all the drama surrounding the Knicks. "And when we got on the basketball court, we were able to just focus in on playing basketball."

Sources close to the situation told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne on Tuesday that Jackson asked Anthony during their meeting whether he? wanted to remain with the team. Anthony had recently questioned an article written by a Jackson confidant that was critical of Anthony's game, and he and Jackson met earlier this week.

Sources told ESPN's Ian Begley that several members of the organization say it's best for the Knicks and Anthony to part ways at this point. Anthony, however, said there's a reason he has a no-trade clause.

He reiterated that he plans to remain in New York.

"I think, as players, you always want to protect yourself," Anthony said when asked whether he foresaw this situation with Jackson when he had a no-trade clause put in his contract. "I didn't think it would get to this point. I think, as a player, if you can get [a no-trade clause], you have a right to protect yourself and take care of yourself when it comes to that. It's very hard to get, very difficult to get. I have it, and that's that.

"I'm committed [to staying]. I don't have to prove that to anybody. I don't think I have to keep saying that. I don't think I have to keep talking about that. I know for a fact that people see that."

An exasperated Anthony said he is done wondering why his name comes up when it comes to Jackson's thoughts about his game or his future.

"I'm done asking why," Anthony said. "My focus is playing ball at this point."

Anthony was asked whether he is confused by the situation at all.

"I'm never confused," he said. "A lot of situations I have a lot of clarity about. Knowing that is already winning half the battle. When you have clarity, when you understand situations, this one or any other situations on life in general, you have a better understanding going into the situation."

Anthony added that he and Jackson speak when necessary.?

"We converse when we converse. We talk when we talk," Anthony said. "Leave it at that."

Anthony said he did not ask whether the recent article by a Jackson confidant depicted how Jackson feels about him.

"No, at this point, I don't need to hear that," Anthony said. "I don't need to hear it was him or it wasn't him. I didn't read the article, to be honest with you. I saw the headlines. I knew what it was from that point on."

Anthony said he is "numb" to the amount of drama that has followed him this season, from the critical comments about him in former Nuggets coach George Karl's book to the latest predicament with Jackson.

"Yeah, I'm numb. It's water off my back at this point," said Anthony, who repeatedly said he doesn't want to be a distraction to his teammates. "That [Karl] situation, we all know what that was about. He was trying to sell something. In this situation, you almost have to pay a little bit closer attention to it because you have to deal with it on a day-to-day basis.

"Other than [that], I'm fine, man. I'm good mentally. I'm good. Trust me."