Carmelo Anthony confesses apology to heckler was owner's idea

If you're going to run your mouth to an NBA player during a game, you should probably be ready to be taunted right back. Yet when Carmelo Anthony engaged in a brief conversation with a heckling Knicks fan this week, he was quick to apologize for his actions.

But it sounds like that apology wasn't Melo's idea, as the New York forward told reporters on Thursday that he issued a statement at the behest of Knicks owner James Dolan:

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It's too bad that Dolan apparently made Anthony apologize, because there was nothing to be sorry for. The interaction was just two adults sharing in some friendly banter. This is simply the Knicks being oversensitive and not wanting to offend a single ticketholder as the team craters in the Eastern Conference.

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If you really want to keep the fans in their seats, Mr. Dolan, you might want to consider hiring a general manager and coach who actually know how the modern NBA works. Just a thought.