Knicks' Mike Woodson fined for criticizing officials over treatment of Carmelo Anthony

Mike Woodson has coached the Knicks since 2012. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Sport)

The NBA announced Friday that Knicks coach Mike Woodson has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing the league's officials.

Woodson's criticism of the officiating centered on the treatment of All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony. In comments made to 98.7 FM in New York after New York's overtime loss to Indiana on Wednesday, Woodson agreed that Anthony isn't receiving the same type of treatment given to other superstars around the league.

"Absolutely," Woodson said. "I'm not going to shy away from that, either. I think 'Melo gets hit more than ever. If you go in that overtime game, there was a play coming down the stretch, when we were down six with 50 something seconds. Melo got whacked coming across the middle and knocked to the floor, and there was no call.

"Now, again, I'm not one to sit and complain at the officials, but you know what I mean, I've been at this thing 30 years. Sometimes I'm starting to wonder what's a foul and what's not a foul. But, again, what are you going to do? You have to continue to play through it and not let the officials affect what goes on on the floor. They can't see everything and I understand that. Sometimes they miss calls. I thought he got bumped but, hell, he didn't get the call so we have to move on."

The Associated Press reported last week that Anthony was upset with his treatment by the officials during a game against the Rockets.

"You look at that, you see the way that some guys get their calls," Anthony said, "and for me, I've got to get cut, you've got to see blood for me to get a call down there. So that's where the frustration comes from."

Anthony is averaging 7.5 free throw attempts per game this season, a figure that's in line with his 7.6 average when he led the league in scoring last year and with his 7.8 career average. He currently ranks No. 7 in the NBA with 83 free throw attempts this season, trailing Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kevin Love, Monta Ellis and LeBron James.

Woodson took over as interim coach when Mike D'Antoni resigned in March 2012 and he was signed to a multi-year contract in May 2012. The Knicks picked up Woodson's 2014-15 option back in September.