The New York Knicks are expecting star forward Carmelo Anthony to take the floor Sunday against the Miami Heat despite a shoulder injury that at least partly forced him into nine turnovers in Friday night's critical Eastern Conference loss to the Washington Wizards.

ProBasketballTalk.com reports Anthony suffered the injury earlier in the week during the Knicks blowout win over the Nets. The loss also leaves the Knicks a game behind Atlanta for the eighth and final playoff in the East.

Carmelo ponders his future

Anthony finished with just 10 points, though X-rays on his right shoulder were negative. "Today was just the lingering effect on it," said Anthony, who shot just 5 of 14 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. "I just felt it gave out. Throughout the course of the game, there was no strength in it - on the passes, causing turnovers, things like that. Hopefully, I'll be all right."

The Knicks entered the game having won 12 of their last 15 games and with coach Mike Woodson hoping his star and the league's second leading scorer would be able to tough things out.

Is Carmelo a franchise player?

"Well, I knew it was bothering him," said Woodson. "But you know, we've got to have Melo on the floor. But it was bothering him. I knew that. He has nine turnovers, that's not Carmelo."

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