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Knicks' Anthony: It's about winning

This is a story for another day, as far as the Bulls are concerned, but New York's Carmelo Anthony talked about his future Thursday.

The high-scoring forward can become a free agent this summer. The Bulls might make a run, but they can't match the money he could get if the Knicks offer a maximum contract.

"I want to come back, but I also want to win," Anthony said, according to espn.com. "If we can put ourselves in position to at least compete at a high level over the course of (the next contract), then I'm willing to stay here and I'm willing to ride or die for New York."

The Knicks recently hired Phil Jackson as team president and can free loads of cap room in 2015. What can happen by next season is in question.

"I don't know if I can afford to wait another season of losing," Anthony said. "I really can't see that picture right now. ... At this point in my career, it's about winning. Nothing else even matters."

Van Gundy liked loss:

The Bulls were certainly playing to win Wednesday at Charlotte. But ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy, for one, was happy with the way things turned out, with the Bulls losing and landing the No. 4 seed in the East.

"I think everything bodes really well for Chicago," Van Gundy said in a teleconference Thursday. "I don't think I've ever rooted for them to not win a game, but I did last night. (Coach Tom Thibodeau) could be upset with me, but I was doing happy dance when I saw them lose, because I think their road to the final four is paved better, obviously, avoiding Miami."

The Bulls will face Washington in the first round and if they win, move on to face the winner of Indiana-Atlanta in the second round.

Thibodeau worked on Van Gundy's staff in New York and Houston, and the two remain close friends. Van Gundy also said despite a rough finish to the regular season, he still likes Indiana to get to the Finals, and lose to Houston.

Wizards feeling confident:

Washington is making its first playoff appearance since 2008, but will head into the postseason with confidence, having won the season series against the Bulls, 2-1.

"The mindset is to go in there and win the series; that's the only mindset you should have," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said, according to The Washington Post. "We've played this team the last two years extremely well; we are 2-1 against them this year. They came in and smacked us pretty good last game so that should be a good fresh wound on our guys."

Added Wizards guard John Wall: "I feel like we like our chances against anybody we play the right way. Toronto is the only team that really manhandled us. Chicago let us know what a playoff game is like; they came into our home last time, jumped on us early and got a big lead (on April 5).

"We know what they're capable of. We just got to go out there and play the right way."

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