Pistons zing Carmelo Anthony after pregame fog machine complaints

The Pistons unsurprisingly caught wind of Anthony bemoaning how the arena better resembled a Scottish moor than an NBA court, and the team delivered a brilliant zinger in response.

“Hoodie Melo” is Anthony’s moniker for his occasional alter ego who of course is simply the NBA veteran when he’s wearing … a hoodie. Back in 2017 during his lone season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Anthony provided the origin story behind the rise of “Hoodie Melo.”

“It started with a beanie, like I was just in the gym and I didn’t have a haircut, and I was like, ‘I’m just gonna go and throw a hat on. I wanted to sweat, and I just started working back out in the summer,” Anthony explained. “From there, it went to a hoodie and it got out, and the phenomenon started.

“For me, it was just about showing a different focus that I have, a different motivation, and just locking in to what I have to do. And locking myself into the gym, and locking myself into focusing in on my body,” Anthony continued. “Because I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was so much going on that was surrounding me that I just wanted to find a way that I can just focus in, and that’s when Hoodie Melo was created.”

In the end, the foggy pregame distraction appeared to do did little to negatively impact Anthony’s play. In Portland’s 124-101 victory, Anthony scored 16 points — above his 13.9/game average — and chipped in three rebounds.

Still, the Pistons earned a social media win with their well-crafted tweet. That’s something.