Many Knicks fans were confused when reigning Sixth Man of the Year JR Smith only took one shot in the Knicks loss to the Boston Celtics. It was very uncharacteristic for Smith who is known for taking too many shots during games. Last year, he was making most of those shots, but this year he is in a deep shooting slump. Some may have just assumed that he was trying to take a facilitator role, but others were not buying it. Rumors are swirling that Smith and head coach Mike Woodson got into a heated exchange before the Boston game that caused his decision to only attempt one shot in 27 minutes.
Woodson has been criticized for his firm beliefs in playing Smith despite his poor shooting performances. This is what makes this story even harder to believe that Smith would retaliate against his number one supporter. According to the New York Daily News, the tension started when Woodson pointed out to Smith his “poor shot selection” against the Chicago Bulls. Smith made disrespectful comment that Woodson did not approve of. However, he was more upset that a guy he has advocated for was turning on him.
It has been a tumultuous season for New York and this is no surprise. They enjoyed success last season because they played like a team. New York should be thankful that the rest of the Atlantic Division is equally as bad as they are. After giving Smith an new contract, it would be tough to see the Knicks getting rid of him, but Mike Woodson, not so hard to envision him not finishing this season with the Knicks.
