Larry Brown Sports

If JR Smith ends up with a DNP – coach’s decision for the New York Knicks’ game at the Toronto Raptors Friday, you’ll know why.

The Knicks guard shared the picture you see above on his Instagram account Thursday, along with the caption, “#Top5WorstShirtsIveSeenInMyLife!”

Guess he’s not a fan of coach Mike Woodson’s black shirt/white polka dot look. Who can really complain about the shirt? Other than that odd patch of just black on the back of it, it looks beautiful.

Maybe Woodson needed a Young Money tattoo on his neck to get Smith’s seal of approval.

Woodson was already said to be getting tired of Smith’s antics. I can’t imagine this wardrobe criticism is going to go over well.

Photo credit: Instagram/JR Smith

Carmelo Anthony took a frightening tumble on Monday night during the New York Knicks’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After the Knicks grabbed a rebound in the second quarter, Anthony looked to receive an outlet pass and appeared to trip over his own feet. He then grabbed toward his knee in pain.

According to head coach Mike Woodson, the tumble could have been avoided if he had listened to his superstar. During an interview with “The Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show” on 98.7 ESPN New York on Tuesday, Woodson revealed that Anthony asked to be removed from the game due to knee discomfort prior to falling down.

“Melo was hurt,” Woodson said. “For him to ask me to come out of the game before he actually took that spill made me realize that something wasn’t right. He’s never ever, ever, even hinted about coming out of the game [before Monday]. I play him too much in that regard. Melo’s a trooper — he’s a warrior, he’s a tough kid.

“I should have [taken him out]. Stubborn coach — I just didn’t.”

Woodson said he made the mistake of thinking ‘Melo could just play through the injury. The Knicks were trailing by more than 20 points at the time Anthony took a spill, so Woodson is probably kicking himself even more for not resting his best player. Although, New York did go on to come back and win the game.

In any event, Anthony has been diagnosed with a sore knee. The injury does not appear to be serious, but it’s safe to assume Woodson is going to be more careful about it heading forward. The Knicks ‘Melo in the playoffs more than they do right now.

By most accounts, New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson seems like a fairly humble guy. And when humble people wear t-shirts with their own face on them, it can be pretty damn funny. That’s why Woodson pulls off the look you see above to perfection.

On Tuesday, Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal shared a photo of Woodson at Knicks practice wearing a shirt with his own face and signature goatee on it. When Herring asked him about the shirt, Woodson told him that the face on the shirt kind of looked like Herring’s if only he grew some thicker facial hair.

According to the MSG Network’s Alan Hahn, the shirts are the uniforms New York’s assistant coaches will be wearing on this week’s edition of “The Mike Woodson Show,” which is a behind-the-scenes look at Woodson’s life as a coach at Madison Square Garden. If several people wearing a shirt with Woodson’s face on it sounds like it would be your thing, you best be tuning in.

H/T Ball Don’t Lie

JR Smith has played an important role for the New York Knicks this season, averaging more than 15 points per game and giving the team a dangerous perimeter shooter. He has been one of the best sixth men in the league, but that does not mean New York’s coaching staff is overly thrilled with him.

On Wednesday night, Smith was ejected in the third quarter of a blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers. He drew a double technical foul after a dust-up with Lance Stephenson in the first half and was tossed in the second half after being called for an offensive foul and using a hand gesture to show his disapproval. Knicks head coach Mike Woodson was not pleased after the game.

“I’m not happy about how we played and how we carried ourselves professionally on the basketball court,” Woodson told reporters, via the NY Post. “We can’t do that. I’m not going to tolerate that. I’m just not.”

Smith also got into a somewhat heated exchange with Knicks assistant coach Herb Williams during a timeout in the first half. According to the Post, the anger between the two appeared to carry over into the locker room after the game:

As Smith talked to a media scrum, Williams walked over and ordered Smith to take his headphones off while he was addressing reporters. Smith’s headphones were draped around his head. Smith took them off and Williams shook his head in disgust as he walked away.

Smith may be playing particularly well this season (he dropped 26 points in a win over the Toronto Raptors just before the All-Star break), but as we know he has an incredibly unique personality. He said his improved play has been the result of toning down the partying, but it sounds like JR is also in need of an attitude adjustment if he wants to continue to have the respect of his coaching staff.

Photo credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Mike Woodson is going to make a professional out of J.R. Smith, and he doesn’t care what it takes to accomplish that goal. The Knicks interim coach has been speaking with Smith since the guard’s Tuesday ejection against the Pacers. He wants Smith to make many changes.

“I told him I’m going to continue to coach him as long as I’m coaching the team,” Woodson said Thursday. “I told him I’m not going to let him off the hook. I want his shorts pulled up. I want him to look presentable. Be a professional. That’s what it’s all about.’’

Woodson also wants Smith to improve his body language on the court. We don’t know if the Knicks will give J.R. the John Wall treatment, but it may be worth a shot to eliminate the pouting.

It may look like Woodson is getting too picky with Smith, but it’s about time Earl started acting more professionally.

Mike Woodson is one of many players, coaches, and basketball personalities that are a product of the great Bob Knight. Say what you will about Knight’s temper and the way he handles himself on ESPN, but there is no denying he’s one of the greatest coaches in sports history. Make no mistake about it, he was still the same Bob Knight back in the 1970s.

During a recent interview with the NY Post, Woodson shared some memories from the time Knight made a recruiting trip to his home in Indiana. Woodson’s high school coach, his mother, and his pastor were all present, but that didn’t stop Knight from finding himself in a heated exchange.

“Well it was, it was … it was a little hostile (laugh),” Woodson recalled. “My high school coach was there, my pastor of my church, my mom … My high school coach asked some questions — and I won’t even let you interview him (smile) — it got heated because my high school coach wasn’t too sure that’s where he wanted me to go. And I knew where I really wanted to go. And some words were exchanged, and our pastor kinda calmed everything down and said, ‘Hey, understand we’re under Ms. Woodson’s roof, and Mike Woodson’s future is at stake here, we’re here to discuss his future as far as going to school, and let’s be sensible here (laugh).’”

And wouldn’t you know it, Coach Knight got his way. You didn’t think a pastor and a mother would stop a guy who throws chairs onto the court from getting what he wants, did you?

The Knicks improved to 4-0 since Mike D’Antoni resigned as head coach with a 19-point win over the Raptors on Tuesday. Because reports mentioned D’Antoni having a difficult relationship with  Carmelo Anthony, it’s interesting now to follow how Anthony’s play has been affected. And while his numbers have taken a slight dip (credit that to four blowouts), Carmelo has started looking like he actually gives a crap on defense. He notices it, too, and, as he told Newsday on Monday, he says it’s because of a newfound “energy” that just so happened to show up after D’Antoni left town.

“I think in the last three games, my focus was to have an energy that I haven’t had so far this season, especially on the defensive end,” Carmelo said. “Everybody on this team knows, everybody in the world knows I can score the basketball. It’s not that important to me.”

When asked for his reaction to Carmelo’s comments, interim coach Mike Woodson, well, didn’t really have one: “I can’t explain that, I can’t. I wish I could. We probably wouldn’t be sitting in this position that we’re sitting in today, fighting for a playoff spot.”

Maybe Woodson should take more credit. According to Anthony, there’s a fresher sense of accountability since the coaching change.

“When (Woodson) got the job, I told him, ‘Hold me accountable,’” Anthony said. “I don’t have a problem with criticism. If I can do something to help better this team, let me know. And he’s been doing that.”

Carmelo contends that he and D’Antoni had no beef, but, with that said, it is interesting he makes a remark about essentially trying harder than when D’Antoni was around. Then again, maybe a change at the top was enough to influence Carmelo to make his own changes. Or maybe it’s just because Woodson is somebody with whom he’s more comfortable having an open line of communication.

H/T Pro Basketball Talk
Photo credit: Debby Wong, US Presswire