The New York Knicks have not been able to completely turn things around, and tempers are beginning to flare. Even on the rare occasions that the team wins, there is still controversy. Not surprisingly, JR Smith has reportedly been at the center of it.
According to Frank Isola of the NY Daily News, Smith and head coach Mike Woodson “exchanged heated words” following a win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Woodson was apparently unhappy with Smith’s shot selection and was also upset with something Smith said on the bench. Smith was 2-for-8 from the field during the game, including 1-for-5 from 3-point range.
After the game, Woodson reportedly confronted Smith about his attitude.
“Mike said that after all I’ve done for you I can’t have you talking back to me like that,” a source told Isola.
During practice on Thursday, Woodson reportedly showed game film of the win over Chicago to point out instances where Smith could have passed up bad shots. Smith seemingly responded by attempting just one shot in 27 minutes during Friday’s loss to the Boston Celtics, and he found himself on the bench for the fourth quarter.
“I was going into the game trying to make opportunities for my teammates to excel,” Smith told reporters after the game. “We need playmakers, more than just scorers. My job is to get my teammates the easiest buckets we can and we’re not getting those, so I take it upon myself to sacrifice my shot to get the other guys going. And it might not be the right way, it might be the right way, I don’t know.”
We all know JR Smith is not an easy player to coach. His style of play matches his personality — he can be reckless at times. Woodson has done a fairly decent job of handling the swingman over the past couple of seasons, but losing can change that in a hurry. Add it to the growing list of problems the 2013-2014 Knicks have had.
