Embattled New Yorks Knicks coach Mike Woodson is getting support from an unexpected place as he struggles to keep his job with the underachieving franchise.
Temperamental shooting guard and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Award winner J. R. Smith tells ESPN he believes his teammates still support their coach.Granted, Smith's words weren't the most convincing of declarations,, he insisted he is in full support of a coach he has butted heads with all season long.
"Of course, nobody wants to show their whole hand," Smith also told ESPN. " I think guys really care about him. I think guys care about this team, care about winning. For what we accomplished last year for it not to happen this year, I think, is frustrating to an extent. But you can't point the finger at one person."
The Knicks have lost three of their last four games and are currently on the outside looking in as they struggle to qualify for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. A year after ranking as one of the East's strongest squads, the Knicks currently rank as the No. 10 seed in the conference, 11/2 games behind Charlotte for the final playoff spot.
Such a hot-button issue does Woodson status remain, even star forward Carmelo Anthony recently felt compelled to weigh in on the issue.
"We've got to help him," Anthony told ESPN. "At the end of the day, he's the coach. He has his focus, he has his game plan, his schemes and we're the ones that have got to go out there and execute that. At the end of the day, we can't fight that. We've got to do it."
Through it all, Woodson has tried to remain strong but accountable. "Do I think I'm the guy for the job? Absolutely, I do," Woodson told ESPN. "That's not ever going to change as long as I am the head coach of the Knicks."
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