New York Knicks sixth man J.R. Smith is questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers Saturday night due to a fever, coach Mike Woodson told ESPNNewYork.com just hours before tip off. Woodson said Smith was suffering from a 102-degree fever Saturday morning.
Rather than participating in shootaround, Smith remained in the team's hotel and received fluids from the medical staff.
"We've just got to weigh it and see where he is at game time," Woodson said about Smith's status. "I don't know at this point."
Woodson said that even if Smith was able participate, he would "probably not" be able to contribute much. "Depending on what the doctors tell us when we get back, we'll mix and match," Woodson said. "If he can't play I got to figure it out."
The Knicks will see the return of injured forward Amar'e Stoudemire during Game 3. Stoudemire has not played a game since March 7.
Woodson expects Stoudemire to play between 10-12 minutes off the bench against Indiana, a limit that was prescribed by the team's medical staff. Stoudemire had missed the past two months following surgery to clean out debris in his right knee.
He has participated in scrimmages in recent days to prepare himself for game play. Stoudemire told ESPN Saturday morning that he is not feeling any soreness in his knee.
"I'm ecstatic," said Stoudemire, who averaged 14.2 points in 29 games in the regular season. "It's going to be a great opportunity for me to get back out there with my guys."
If Smith can't play, Woodson said he may increase minutes for guards Iman Shumpert, Pablo Prigioni or Jason Kidd. Kidd is averaging just 1.4 points per game in the playoffs and hasn't scored in his last six games.
"If we're short-handed tonight I'll go to Kidd and tell him he's got to shoot a little bit more, be a little bit more aggressive. I don't mind doing that. It's got to come from somebody," Woodson said.
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