The Knicks wrapped up their season-ending media obligations by ushering head coach Mike Woodson and team president Glen Grunwald in front of the masses at their facilities Tuesday.

Neither wanted to discuss personnel decisions going forward but were eager to effuse praise on a team not many pegged to even go this deep into the postseason. Grunwald, specifically, refused to get into the specifics of what he plans on doing with the roster this summer, but he did allow that changes will likely be made.

“[The team’s salary cap] probably is not likely to get under the [luxury]-tax thresholds, but sign-and-trades are available, although you just can’t acquire a player that way if you’re over the threshold,” said Grunwald. “I think there are some opportunities. We’ll see how it all plays out. Free agency is always a little unpredictable. … But I think we can be creative. I think we got some ideas in what we can do, but we have to be aggressive and creative in terms of our approach to this offseason.”

Grunwald went on to explain that while the Knicks appear to be hamstrung with the tax, he feels confident minor maneuvers can be made to tinker with the roster’s depth, while maintaining the core of Woodson’s group.

“You can trade players, but I don’t think that’s our focus. Our focus is to continue to build this core team. I think some continuity, some familiarization, further growth as individuals and a team, I think that’s what we have to do,” Grunwald said. “We have to continue to buy in as a group to what coach Woodson’s trying to do here. It’s what we all need to do to play a role to be successful.”

According to Woodson, his players all bought in this past season and he’s looking forward to stacking on another training camp to further emphasize his schemes.

“For the most part, I still say that based on where we started and how we assembled our team, this was, to me, a wonderful season and it was a major step in the right direction,” said Woodson. “To win our division, [and] to secure the second seed, people didn’t think we could do none of those things. Some of our goals were met, so all wasn’t bad. I think we made a major step. I think we were able to win some of our fan base back and to me, that’s what’s most important.”

Woodson did have a few complaints, though, about the state of the team — specifically on offense. The long-time coach has never really led a team with great inside presence, as both his former Hawks teams and this current batch of Knicks played inside-out.

“For the most part, we were a jump-shooting team this year, except when we did post Melo [Carmelo Anthony],” said Woodson. “Rasheed [Wallace] helped us early on the block, but we just didn’t have a major low-post game and that might be an area that we might look at as well.”

Overall, Grunwald said, the 2012-13 season was a success for a Knicks team that became relevant again — a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since the early 2000s.

“I thought we could have played better, but we didn’t, so we have to look at that and find out why we didn’t play as well as we could,” said Grunwald. “I’m disappointed in the [ending of the] season, but I’m not at all discouraged in this team. I’m very excited about the future. Obviously we have some work to do. We’re not where we want to be, but we’re going to do all we can to get where we want to go.”

Knicks notes …

» Woodson was asked about Amar’e Stoudemire’s minutes restrictions going into next year, as well as his role in the foreseeable future, and was rather vague.

“We’ll have to play that by ear,” Woodson said. “We’ll obviously wait for the doctors and see where things wind up next year. … We’re hopeful [that Stoudemire comes back next season 100 percent], but there’s no guarantees.”

“That will be for us to determine where our roster winds up next year and where everyone else is,” Grunwald said on Stoudemire’s status going forward. “I thought he had a great role in terms of where Woody put him to be successful in terms of coming off the bench. And whether that continues next year or not will be determined, but there is no grand plan to say that he’ll start or not start.”

» Jason Kidd sounded like he was one guy that’s definitely coming back, according to both Grunwald and Woodson:

“We had a great meeting, Woody and I had with Jason yesterday,” said Grunwald. “He was a big part of our success and we look forward to having him back next year.”

“Not yesterday [any discussion of retirement]. It sounded like he was coming back,” said Woodson. “I thought he made it sound like, yeah, he’s coming back, but that can change, you never know.”

» Grunwald tried hard to not tip his hand on J.R. Smith’s status, but it sounded as if he’s leaning towards finding a way to keep the Sixth Man of the Year.

“Like I said before, I think it’s best for us to maintain some continuity,” said Grunwald. “The same group, the same core group together, but I’m not going to comment on any individual player because were not finished with our evaluation. … I think for now we’re just going to go through the evaluation. I’m very happy for J.R. He had a great year, obviously. He’s disappointed in how it finished for himself as it is for our team. But I think that’s going to make us stronger and more committed to next season.”

Woodson said he thinks Smith still has to improve in many ways if he wants to take the leap next year from sixth man to trusted team star.

“He’s got to grow as a player. He’s got to grow on and off the court if he plans on being a better player in this league moving forward,” said Woodson. “As a coach, if he’s back here, it’s going to be my job to be sure to continue to push him in the right directions and make sure that he does everything possible to make sure he wins basketball games.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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What was originally thought to be just some minor soreness has suddenly gotten very concerning for Iman Shumpert.

The Knicks said Tuesday morning they will fly in an orthopedic surgeon to look at Shumpert’s surgically repaired knee. Shumpert tore his ACL in the opening game of the 2012 NBA playoffs. Shumpert returned to game action Jan. 17 and slowly progressed to full health.

But now he appears to have suffered a setback. Shumpert did not practice Monday or Tuesday with swelling in the knee.

“They [the doctors] will direct me where to go with Iman,” head coach Mike Woodson told reporters at Tuesday’s morning shootaround.

He is still listen as a game-time decision.

In the series-clinching game against the Celtics in the opening round, Shumpert shut down Paul Pierce and resurrected talk of him as one of the top perimeter defenders in the league.

Shumpert did not seem too concerned on Monday, expressing he planned to play in Tuesday’s crucial Game 4. He called the injury simply “a knee bruise” and vowed to play.

Shumpert struggled in the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, shooting 3-of-10 with just eight points, though he did have 10 rebounds. He had scored in double digits five straight postseason games.

In other health news, both Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith said they would be fine to go in Game 4. Both had suffered with the flu over the past few days and hadn’t practiced.

Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports.

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The Knicks essentially face a must-win game tomorrow night in Indiana, because as good as they are, they do not want to face the prospect of being down 3-1 to the Pacers.

And with such an important game, it should mean that all hands on deck.

But if this series has taught Knicks fans anything, it’s that head coach Mike Woodson only trusts a select few to play meaningful minutes. Woodson’s rotation has been very light on minutes for the fringe guys, even though those same guys have shown they can offer the team quality minutes in spurts.

But with an apparent flu bug that’s going around the team — J.R. Smith had it first, and now it seems that Kenyon Martin is coming down with it — Woodson may finally be pressed into expanding his rotation.

Following Sunday’s practice session, in which both Smith and Martin sat out, Woodson said he might have to change his strategy to more “mixing and matching” the rotation.

“At this stage of the game, most playoff teams are pretty set [in their rotations], but we’re jumping around a little bit now,” Woodson said. “We’ve going to need everybody playing Tuesday night on all high cylinders, because we don’t want to go back home down 3-1. That would be a tough climb for us.”

As the sense of urgency rises for the No. 2-seed Knicks, they aren’t necessarily in a position to be picky, not with Smith giving virtually nothing, Jason Kidd yet to score a point in the series and Raymond Felton shooting 1-of-8 in Game 3.

Defensively, the Knicks are just as solid as the Pacers, as they’re only allowing 87.6 points per game. It’s on the offensive end, however, they’re struggling immensely. In their two losses they shot 43 percent in Game 1 at the Garden and then 35 percent in Game 3 at Indiana. They were also severely outrebounded in those two losses, 44-24 and 44-30, respectively.

The former stat could see a boost with more time for Chris Copeland, while the latter can likely be fixed with more time for Marcus Camby or Earl Barron. Woodson, though, has routinely used eight players in this series, with a sprinkling of Copeland here and there. The Game 3 loss featured eight players — nine, if Amar’e Stoudemire’s 8:56 minutes of action is included as significant help. Steve Novak (1:53 minutes of action), Quentin Richardson (1:48) and Copeland (58 seconds) were nonentities.

The Game 1 matchup saw nine guys check in, not including Camby who only saw 12 seconds of action. Copeland saw limited time, too, but actually had some success by scoring six points in eight minutes. He hasn’t seen much action since, averaging barely seven minutes per game in the series.

The likes of Copeland, Camby and Barron won’t be game changers, but it’s also not absurd to say they can give the sagging Knicks offense and rebounding a boost.

“When you hold a team to 82 points on their floor, you’ve got to think that you’ve got a chance to win. With our team, I never thought we couldn’t score 82 points,” said Woodson. “We definitely need everybody to do more [scoring], but I’m not OK with [Carmelo Anthony] taking three shots [in the fourth quarter], so he’s got to take more shots, too.”

Knicks notes …

» Amar’e Stoudemire said he’s on a 15-minute max policy for the playoffs and added he’s “fine” with it.

“I’ll follow the doctors’ orders. I have no control over what the doctors say. Whatever they say goes,” Stoudemire said. “My job is with the time that I’m out there, I have to be productive and apply some type of leadership and structure out on the court.”

» Smith and Martin did not practice again on Monday, as they’re both still dealing with illnesses. Woodson called Smith and Martin “gametime decisions.”

» Iman Shumpert (sore left knee) also didn’t practice, as the second-year guard said he’s dealing with “a knee bruise.” Although it’s on the surgically repaired knee, Shumpert vowed to play in Game 4.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks went through a light walkthrough session on Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s Game 3 in Indiana. It could be the key off-day of this mini break as it allowed struggling shooting guard J.R. Smith to work on his shot in the comfortable confines of the Knicks’ facilities — far away from the white-hot lights of a raucous NBA arena.

Smith, the mercurial Sixth Man of the Year, hasn’t been the same dynamic player since he elbowed Celtics guard Jason Terry toward the end of Game 3.

But since the Knicks were able to close out the Celtics in six games in the last round and they demolished the Pacers in Game 2 this round — sans an effective Smith — the public outcry against the reserve guard has been negligible.

Smith, who has made it a habit of not making himself available to the media after practice since the elbowing incident, declined to talk again on Thursday, so there’s no telling if his slump is truly getting to him. But according to his teammates and head coach Mike Woodson, all is well in the mindset of the team’s second-leading scorer.

“Shooters go through it so he’s just got to think every time he pulls up to shoot or goes to the rim that it’s going to go in. You can’t back away from it,” Woodson said. “We’ve all gone through it as players. I’ve got faith and believe in J.R., and when he does break through it he’ll be back to J.R. again and that’ll help us even more.”

Woodson added, however, that even if Smith endures yet another horrific shooting night the Knicks have enough depth to weather the rocky times.

“Being a team, everybody is not going to have it every night, and I’ve been saying that since we started this playoff run. But we have other guys who can score,” Woodson said, adding that even if Smith’s shot is temporarily missing he still needs to find a way to contribute. “Some nights it might not be your night, but you’ve still got to do something to help us, or you won’t be playing. Maybe it’s on defense, or coming up with loose balls, taking charges or rebounding the basketball. … That’s how we’ve been all season.”

Carmelo Anthony, who has the perfect mental makeup to play in New York since he’s never too high and never too low, said he, too, has faith in Smith breaking his slump because he believes it’s all in a guy’s head.

“I don’t think he’ll be in a so-called slump for much longer. The only way you get out of a slump is if you put in work in the gym, and he’s been doing that,” Anthony said. “We just need him to be J.R. again [by] having fun and being positive on the court. I tell him to just play ball — relax and play ball. There’s no pressure to try and go out there and make something happen. Just let the game come to you. … I told him to just stay mentally strong. He says he’s in a slump, but I don’t believe that because I’m always trying to stay positive with him. We need J.R. to be aggressive and play his game the same way he’s been doing all season long.”

Smith’s life away from the floor has been scrutinized all season, but since his play never suffered his off-court antics were never seen as a detriment. But now that he’s in a slump, critics are saying those same postgame outings and his fascination with social media are what’s keeping him from turning around his fortunes.

Anthony wanted no part in that topic, but disputed that Smith’s persona off the floor is what’s affecting his shooting percentage.

“I don’t want to speak on that [off-court life], but to me he’s focused. When he’s here, he’s here, and whatever he does in his spare time, he does in his spare time,” Anthony said. “My thing for J.R. is to remain positive, regardless of what’s being said about him. I tell him if you don’t have a positive attitude throughout these situations it makes everything tougher.”

Knicks notes …

» Amar’e Stoudemire worked out again on Thursday and said he’s looking forward to making his postseason debut in Game 3. Stoudemire, who participated in the team’s walkthrough session by running with the second unit, noted he’s brimming with anticipation and thinks he can make an impact and carry out whatever role Woodson wants from him.

“I expect to just contribute the best way I can. I don’t have time to get in rhythm, so I just have to be ready from the start and that’s the way it has to be,” Stoudemire said. “I’ve been in the playoffs my entire career, so I know what it takes to be ready for the postseason and hopefully I’ll be ready for Game 3. … Any time you’re on the floor you have a chance to make an impact on the game. However much time coach puts me on the floor, I’ll be ready to contribute.”

» Stoudemire, who will have a recovery day on Friday, also said he doesn’t think conditioning — or lack thereof — will adversely affect him because his minutes will be monitored.

“I’m not playing 40 minutes a night, so as far as my conditioning is now it’s in great shape in regards to the amount I’m going to play. Now, if I was playing 40 minutes a night, then I’d need more time to get in shape, but as of right now I feel great. … It’s a matter of will. I can play whatever minutes the coaching staff wants me to play. Every day I’ll continue to get in better shape and play however long coach wants me to.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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J.R. Smith made it clear he believes the Knicks would’ve won Game 4 had he not been suspended. As for who he was suspended for elbowing, he’s not yet ready to speak of him.

“Huh? Who? I don’t even know who that is. I’m sorry,” Smith would say any time either the elbow incident or Jason Terry’s name was brought up.

The only time Smith acknowledged Terry’s existence was when he alluded to the fact Terry engaged in questionable tactics, causing the Smith to swing his elbow.

“[Terry’s action] was [below the belt], but it doesn’t matter. … There are some things that just don’t need to be discussed,” Smith said.

Smith, who acknowledged he’s “vital to the team,” then concluded that he’s learned his lesson. But in doing so, he may have also inadvertently given the Celtics some bulletin-board material.

“We had a minor hiccup, but then again we still had a chance to win,” he said. “I’m just glad to be back and move on. … But, oh yeah, it [the series] would’ve been over. I’d have been playing golf today.”

Instead, the Knicks got back to work on Tuesday, two days after a tense defeat in Boston.

But as heart-wrenching as the loss was, considering the Knicks fought all the way back from a 19-point deficit and forced overtime before falling in the extra frame, their spirits are still very high.

“We can’t think that because we’re up 3-1 that they’re just going to hand it to us,” Carmelo Anthony said about the Celtics’ resolve. “They did a great job of competing and fighting back in Game 4. But now we have a chance to do something special here.”

Head coach Mike Woodson added that he didn’t have to warn his team about overconfidence and he trusts his squad will be focused.

Woodson is a veteran of the game and knows how playoff momentum can swing in an instant. The reason Woodson and Co. are so guarded against overconfidence is because should the Celtics upset the Knicks in Game 5, it sends the series back to Beantown for Game 6. Then all the pressure falls at the feet of the No. 2-seeded Knicks

First thing’s first, though, said Woodson, who noted his squad is totally locked in to close out the series in Game 5.

“Well, it’s big-time urgency on our part, [but] we played the regular season for this. We were able to go to Boston and get a game on the road, so now we’re in position to close this out at home,” Woodson said. “This is a new group in these playoffs, and in playoff basketball anything is liable to happen. But if we play with high energy, we usually come out with a win. .. Close-out games aren’t easy, but I feel confident playing here.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks strolled into Boston’s TD Garden undermanned and ready to close out the series via a sweep, but ended up coming up just short in a 97-90 overtime defeat.

New York now leads the series, 3-1, but had every intention of coming back home without the Celtics in tow. Paul Pierce and Jeff Green made sure the Celtics would be making a return trip to New York, as they poured in 29 points and 26 points, respectively. Kevin Garnett, who’s been battling a hip pointer all series, also came up big for a desperate Celtics team as he added 13 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

The Knicks almost pulled off a historic comeback as they stormed back from down 20 points in the third quarter and made it a nip-and-tuck affair in the fourth quarter. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be for the Knicks as they couldn’t get the necessary stops down the stretch — particularly on shots from Jason Terry (nine points in overtime) — or make the key buckets.

It also didn’t help that Carmelo Anthony went ice cold, shooting 10-of-35. He started 0-of-5 from the field in the first quarter and 3-of-15 for the half — the latter stat being the most missed field goals for his career in a playoff game.

Anthony, who still finished with a game-high 36 points, got little help from his supporting cast. The bench was outscored, 22-7. NBA Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith didn’t play after being hit with a one-game suspension after he connected with an elbow on Jason Terry’s face near the end of Game 3.

What we saw …

1. The Knicks led the league in least amount of turnovers (11.7), and were very prudent in that category in the first three games. No so in Game 4, as they committed 15 turnovers — including 12 in the first half. The Knicks were so cavalier with the ball that they had more giveaways than actual made field goals (11) in the first half.

2. Smith wasn’t seen by Knicks fans as he was serving a one-game suspension for his errant elbow. Smith was sorely missed as the Knicks’ offense was stagnant, shooting 34.4 percent, and their bench was nonexistent. Terry led the way with 18 points off the Celtics’ bench, including nine in overtime.

3. The Knicks couldn’t rebound and pull off the historic comeback win, but they did rebound on the glass nicely by hammering the Celtics, 54-40. Garnett led Boston with 17 rebounds, but got very little help from his teammates — particularly frontline mates Jeff Green (six) and Brandon Bass (four), who also fouled out with four minutes remaining. Iman Shumpert had an impressive 12 rebounds, while Tyson Chandler added 11 boards.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith’s career is a paradox, so it should come as no surprise his regular season ended with a bit of irony, as he was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year on Monday.

Smith publicly bristled at the start of this campaign when head coach Mike Woodson declined his pleas to start while regular shooting guard Iman Shumpert was rehabbing from a torn ACL.

When Smith took to the podium, the usually affable and fun-loving player was humbled and said he was “speechless” as to all the attention and respect given to him via the award. But he was able to thank everyone, including team owner James Dolan, team president Glen Grunwald, his teammates, family and the guy who made him a reserve in the first place.

“We bumped heads time to time, but I appreciate everything that he’s done for me,” Smith said about Woodson, followed by a mischievous smile. “I’ve been known as such a selfish player for so long, I just wanted to show everybody that I can be a team guy and it’s all about team.”

Smith, who averaged 18.1 points off the bench to lead all NBA reserves, was the team’s second-best offensive option, one of their most durable players (playing 80 games and only sitting because Woodson rested his starters down the stretch) and sometimes the team’s calming influence.

Woodson acknowledged all wasn’t rosy in the player-coach dynamic, but credited Smith for coming around and accepting what was best for the team.

“I just felt that what was the best for this team was for J.R. coming off the bench. Before the season, J.R. and I had a long talk about his role this season and J.R. accepted the role in grand style. He did everything he was supposed to do,” Woodson said. “It’s not about winning individual awards, it’s about the team winning, and J.R. had a lot to do with that by his play coming off the bench.”

Woodson finished his portion of the press conference sounding like the proud father figure he’s become to his player.

“J.R., he could’ve started for a lot of teams, but he’s accepted his role and as a result we benefited as a team. I couldn’t be more proud of him. It’s a beautiful thing,” said Woodson.

Many who dealt with Smith in his earlier years may do a double-take at all the praise being heaped on Smith, considering the ultra-athletic guard rarely combined savvy and good decisions on or off the floor. Yet, here is Smith, now 27 years old and a nine-year veteran, as one of the most important players on a championship-level squad.

Teammate Kenyon Martin was with him during his wild Nuggets days and said the teenage Smith he played with then and the man he plays with now is like night and day.

“It’s huge. He’s been playing great all season. It’s just a testament to all the hard work he’s put in all year and keeping his head on [straight] the way he has all year,” Martin said, smiling when recounting the younger Smith. “I played with him nine years ago when he was just a kid, but he’s turned into a grown man now. I think he has some better people around him, which is huge. And he’s learning. He learned on the fly, but that’s all you can do when you get in this league.”

Shumpert, one of the younger guys still learning on the fly, said he has nothing but respect for Smith and the way he’s helped Carmelo Anthony lead this team.

“He deserved it. He’s been working hard all year, doing the little things like coming in early and getting shots up, or staying late and getting shots up,” Shumpert said. “And when Melo went down he came through and led us every time we needed him. … And he accepted whatever role and did anything that was asked of him [like] coming off the bench and getting big baskets for us all year. My hat goes off to him.”

Martin noted one of the biggest factors in Smith’s ascension to top-flight NBA talent is the maturity he’s shown in the actual games.

“He’s been attacking the basket. He’s not settling for the jumper, even though he’s one of the best shooters in the league,” Martin said, recalling one of Smith’s most memorable accomplishments. “He’s tied the NBA record for most 3s in a game, but the most important part of his game now is getting to the line. He’s making it easier on himself.”

Thankfully for Woodson and the Knicks, Smith made it easier on all parties involved to become a reserve and, at least temporarily, let go of his starting aspirations.

Knicks notes …

» Smith received 484 of a possible 1,084 points, including 72 first-place votes. He easily beat Clippers shooting guard — and former Knicks’ guard — Jamal Crawford (352 points, 31 first-place votes).

» Smith led all NBA reserves in 30-point games (seven) and 20-point games (29). He also became the first player with four 30-point games off the bench in the same month (March) since Ricky Pierce did the same in November 1990.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks head to Chicago for a key Thursday night matchup riding a wave of euphoria not felt by the franchise in quite some time.

Following Tuesday night’s Atlantic Division-clinching win, the Knicks (51-26) finally ended the Celtics’ five-year reign of terror in the division, while also further separating themselves from the Pacers (49-29) for the all-important No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The seeding, if it stands, means only the Heat (61-16) will have homecourt advantage over the Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Head coach Mike Woodson announced that winning the division was a “long overdue” prize for the franchise, prideful that one of the team’s “major goals since veteran’s camp” was met.

J.R. Smith, one of the frontrunners for Sixth Man of the Year, said winning the division and gaining a stranglehold on the No. 2 seed outweighs whatever personal bests he’s accomplishing this season.

“It’s a great thing to achieve one of your main goals, and now we’ve just got to go get that gold ball,” Smith said about capturing the Larry O’Brien trophy, something the franchise hasn’t done in 40 years.

The Knicks seemingly have history on their side, as this current 13-game winning streak is the franchise’s longest since winning 15 in a row from March 1, 1994 to April 2, 1994 — a season which ended in an NBA Finals appearance. The Knicks can tie the franchise record of 18 in a row, set early in their first NBA championship season of 1969-70, by winning their final five games.

But before that happens, the Knicks need to beat the Bulls (42-35), a team which has experience in ending long winning streaks. They ended the Heat’s 27-game winning streak last month. The Bulls are 3-0 against the Knicks in the season series, so it is a tough task for New York. But should the visitors pull out the victory, there’s no telling how long the Knicks’ streak can extend.

Carmelo Anthony, who is enjoying his own special season as the league’s leading scorer, said he appreciates what the team has achieved so far, but added he’s confident there’s much more to come.

“There’s no reason not to have a smile on your face at this moment,” Anthony said. “We’ve accomplished one of our goals that we set before the season in training camp, [but] it’s a stepping stone for us.”

Knicks notes

» Power forward Kenyon Martin, the Knicks’ latest big man to go down with an injury, will likely be out for Thursday’s game in Chicago. Martin injured his left ankle midway through the fourth quarter in Tuesday night’s win. X-rays were negative, but Woodson didn’t sound optimistic about seeing Martin again on the floor anytime soon, as he said Martin had a “severe ankle sprain.”

» The Knicks also announced Tyson Chandler (bulging disc in neck) is out, while power forward Marcus Camby (plantar fasciitis) is doubtful.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks are on a roll right now, thanks to the hot hand of their electric swingman. But to the surprise of many, it’s not Carmelo Anthony who’s been leading the way, but rather shooting guard J.R. Smith.

The 27-year-old backup has suddenly flipped the switch and been relied upon by head coach Mike Woodson to lead the way for the Knicks (44-26) during their current six-game winning streak. Smith has averaged 24.6 points per game for the Knicks during this stretch — currently tying for their longest winning streak of the season, and is the longest current streak in the NBA. He’s averaging 17.4 points per game for the season (13.1 for his career), which shows how much he’s ratcheted up his game.

Smith just completed his first back-to-back 30-point nights of his NBA career, and became the first Knicks’ reserve to net 30-plus in consecutive games since Al Harrington did it in 2010.

The fact that Woodson trusts Smith so much is a testament to both the coach’s hard work and patience and the player’s willingness to accept the fact that he’s now a seasoned veteran who needs to shed the image of a sometimes troublesome nuisance for coaches.

Woodson acknowledged it hasn’t been an easy journey for the pair, but added that Smith has done mostly everything that’s been asked of him and he hasn’t seen too many of the antics that clouded Smith’s reputation.

“I can’t speak for other coaches who had him before me, but I saw some things in him that I liked and that’s why we wanted him back,” Woodson said. “It was my job to coach him and show him some love, and I think he’s responded nicely for our club. There’s always room for improvement, and there’s a ways to go, but I think he’s getting there.”

Smith simply shook his head and shrugged his shoulders when asked about his renaissance season. The eight-year veteran acknowledged times aren’t always rosy with Woodson, but what separates Woodson from other coaches in the past who Smith butted heads with is how easily the two can cast aside any heated exchanges because of the mutual respect they have for each other.

“It’s crazy. Off the court it’s like father-son. On the court we bump heads sometimes. He cusses me out, and I cuss him out and we just go from there,” Smith said. “It’s fun. I love playing for him.”

Woodson has had experiences working with young, temperamental, and inexperienced players in the past, and reasoned that’s why he has been able to relate with Smith. He then quipped had he coached the Smith of three or four years ago, they might’ve been yelling at each a whole lot more than they do now.

“I had an opportunity to coach a bunch of 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old young men when I first started coaching in Atlanta. Young players are just different than veteran players,” Woodson said. “Three or four years ago, I probably would’ve been a little more tougher on him, [because] with young players, you have to be able to coach them and pat them [on the back] and that’s what I’d probably have had to do with J.R. … But now, he’s more seasoned and there hasn’t been much of that. But you have to put him in the right positions and also not let him off the hook. It’s all give and take, but for the most part he’s responded well with what I’ve asked of him.”

Smith has certainly responded and his recent play has not only helped the Knicks regain firm control in the Atlantic Division, but he’s also reinserted his name on the short list of Sixth Man of the Year candidates. His game has elevated so much lately that Smith has essentially relegated Anthony to a sidekick role.

But if Anthony is jealous of this new-found praise for Smith, he’s not showing it. Perhaps because he realizes he needs Smith to continue his upward trend if the Knicks are to seriously contend in the playoffs.

“He’s dialed in right now,” said Anthony. “We’re just hoping he keeps it dialed in right now because the way he’s going right now he’s putting the team over the top.”

Smith has done a great job of feasting on opposing defenses lately. And according to Kenyon Martin, whatever it is Smith has been doing, he needs to continue that pregame routine.

“I don’t know what he’s eating for breakfast, or dinner, or whatever it is, but we need him to keep doing it,” joked Martin. “He’s putting us on his back.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks had been looking forward to avenging a loss to the Grizzlies earlier in the season, and did so in a big way with a 108-101 win Wednesday night.

The margin of victory didn’t explain the entire story as the Knicks (44-26) dominated throughout the game, leading nearly wire-to-wire. New York had been throttled by Memphis (47-24) on Nov. 16, and following the beating they took, the collective mantra was “wait until we get them at our house.” They backed up that bravado as the Garden proved to be a house of horrors for the visitors in the Knicks’ sixth straight win.

New York raced out to a 30-point lead in the third quarter and, except for a furious late Grizzlies run to cut it to four points, they managed to keep Memphis at bay. New York was led by J.R. Smith’s game-high 35 points, including 23 points in the first half.

Head coach Mike Woodson noted after the game he’s been just as impressed with the way Smith has responded with his growing maturity and doing the little things, as much as the shooting guard’s scoring prowess.

“He’s been playing well the last two weeks. He’s starting to figure out some things. And by doing that, he’s helping us win some games,” said Woodson. “He’s not only shooting jump shots. He’s rebounding, getting to the free-throw line and making a conscious effort to defend. Right now, his game is pretty well-rounded.”

Smith, who became the first Knicks reserve to score 30-plus points in consecutive games since Al Harrington in 2010, has been as efficient as ever this season and sounded as if he’s finally understanding when to be aggressive and when to let the game come to him.

“I’m starting to attack with both the jump shot and also by trying to get to the free-throw line,” Smith said. “It wasn’t pretty, but we just had to get stops when we needed them most. When we started slowing the ball too much it took away some of our momentum.”

Smith’s offensive momentum was in high gear all night, but he wasn’t alone. He was joined in the assault by Iman Shumpert, who looked as comfortable shooting the jumper as he had all season on his surgically repaired ACL, scoring 16 points — all in the first half. Shumpert scored 13 of the Knicks’ first 15 points in the first quarter, as he’s starting to look more comfortable behind the arc (he’s 12-of-25 on 3-pointers during this winning streak.)

Such was the dominance that Carmelo Anthony played the willing role of sidekick for the second consecutive game. The All-Star forward tallied 22 points. Anthony wasn’t needed for most of the game, as Smith and Shumpert carried the load. And when they weren’t dominating the scoring, Raymond Felton (two 3-pointers), Steve Novak (three 3-pointers) and Jason Kidd (an and-1 3-pointer) were more than capable of knocking down shots. The Knicks shot 42 percent from behind the arc, including 11-of-21 in the first half to demoralize the Grizzlies defense.

New York’s winning streak is tied for their longest stretch this season. It’s all the more impressive since it’s following what was arguably the team’s lowest point of the season — a 1-4 record on their horrendous West Coast trip two weeks ago.

Woodson thinks by suffering through such a rough stretch, it actually awakened his once-coasting team.

“There’s a sense of urgency in terms of we’re heading down the stretch run and every game is important. And that’s how we should be playing,” Woodson said. “We’re trying to stay ahead in our division and maintain that No. 2 seed. Our guys are making a conscious effort of that when they step on the floor. … Even when losing a lead like tonight. It happens. Give them credit because they didn’t quit. But after a back-to-back game, I think we played really solid and were able to keep them away. Overall, I was pleased with the way we played.”

Knicks notes

The Knicks shot an amazing 72 percent from the field in the first quarter — a season high — and notched a season-high 69 points in the first half.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks needed an immediate remedy following their ill-fated West Coast trip, and thankfully for them, the Magic came to town to aid the cause as New York earned a 106-94 wire-to-wire win Wednesday night.

Head coach Mike Woodson was forced to go small, as he was missing four of his top big men — Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas and Rasheed Wallace. But he thankfully had Carmelo Anthony at his disposal. Anthony, who missed almost the entire road trip, finished with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting (3-of-5 on 3-pointers) in his first full game back since March 11 against the Warriors.

Woodson simply shrugged his shoulders when asked to recap Anthony’s performance, as if saying that his star didn’t even look like a guy battling a knee injury for an extended period of time.

“He was big time tonight. It was Melo being Melo. From the time I took over, he’s been a true pro and that’s all you can ask for,” said Woodson, who divulged the plan was to not overexert his star. “I thought he was great. He only played 32 minutes, and I didn’t want to burn him out and play him 37-38 minutes. Those extra five minutes of rest does a guy good.”

The former MVP candidate didn’t even look rusty, as he was in a great rhythm from the opening tip. Anthony had 14 points, including 2-of-3 in 3-pointers, and a team-high four rebounds in the first half, to set the tone, as he carried a Knicks offense that was in need of a boost.

“It felt good for the most part,” Anthony said of his knee. “I wanted to see if I could do everything, and I did. I was pain free. Best I’ve felt since right before All-Star break. … It was a big relief for me, especially mentally, [because] I was able to do some of the things that I’m usually able to do.”

The All-Star forward wasn’t alone, however, as he was aided by J.R. Smith, who had arguably his most efficient game of the season. Smith tallied a team-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting and played under control for most of the game. Smith also played exceptional defense in the post, although vastly overmatched in size, and added seven rebounds and a huge blocked shot in the final moments.

Kenyon Martin got the start at center, sans Chandler, and turned in an admirable performance of 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting and three rebounds.

The post play wasn’t nearly as lethal to the Magic as the Knicks’ long-range shooting. New York knocked down 15-of-34 in 3-pointers (44.1 percent). Conversely, the Magic shot just 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) from behind the arc, and never really threatened.

Woodson said he made it a point of emphasis in the pregame preparations to keep the Magic in check, especially on 3-pointers.

“We held them down tonight. Not bad. Anytime we can hold a team under 95 points you put yourself in position to win a lot of games,” Woodson said. “The supporting cast was great. We built that big lead, [because] everyone chipped in and did what they had to do. Orlando wasn’t overly big, so I elected to keep [Marcus] Camby on the sidelines. … If he doesn’t need to play, he doesn’t need to. But when needed, he can definitely give us what we need.”

As the Knicks head down the home stretch of the season, they’ll need all the healthy and rested bodies they can get. Tonight’s win was important for the Knicks in more than just getting back a healthy Anthony, since they maintained their one-game lead over the Nets, who also won tonight in Dallas.

Knicks notes

» Iman Shumpert sat out the second half with a tweaked left knee. Woodson didn’t think it was too serious, and added his shooting guard was ready to play again if needed: “Iman could’ve played again, but I decided to sit him down to be cautious until he gets looked at by the doctors. But I think he’ll be all right.”

Shumpert used the alarming word “pop” when recalling the initial feeling in his recovering knee, but said he doesn’t think it’ll be a hindrance going forward: “I felt it popped. … It scared me, because the last time that happened I missed eight months.”

The second-year pro said the trainers initially diagnosed that it’s likely scar tissue, and shouldn’t be a major concern. He’ll receive more tests and treatment Thursday.

» Woodson acknowledged the surging Nets, but added his main concern is his own team and how well they respond down the stretch: “We have to be consistent with winning at home, and .500 or better on the road, to win the division. We can’t beg for help. No looking over our shoulders or wanting and needing help for someone to lose.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks saw the best and worst in what J.R. Smith has to offer this season in Monday night’s 90-83 win over the Jazz.

Smith had about as awful a first half as could be afforded for the shorthanded Knicks (39-26) as he tallied just two points on 1-of-6 shooting. But the second half featured a more composed and under control Smith, as he finished with a game-high 20 points, including a couple of dagger jumpers late to seal Utah’s fate. The mercurial Smith led the Knicks on a crucial 12-1 run in the third quarter to get the win.

The sometimes-erratic shooting guard wasn’t alone in putting forth a great effort, as the undermanned Knicks had arguably their best team effort of the season. Raymond Felton added 19 points; Chris Copeland added 14 points; Jason Kidd stuffed the box sheet with seven points, three rebounds, five assists and a steal; and Kurt Thomas played what might’ve been the gutsiest performance of any Knicks player this season.

The 40-year-old Thomas, who is suffering from a bone spur in his foot, gave the Knicks a valiant effort with six points, three rebounds and three blocks in a season-high 27 minutes. Thomas, the oldest player in the NBA, acknowledged he initially hurt his foot last Thursday in Portland and decided to play through it in Los Angeles on Sunday. He’ll undergo an MRI when he gets back to New York on Tuesday.

The Knicks might’ve been severely banged-up sans Carmelo Anthony (knee) and Tyson Chandler (neck), but it was the Jazz who were the ones that looked rudderless most of the game. The Jazz are now losers in nine of their last 11 games and helped the Knicks avoid a 0-5 showing on their crucial West Coast swing.

What we learned …

1. No ordinary rookies

Monday night marked the first time in the Knicks’ long and storied history they started two undrafted rookies in the same game. Pablo Prigioni and Chris Copeland aren’t usual rookies, as the former is 35 and the latter is 29, but their poise and skill set — undoubtedly seasoned by years playing overseas — were great attributes in helping to steady a Knicks squad that was undermanned and spiraling out of control. Prigioni only had three points and three assists, but it was his influence in running the offense that allowed Felton to shift to scoring guard and play off the ball. Copeland added 14 points (11 in the first half) and six rebounds in his second-consecutive solid outing.

2. Painting the interior

The Knicks have been undersized all season, even when their bigs were healthy, so it’s almost inconceivable to believe they out-produced the much larger Jazz in the post. New York held a 32-20 advantage in points in the paint, as Utah failed to capitalize on their size mismatches at almost every position. Utah’s quartet of bigs — Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter — combined for just 39 points and 31 rebounds.

3. Winning the old-fashioned way

The Knicks didn’t try to outscore the Jazz, as they usually try to do, and instead went retro by simply taking care of the ball and playing stifling defense. New York came into the game leading the league in fewest turnovers per game (12.1) and finished with 12 Monday night. They also forced the Jazz into poor shot selection en route to 38 percent shooting, as no Utah player scored more than 17 points and no one made more than six field goals.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks did what they have usually done on this West Coast road trip — show some fight for the first half of the game, only to wilt in the second half. Sunday afternoon wasn’t any different as they fell to the Clippers, 93-80.

Despite missing the services of Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, the Knicks (38-26) maintained some sort of competitiveness — for the first 24 minutes — as they actually played the Clippers (46-21) close, trailing by just seven points.

Jason Kidd’s jump shot had a bit of a revival in the third quarter, knocking down three 3-pointers, as the Knicks tried to stay within striking distance, but a 13-0 Clippers run was too much to overcome. Kidd finished with 11 points, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc. Chris Copeland, 13 points, and J.R. Smith, 17 points, were the only other offensive threats for the Knicks, as they shot a paltry 35.8 percent from the floor. About the only other factors that allowed the Knicks to stay relatively competitive were the 3-point shot (46.2 percent) and winning the turnover battle, 12-9.

Smith was a paradox as usual, in that he did enough to keep the Knicks within reach in the opening half, scoring 11 points, but his poor shot selection and shooting percentage (4-of-20) also allowed the Clippers to ignite fastbreaks off long rebounds and capitalize on his mistakes. Smith should be commended for having a career season (career highs of 16.7 points in 33.2 minutes per game) and thriving whenever Anthony has been out of the lineup, but New York still needs him to be more judicious if they’re going to weather Anthony’s extended absence.

As much fight as the Knicks had, though, the Clippers simply had too many options on the offensive end. Only a few garbage-time buckets by the Knicks kept the final score closer than it actually was. When it came down to shutting down the Knicks’ offense when they had to, they’d simply take the ball out of their playmakers’ hands and make the secondary guys beat them. They couldn’t, and the Clippers sent the Knicks to their fourth-straight loss.

What we learned …

1. Deeper than the Pacific Ocean

On paper, and when healthy, these are two of the deepest teams in the league. But Sunday showed what happens when one team is stacked with youthful depth, while the other is banking on 30-somethings. The Clippers, like the Knicks, have battled injury problems all season, but unlike their New York counterpart, they have enough young legs to get them through the difficult times. Los Angeles is particularly strong in their starting five, as all but center DeAndre Jordan (eight points, 10 rebounds, two blocks) reached double figures scoring, while New York only had two starters score more than 10 points.

2. They’re going streaking

Sunday marked the fourth-straight loss for a Knicks’ squad that is one game away from ending this brutal five-game West Coast road trip with an 0-for. The Knicks began their sojourn with a semicomfortable 2 1/2 game lead over the Nets and a 4 1/2 game lead over the Celtics. They now find themselves in a dogfight down the stretch for the Atlantic Division title — a lead they have had all to themselves since the start of the season. If the Knicks continue this descent, they could conceivably be in jeopardy of losing their division lead and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

3. Shooting guard who can’t shoot

Iman Shumpert is in the midst of a terrible shooting slump since returning to the lineup following his arduous ACL rehab. Shumpert, who entered the game shooting 34 percent in his 26 previous games, went 2-of-6, including 0-of-3 in 3-pointers, for just five points. Sans Anthony, the Knicks certainly need more offensive options. And as of right now, Shumpert has been more liability than contributor on the offensive end.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The shorthanded Knicks played about as hard as they could despite missing all three of their star players, but it wasn’t enough, as they fell to the Trail Blazers, 105-90.

Unlike Wednesday night’s debacle in Denver, the Knicks (38-25) never appeared to phone it in, even when the deficit reached as large as 17 points. Portland (30-34) possesses as solid a starting unit as any team in the league — but a weak bench — and it showed as they scored 90 of their points. The Knicks were the opposite, as their makeshift starting lineup was overmatched for most of the game.

J.R. Smith, who had no qualms about questioning his team’s motivation following two porous performances to start their West Coast road trip, backed up his talk with a solid performance off the bench with a game-high 33 points — including a fourth-quarter stretch where he scored 11-straight points for the Knicks.

Ultimately, it wasn’t enough for a Knicks squad that was missing Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler — and later Kenyon Martin (bone contusion in the knee) — as Portland’s starting unit was more than enough. Rookie of the Year shoo-in Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 26 points and 10 assists, while All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 points, 10 rebounds and a game-high five blocks. Lillard has now recorded at least 20 points in eight-straight games, as he helped Portland earn the season-series sweep of the Knicks.

The Knicks might’ve not quit this time, but it didn’t prevent them from being blown out for the third consecutive game during this crucial road trip, as their Atlantic Division lead shrinks with each passing defeat.

What we learned

1. Bench mob

Smith publicly questioned the team’s collective heart following Wednesday night’s embarrassing loss in Denver, but he had to have been pleased to see his squad respond in Thursday night’s matchup — particularly the bench. New York’s reserves accounted for 46 points in the losing effort, outscoring Portland’s thin bench by 31 points.

2. Running away with things

The Blazers used multiple runs in the game, but none more damaging than the 16-2 run midway through the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 17 points. Lillard had a key and-1 conversion, Aldridge knocked down a couple of key buckets and the defense locked up the Knicks’ Smith-dependent offense down the stretch to finally pull away from a competitive — if undermanned — squad.

3. Three not the magic number

As per their team’s makeup, the Knicks tried to live by the 3-point shot, but they ultimately died by it. All but Smith (4-of-8) shot poorly from behind the arc, as the Knicks shot a collective 28 percent. Jason Kidd was the biggest bricklayer as he shot 1-of-7 from 3-point range in 34 minutes of action.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks almost overcame adversity in Thursday night’s prime time matchup with the Thunder, but ultimately it all proved to be too much in a 96-94 loss.

Already without MVP candidate Carmelo Anthony, who had fluid develop in his troubled right knee, the Knicks started a lineup that included lightly-used veterans Kurt Thomas and James White, and a still-recovering Iman Shumpert to battle the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. The lineup gamble almost worked for the Knicks (37-22), as they battled until the end, but ultimately the Thunder (45-16) proved to be too much — especially when they had their go-to guy, Kevin Durant, able to close out the game.

Durant, who leads the league in scoring — percentage points ahead of Anthony — registered 34 points. He was aided by fellow All-Star teammate Russell Westbrook, who added 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Running mate Serge Ibaka, who forms their own version of the “Big 3,” added 12 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and countless other altered shots.

Despite not having Anthony in the lineup, the Knicks certainly had chances to pull off the upset due to the brilliance of J.R. Smith. The often-erratic shooting guard had arguably his best game of the season, as he tallied a game-high 36 points, including six 3-pointers. But it wasn’t just Smith’s hot hand that kept the Knicks in the ball game. He also contributed three steals and accounted for numerous “hockey assists” in which he made the smart pass that eventually lead to the actual assist. Smith was in such a zone that during one particular stretch spanning the second and third quarters, he accounted for 11 of the Knicks’ 15 made field goals. He had 18 first-half points to keep the Knicks within striking distance following a 16-0 Thunder run in the first quarter, and capped off a brilliant third quarter, in which he netted 13 points, with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Smith couldn’t duplicate such heroics at the final buzzer, however, as he missed what would’ve been the game-tying bucket.

“I really had the whole middle and didn’t have much room on the baseline,” Smith said, noting he decided to take the off-balance jumper at the buzzer so the Thunder wouldn’t have time to respond had he made it. “But the left side is my best side to get my shot up. I really should’ve went to the basket and taken a page out of LeBron’s book and just go to the basket. Worse comes to worst, I get the foul. But it didn’t work. My jumper was pretty much good all night, except for the fourth quarter and it just didn’t go in. … I waited a long time as well, [because] they got a good closer over there in KD [Kevin Durant], so I wanted to finish it off.”

The fact that Durant was in the back of Smith’s mind as the game was winding down, showed just how much respect — or maybe fear — the Knicks had for the three-time scoring champ.

“He’s so good. I didn’t want to make the shot too soon, so he could end up winning the game,” Smith said of Durant. “That’s a great team over there and we were a man down. If we play with that type of effort and intensity it’s going to be tough for a lot of teams to beat us.”

Knicks notes

Head coach Mike Woodson said Anthony is “still day-to-day and we’ll know a little bit more tomorrow.” The coach added that Anthony “could play” on Saturday, at home against the Jazz. The Knicks are now 4-5 without Anthony.

Woodson didn’t sound like he was too thrilled with Smith’s final shot selection, but said the shot was ultimately up to Smith because he was riding the hot hand: “He could’ve ripped through and gone to the rim, but he didn’t and he settled.” Smith shot 2-of-9 in the fourth quarter, making just 1-of-5 from behind the arc.

Amar’e Stoudemire had a solid game with 16 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes of action, as Woodson made sure his power forward stayed close to the doctor-appointed 30-minute cap. Woodson, however, noted that Stoudemire’s minute restrictions could be lifted as he gets further along into the season: “Maybe his minutes will increase as we get closer to the playoffs, or get in a playoff series.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks had a very light day of practice on Monday, perhaps as a reward for the effort they exuded in Sunday’s win against the 76ers. Head coach Mike Woodson was more than obliging in giving a number of the team’s top stars a “recovery day off.”

Woodson was particularly happy with the way the team adjusted to some defensive tinkering, specifically with their trapping defense, as they stymied the Sixers to shoot just 42.4 percent from the field, including 30.8 percent from behind the arc.

The coach is hopeful such a stifling performance can jumpstart a team that’s been in a rut for months, making that 18-5 start to the season a distant memory.

“From a defensive standpoint I was pleased, so that’s what we need more of,” Woodson said, acknowledging that his team needed a win to regain some confidence. “[Winning like that] has a lot to do with it, because when you’re not used to losing, you lose your confidence. Last night was a confidence booster in trying to get our heads back to where we need to be mentally.”

J.R. Smith agreed with his coach about maintaining that aggressive edge and not falling back into a funk. The sometimes erratic shooting guard has never been known for his philosophical approach to the game, but he noted that he noticed a change in the overall mentality of the team during their bad stretch and said it was encouraging to see the team rebound from adversity the way they did.

“I think we can still pick up the intensity even more, [and] be more physical,” Smith said. “We need to start off all the games that way, get to the rim early, draw fouls and get in a rhythm shooting free throws. … We need everybody focused and locked in and not allowing teams to feel comfortable playing us.”

Woodson went on to say that the Knicks need to remain focused and stay the course, even when times get tough as they did during their four-game skid. One of the tasks he presented to his team going forward was to remember that their goals are still achievable — such as staying atop the Atlantic Division (they’re currently in first place) and staying on course to remain a Top-4 seed (they’re currently the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference), which would earn the Knicks homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The real trick to regaining that early success, said Woodson, was to re-establish dominance and not overthink too much when adversity strikes.

“We need to get back to what we do and not let teams get us on our heels. We need to get back to dictating,” said Woodson. “We’re still winning. We’re still atop of the division. It’s not a panic mode type of thing.”

Knicks notes

» Woodson was noncommittal about Kenyon Martin’s availability on Wednesday against Golden State. He said it’s still up in the air, but noted Martin was involved in Monday’s light session, working on the halfcourt offense and particular sets: “He might be [available]. It’ll take some time to get him up to speed. He’s been without basketball for a while. We’re just taking it a day at a time.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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