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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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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Knicks head coach Mike Woodson held a 24-minute conference call Sunday and extolled the virtues of the defensive intensity his veteran-laden team showed in their Game 1 win.

Woodson mainly discussed the importance of Carmelo Anthony’s supporting cast — especially guys like Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin — saying they’ll be needed almost as much as his superstar player if they want to continue their playoff journey.

“Both of them are still relentless and savvy. I go back to that 2004 Detroit [championship] team when [the then-New Jersey Nets] had us against the wall big time,” Woodson said, recalling when he was an assistant coach for the Pistons. “That was really our championship series, because they were very good. And they still know how to get it done.”

Woodson quickly added they obviously need his stars, Anthony and J.R. Smith, but said whoever he calls to the floor has his full confidence.

“I have enough faith in anyone I’ve thrown out there this season to play, and for some reasons we get responses. And to me that’s the sign of a team,” Woodson said. “But we’re a better team when we have J.R. and Melo on the floor at the same time together.”

The Knicks have prepared for this playoff run unlike most teams. Instead of stockpiling young talent, they decided to go the route of acquiring guys who may be past their primes, but have much to offer in other ways.

“When you go back to when we first started the process, me, [team president] Glen [Grunwald], and [team owner Jim] Mr. Dolan had discussions in how we were going to build this team. And we were all of the mindset to build around veterans who can help us right away,” said Woodson. “We wanted guys who were serious about winning the title and putting forth the effort on and off the court. I’m very happy with the way guys have contributed one way or another to win basketball games. … Time will tell [how it ends] but we just need to go forward on our journey.”

Kidd and Martin were main contributors down the stretch in the Game 1 win, as they helped the Knicks hold the Celtics to a paltry eight points in the fourth quarter. Kidd disrupted passing lanes, dived for loose balls or played stellar help defense. Martin was his usual manic self, patrolling the lanes with the same ferocity and energy a guy 10 years younger than his actual age of 35.

“When you have Jason Kidd on the floor, and he’s been on the floor as long as he has, it makes a difference,” said Woodson. “J.R. and Melo are still in their primes — Raymond [Felton], too. But having Kidd and Kenyon on the floor at the same time gives us some stability. Those are winnable plays for winning basketball games and those were the reasons why we added those guys to our team.”

Woodson continued, adding if the Knicks get the same type of defensive effort in the early quarters, his team has a shot at something special.

“That’s what good teams are supposed to do — play defense. We’ve been solid all year, especially defensively in the fourth quarter. That’s the time you have to step up and make plays. The thing about playoff basketball is when you’re struggling to score the ball, you better make sure the other team is struggling, too,” said Woodson, adding the formula of adding old guys is paying off. “I was looking for defensive-minded guys, like Sheed [Rasheed Wallace], Kidd, Kurt [Thomas], Kenyon, even Pablo [Prigioni], who’s learned his way through this league. … If our defense is consistent, and everyone buys in, we’ll put ourselves in position to win a lot of games.”

Knicks notes …

» The Knicks don’t know if or when Amar’e Stoudemire will return, but Woodson said when he does Stoudemire will be welcomed back with open arms: “Amar’e is always going to be a big part of our team, without a doubt. He’s just progressing. When he’s going to play, I don’t know. But if he makes it back, he’ll be ready to help out and play and do what he was doing before he got hurt. It’ll just add one more good-to-great piece to the puzzle on the floor during our journey.”

» Woodson also thinks Prigioni (sprained ankle) may make it back by Game 2 on Tuesday night. And if he does, he’ll have no problem reinserting the 35-year-old rookie back into the mix, which will in turn allow more defensive flexibility: “If Pablo is put in, our starting lineup changes. So, when he’s in, we’d have Raymond on Paul [Pierce] and Iman [Shumpert] on [Jeff] Green, who’s a tough cover for anybody.”

» Tyson Chandler should get back to his normal ways sooner than later, according to Woodson: “It won’t take him long. I know [lack of conditioning] was a factor. I could tell the way he was moving. But that’s OK. That’s expected because he hasn’t played in a number of games. But that’s the point of having Kenyon, Camby and Earl [Barron] on the bench to play when needed.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks have been a real pain in the neck for opponents during their 10-game winning streak, but the only neck pain they’re currently worried about is that of Tyson Chandler.

The All-Star center missed 10 straight games with a bulging disk in his neck, though New York won eight of those games. The Knicks (48-26) have enjoyed success sans their defensive anchor, but they’d certainly rather have Chandler back in the lineup.

The problem, however, is that Chandler is still having problems with his sore neck. He noted following Wednesday night’s win in Atlanta that he was still having discomfort and that the neck prevents him from being “able to life my arms.” The center added he only hopes the stiffness is normal since he missed all of that game action.

“I think it was just soreness coming back,” Chandler said. “I didn’t do anything for a few weeks except for getting treatment. [Wednesday night] was my first time getting any contact. It was my first time running just a couple days ago. It’s kind of expected.”

Some, like teammate Raymond Felton, feel it would benefit Chandler if he took some more time off, but the Knicks may not afford him that luxury, especially if Kenyon Martin’s knee doesn’t cooperate. Martin experienced soreness in his right knee in the Hawks game and was kept out of the final 10 minutes for precautionary reasons. And while the bruising power forward said he expects to play Friday against the Bucks, there’s no telling if his knee will stiffen up before then.

The Knicks’ big-man situation has taken numerous hits this season, but the team has managed to adapt well, judging by their first-place status in the Atlantic Division. But even with that success, Chandler and Martin are arguably the two most important bigs on the roster. Chandler’s impact is obvious, given his NBA-championship pedigree and the fact he’s the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year winner. But Martin’s ascension up the Knicks’ ranks is striking given that he has only appeared in 17 games this season after joining the team via two 10-day contracts after sitting out the first four months of the season.

While Martin didn’t vow to play against the Bucks, he sounded like a guy who intends to be in the rotation. Following the Hawks game, he simply shrugged off his knee as a sign of the crash course he’s given his body following so many months of inactivity.

“It got the best of me [Wednesday night]. I’ll have a day off, get treatment and see how it goes,” said Martin. “I got thrown into the fire. It’s like training camp and preseason all in one. … But I’m a warrior.”

Chandler wouldn’t say whether he’d be ready, though. It also wasn’t encouraging to see the center rubbing on the injured area of his neck from time to time during Wednesday night’s game. Chandler alluded to “the big picture,” which may mean he’s willing to sit out more games so he’s better equipped to handle the rigors of the playoffs.

“It’s tough trying to look up at the ball for rebounds, lobs or high passes. It’s thrown my timing off,” said Chandler, who hasn’t been effective in either of the two games he’s played in since his return. “I’m just a little stiff right now. I’m not as mobile. I’m not there yet. I’m not myself moving around like I normally would.”

Chandler used his stat line in the past two games as further proof that he may not be mobile enough to help right now. Against the Heat Tuesday night he only had one point, and Wednesday night wasn’t much better, as he tallied two points and four rebounds in 24 minutes.

If either Chandler or Martin can’t go on Friday, the Knicks will likely turn to the 6-foot-7 Carmelo Anthony and lightly-used reserve Marcus Camby for major minutes on the blocks. As well as Anthony has played at power forward this season, head coach Mike Woodson would much rather see his regular bigs back in the rotation. But if they can’t go, he’ll have no choice but to go very small against a Bucks team that has a lot of size.

Woodson has stated that he doesn’t plan on resting guys before the playoffs unless they come to him.

“If we’ve got key guys who demand that, I’ve got to be open-minded,” Woodson said. “If they don’t demand it, they’re going to play. Every game is important. We want to stay atop our division.”

Knicks notes

» Rasheed Wallace had his left boot removed a few days ago, which was the four-week mark of his foot surgery. He is also off crutches. By his current timetable, Wallace, who is traveling with the team, could be back in a month.

» Another ailing big man, Kurt Thomas (stress reaction/stress fracture in his right foot), worked on the elliptical machine for the first time on Wednesday.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The undermanned Knicks went to Boston and took care of business with a 100-85 win, and not only gave the Celtics their fifth-straight defeat, but also all but ended the Celtics’ dreams of catching their rivals for the Atlantic Division crown.

New York (43-26) now has a 7 1/2-game lead over Boston (36-34), while also bumping up their lead over the idle Nets to 2 1/2 games.

J.R. Smith led all scorers with 32 points, including 21 in the first half, as he tormented the Celtics with a very efficient performance off the bench, shooting 13-of-24. Smith also added seven rebounds (four offensive) and three steals. Carmelo Anthony actually played the rare role of sidekick, as he added 29 points. Anthony also grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals.

The Knicks didn’t have the services of Tyson Chandler, but his pivot position was ably filled by Kenyon Martin, who added nine points and five rebounds. Martin’s impact was even bigger in other areas that won’t be noticed by the casual fan, as he was a true enforcer of the paint for a small Knicks lineup that actually led the Celtics with points in the paint in the first half (32-22) to set the tone. Martin’s four offensive rebounds also greatly contributed to the Knicks’ 27-4 advantage in second-chance points through three quarters when the game was still in doubt.

What we learned …

1. Start fast. The Knicks did what every team needs to do when entering the hostile environment of the Boston Garden, and that’s set the tone. The Knicks did just that as they led 58-44 at the half. Their opening-half highlights included a plus-19 in second-chance points; a plus-10 advantage in points off turnovers; a plus-7 advantage in fastbreak points; a 30-20 scoring advantage in the second quarter; and a momentum-killing 14-0 run in the middle of the second quarter.

2. No Chandler, no problem. Chandler missed yet another game with a bulging disk in his neck, despite being upgraded to questionable following Monday’s practice. Chandler wasn’t missed at all, as the Knicks actually outrebounded the Celtics, 41-40. It helped that Boston was without their best big man, Kevin Garnett (foot), but the Celtics players who actually got in the game had very little impact in the paint.

3. Forty is just a number. Jason Kidd turned 40 years old last week, but he was as effective Tuesday night as he’s been all season. Kidd did a little bit of everything, as he tallied five points, six rebounds and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench. Kidd also did the intangibles that won’t show up in the box score as he drew multiple charges on the Celtics, while stifling Boston’s sparkplug of a shooting guard, Avery Bradley, who only registered six points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks may get the services of center Tyson Chandler again, as the All Star’s status has been upgraded to questionable just in time for Tuesday night’s tilt against the Celtics (36-33). But perhaps the bigger piece to whether the team has success in Boston will come down to the play of Kenyon Martin.

If Chandler’s ailing neck improves and he plays, he’ll indeed be a welcomed addition for the Knicks, because New York’s frontline is woefully thin, thanks to season-long injuries claiming Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas at one point or another. But the Knicks may even be better-served if they continue to give Martin major minutes. The 6-foot-9 power forward has filled in admirably at center in Chandler’s absence, so head coach Mike Woodson would be wise to continue playing Martin extended minutes —  even with Chandler’s return.

As great a defender Chandler is, Martin has had just as much defensive impact during his tenure, as New York is giving up 99.5 points per 100 possessions, which would rank fifth in the NBA. Conversely, when he’s off the floor, they’re giving up 103.3 points, which would put them 17th.

Such valuable production is the main reason why Martin thinks he deserves to continue his recent playing time bump. But besides that, Martin said his once-troublesome knees are feeling as good as they have in years, which is why he has such great bounce to his step.

“My knees have not been an issue for a few years, [because] not having played basketball for a while, I don’t have the wear and tear,” said Martin, who is working for the relatively cheap price of two 10-day contracts.

The mercurial Martin, whose hustle, energy and post-dunk theatrics have made him a Garden favorite, also admitted he’s looking forward to Tuesday’s game because the Celtics were one of the teams who bypassed his services while he sat out most of the first five months of the season as a street free agent.

“I was getting my legs ready [during his time away from the game], so I want people to know I can still play. I just don’t want this to be it,” said Martin, who added he seeks revenge on all the teams that never called. “My thoughts are probably ones that I can’t say on camera. … But I am in a happy place now.”

The rest of the league’s loss is the Knicks’ gain, especially recently, as Martin — and Carmelo Anthony — have spearheaded a four-game winning streak. While Martin has manned the pivot, Woodson kept Anthony at the power forward position, the same spot the All Star has played all season. But should Chandler play against the Celtics, Woodson will have a decision to make. He’ll have to decide whether to keep Martin in the starting lineup as the power forward, which would slide the 6-foot-7 Anthony back to his customary small forward, or bring Martin off the bench.

Whatever he decides, Woodson said it’ll be a “nice luxury” because of how seamless Martin can adapt to any situation — and also how similar Martin and Chandler’s games are.

“Tyson does the same thing [as Kenyon],” Woodson said. “They’re pretty similar as pick-and-roll guys. Both are defensive-minded guys, both can block shots and both finish around the rim. … Bringing Kenyon off [the bench], it becomes a double threat and we don’t lose a lot.”

Woodson might’ve showed his hand in regards to playoff strategy when he admitted that he may start a big lineup (Anthony, Martin and Chandler together) to contend with a possible first-round matchup against the Bulls, who own one of the biggest frontlines in the league. And should the Knicks be so fortunate to advance to the second round, the Pacers’ bruising and deep frontcourt will likely be waiting.

But whatever the formula going forward, Woodson’s assertion about the Knicks’ recent frontline tear is correct in that as long as Martin continues ascending and his knees hold up, the veteran power forward is a nice — and cheap — problem to have.

Knicks notes

» Chandler tested himself a bit during Monday’s practice, but admitted afterwards that he still felt some spasms when stretching to defend. Woodson may have upgraded Chandler to questionable, but it sounds as if the center is still very questionable for the Celtics on Tuesday.

» The Celtics will also likely be down a starting center, as Kevin Garnett (foot) will miss the game and probably even the Easter Sunday tilt next week. Celtics head coach Doc Rivers admitted the team’s doctors will be taking a second look at the MRI on Garnett’s foot to decide his status going forward.

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

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The Knicks look to get their season back on track Wednesday night against ex-Knick David Lee and ascending Golden State, but the only big men that count to them are the ones who may or may not play.

The playing status of newly acquired power forward Kenyon Martin is still up in the air, as the veteran big man has only scrimmaged on a limited basis and gone through a few halfcourt sets since signing last week. Knicks head coach Mike Woodson was again noncommittal about Martin’s availability, although he sounded as if Martin won’t be ready yet for the Warriors.

“I don’t know,” Woodson said about Martin playing. “He’s still trying to get acclimated to what we’re doing, so we’ll see.”

Another big man the Knicks could use is Marcus Camby, although the veteran may not be ready against the Warriors yet, either, and is more likely to finally suit up against the Wizards on Friday.

“Camby’s getting close,” Woodson said, acknowledging Wednesday is a long shot. “He scrimmaged a little today, so we’ve got to gauge it and see how he feels [Wednesday].”

Camby participated in his second scrimmage on Tuesday and has been practicing with the team for a week now. He hasn’t played since Jan. 10, as he’s been recovering from a sprained plantar fascia. The 38-year-old scrimmaged for the first time last Thursday in Toronto and experienced some swelling in his left foot, but if he responds well on Wednesday and gets through the team’s Thursday scrimmage, Woodson said it’s “likely” Camby will get the green light for the game against the Wizards. Camby has played only 14 games this season, averaging 2.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 11 minutes per game. But his real impact is his ability to eat up positive minutes when spelling Tyson Chandler, or even play in tandem to give the Knicks a real shot-blocking presence.

The Knicks have been shorthanded and undersized all season, so they should be used to this situation. But the Warriors possess a couple of bigs in the All-Star Lee and center Andrew Bogut, who are each capable of dominating the interior, so ideally Woodson would like one of the aforementioned shelved big men.

Golden State may run its offense through the guards, particularly Stephen Curry, but both Lee and Bogut have been instrumental in the pick-and-roll, which means the Knicks need more able big bodies.

Amar’e Stoudemire will be available, but don’t look for him to play a minute over 30, as Woodson acknowledged his cornerstone forward was put on the equivalent of a pitch count.

“He doesn’t need much more than that,” Woodson said. “STAT’s been in this league a number of years and he can get a lot done in 30 minutes. I think if he keeps his mind and body physically ready for it, 30 minutes is enough minutes for him to do damage. … I’m trying not to burn him early and then run out of minutes.’’

Stoudemire hasn’t played more than 29 minutes in any game this season, as Woodson detailed the plan suggested to him by the training staff and team doctor. Whatever coach and training staff suggested, Stoudemire said he’s fine with any scenario and added he can be effective with a minutes-cap.

“I have no problem with that. I could be very productive in 30 minutes,” Stoudemire said. “That’s my motto — be as productive, aggressive and efficient in 30 minutes. I’m looking forward to it. Thirty minutes is OK with me. They understand what it takes to be successful. I’m going off their call. … As long as we’re winning, it’s not hard. [But] when we start losing a bit, it gets you thinking about it.’’

The Knicks and their faithful don’t want to experience the latter. Otherwise, the Stoudemire “pitch count” could be more trouble than it’s worth.

Knicks notes

» The Knicks just aren’t struggling with a lack of size, but their once-deadeye shooting has abandoned them lately as well. Jason Kidd in particular has seen his torrid start vanish. Prior to Jan. 26, the veteran guard’s field-goal efficiency rate was 58 percent. But in the 13 games since, it’s drastically dipped to 27 percent. Woodson wants him to keep shooting, though, and J.R. Smith agreed with that philosophy: “Shooters shoot, so, yeah, I agree. We’re still not really in our same rhythm as we all were before, but we have to keep putting up shots. … Hopefully we’ll make them in games and not just practices.”

» Woodson noted that one way to get out of a shooting rut is to get to the foul line. By doing so, said the coach, a player can relax, concentrate on the fundamentals of shooting since no one is defending the shot and simply focus on getting in a rhythm: “When jump shots aren’t falling, you need to find other ways to put points on the board. And one way is to get to the hole and sacrifice your body and get to the free-throw line.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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The Knicks barely made a splash as the trade deadline came and went, but they ultimately could’ve made the biggest waves in the race to Eastern Conference supremacy, as they added hulking power forward Kenyon Martin.

The addition of the 6-foot-9 Martin, via 10-day contract, came as the Knicks traded swingman Ronnie Brewer to Oklahoma City for a future second-round pick and cash considerations. Knicks team president and general manager Glen Grunwald was adamant in noting that Brewer never forced the team’s hand, even if he was reportedly unhappy with his diminished role.

“Ronnie had fallen out of the playing rotation,” Grunwald said. “He’s a good guy and good player, but an opportunity came up for him and we wanted to help him out the best we could. In doing that, we created roster flexibility to add someone like Kenyon. … I want to make it clear that Ronnie didn’t demand a trade. But I’m proud to say that we always try to help our players the best we can.”

The Knicks not only helped out Brewer, but perhaps their own cause, as Martin is a dogged defender, solid rebounder, popular teammate wherever he’s played and a legitimate tough guy. Should Rasheed Wallace or Marcus Camby fail to come back 100 percent and contribute the way they had prior to their respective foot injuries, Martin can certainly pick up the slack. He gives the Knicks a great energy guy who has no problem flexing his muscle. The Knicks will need him to do so — along with Tyson Chandler — because the Pacers’ frontline may be the league’s best and deepest, the Bulls have Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer and the Nets have Brook Lopez, Reggie Evans and Kris Humphries.

Martin hasn’t played since the end of last season, but Grunwald said the forward is in great shape, adding that Martin’s recent workout impressed the brass enough to take a flier on him.

“We’ve watched a lot of his tape from last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, and we already knew that he was working out prior to coming here,” Grunwald said. “We’re hopeful he still has what it takes to still be a very good player.”

If he plays anything last season (8.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per-36 minutes), then the Knicks might’ve stolen a vital player. Martin was lauded as a “versatile defender who can guard three positions” by Grunwald, who sounded excited at the prospect of adding a guy who will endear himself to the Garden faithful with his tenacity, hustle and willingness to play defense.

Martin, who was unavailable for comment, won’t play Friday night, and it’s unlikely he’ll play Sunday against Philadelphia, as Brewer must first pass his physical in Oklahoma City. But when the physical forward finally dons the orange and blue, he’ll certainly be a great addition as the Knicks have literally added muscle to try and overthrow the Heat (37-14), while holding off the likes of the hard-charging Nets (33-22), Pacers (33-21) and Bulls (31-22).

Knicks notes

» Grunwald also put an end to the Iman Shumpert rumors saying the shooting guard wasn’t going anywhere, as the Knicks never really entertained offers for Shumpert: “Shump is a key part of our future. He’s coming back from a difficult injury, but we’re optimistic he’ll return to his form very shortly.

» In regards to the recent defensive struggles, mounting frustration and injuries, Grunwald said that’s going to happen during the marathon of an 82-game season: “We’re optimistic we’ll get better. We’re not concerned. The season has ebbs and flows to it. Obviously we have to play better, but teams will go through that. I’m confident that Woody [Knicks head coach Mike Woodson] will get this team to playing winning basketball again. … We have a veteran team and they know where they need to improve, particularly in keeping composure. … As far as guys getting hurt, that’s why we have a pretty deep team, so hopefully we can withstand these things. But I don’t think we’ve had more injuries than the average team. As long as we’re playing up to our potential and playing well heading into the playoffs, that’s our goal.”

» Grunwald scoffed when asked if management is unhappy that some players with high price tags, namely Amar’e Stoudemire and his $100 million contract, are coming off the bench: “The salary doesn’t matter. What matters is how we put together our team. And if that means Amar’e is coming off the bench, then great. We’re all just trying to win, so it doesn’t matter who comes off the bench. … Amar’e has been a true professional and a great teammate.”

Follow Knicks beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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