PORTLAND, Ore. — Don’t panic, be happy.
That was Mike Woodson’s desperate message to J.R. Smith and the dysfunctional Knicks, who take a five-game losing streak and disgraceful 3-9 record into the Moda Center on Monday to face the Trail Blazers.
Woodson was irritated Smith said after Wednesday’s Indiana loss that he felt like “panicking.’’ After the Washington defeat, Smith talked about feeling the team is playing under too much “pressure.’’ Woodson has tried to get his confused players not to fret because despite their awful record, they are very much in the Atlantic Division hunt, 2 ¹/₂ games out of first place and half-game ahead of the equally troubled last-place Nets.
“They shouldn’t feel pressure,’’ Woodson said after Sunday’s practice ahead of a three-game Western swing. “If we flipped last year at this time, we were 10-2 and running away from the division really. Well nobody’s doing that in our division. We’re two games out with a lot of games left.
“The panic word shouldn’t even be used,’’ he added. “The issue is how to come together as a group and play consistent basketball for 48 hours. So I don’t know what J.R. is talking about. It shouldn’t be panic time. It’s too early in the game for that.’’
Carmelo Anthony, like Smith, seems as is he’s trying not to lose it. His latest depressing locker-room monologue centered on concern about the team’s confidence level and talked about a lot of players being “upset.’’ Anthony also seemed to take a shot at either his teammates or the coaching staff, noting the club didn’t make adjustments to Washington’s game-plan of double-teaming him at all costs.
Woodson said the Knicks are not making the extra pass after Anthony passed out of the double-team. That was a big topic of Sunday’s practice. Amar’e Stoudemire has said repeatedly the past few days the team isn’t spacing well or “moving the ball.’’ Smith, mediocre since his return, is likely the culprit.
“It could’ve gone another pass or two, something we talked about this morning,’’ Woodson said. “It’s not always the pass that comes out. It’s the next one that leads to something good. That pass that came out was going up [for a shot]. I’m not saying it’s selfish. But if you’re talking about executing offense at high level, you might have to make that next pass.’’
Problem is, the Knicks aren’t shooting well — especially from the 3-point line. They were terrors from the stripe last season, setting a record for most makes and attempts. This year they are shooting a blasé 32.7 percent compared to 37.4 percent last season. Woodson says they are scoring six points less a game via the 3-ball than 2012-13.
Woodson said it’s been tough to find an identity with two starters missing in center Tyson Chandler and point guard Raymond Felton, who is expected to miss his fourth straight game Monday. The Knicks have older, slower point guards in Beno Udrih and Pablo Prigioni, who will have to handle on this trip Portland’s Damian Lillard, the Clippers’ Chris Paul and Denver’s Ty Lawson after failing to stop Washington’s John Wall.
Woodson said hopefully the pace out West will quicken the Knicks, too.
“When you play a fast-paced team, it forces you to play fast as well,’’ Woodson said. “Maybe that helps us because we’ve been so methodical and sluggish in term o f our pace.’’
Woodon will keep the same starting lineup, with Udrih and Iman Shumpert in the backcourt and Smith off the bench. But chemistry on and off the court is a mess.
“It’s hard,’’ Woodosn said. “You got two starters not in uniform. I don’t know what kind of team we really have. We haven’t had a full deck. Until we get there, we have to maintain and hold this thing down so it doesn’t get too out of whack.’’