PORTLAND, Ore. — Mike Woodson can say anything about his pet, J.R. Smith, and nobody takes it too seriously. But the Knicks coach certainly is beside himself regarding Smith, who has not been playing at the level befitting the 2012-13 Sixth Man Award winner.
Woodson certainly didn’t enjoy some of Smith’s recent psychobabble after recent Knicks losses to Indiana and Washington.
After the Indiana game, Smith said he felt like “panicking’’ because of the poor start. Woodson knocked him Sunday and went even further Monday after the morning shootaround at Portland’s Moda Center.
When asked if he was irritated by Smith’s panic remark, Woodson said: “To be sitting here after 12 games talking about I’m in a panic stage, I might need to punch him out and get it out of his thought process.”
The Knicks coach then smirked, but it wasn’t meant entirely as a big joke.
“If we panic,’’ said point guard Raymond Felton, “we might as just well shut down the season.’’
After the Pacers heartbreaker Wednesday, Smith said: “Like you say, it’s too early to panic, but me, personally, I’m panicking. I don’t like this.’’
In Washington, Smith said he felt every possession is starting to feel packed with “pressure’’ and the team isn’t having fun and “overanalyzing.’’
There wasn’t much to analyze with Smith’s largely lifeless performancc Monday night — six points on 2-for-6 shooting.
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Felton missed his fourth straight game with a pinched nerve in his hip/hamstring strain but hasn’t ruled out Wednesday against the Clippers.
“That’s what I’m hoping,’’ Woodson said before the Knicks’ 102-91 loss to the Trail Blazers Monday night.
The Knicks got a break as Blazers reserve Mo Williams was suspended for Monday’s game because of a skirmish in Golden State.
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Amar’e Stoudemire has been cleared to play all games except both ends of back-to-backs with a minutes restriction in the 20-to-25 minute range.
The Post reported in late June the medical staff was contemplating that exact scenario.
Stoudemire started the season playing every other game with a 10-minute max. He is coming off a solid 21-minute outing in Washington during which he was 5-for-5, showing explosiveness around the rim.
Stoudemire played 25 minutes, scoring 10 points on 5-of-12 shooting and grabbing six rebounds.
Stoudemire said he’s happy his “hard work is paying off’’ and he has been able to show his “gift.’’
“I still want to continue to be the hardest worker on the team,’’ said Stoudemire, who has had three surgeries since October.
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Minnesota forward Derrick Williams, former second-round pick, reportedly is being shipped to Sacramento. The Knicks had Williams on their radar.