YOU’RE OUTTA HERE: The Knicks thought J.R. Smith’s ejection from Game 3 (above) for a flagrant-foul elbow to the chin of the Celtics’ Jason Terry would be the end of it, but the NBA suspended the bench scorer extraordinaire for today’s potential sweep-sealing Game 4 in Boston. (
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BOSTON — The Sixth Man of the Year is now the Suspended Man of the Playoffs.
The Knicks’ unblemished series against the Celtics was thrown for a loop with the suspension of J.R. Smith for today’s Game 4 at TD Garden because of an elbow he threw to the chin of Jason Terry. The league made the announcement last night.
The incident, for which Smith was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 7:06 remaining in Friday’s Game 3. The Knicks lead the series 3-0, but their chances of posting a sweep and gaining extra rest will be compromised without Smith, their second-leading scorer.
The incident also calls into question whether the flaky shooting guard is going to keep his head throughout an ongoing playoff journey. Smith has been ejected three times this season, all on the road, including regular-season games at Indiana and Golden State.
“I’m always in J.R.’s ear,” coach Mike Woodson said. “That one incident [Friday] night is not going to deter me on how I think about J.R. He’s had a helluva year. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.’’
Carmelo Anthony, averaging 32 points in the series, may need an even more monstrous game.
“It doesn’t put no pressure on me,’’ Anthony said. “We’ve got guys who are going to have to step up if that’s the case.’’
The Knicks reserves have dominated the series, and they will look to Steve Novak and Chris Copeland to replace Smith’s scoring punch (career-high 18.1 points).
“He knows that,” Chandler said of Smith’s importance to the team. “It’s a learning experience. We need him on the basketball floor. He’s one of our big-time scorers. He understands that.’’
Earlier in the day, the Knicks didn’t think Smith would receive a ban. Smith was at Fenway Park last night, thinking he was in the clear.
“I don’t think there should be a suspension there,’’ Chandler said. “It wasn’t a case of immaturity. It was a heat of the moment thing, trying to create space. It looked bad. It looked worse than it was. Intentions weren’t what it seemed.’’
Smith claimed after the game the elbow was accidental as he tried to create space for a jump shot, but he didn’t act that way in the aftermath. Terry had swiped hard at the ball. Smith appeared to retaliate by raising his elbow into Terry’s face.
Smith marched away instead of checking if Terry was OK. Terry shot up and had to be restrained from going after Smith.
“I don’t think he tried to hurt anybody,’’ Woodson said. “It was a basketball play, trying to clear space, to me. I’m not a judge. I don’t want to take our aggressiveness away on how we play.”
Woodson lectured Smith on the court.
“I just told him got to keep his cool,’’ Woodson said. “I want him to still play hard. I don’t think he was trying to hurt anyone.’’
But Smith now has hurt his team as the Knicks attempt to win their first playoff series since 2000 and sweep Boston in the playoffs for the first time since 1951. A victory would give them a week off, but if they lose, Game 5 isn’t until Wednesday.
“If you can get some rest, you get some rest,’’ Anthony said. “As far as momentum goes, if you’re not rested, the momentum doesn’t make sense. We’d rather be rested.’’
The Knicks have outclassed Boston, holding them to 75 points per game on 39.5-percent shooting.
“For this organization, it’s great for not only our players and ownership, it’s great for our fans,” Woodson said. “People who came out and pay their hard-earned money to watch us play, we had some tough years. They should be enjoying this.’’
Boston coach Doc Rivers fumed about the Smith elbow, saying he wished he was “still a player’’ so he could settled the score. The NBA may not have wanted Smith on the parquet today for fear of a potential rhubarb.
“He’s handled it the right way,” Anthony said. “He felt bad about it. We accepted it and moved on.”
marc.berman@nypost.com