WHATEVER is in J.R. Smith’s head, Dr. Carmelo Anthony, rushing in urgently as volunteer team psychologist, is trying hard to get out, before it is too late, before Smith shoots the Knicks out of the Eastern Conference semifinals and any hopes for a dream season.
These Knicks titillate us, and torment us. One game they inexcusably do not bother showing up, the next game they are warriors defending their home court. One game they surrender a 20-0 run, the next they erupt on a 30-2 run.
They are the Schizophren-Knicks.
They won’t stop being the Schizophren-Knicks until the most Schizophren-Knick finds his game, which he seems to be looking for at the Greenhouse and 40/40 Club, and he better find it in time for Game 3 tomorrow night in the Pacers’ backyard.
It is why Dr. Melo, the basketball Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, grabbed Smith by the jersey late in Game 2, at a time when Smith was well on his way to a 3-for-15 shooting night that left him 15-for-57, and 7-for-24 from downtown, over the past four games, and encouraged him, supported him. And it is why Dr. Melo, more of a leader than we probably know, hasn’t let up trying to chase away whatever demons are haunting Smith’s fragile psyche.
I asked Dr. Melo yesterday exactly what he has been telling Smith, and he said: “Just play ball, just relax and play ball. Don’t try to put so much pressure on yourself to go out there and try to make something in one play, it’s not gonna happen, it won’t work.
“Just let it happen. Let the game come to you. Try to find other things, other ways to be effective in the game. Keep shooting the ball. We need him to shoot the ball, we need him to make shots. That’s the most important thing, try to just stay mentally strong.
“He says he’s in a slump. I don’t really believe in a slump. If you tell yourself you’re in a slump then you will be in a slump. Always try to think positive. With him, just trying to keep him upbeat, keep him positive … ’cause he’s a big part of our team’s success.”
The Knicks can beat the Pacers on any given night when Dr. Melo shoots 50 percent, when they play Dee-Fense like they mean it, when Iman Shumpert is a one-man wrecking crew on defense and a one-handed Phi Slama Jamma, when Raymond Felton makes everyone forget Jeremy Lin and when Pablo Prigioni plays like an Argentine Olympian.
But there will be no help in Games 3 and 4 from the Garden, no guarantee Dr. Melo himself has found his MVP form, and on those nights, the Schizophren-Knicks will be in grave jeopardy if Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Smith remains a basket case.
“I don’t think he would be in a so-called slump for much longer,” Dr. Melo said. “He’s in here working. … Only way you’ll get out of a so-called slump is putting in work in the gym, and he’s been doing that. So we just need him to be J.R., back out there playing basketball, having fun doing that, being positive on the court.”
Smith exited by a side door at the Knicks’ practice facility rather than face the media throng. I asked Dr. Melo about the perception Smith is partying too much and not as committed to his team as he should be.
“I don’t want to speak on that,” Dr. Melo began. Of course. Doctor-patient confidentiality. “To me, he’s focused now,” Dr. Melo said. “He’s here with us, when he’s here, he’s here. Whatever he’s doing in his spare time, he does in his spare time.
“I want him to remain positive regardless of what’s going on off the court, what’s being said about him. If you don’t have a positive attitude throughout these situations, it’s gonna make everything tougher for him.”
Did you tell him that today? “Not just today,” Dr. Melo said. “I’ve told him before.”
Dr. Melo’s latest session comes at a time when Mike Woodson publicly has declared he would not rule out sitting Smith if his funk is hurting the team.
“Shooters go through it. … He’s just gotta think every time he pulls up to shoot a shot or he goes to the rim, that he’s gonna make the shot,” Woodson said. “You can’t back away from it. We’ve all gone through it as players throughout our careers, and … I got faith and I believe in J.R., so eventually he’ll break loose, and when he does, he’ll be back to J.R. again, and that’s gonna help us even more, I think.”
In the meantime, better keep Dr. Melo on call.
steve.serby@nypost.com