BOSTON — J.R. Smith’s mysteriously wretched season continued against the Bulls Wednesday night and Knicks coach Mike Woodson acknowledged the reigning NBA Sixth Man award winner may never get back to last season’s form.
Smith is coming off surgery on a chipped patellar tendon and torn meniscus in his left knee. He hasn’t shown enough quickness on defense and offensively can’t find a rhythm on his jumper or an ability to get to the free-throw line.
“J.R. has had his struggles,’’ Woodson said Thursday on his ESPN Radio show. “I don’t think he’s still 100 percent. I don’t know if he’ll ever be this season based on the surgery he had this offseason. I have to be patient with him. I still expect him in the minutes he plays, he’s got to contribute more.”
Smith is averaging just 11.1 points in 30 minutes — his production down seven points per game from last season. He’s shooting 34.4 percent. During Chicago’s comeback on Wednesday, Smith also committed a silly foul in blatantly shoving Kirk Hinrich to the floor while fighting through a pick.
Woodson, who tried starting Smith for three games last month, has recently talked about reducing his minutes because he has complained of knee soreness. There is also a movement to have Amar’e Stoudemire on the court in crunch time to aid Carmelo Anthony as Smith’s shooting struggles continue. Stoudemire hit the go-ahead, tiebreaking shot to key the win over the Bulls, and after the game said his goals are “through the roof.’’
With the Knicks struggles in matinees, including the 41-point nightmare loss against Boston last Sunday, Woodson said he may change policy and keep the team overnight in a Manhattan hotel. Woodson was asked if he’s worried the players are staying up too late on Saturday nights.
“I like to think none of that happened that particular game on why we were so flat,’’ Woodson said. “Probably next early game I might have to do something a little differently, put them all in a hotel and babysit them. If it means winning basketball games, that’s what’s important. We haven’t fared well in early games. I can’t put my finger on it. We have to do something different.”
Woodson said it is no coincidence that in the last five games, the Knicks were 3-0 when Kenyon Martin played and 0-2 when he rested his sore ankle.
“He plays a major part of it,’’ Woodson said, citing Martin’s defense.
Stoudemire began the season on a 10-minute restriction and banned from playing in two straight games. Now he’s all the way up to a 30-minute cap and can even play back-to-backs.
Stoudemire said he hopes to play the back-to-back against Boston and Atlanta.
“This has been some major steps for Stat,’’ Woodson said.