Carmelo Anthony believes J.R. Smith’s sneaker-lace fiasco has finally “opened his eyes up’’ to changing his unprofessional ways.
Anthony has seen the teases before with Smith, lighting up like he did in Philadelphia on Saturday and showing all the marvelous gifts the Freehold, N.J. product possesses. Anthony has been a witness to many of Smith’s missteps, as the two were teammates for nearly five seasons in Denver.
But this time, Anthony thinks Smith may finally be getting it.
“We have numerous talks,’’ Anthony said after the Knicks’ 102-92 victory Saturday. “Me and J.R. talk sometimes all day and night. Certain situations, you have to open your eyes and look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘It’s time to change myself. Everyone else is giving me chances and everybody else wants me to change. If I’m not changing myself, it’s irrelevant.’
“I think this is a situation that opened his eyes up. He looked at himself in the mirror, hopefully, and said he wants to change, he’s got to change. It’s up to him now.”
Coach Mike Woodson took a stand with Smith — at least for five quarters, as he tied him to the bench. Woodson intended not to play Smith in Philadelphia if the Knicks functioned as well without him as they did against the Heat. But after falling behind by eight points in the first quarter to the league’s worst defensive team, Woodson reluctantly played Smith.
However, the Woodson-Smith freeze still exists, and the organization is upset with Smith’s defiance. One night doesn’t change that.
Woodson refused to give Smith much praise after he turned the Sixers game around in the 32-12 second quarter with 11 points and four assists. Woodson left Smith twisting in the wind all day on Saturday, refusing to answer any questions about him before the game. And after the win, a public relations official cut off Woodson’s postgame press conference when a question was posed about the coach’s relationship with Smith.
Smith’s spot in the rotation — and his future with the organization — is not cemented in stone. If he doesn’t produce, Woodson will not hesitate to yank him or look to trade him. With the club so undermanned Saturday,Woodson would have had to again play an eight-man rotation that included rookie Toure’ Murry if he benched Smith. And he was willing to do so.
Monday against the Suns, the Knicks likely will get back backup point guard Beno Udrih (knee inflammation) and possibly center Tyson Chandler, who has missed the last three games with a upper respiratory infection.
Smith was giddy in the locker room in Philadelphia, clowning around with his buddy Iman Shumpert, as if nothing ever were wrong. When asked if he had learned anything from this latest controversy, Smith said, “Don’t goof around, I guess.’’
Woodson won the battle in Philly by playing Smith. Who wins the war remains to be seen.