The concern regarding Jason Kidd’s back continues to grow.
Kidd started last night, played the first 5:24 and was yanked for J.R. Smith. Kidd never saw the court again and it’s unclear when he will again.
Woodson rested Kidd the final three quarters in last night’s 106-104 conquest of the Hawks, just as he did in Philadelphia on Saturday. During the Sixers game, Kidd returned to the locker room in the fourth quarter for treatment. He had two assists last night, but didn’t take a shot.
Kidd, who missed four games in November, suffered from back spasms in Boston on Thursday. Kidd was not available to the media after last night’s game.
“He’s fine, I just decided to rest him,’’ Woodson claimed. “I beat Jason Kidd up, and he is a bigger part of this than you’d ever imagine. This is a marathon — one game isn’t going to determine anything. I’m going to need him for the long haul.’’
Carmelo Anthony said the light travel schedule ahead will be good for Kidd as the Knicks play four more games at home this week.
* J.R. Smith hit rock bottom Saturday in Philadelphia with his 0-for-8 showing, and before last night’s game, Woodson said he wanted Smith to spend more time on his shot in practice. Smith recovered nicely as he scored 18 points, making 7 of 15 baskets, though just 1 of 5 from 3-point land, and spent several minutes outside the locker room talking to his friend, Rev. Jesse Jackson.
“I thought J.R. came out of it a little bit tonight,’’ Woodson said.
A couple of weeks ago, Smith was surging, and even suggested he should be considered for the All-Star team because of the dearth of shooting guards in the East; he had a streak of seven straight games of 18-plus points. But then he started crashing, and entering last night was shooting 19 of 69 in his previous five games — 27.5 percent — and 30 percent in his previous eight games. His shooting percentage had slipped under 40 percent, to 39.5.
“He’s got to put more time in and work his way through it,’’ Woodson said.
Smith didn’t make it as an All-Star, though the TNT crew said he wasn’t far off. Because of his slide and prior baggage, Smith probably has no chance of getting tabbed as a replacement for Rajon Rondo, out for the season with an ACL tear. Commissioner David Stern could pick a shooting guard instead of a point guard and the Nets’ Joe Johnson may have a shot. Smith, averaging 16.1 points and 5.1 rebounds, said he was OK with not getting on the All-Star team.
“A lot of guys got snubbed,’’ he said. “Guys who were having better years than I have. For me, [Stephen] Curry not making it, that was for my don’t-worry-about-it-snub. If he didn’t make it, I’m sure I wasn’t making it.’’
* The confusion on Marcus Camby’s schedule to return from plantar fasciitis is now competing with the confusion over Rasheed Wallace’s timetable to return from a foot injury. Camby said Saturday he didn’t think he’d be running for “two to three’’ weeks. However, Woodson said last night he expects Camby to get back within the two-to-four week window the Knicks set when he reaggravated his injury in Indiana Jan. 10. Camby has been out 2 1/2 weeks. Woodson said he will know more on both Wallace and Camby — perhaps today.