MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If Mike Woodson had his way, J.R. Smith wouldn’t wear a mask — just like the Knicks coach didn’t as a player.
Smith’s debut wearing a mask to protect his fractured cheekbone was a disaster in Wednesday’s 98-93 loss to the Grizzlies. He missed a late, wide-open 3-pointer from the corner after a feed from Carmelo Anthony with 25 seconds left to lowlight his four-point, 2-of-8 night.
“It’s uncomfortable, but I’m playing with it,’’ Smith said. “I got to deal with it. It’s not better than I thought. It’s worse.’’
Smith will have to play with the mask for about four more weeks.
Before the game, Woodson reminisced about the 1990-9l season with Houston when he had the same injury, but didn’t wear a mask. He has told the story to Smith, the Knicks’ sixth man who is worried about how he is going to fare because of the discomfort.
“All I can do is relay that I had that same injury and I never wore a mask or missed a game,’’ Woodson said. “Times have changed a little bit, but it’s what it is. Nobody ever told me about a mask. They told me it would eventually heal. That’s it. I broke the same bone.”
Afterward, Woodson admitted this is an adjustment for Smith.
“[The mask] probably had something to do with it,’’ Woodson said of his airball. “He didn’t shoot it particularly well tonight. I don’t know what it’s like to where a mask but he’s got to and hopefully soon it will become second nature to him.’’
Woodson said he suffered the break when he was knocked out cold by Hakeem Olajuwon’s elbow as the center went for a rebound. Smith refuses to play without a mask, worried about going blind with another shot to the area.
Whether it’s Rajon Rondo, Jeremy Lin, Kyle Lowry or Jeff Teague, Knicks point guard Raymond Felton has heard it all about the organization’s desire for an upgrade at Thursday’s trade deadline. Felton appears fed up with the noise and realizes his season hasn’t been up to snuff. Felton has dealt with personal issues, including his family losing power during the ice storm last weekend in the Carolinas and the Page Six report his wife was filing for divorce.
“It is what it is,’’ said Felton, who scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting and barely played in the fourth quarter. “Whoever I’m going to play for, I’m going to play for. If it’s here, it’s great. I’m going to love it. I love these guys. But if it happens, it happens. I’ve been a guy who’s been in the league a long time. It’s part of the business. I understand that.’’