NBA

Woodson believes he’s the man to turn Knicks around

A day later Mike Woodson still has no explanation for Sunday’s debacle, no answer for his team’s infuriating inconsistency.

But he’s proclaiming — or is it campaigning? — he’s still the right man for the job, still up to the task of turning the Knicks’ season around.

And his players are backing him.

After the Knicks won 54 games last season, the players got the glory, but now that they’re struggling Woodson is getting the heat. And after Sunday’s 114-73 loss to the Celtics — at home, no less — there is plenty of heat on Woodson’s seat.

According to sources, Knicks owner James Dolan has pulled back from the vote of confidence he gave Woodson last month.

“Again, this has never been about me. I can’t say that loud enough,’’ said Woodson. “I’m privileged to have this job. I feel very privileged to have been given this job. Every day that I come to work, I work. I don’t take days off. I put my time in, I think my preparation is great with my staff, and we try to get our guys to play at a high level. Unfortunately we haven’t had a lot of the pieces.

“I got to a rotation in those two games with Brooklyn and Orlando which I felt good [about], but got to the arena and Kenyon [Martin] couldn’t go, so we have to go another route. When Tyson [Chandler] comes back, we’ve got to try to get that rotation back in gear. For me, it’s kind of been a work in progress. I think I’m up for the task.’’

It’s a tough task, coaching a dysfunctional bunch that’s 5-14 entering Tuesday’s game at Cleveland. Just when they teased of turning the corner — routing the Nets and Magic — the Knicks became just the second team ever to win consecutive games by at least 30 points and then drop the next by at least 30. That kind of inconsistency from such a veteran group is as inexcusable as it is unexplainable.

“I wish I had an answer, but I can’t explain it. We talked about it and we got to put that behind us and get ready for Cleveland,’’ said Woodson, who tried to shoulder the blame for the players’ lack of intensity and poor energy level. “Again, at the end of the day the players are playing, but I’m still coaching the team. I’ve always had the responsibility as the coach to make sure guys are playing at a high level.

“We’ve done that for the most part since I’ve been here. We’ve had our lapses since I’ve been here. I’m still the head coach, and I’m still going to push guys to play at a high level. Players have got to do their part as well. We can’t have games like that. That’s no fun for anybody.’’

Woodson said even in the wake of Sunday’s emasculation, he’ll stick with his regular starting lineup against the Cavaliers (7-13). And really, his choices are limited. At some point the players need to take responsibility for their play, and they admitted as much.

“It’s not his fault. We win together. We lose together as a unit. It’s not his fault,’’ said Amar’e Stoudemire. “[Sunday] wasn’t a great day for us. We understand that. We all look in the mirror every day. We have to turn this thing around.

“We came out a little flat. We didn’t score the ball well, we didn’t defend. That being said, the results are what they are. At the same time, we can’t dwell in the past. We have to move forward. I understand we’re a much better team than what we showed up [Sunday].”