The Knicks may not need more from J.R. Smith in tomorrow’s Game 5, but they almost certainly need better.
As the sixth man, Smith has emerged as one of the Knicks’ most relied-upon players. Smith has taken the second-most shots of any Knick in the playoff series against the Heat, trailing only Carmelo Anthony, and in Game 4, Smith played the second-most minutes after Anthony.
Smith, though, is coming off two horrible games. He shot a combined 8-for-33 from the field at the Garden, going 5-for-18 in the Game 3 loss and bottoming out at 3-for-15 in Sunday’s Game 4 victory. He went 1-for-13 from 3-point range in the two games.
Smith was one of the Knicks’ best players in Games 1-2, averaging 15 points and sinking 13 of 28 shots. He said his confidence is unshaken despite his Game 4 misery, but admitted his shooting stroke is totally off.
“It’s terrible right now. I’m shooting terrible from the field. I can’t make a bucket,” he said. “I’ve got to stay in the gym and keep getting shots.”
Smith may not have to shoulder as much of the scoring load if a re-born Amar’e Stoudemire, who exploded for 20 points in Game 4 after missing Game 3 because of a left hand injury, posts another big game and Jeremy Lin is re-activated following his rehab from knee surgery.
But Lin remains questionable and starting point guard Baron Davis is done for the season because of a devastating right knee injury, so Smith might be counted on to orchestrate the Knicks’ attack at times tomorrow night in Miami. Interim coach Mike Woodson said on a conference call yesterday “there’s a possibility” of employing a big lineup that features either Smith or Anthony playing point guard.
“It’s something I thought about doing [in Game 4],” Woodson said.
The 26-year-old Smith may be playing for his next contract. He has a player option for next season, though he is likely to decline it and enter free agency. Another horrible shooting performance won’t help.
“It’s a matter of me catching the ball in the right spots,” Smith said. “Sometimes my hands are too close together. Sometimes they are too far apart. It’s a matter of catching it right and letting it go.”
mark.hale@nypost.com