The number of people in Mike Woodson's corner is slim. The New York Knicks head coach is on thin ice right now as the team's season continues to go downhill. After a meeting with James Dolan, many are speculating Woodson will not make it through the All-Star break. While Woodson continues to play it cool in front of the media, JR Smith is expressing his concerns.
Despite the tension that has been seen between Woodson and Smith throughout the season, the guard continues to support his head coach. Smith told reports that he is "without a doubt" concerned Woodson will get fired before the end of the season. Woodson has not always spoken the same praise to Smith once telling the guard he needed to be more professional.
"I think he's handling it well," Smith said, via ESPN.com. "You know he's in a tough spot. I've played for a few coaches, and one thing about Coach Woodson, he puts everything on himself before anybody. He takes the blame, he takes all the heat and he doesn't mind it. That's what he wants.That's what he expects."
Woodson admits this season with the Knicks has been a disaster.
"This year has been, for me, it's been kind of a disaster from a coaching standpoint in trying to get players to compete and play at a high level," Woodson said in an interview on ESPN New York 98.7 FM's The Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show. "That's the frustrating part about it, because I know we're better than what we've shown and we've still got a chance."
New York is currently 11-17 at home following a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. They are sitting in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, 2 ½ games back from the final playoff spot. There is still time to get something going, but the likelihood Woodson is there to help with the process.
"I can't concern myself with that. I really can't," Woodson said. "It's been out there, it's buzzing. The media, they write it. That's not my concern. My concern is coming to work every day with my head held high, trying to figure out how I can get us out of this hole. It's not worrying about if I'm going to have a job tomorrow. I don't live my everyday life thinking about that. My job is thinking about X's and O's and trying to get guys to play at a high level and win games."
