Knicks players ripped Woodson after firing: Phil Jackson

In what sounds like the back door hitting fired Knicks coach Mike Woodson on the way out, new Knicks president Phil Jackson revealed that several players — during their exit interviews  — told him the club didn’t play as a team this season and relied solely on its talent, reported the N.Y. Post.

The Knicks finished 37-45 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10. During his 24-minute press conference Wednesday, Jackson didn’t mention Woodson’s name once but the Zen Master's comments put the team's failures pretty much on the former coach's shoulders.

“One of the messages from the players was that it was a very talented team,’’ Jackson said. “They had to have a lot of games where they forced their talent on opposing teams rather than playing with freedom to make things easy. All the wins were hard to get. They were winning with talent and not with team play, which I thought was an accurate statement.

“I think the talent’s there,’’ Jackson added. “How to blend it together is a coaching decision and a personnel decision.’’

That last sound you heard was the door slamming shut.

Melo says Joakim didn't try to recruit him to Bulls

Ever since ESPN reported that during the NBA All-Star Weekend, Joakim Noah told Carmelo Anthony that if he’s serious about winning a title, he should join the Bulls after he opts out of his Knicks contract on July 1 — the rumors have been swirling.

Anthony reportedly told Noah that Derrick Rose is his son’s favorite player, admired the team's style of play and asked what it’s like to play for Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

While the normally chatty Noah shrugged off the report as "gossip" at the Bulls shootaround on Friday, Anthony addressed the story after the Knicks 108-81 victory over the Jazz later that night, reported The New York Post.

And Anthony outright denied there was a recruiting speech pitched to him by Noah during All-Star weekend in New Orleans.

“I heard about that [report],” Anthony said after the Knicks’ win at Madison Square Garden. “Every day it’s a story. Every day it’s going to be a new story. I have no information about that. I don’t know how that story got out there, who started that story. I don’t know. I really don’t know what to say about it.”

Asked specifically if he had that talk with Noah, Melo, battling a cold, immediately replied in a hoarse voice: “No, not at all. I can’t have that conversation.”

Anthony, though, said he knows he'll be hearing those types of reports and rumors until his future is settled. He is expected to opt out of his Knicks contract and become a free agent at the end of the season.

“Without a doubt,” Anthony said of the distraction. “There’s going to be more stories coming out, more speculation. Everybody going to have their own take on different stories, so for me it’s I got to focus on playing ball and that’s it. Whatever stories [are] going to be out there, I can’t control that.”

Knicks coach Mike Woodson said on Thursday that any recruitment pitch to Anthony would violate NBA tampering rules.

And Thibodeau dismissed the story, saying, “It’s a bunch of nonsense. People just start throwing stuff out there and then they wait for everyone to respond to it.”

An NBA spokesman on Friday declined comment on the matter.

Now that those whispers have been put to bed, let the Phil Jackson talk begin.

Rick Carlisle blames NY's 'media cesspool' for Mike Woodson's woes: Report

Rick Carlisle gave New York Knicks coach Mike Woodson the kind of public vote of confidence neither team president Steve Mills nor owner James Dolan has been willing to do lately this season.

In a unsolicited gesture during his postgame press conference, after the Knicks posted a 92-80 victory over his Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, Carlisle lavished praise upon Woodson.

"If I could make one statement about Mike Woodson, I just marvel at the job he's doing with this team right now, given the circumstances, given all the ridiculous rumors about his job security and all the nonsense that's being stirred up in that media cesspool in New York City," he said.

The New York media has reported that Woodson is on the hot seat and it seems there's not a day that goes by without a New York tabloid reporting that someone (like Jeff Van Gundy) might be ready to replace him. 

"This is a man who is one of the top coaches in the league and a man of great integrity and substance. He proved that [Sunday]," said the Mavs' coach. "They easily could have swept this road trip and this is supposedly a team that is dysfunctional. He has a great touch with that team and I got a lot of respect for the job that's he's doing."

When told of Carlisle’s remarks, Woodson seemed moved.

"I have a great deal of respect for Rick," Woodson said. "It’s nice of him."

Woodson then nodded his head at a group of New York reporters and said, "I can’t control what these writers write."

The Knicks have now won two of their last three games, with the one loss coming to Houston 102-100 in the closing seconds.

Dolan told his players two weeks ago their coach’s job was safe, but has said nothing publicly.

Mike Woodson still expects Knicks to win division: Report

Only a day removed from the 29-point Christmas Day rout by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Mike Woodson, treated the New York Knicks’ current struggles like a long forgotten memory and predicted a second straight Atlantic Division title following practice on Thursday.

“We won it last year,” the beleaguered head coach said, “and I expect us to win it this year.”

Woodson’s confidence was based on the fact that the 9-and-19 Knicks play in a division that is so weak that they are 6-6 in their past 12 games. Forgetting that most of those wins have come against some of the worst teams in the NBA helped Woodson keep his sunny outlook. 

Woodson asked himself rhetorically, “Do I see some light at the end of the tunnel?” and answered, “I do.”

The mediocrity of the division and a freakish amount of injuries to key players have probably helped excuse Woodson from losing his job—for now.

"The bottom line is I'm the coach of this team," he said. "I have very high standards in terms of what I do and what I expect players to do. And it starts with me."

The Knicks have a chance to gain some ground Friday night when they begin a home-and-home with the division-leading Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden.

Woodson knows that the 11-15 Raptors are just three games ahead of the Knicks and his team can make a big statement this weekend.

But it's still unclear if Carmelo Anthony, who didn't practice because of a sprained left ankle that kept him out of the Christmas Day game, will play. Woodson called him "day-to-day."

"Eventually we’ll get healthy and we’ll see how it all plays out," Woodson said. "The beauty about all of this that we’re going through is nobody’s running away with it in our division and I’m pushing our team to win our division still."

Mike Woodson on hot seat; Jeff Van Gundy on back burner: Report

Mike Woodson's tenure with the New York Knicks may all boil down to Thursday's game against the Brooklyn Nets — if you believe the rumors coming coming out of Madison Square Garden.

While Woodson will coach the Knicks on Thursday, it is unclear how much longer owner James Dolan will allow his team's nine-game losing streak to go on. Dolan is obsessed with the cross-borough Brooklyn franchise and a bad loss against his rival could trigger changes — whether via trade or a coaching move, reports the N.Y. Post.

The Post reports that if Dolan eventually makes a move, ex-Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy would not be ruled out as a future candidate — though such a hire seems more sensible in the offseason if Dolan goes with an interim coach.

The Knicks are a mess, with Woodson even acknowledging after Sunday’s loss to the Pelicans his team is playing scared late in tight games. Carmelo Anthony said the team is fighting confidence and “mentality’’ issues, and fixing that often falls on the coach. Anthony has hinted at a fracturing locker room, and there have been an inordinate number of blowups on the bench.

Dolan might have already set the table for Woodson's release.

The owner sat down with The Post’s Mike Vaccaro on Nov. 19 before the Knicks played in Detroit and voiced his support for Woodson, but the Knicks have lost seven straight games since.

“I have a lot of confidence in Woodson, and one thing I can say about Mike is he has the respect of all the players,’’ said Dolan in that interview. “They all respect him. And he treats them fairly and relatively equally, and that’s part of where the respect emanates from. And those are hard things to get from a coach. When a coach loses a team, that’s when a coach is kind of done.’’

Van Gundy likely would be interested in the Knicks position. In late June, Van Gundy admitted he regrets quitting on Dolan — remarks that appeared to sit well with Dolan and may have served as a peace offering.

On ESPN Radio, Van Gundy called it “a stupid decision’’ to quit.

“It’s something I regret to this day,’’ the popular Van Gundy said. “I live with it every day and I regret it. And I let my emotions come into it. And I was just emotionally spent. I made a bad decision and I quit….I had a great job with the Knicks.’’

Van Gundy last coached the Rockets in 2006-07.

Expect a bare-knuckles battle inside Brooklyn's Barclays Center Thursday night. And maybe a little bloodshed after the game.

Mike Woodson ready to 'punch' panic out of J.R. Smith

If you thought all of the talk of "panicking" from J.R. Smith has affected Mike Woodson's sense of humor — think again.

The Knicks head coach certainly didn’t enjoy some of Smith’s public negativity after recent Knicks losses to Indiana and Washington, but is taking it in stride.

After the heartbreaking loss against the Pacers Wednesday, Smith said: "Like you say, it’s too early to panic, but me, personally, I’m panicking. I don’t like this."

In Washington, Smith said he felt every possession is starting to feel packed with “pressure’’ and the team isn’t having fun and “overanalyzing.’’

When asked if he was irritated by Smith’s panic remark, Woodson said: “To be sitting here after 12 games talking about I’m in a panic stage, I might need to punch him out and get it out of his thought process.”

Woodson then smirked, but it wasn’t meant entirely as a big joke.

"I don't like players feeling that way," Woodson said before Monday night's loss to Portland when Smith scored only six points. "It's a long season. I've been around long enough to see where things can turn awfully fast."

Remember ... Woodson did have a smirk on his face. Let's see how long it lasts.

Melo rips Knicks' lack of effort after blowout loss

It didn't take long after fans booed the New York Knicks' fifth straight loss at Madison Square Garden, that a disgusted Carmelo Anthony said it looked as if the team wasn't even trying during a lopsided 110-90 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

"We ain't playing worth a s--- right now," Anthony said. "We got to play harder. 

"I am disappointed too in all of our effort. We are just not getting it done. It ain't nothing that Coach [Mike] Woodson is doing [or not doing]. It ain't got nothing to do with X's and O's out there on the basketball court. We are not getting it done from an effort standpoint. It's like we are not even trying right now."

Even though Anthony says Woodson is not to blame, Knicks fans still briefly chanted "Fire Woodson" in the third quarter.

After the Knicks dropped to 3-and-6, Anthony did not want to discuss orange uniforms or the Knicks City Dancers in the locker room. The frustrated forward was clearly focused on the fact that the Knicks had allowed the Hawks to shoot 56.4 percent and score 48 points in the paint. He said the club isn’t "trying." Anthony even suggested the team may soon dig themselves too deep a hole to recover.

"I’m disappointed in all our effort," Anthony said. "We’re not getting it done from an effort standpoint. It’s like we’re not even trying right now.

"We can’t worry about the boos."

The last time the Knicks had lost five in a row at home was February 2010, when they broke down the team for cap space with hopes of landing LeBron James in the free agency sweepstakes.

That was then but Melo thinks the Knicks time is right now.

"I can’t believe it," said Anthony, soon to be a free agent this summer. "I don’t even know what to say. I’m in awe. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know If there is an explanation.

"It’s surprising. To come into the season with a mindset of being better than we were last year and to be where we’re at right now. I know it’s 3-6, but we got to turn this around quickly. It’s a nasty feeling within the team."

And he pinned it squarely on the defense.

"It ain’t got anything to do with making shots and missing shots," said Anthony, who finished with 23 points on 8-of-21 shooting with 12 rebounds. "We’re just not getting it done on the other end. We’re not defending, giving any effort."

Anthony sounded as if he’s hoping for a turnaround before it's too late.

"I know it’s early in the season, but at the rate this is going, we’re going to be in too deep a hole to dig out," he said.

Mike Woodson pulls out of regular radio spot, ESPN host blames Knicks brass for muzzling coach

A previously scheduled, heavily-promoted radio appearance by Mike Woodson on ESPN-98.7 was abruptly cancelled when an industry source said the New York Knicks head coach called co-host Stephen A. Smith before the show and said he would not be appearing on the afternoon broadcast.

On Wednesday morning, the day after the Knicks lost 93-82 to the Indiana Pacers and fell behind 3-1 in the NBA second-round playoff series, Woodson pulled out of his regular radio segment.  Smith put the blame squarely on the higher-ups with the Knicks organization, according to The New York Daily News.

“Mike Woodson was supposed to be coming on, ladies and gentlemen. We didn’t lie to you. The New York Knicks organization backed out,” Smith said at the beginning of Wednesday’s show. “The coach didn’t back out because Mike Woodson wouldn’t do that — no matter what he says.”

An industry source said Woodson called Smith prior to the show and told him he would not be making his scheduled appearance. The station had promoted the Woodson segment during its morning programming.

“The New York Knicks (organization) pulled him, so be it,” Smith said on the air. “I don’t need to talk to Mike Woodson today. As much as the Knicks stunk out the joint last night, what the hell is there to say?”

Throughout the season, Woodson has been candid while discussing his team with Smith and his partner Ryan Ruocco. During his last appearance, the coach made news when he revealed he would consider benching J.R. Smith.

“I don’t blame them for wanting Mike Woodson to be quiet,” Smith said. “Good move by the Knicks organization — for a change.”

The Knicks have self-destructed in the series and are creeping towards elimination.  They were out-rebounded 54-36 even after the team went bigger on Tuesday night. They must win three games in  a row starting on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

And now James Dolan's paranoid lackeys pump up the controversy.

Woodson did talk to the media who showed up at the Knicks practice at their Greenburgh, N.Y. practice facility on Wednesday afternoon.

Ray Williams — NBA star who lost it all — dead at 58

Former NBA star Ray Williams passed away today at Manhattan's Sloan-Kettering Hospital after a long battle with colon cancer.  The former New York Knicks guard, who had fallen on unbelievably hard times, was 58 when he died, reports the New York Post.

Williams' harrowing rags-to-riches-to-rags story is a cautionary tale for all athletes or anyone who thinks they have got it all.  The Mount Vernon, N.Y. playground legend was a first-round NBA draft pick out of Minnesota in 1977 and played 10 seasons with six teams over his career and went to the NBA finals with the Larry Bird-led Celtics in 1985.

Doctors affiliated with a New Jersey medical group that offers health care to indigent athletes discovered a tumor in his colon during a routine colonoscopy.  At the time, Williams was homeless and living in a 1992 Buick.

Former Knicks guard Ray Williams, who was brought to NYC for his final days by the Knicks, has passed away according to the team.
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) March 22, 2013

The gritty guard — fondly known as "Sugar Ray" — retired in 1987 and blew the $2 million he had earned throughout his career but always insisted he never fell prey to drugs, alcohol or gambling. In 1994 he filed for bankruptcy and a $200,000 grant he received from the NBA Legends Foundation was lost in a real estate scam.

Knicks coach Mike Woodson — who played one season with Williams — recently visited his ailing friend.

“He was awesome,'' Woodson told The Post recently. "Physical. Tough. Knew how to play. He was a prototype combo guard because he can play 1, he could play 2 and could guard the 3 because he was so physical. To see him in the hospital like that you don’t wish that on anyone. That’s why we should be fortunate we can walk around and laugh.''

Williams, who played at Minnesota, averaged 16.4 points for the Knicks. He was a backcourt mate of Micheal Ray Richardson.

"We talked about fond memories,'' Woodson said. "We have a lot of fond memories. We laughed about a lot of things. It was kind of nice.''

In the late '70's and early '80's Williams did two stints with both the Knicks and the New Jersey Nets and was a shining star in the New York area.

It's sad to think about how hard and fast that star fell.

Amar'e Stoudemire to undergo knee surgery, will miss six weeks

Amar'e Stoudemire felt a little soreness in his knee and missed Saturday morning's shootaround to get an MRI which later revealed that he needs surgery on his right knee and will most likely miss the rest of the regular season and into part of the playoffs.

He has elected to have the knee debridement surgery sometime this week.

The injury comes just when the New York Knicks forward had made great strides this season after missing the first 30 games for the same surgery and adjusting to coming off the bench this year.

The loss of Stoudemire's 14.2 points a game will put a big hole in the offense and, the six week recovery timetable tweeted by the Knicks office, will make holding on to the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference — with the Nets and Bulls breathing down their necks — an uphill battle.

Forward Amar'e Stoudemire is scheduled to have a right knee debridement this coming week. He is expected to miss approximately six weeks.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 9, 2013

"I feel for Amar'e, because again he's put a lot of work in this summer, to get back out on the court, with what he went through at the beginning of camp," head coach Mike Woodson said. "And now he's got to go back in again. I feel for the young man because he puts so much time and hard work in. But you know we got to go on."

Stoudemire has been shooting 57.7% from the field this season and had come to grips with being a bench player after Woodson limited his game time to 30 minutes.

"You don't expect a key guy like that to continue to go down, because he's a big piece to the puzzle," said Woodson. Stoudemire had a debridement on his left knee in training camp. When Stoudemire missed the morning shootaround before playing the Utah Jazz, Woodson had an uneasy feeling.  He explained this was one reason he had put such a limit on his playing minutes. At the time, Woodson didn't know how serious it was.

"He's been very sufficient in terms of how he's been playing especially in the offensive end, and he's gotten better defensively," said Woodson.

"It's a loss, a major loss to what we're trying to do," said Woodson. "We're going to have to wait on him."

Carmelo to Knicks: Don't put Shumpert on trading block

Carmelo Anthony wasn't happy to hear about rumors surrounding Iman Shumpert that the New York Knicks were tendering trade offers for the struggling swingman.

"He shouldn't be worrying about that," Anthony said. "The Knicks shouldn't even be in trade talks right now."

Shumpert — who has had a rough time since his return from ACL surgery — was just plain dismal guarding guard Chris Paul in Sunday's 102-88 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.  Shumpert scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in almost 21 minutes of play while Paul blistered the Knicks for 25 points and seven assists.

Talk about trading the young defensive stud to Phoenix for Jared Dudley and a first-round pick are getting louder.  So loud, head coach Mike Woodson pulled Shumpert aside before the Knicks debacle against the Clippers.

"He said, 'Don't worry about it,'" Shumpert recalled.  "Rumors are rumors. I just got to play ball.  something I can't control."

Woodson said a trade was out of his jurisdiction and up to Knicks brass.

"I don't think you can ever tell a player he's not [on the trading block].  That's kind of out of my hands," said Woodson. "If the owners came to me and said we have to do a deal, then you do the deal. I sat him down and I told him. He knows how I feel."

Shumpert discussed the Paul game and his recent slump.

"It's a challenge to guard a guy like Chris Paul when you're not in the best form," said Shumpert. "Sooner or later, I'll get back to where I was."

If it's up to 'Melo, it'll still be in New York.

Carmelo unaware he was 'miked up' but laughs it off

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said he was unaware that he was miked up during two games last weekend, on the special orders of owner James Dolan, and claims he doesn't care.

Anthony laughed off the notion that the team had planted two audio technicians with disk-shaped recording devices on both ends of the court to tape his on-court chats with other players.

Dolan reportedly did it to protect his star player from another Kevin Garnett type "he said-she said" incident which led to a one-game suspension for Anthony.

"I don't care about microphones," Anthony told the New York Post after he and his wife, La La, arrived at the team hotel in London for Thursday night's game against the Pistons.  "I wasn't aware of it.  I found out on the plane [trip]."

Anthony wasn't overly concerned about the on-court bugging, but doesn't understand why the team resorted to such tactics.

"I don't think the mikes are going to stop what's goes on out on the court," he said.  "But it was funny when I heard it.  No, I wasn't upset.  Not at all."

The gadgets were secretly used during last Friday's game against the Bulls and Sunday's game against the Hornets after Garnett reportedly got under Anthony's skin by saying his wife "tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios."  Anthony was suspended one game after he waited outside for Garnett and the two men had to be separated.

The third Mike on the court — Knicks head coach Mike Woodson — said he hasn't quizzed Dolan on what his boss was up to.

"That's not my concern," said Woodson.  "It really isn't.  When I step on the floor I'm not thinking about camera guys.  All I'm focused on is the guys running up and down the court. If the cameras are there, they're there.  I don't know anything about it."

The Knicks have declined to comment on their little Spygate and the NBA has said the team did nothing wrong.

Steve Nash skating towards Knicks or Raptors

The New York Knicks opened up free agent talks with Steve Nash on Sunday by bringing the point guard up to the team's practice facility in upstate Greenburgh, N.Y. for a tour and told him of sign-and -trade scenarios in which they could offer the sought after NBA star more money.

Head coach Mike Woodson, owner James Dolan and their front office heavies spent three hours with Nash and said they had sign-and-trade options where they could offer him $6 million per year.  Otherwise, the Knicks would only have their $3.09 million midlevel exception to give him.

To make matters worse, the Toronto Raptors were in New York earlier in the morning trying to entice the native Canadian back north of the border and rumors were swirling about a bigger offer.

Sports Illustrated reported that the Raptors offered the 38-year old Nash a 3-year, $36 million deal but sources said the story is false and was leaked to scare off the the Knicks, Nets and Mavericks— all of who are in play for Nash's services.

Nash— who has an offseason apartment in the West Village— was spotted skateboarding around Tribeca on Friday— and is known to love life in NYC.  But the Knicks know they need to add more salary to a sign-and-trade package to land Nash but feel they still have "a little shot."

The Knicks are counting on luring Nash to the Garden by telling him he is the final piece to a championship team and the piles of extra cash he could earn as a big star in the NBA's biggest market.

Still, the thought of making a big salary in his home country is weighing heavy on his mind.

"I definitely want to be validated monetarily to an extent," Nash said last week.  "It's still very important.  I think money in many ways represents respect."

It looks like the Knicks only hope might boil down to whether or not Nash likes skateboarding on Houston Street more than ice skating on the Humber River.

Dwyane Wade takes verbal poke at Mike Bibby

In Game 1 of their current playoff series, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade threw New York Knicks Mike Bibby's loose shoe into the stands— resembling the big kid who throws your sneakers over a telephone pole wire at the school bus stop.

Afterwards Wade said he was just kidding with his former teammate and was "always messing with Bibbs."

Today Wade remarked on the state of the Knicks' dire point guard situation and took a verbal shot at Bibby— who will be the Knicks' starter for Game 5 in Miami.

"Yeah, I know a little about Mike.  I know Mike has made more shots in this series than he made all last year," Wade said with a smile.  "Send that to Mike."

It sounded more like sarcasm than jest in Wade's tone when he sounded off about the Knicks-sub turned starter.  Maybe he was looking for a fall guy for last season's flop in the NBA Finals.

Bibby was horrible in the Heat's playoff run last season when he was with the Big 3.  While the Heat advanced to the NBA Finals, Bibby shot a minuscule .281 in 20 games, including .258 on 3-pointers during that span.

Through four games in this series, Bibby has shot a measly .313 but has hit 5-of-13 (.385) from outside the arch including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:23 left in Game 4 to give the Knicks an 84-81 lead in the Knicks win.

With Jeremy Lin, Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis sidelined with injuries, the Knicks will put whatever hopes they have of winning— literally— in the hands of Bibby— who hasn't averaged 30 minutes a game since the 2009-10 season.

"If I can get 30, 40 minutes out of Bibby," said Knicks coach Mike Woodson.  "I'll play him 30, 40 minutes."

While the 33-year old Bibby is a liability on defense, one thing he can bring to the Knicks is stability and 10 years of playoff experience.

And a few words to Wade.  Pick on someone your own size.

Stoudemire eyes Game 4 return and says it's not his fault

Amar'e Stoudemire held a press conference today and— despite his doubtful status— told reporters he still wants to see if he can play Sunday in game 4 of the Knicks-Heat NBA Playoffs series.

 The Knicks forward thinks he can play only five days after surgery on his badly gashed left hand— which is in a cast.

Stoudemire tried to minimize the stupidity of punching the cabinet— which housed a fire extinguisher in the hallway of AmericanAirlines Arena— on Monday night after the Knicks 104-94 loss.  He said fans had "the wrong perception" and had more excuses than remorse for the episode.

He said the whole episode has been blown out of control and said it was all a big accident.

"We're down 0-2 and I knew how important it was to get a win in Miami," said Stoudemire.  "We played somewhat well enough to win game 2. I was more frustrated we were down 0-2.  It wasn't like I was trying to take out the fire extinguisher door.  I wanted to make noise and let out frustration."

"Fans actually think I had a closed fist and punched through that glass door," he continued.  "They have the wrong perception of what happened. I walked by and swung my arm backwards it hit [the] fire extinguisher door and I slashed my hand by accident."

Stoudemire— wearing a T-shirt with the words "Marked Man" on it— went on to blame the gruesome cut on percentages.  Something along the lines of only getting about 33-percent of the shots teammate Carmelo Anthony was getting in the game.

"I just walked by the door and it's made of 85-percent metal and 2-percent strip of glass.  I didn't try to hit the glass.  I walked by and hit my hand on the wall.  I didn't see the glass."

It's a moot point now and the final decision for him to play will up to the doctors and coaches.  Even if he does play, he will be in a severely limited capacity.

"There's a great chance [but] I'm not totally sure yet.  I'll be back soon," said the feisty Stoudemire.

Even if he can play with his injured non-shooting hand, chances are he will be ineffective but that didn't stop Stoudemire from  being pessimistic.

"I've persevered through a lot of injuries and worked hard to recover from injuries," he reasoned.

"It's up to the doctors," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said when he heard about Stoudemire's aspirations.  "[He] used bad judgement" after Monday's game.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

Isiah Thomas dines with Knicks coach Woodson

New York Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson was spotted having dinner with Isiah Thomas Tuesday night just hours after Glen Grunwald got promoted as the permanent executive VP/GM sources told The New York Post.

Woodson, Grunwald and Thomas were seen dining at Serafina, a popular Westchester County Italian restaurant.

Before anyone gets the idea there was more than a pot of Puttanesca being stirred up, realize the three men played together on the University of Indiana basketball team and have been friends since then.

Thomas was recently fired as head coach at Florida International and is job hunting.  He has lobbied hard with Knicks owner James Dolan to get reinstated in the organization in some capacity.

Maybe that smell was just the garlic simmering.

According to the Post, Woodson and Thomas were there with their wives and could be seen enjoying the meal and some wine.  Thomas has a home in nearby Purchase and has been residing there since getting the heave-ho in Florida.

While Woodson and Thomas go back a long time, there was speculation that Thomas might have some insight into the Miami Heat because he worked in Miami for three years at FIU— as ridiculous as that logic sounds.

"I'm not commenting on that," Woodson said of the dinner. "I'm entitled to eat with whomever I want to eat with."

The Post reported Dolan keeps a friendship with Thomas but is not inclined to hire him back in an official  capacity.  Thomas, Grunwald and Woodson met for dinner in late January before a Heat game with other Knicks staffers— but before old Thomas was canned.

After that dinner, Woodson told The Post, "You're talking about 30 years of friendships there.  Isiah had an off day from his team.  We had to go get dinner.  It was nice."

What the fans are talking about are 40 years without a championship here.

Tyson Chandler on London Olympics: I'd represent

The loss of big men Dwight Howard and LaMarcus Aldridge for the London Olympics after surgeries have created a huge hole in the middle of the USA basketball team but not if Tyson Chandler can help it.

The New York Knicks center is ready to put his own red, white and blue Superman get-up and fly to the rescue after the Knicks playoff run is through.

After the injuries to the two centers and Andrew Bynum saying he wasn't interested in joining the squad, Chandler may now even get to start for the U.S. Olympic team.

Chandler, who was not selected for the 2008 Olympic gold-medal team but was a member of  Team USA in the 2010 World Championships says he wants in. He was already named one of the 20 finalists for 2012 in London in January.

"I'm definitely ready to represent my country," Chandler told The New York Post.  "I'm very excited.  Just  to be able to be considered for the USA team is a blessing and something I'm very proud of.  I committed myself when I joined in 2007.  I still feel that way."

Although Chandler didn't play at this year's 2012 All-Star game, he's had a remarkable season and is a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.  His 'D' on the court is outstanding.  In the three games he's missed, the Knicks allowed an average of 116.3 points— far above their average in the Mike Woodson Era.

Charles Barkley says 'Knicks still stink'

Charles Barkley always seems happy to bash the New York Knicks and was at it once again on Thursday.  Speaking to WFAN in New York, the opinionated TNT analyst— who was critical of former-coach Mike D'Antoni's system— has not changed his opinion of the team— even with the winning ways of new coach Mike Woodson.

The Knicks have won six of their last eight games but that didn't keep Barkley's mouth shut.

"The Knicks still stink, dude," Barkley told the radio show hosts.  "They're not going anywhere [in the playoffs], they're gonna be one-and-done."

The Knicks are 33-29 and have clinched a playoff spot.  The rejuvenated team currently has the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and are three games behind the slumping Orlando Magic— who lost Dwight Howard for the rest of the season— for the No. 6 slot.

The Knicks would play the No. 2 seed Miami Heat if the playoffs started today.

"I don't dislike the Knicks," Barkley said.  "But they just don't have a good team.  I told you, they're the No. 7 seed.  You guys act like they're the No. 1 or 2 seed."

FIU fires Isiah Thomas; Knicks fans on alert

Florida International has fired men's basketball coach Isiah Thomas, after the Hall of Fame  player went 26-65 in three seasons.

Thomas took over at FIU in a surprising move,  one that gave the former New York Knicks coach and president a chance to restore his reputation after his disastrous turn in New York.

New York fans are now wondering if Thomas— Knicks owner James Dolan's favorite accessory— could make a return engagement and continue the series of blunders he left behind in Madison Square Garden.

Under Thomas, FIU never won more than 11 games in a season— after signing an unusual five-year deal which paid nothing in base salary in his first season and agreeing to give nearly half of any gross revenues from ticket sales, commissions collected on food and beverage concessions and sponsorships to the former NBA star.

Knicks held off announcing Lin's injury until NBA playoff ticket deadline

The New York Knicks were so worried about not being able to promote their injured cash cow Jeremy Lin for the playoffs, they waited two days — until after the deadline for season-ticket holders to buy tickets for the playoffs had passed— to reveal the severity of his knee injury, according to the New York Daily News.

Last Monday, the Knicks sent an email— with a picture of Lin jumping in celebration— to subscribers.  Yet,  it was two days before the deadline (Wed., March 28) when Lin and the medical staff had learned that the second-year point guard was suffering from a torn meniscus in his left knee and that he would not be returning anytime soon.


Although Lin waited until Saturday before formally making the decision to have surgery, it certainly made business sense for the Knicks organization to withhold medical information about its Linsanity star.  But that doesn't explain why the Knicks, who are 2 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee for the eighth and final playoff spot with 13 games left, weren't forthcoming about Lin's condition after Wednesday's postseason ticket deadline passed.

The Knicks had no exp-Lin-ation for the delay.

Nor did it explain why the Knicks contradicted interim-head coach Mike Woodson— who first had raised the possibility of Lin's "sore" knee being more serious than a two or three game re-hab and that the injury actually could sideline him for the rest of the regular season.

It's not every day that an organization goes out of its way to refute something the head coach says— when in fact, Woodson was just being truthful.  On Friday in Atlanta, Woodson told reporters that he didn't know "when" or "if" Lin would return to the lineup.  Within one hour, the Knicks media relations staff released a statement to select media outlets contradicting Woodson.

In the Knicks favor, Lin hadn't decided to go ahead with the surgery, so there was a chance he could have played in Indiana on Tuesday or in Orlando on Thursday.  However, an MRI taken four days earlier had already shown the knee was more than just "sore"— it was damaged.  Lin was already leaning towards getting arthroscopic surgery.

Woodson was only giving fans and reporters a truthful assessment of Lin's injury in his opinion.

It's a wonder that the truthful and unflappable Lin didn't spill the beans before the deadline passed.

Lin is looking at missing up to six weeks of game time after surgery— which could possibly have him suiting up by the second round of the playoffs— if the Knicks get that far.

Woodson is behind Lin's decision but wasn't sure if his point guard would postpone his surgery until after the season.  "Only he knows his body," said Woodson.

Lin is optimistic but claims he never had surgery before.

"I'm a fast healer," he said.