The late run the Knicks are making for the playoffs is critical for the future of coach Mike Woodson, whom the Knicks plan to fire if the team falls short of the postseason, a source tells Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops.com. It’s no surprise, since reports of an imminent firing have dogged Woodson all season, and few around the league have expected the team to retain him beyond this season. New York sits percentage points above the Hawks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Knicks are one game behind Atlanta in the loss column.
The Knicks were reportedly evaluating Woodson on a game-by-game basis in December and appeared close to ousting him in February, but he’s remained on the bench, even as the team took GM Steve Mills‘ title of president and gave it to the newly hired Phil Jackson. Knicks owner James Dolan was publicly supportive of Woodson in November, but he’s since promised to let Jackson make all of the team’s basketball decision. Jackson, in his introductory press conference last month, praised Woodson but offered no guarantee that the coach would be back next season. Woodson’s contract became guaranteed for 2014/15 when the Knicks picked up their team option on him this past September.
Woodson’s future with the team has looked so grim that today’s news could be interpreted as a glimmer of hope, since it suggests the team might hang on to him if it reaches the postseason. Still, the Knicks seem unlikely to make a run if they reach the playoffs, with a matchup against the Heat or the Pacers almost a certainty, as Scotto notes.
He should be fired…playoffs or not..he isnt capable of motivating this team to
maintain the defensive consistency needed to compete.
I agree, This statement really confirmed everything for me, “I spoke to Tyson about it and Tyson said Jason Kidd used to do a lot of
adjustments on the court. So that was an issue that we had this year
with Jason Kidd becoming a coach. A lot of times they kept saying, ‘We
miss that presence of Jason Kidd.'” Metta World Peace recently said , Woody never makes the proper adjustments, Woody has trouble developing young talent, he doesn’t have the X’s & O’s on offense besides iso-melo, his only identity is hard nosed old school style defense which is a complete joke with this years team, he doesn’t motivate this team like you said, he leans hard on vets but when metta tried to take on some kind of leadership role he was denied, took him till March to put Amare and JR into the starting lineup, some of the players have been a let down 2, its not all on woody but it is up to him to use his depth & switch it up when something isn’t working(lack of adjustments!!!), hes failed to do it most of the year.
So time players do not like a coach, so they do not play hard. Melo is one of the main problems with this team, he plays no defense at all. Look at the time he was in Denver they never did get past the first round in the play offs. This is a team game you can let one player score 70 points just stop all the rest and you stand a good chance of winning
Dude melos all around game has stepped up big time this year…defense..rebounds..and hes even passing..u def dont watch any knicks games…also melo has made it to western conference finals in denver and lost to the nba champs the lakers….i correct myself…u def dont watch basketball…
Melo cant do everything…his assist ratio would look better if people would actually hit their shots…dude is a stud…i agree he has been selfish in the past…but this season hes showed he wants to win
You Have To Remember He Won 54 Games Last Year So I Would Fire Him On The Basis Of Non Motivation.
He won on the backs of the team flowing on offense…and dont forget,
Novak and Copeland were awesome scorers whom he couldn’t see
value in… . Now when offense isn’t ticking, uou need defense…we are New Yorkers
we play defense first….
his contract is up at the end of the year anyway for the person who wrote this article.
No, they picked up his 2014/15 option before the season: link to hoopsrumors.com…
–Chuck