GREENBURGH, N.Y. –- Mike Woodson said the Knicks might consider holding J.R. Smith out of Thursday’s game depending on how his sore knee feels.
“Don’t know yet though,” Woodson said about holding Smith out against the Nets in an interview on “The Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show” on ESPN New York 98.7. “Tomorrow we will know more. The last two days he hasn’t done much because of his knee. There is a chance that we may have to pull back. We will have to wait and see.”
Smith participated in practice but did not go through any contact. Kenyon Martin (ankle) did the same and the Knicks say both are expected to play against the Nets.
“It’s a little sore,” Smith said of his knee. “I’ll be ready to go.”
“I’m definitely playing,” Smith added. “It’s a matter of resting my knee as much as possible and getting the most out of it during the game.”
Smith said he has not suffered a setback with his surgically-repaired left knee.
“No, not at all,” he said. “My knee swells up from time to time. It’s just part of the process. Me only playing three weeks of basketball in the last six months has a lot to do with it, playing 30 minutes a game. They expected stuff like this to happen and times like this I need to rest.”
Waiting on Tyson: Woodson said Tyson Chandler (fractured leg) is still rehabbing, and the team continues to stay the course with their injured center.
“Don’t know yet,” Woodson said of when Chandler will be back. “When the report came out at first, it was four to six weeks [timetable for recovery]. He is just starting to enter the fifth week. We have to stay the course and hope for the best that he doesn’t have any setbacks and that he is back on the court soon.”