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Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald thought Mike Woodson should have won Coach of the Year this season. So he is hardly listening to fan and media complaints that Woodson had a bad playoff. Woodson, 55, finished third in the Coach of the Year voting, won 54 games, the Atlantic Division title and the Eastern Conference’s second seed. Woodson’s regular-season record as Knicks coach is 72-34, but critics point to his playoff miscues. He never has been out of the second round in eight seasons as a head coach with the Knicks and Hawks. The naysayers knock Woodson for his misuse of rookie Chris Copeland, his blind allegiance to slumping J.R. Smith, his insistence on forcing a rusty Amar’e Stoudemire into the rotation midstream and ignoring 3-point ace Steve Novak versus Indiana. New York Post

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Glen Grunwald 

“I think Woody did a great job,’’ said Grunwald, an Indiana classmate of Woodson’s. “I think he’s my coach of the year still, although he finished third. He did an excellent job this year. We wound up where we didn’t want to be — out of the playoffs. We all have to take a look at ourselves from the front office to the coaching staff to the players.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Glen Grunwald 

Asked if Kidd hinted at all about having to reevaluate his future despite having two years and $6.2 million left on his pact, Grunwald said, “Not yesterday. It sounded like he was coming back.’’ However, Mike Woodson piped in, “I thought he was based on our conversation. But that could change, you never know.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Jason Kidd, Glen Grunwald 

Drew has been with the Hawks for the last nine seasons, six as an assistant under Mike Woodson before getting the top job. Drew said he is very familiar with the Bucks' personnel and the free-agency situation affecting the team's backcourt this summer. The Hawks swept all four games from the Bucks this season, including three games decided by five points or fewer. "We certainly had some battles," Drew said. "We knew they were going to be grind-out games and we were able to make some plays to come out with wins." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Mike Woodson gave strong indications he will stick with the same rotation for tomorrow's do-or-die Game 6 that didn’t include Jason Kidd in the second half but the Knicks coach still supported the future Hall of Famer who appears to be running on fumes. New York Post

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Jason Kidd, Hall of Fame 

Reggie Miller: From all indications, Woodson probably will go back to smaller lineup with Melo at PF. Bottom line, Knicks have to MAKE shots. Easier said Twitter @ReggieMillerTNT

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Carmelo Anthony 

Nate Taylor: Mike Woodson said Chris Copeland will play & see the court early in the 1st half. Twitter @ByNateTaylor

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Chris Copeland 

The latest chapter went something like this: Knicks get drilled by Indiana Tuesday night to go down 3-1 in the series. They are getting fried in a variety of media precincts, including the Valley of the Stupid. With the heat on, James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan’s lackeys figured it wasn’t in their best interests to fuel the radio conversation by allowing Mike Woodson to participate in it. By banning Woodson from ESPN-98.7 on Wednesday, Garden suits created a needless controversy. Now that’s funny. The joke is on Dolan & Co. Pulling Woodson from his regular spot on ESPN-98.7 with Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco made the situation worse. It created another story that again made the organization look paranoid. The move also added to the perception (we would call it reality) that the Knicks are a free-falling team in disarray. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Media, James Dolan 

“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.” Smith’s revelation came shortly after he declared the series over (three times) and called the Knicks “a decrepit old bunch.” Smith has been a big Knicks supporter, one who occasionally strays into Pom-Pomsville (he once even broke out the old chant of “Go New York, Go New York, Go New York — Go!). New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Media 

Al Iannazzone: Woodson when asked about Jason Kidd's struggles, said he would "never kick JKidd to the curb, man." Twitter @Al_Iannazzone

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Jason Kidd 

Has Mike Woodson been muzzled? Wednesday, the day after his Knicks lost 93-82 to Indiana to go down 3-1 in the series, Woodson did not show up for his regular ESPN-98.7 radio segment. Stephen A. Smith, the show’s co-host, put the blame squarely on Garden suits. 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.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Stephen A. Smith, Media 

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. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Stephen A. Smith, Media 

Chris Herring: Woodson: "We're contemplating" going back to the Prigioni starting lineup. Twitter @HerringWSJ

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Pablo Prigioni 

Chris Herring: Woodson says there isn't a point where he'd sit Kidd. Says he only takes 1-2 shots a game. Touts his intangibles. Twitter @HerringWSJ

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Jason Kidd 

Brian Mahoney: Woodson is adamant that if Amare is in uniform, he's playing. Says he's not going to just leave him on the bench. Twitter @briancmahoney

New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Mike Woodson, Injuries 

"Here's a kid I didn't know coming into this season, with what little I saw in London during the Olympics," said coach Mike Woodson, whose team went on a 13-game winning streak that began the day he placed Prigioni in the starting lineup. "He's done more than I could have ever imagined a player doing for our ball club." Wall Street Journal

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Pablo Prigioni 

Mike Woodson’s patience is running thin with J.R. Smith. For the first time, the Knicks coach said he will have a quicker hook with Smith going forward if his shooting woes continue. Smith’s jump shot is in the sewer ever since returning from a one-game suspension for elbowing the Celtics' Jason Terry in Game 3 of the first-round series. New York Post

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, JR Smith 

“I’m not going to kick him to the curb,’’ Woodson said on his ESPN Radio Show on Wednesday. “He’s a big part of what we’ve done this season. ‘’ However, Woodson added, “I’ll gauge J.R. as we go along. If I feel he’s not giving me anything, I can always turn to other guys on that bench. I feel good about the guys that come in off the bench. If he’s struggling and I feel the need, I got to pull him. I will do that as head coach. ‘’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, JR Smith 

Amar’e Stoudemire admittedly was rusty Monday in his first scrimmage since undergoing right-knee debridement surgery in early March. Mike Woodson said Stoudemire will participate in another 3-on-3 scrimmage Wednesday in Greenburgh and a full-court 5-on-5 scrimmage Friday before it will be determined if he is ready to rejoin the lineup Saturday in Indiana. “As expected, (he was) winded and not in great shape,” Woodson said. “The fact that he’s taken some body blows now a little bit and being able to cut and move, and then run up and down the court, that’s a step.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Mike Woodson, Injuries 

"We can't go back to Indiana down 0-2," Mike Woodson said after practice Monday. "We got to do everything that we can possibly do to win the game." That doesn't include changing the starting five, though. Woodson plans to stick with his usual "small" lineup against the bigger Pacers when the Knicks try to even the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series at one game apiece at the Garden. Newsday

New York Knicks, Mike Woodson