The New York Knicks defeated the injury-plagued Chicago Bulls on Wednesday which means head coach Mike Woodson's job is safe for another week at least. If the Knicks had lost their third-straight, it was highly assumed Woodson would be fired by the weekend. However, a win keeps everyone happy and Carmelo Anthony is hoping the pressure is off Woodson for the time being.
"When we win, the heat is off. When we lose, the heat is on. That's just our business, that's our society, that's New York," Anthony said, via ESPNNewYork.com. "It happens. He can't worry about that. We can't worry about that."
Entering the game against the Bulls, the Knicks had lost their last 11 of 13 games and Woodson's seat was essentially on fire. Owner James Dolan continued to give the head coach the public vote of confidence but basketball is built on wins and Woodson was not getting the job done. The New York Post is reporting the confidence Dolan once had is now waning a bit as the losses continue to pile up. While never publically stating that he is nervous about his job security, ESPN reports the head coach is growing nervous about the future.
"I have been at this thing 30 years," Woodson said. "And the one thing I never and will never do is look over my shoulder. I won't do that. I got too much pride for that."
The Knicks players continue to support Woodson throughout the struggles of the team. It is the strong locker room that players like Anthony believe are keeping the team together. Outside of losing players to injuries, Woodson says he has not lost control of the locker room.
"I don't think I have lost the locker room," Woodson said. "I don't think I have lost players from an individual standpoint. What I have lost is a Tyson Chandler and a Raymond Felton, that is what I have lost from my starting team. And I don't know if you can go on any roster and take two starters out of their roster and they still survive. They might play in spurts like we are doing today. I am not making excuses, but I would sure love to take my chances with Tyson and Raymond in my lineup."
Injuries are going to be the biggest thing for the Knicks going forward. Chandler is hopeful to return by the new year, but there is no timetable for Raymond Felton. Now, Iman Shumpert is officially day-to-day after injuring his knee. Woodson is safe for now, but if he cannot get the team past the injuries, he is expected to be gone.
