Knicks’ Smith Takes Blame for Pacers Series
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Jim McIsaac/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The New York Knicks will have to roll off three straight wins in order to move onto the Eastern Conference finals after a Game 4 loss to the Pacers on Tuesday night.
One of the biggest reasons for the Knicks struggles in the series has been the play of Knicks Sixth Man of the Year, J.R. Smith.
“I take the blame for this whole series,” Smith said on Tuesday following the loss. “It started off with Game 4 in Boston or Game 5. I haven’t been playing myself. I haven’t been playing my part. I’ve been letting my teammates down. I’ve been letting my coaches down.”
Smith is 18-for-64 in the series and hopes to turn things around on Thursday night at home.
“We’re going to need him to score some for us,” Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said. “He’s going to have to put these two games here in Indiana behind us.”
The odds are against the Knicks, who won the No. 2 seed in the East, following their first Atlantic Division title since 1994. Only eight teams in NBA history have won a series after trailing 3-1.
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