J.R. Smith thinks he’s the playmaker for New York
By Ryan Donoho
J.R. Smith shoots a lot. He isn’t known for anything else but scoring, shooting, and being a knucklehead.
Last night, J.R. Smith did little shooting, and little scoring. He finished with just two points and shot just one shot from the field–which he missed. Raymond Felton is out, and the Knicks are reportedly interested in trading for Kyle Lowry, so clearly they are looking for guys who can make plays. After last night’s loss to the Celtics, Smith thinks that that guy is him:
"It was a bizarre night for J.R. Smith, who took just one shot in 26:17 in what appeared to be either a boycott or an attempt to get out of his rut by doing something different. He didn’t loft a shot until 5:15 left — a bricked 3-pointer.“I was going into the game trying to make opportunities for my teammates to excel,’’ Smith said. “We need playmakers more than just scorers. My job is to get my teammates the easiest buckets we can and we’re not getting those. So I took it upon myself to sacrifice my shot to get other guys going. And it might not be the right way. I don’t know. Just trying to figure this out.’’"
I don’t know if he realizes that Pablo Prigioni is on the team, but he’s a pretty good passer, and a point guard. Smith is one of the strangest players in the league, and his maturity level isn’t the highest. The Knicks need more than just playmakers, but that isn’t going to stop Smith from trying.
The four year deal the Knicks gave Smith is looking worse and worse, and they are a mess. Don’t worry Knicks fans, J.R. Smith is your playmaker now.