For better or worse, the New York Knicks appear stuck with one another.
ESPN reports team owner and chairman James Dolan told players in a closed door, tension-filled meeting on Thursday that there are no trades or coaching changes looming.
Just hours after the Knicks were blown out by Oklahoma City at The Garden on Christmas Day, ESPN reports Dolan personally gathered the team en masse and sought to quell all the growing speculation that embattled coach Mike Woodson's days could be numbered.
Already ridiculed for their 9-19 start, the Knicks have faced even more scrutiny of late as many have called their overall effort and focus into question. Seemingly emboldened by Dolan's outreach, ESPN adds Woodson appeared more confident and at ease when he spoke with reporters on Thursday, going as far as predicting the team could still win the Atlantic Division.
"We won it last year, and I expect us to win it this year," Woodson told ESPN, adding that the Knicks still only trail frontrunning Toronto by three games in the division.
"The beauty about all of this that we're going through is nobody's running away with it in our division," said Woodson. "And I'm pushing our team to win our division still. Eventually we'll get healthy, and we'll see how it all plays out."
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