Mike Woodson blames 6-game skid on lack of defense

Mike Woodson was very emphatic and impassioned Tuesday as he tried to clear up some misconceptions to his team and his critics.

He told his players the reasons they've lost six in a row have nothing to do with a lack of ball movement -- it's a lack of defense. Woodson bristled to reporters the idea that he doesn't like Iman Shumpert is a lie, but he used a more colorful description.

"If I didn't like him I don't think he'd be averaging 30 minutes on my ballclub," Woodson said after the Knicks practiced at UCLA.