SH Blog: Bogut brushes off Griffin’s criticism of Warriors, Udrih unhappy with Woodson

Mike Woodson is pushing for his team to win the Atlantic Division, from Al Iannazzone of Newsday: “Do I see some light at the end of the tunnel? I do,” Woodson said. “I think eventually we’ll get to where we need to get as a ballclub. And I’m basing that on our last 12 games. Eventually we’ll get healthy and we’ll see how it all plays out. “The beauty about all of this that we’re going through is nobody’s running away with it in our division and I’m pushing our team to win our division still. We won it last year and I expect us to win it this year.”… “The bottom line is I’m the coach of this team,” he said. “I have very high standards in terms of what I do and what I expect players to do. And it starts with me.”

Stephon Marbury was back in town and defended Woodson while taking a subtle jab at Mike D’Antoni, from Marc Berman of NY Post: “They have a pretty good coach — a straight shooter,’’ Marbury told The Post at halftime of the Knicks’ 29-point loss to the Thunder. “He’s not a B.S. type of coach. Players respect him. When you have that at the helm, it makes it easier, but it can’t fall all on Melo [Carmelo Anthony].’’… “This team has more talent with Amar’e [Stoudemire] and Melo and they have to figure it out when they’re healthy,’’ Marbury said. “All they have to do is get into the playoffs, and the Garden atmosphere will carry them through.’’
In the midst of a tremendous game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Al Horford suffered a shoulder injury in overtime and had to leave the game: “Per Hawks PR, Horford out with a right shoulder injury and will not return.”

The Knicks are hoping to lure Rajon Rondo into joining the team, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN: “According to league sources, the Knicks’ first prong is to try to attract the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo. This idea has been tossed around in various forms for a while now, it’s not shocking. But the way the Knicks are hoping to get Rondo is a little unusual. It’s not in free agency in 2015 but later this season or next summer when he comes back from a torn ACL. The Knicks are hoping Rondo will be interested in making a maneuver similar to what Anthony did back in 2011 and eventually try to force a trade to the Knicks, sources said. The Celtics have consistently denied they want to trade Rondo.”

LeBron James won The Associated Press’ 2013 Male Athlete of the Year award, from Tim Reynolds of The AP: “James received 31 of 96 votes cast in a poll of news organizations, beating Peyton Manning (20) and Jimmie Johnson (7). ”I’m chasing something and it’s bigger than me as a basketball player,” James told the AP. ”I believe my calling is much higher than being a basketball player. I can inspire people. Youth is huge to me. If I can get kids to look at me as a role model, as a leader, a superhero … those things mean so much, and that’s what I think I was built for. I was put here for this lovely game of basketball, but I don’t think this is the biggest role that I’m going to have.”

Pau Gasol is having issues with a respiratory infection, from Eric Pincus of Los Angeles Times: “Pau Gasol will not travel with the Lakers to Utah on Thursday for their game against the Jazz on Friday. The Lakers forward/center will miss his second game of the season, battling through a lingering upper respiratory infection. Gasol sat out his first game of the season on Saturday with the same ailment as the Lakers were blasted by the Golden State Warriors, 102-83. Gasol has since played two games, both losses (Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat). He missed practice on Thursday to visit with an ear, nose and throat specialist.”

Paul Pierce revealed that his broken hand is not fully healed yet, from Mike Mazzeo of ESPN NY: “Brooklyn Nets small forward Paul Pierce says he has been playing at less than 100 percent. After struggling through a 1-for-8, six-point afternoon Wednesday, Pierce admitted that the broken bone in his right hand “isn’t all the way healed.” “My hand is as comfortable as it’s going to be,” Pierce said after the Nets were blown out by the Chicago Bulls 95-78 at Barclays Center. “The bone isn’t all the way healed, but it’s good enough to play.”

Beno Udrih isn’t happy with how Woodson has singled him out, from Roger Rubin of Daily News: “Udrih has been singled out for poor play on several occasions by Mike Woodson in the press and appears to have had enough. “It’s easy to point fingers when the team loses. But it comes down to we are a team, we lose together,” Udrih said. “No matter who makes a mistake or who doesn’t, it’s still a team loss. So I think all of this stuff should be kept out of the media and not call certain people out.”… He didn’t want to mention Woodson by name but as he discussed what he thought was a lack of communication he used the phrase “don’t just be a coach, be a person.”