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The New York Knicks have begun discussions with interim head coach Mike Woodson about potentially becoming the “official” head coach, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

Woodson, who replaced Mike D’Antoni after he resigned on March 15, led the Knicks to an 18-6 finish and the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they are currently down 3-1 to the Miami Heat in their quarterfinal series.

According to the Daily News, Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan met with Woodson for 45 minutes before the Knicks’ victory in Game 4 of the series on Sunday, but Woodson downplayed the thought that his team’s win helped his chances of removing the interim tag.

"It's not about Mike Woodson and my contract and where I go from here," Woodson said.

The 53-year-old Woodson coached the Hawks from 2004-10, leading them to the playoffs on three occasions, and was named a Knicks assistant prior to this season.

He took over as the interim coach in mid-March and immediately left a strong impression on his players, with star Carmelo Anthony giving Woodson an endorsement just a few weeks ago.

“I'm a big supporter of what coach Woodson has done," Anthony told ESPN in April. “His approach to the game, and what he gets out of all his players, even me. He holds everybody accountable and that's what we need."

Woodson also has two close friends who have strong influence, as current Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald and former President/Head Coach Isiah Thomas, who still serves as somewhat of an adviser to Dolan, were both teammates of his at the University of Indiana in the late-1970s.

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