New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson has claimed that his players are in a "better place" mentally, but is hoping that they can remain focused.

The Knicks have been rumoured to be considering a number of trades ahead of the February 20 deadline, but Woodson is urging his team not to become distracted.

"Let's not hope that things - bad things - will drift in," he told reporters. "At the end of the day, I think our guys are in a good place in terms of their thinking. We are playing better basketball.

"I'm looking at the short term - last 10 games, last 20 games - and see where we are as a ball-club.

"And we are a lot better than we were when we started the season and played the first 30 games."

The Knicks are currently third in the Atlantic Division.