J.R. Smith to miss 5th consecutive game Thursday

Well, the starting lineup woes for the New York Knicks won't be aided by J.R. Smith on Thursday.

The 5-22 Knicks will visit the Chicago Bulls in search of answers amid their terrible start, and their primary offensive weapon off the bench will be absent once again. Smith will not be traveling with the team, missing his fifth consecutive game due to a partially torn left plantar fascia.

Issues with the plantar fascia can linger, with rest and pain tolerance the keys to determining a return to action. That leaves timelines generally vague for such injuries.

In 21 games, Smith has struggled some, shooting just 41 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from long range. Never more than a scorer with average efficiency, volume has abandoned Smith, too. He's averaging just 10.3 points, his lowest mark since 2005-06.

With Iman Shumpert and Cleanthony Early also sidelined, the Knicks have been rendered thin on the wings. That could mean a heavy workload for Tim Hardaway Jr., who has averaged 32.9 minutes in the last four games Smith has missed.