No Tyson Chandler. No chance.
No chance Tuesday night and no chance for this season if it’s determined Chandler’s right-knee injury is as serious as an ACL tear or severe sprain.
Chandler injured his knee midway through the first quarter, left for the locker room and will have more tests Wednesday to determine a diagnosis, the club announced. X-rays were ominously called “inconclusive’’ and it’s expected he will have an MRI exam.
Chandler, off to a great start this season, held the side of his knee when he limped off after bumping knees with Charlotte’s Kemba Walker. Chandler made it to the bench, and had a bag of ice wrapped around his knee before exiting for the locker room.
Without their most productive player, the Knicks were outmuscled and outgunned by the Bobcats, 102-97, at the Garden for their third straight loss. The Knicks, who were 4-0 at this stage last season, fell to 1-3.
But the somberness and hushed tones in the Knicks locker room indicated a graver situation — a nightmare game and a potential nightmare injury to Chandler, who had left the building by the time reporters were let into the locker room.
“We don’t know the severity yet,’’ coach Mike Woodson said. “We will know more [Wednesday] morning, but he is a big piece of what we do. He has been really playing well. He has his energy and strength back this year. We will know more [Wednesday] and we will have a better understanding of our team.
“I have a lot to think about right now with Tyson being out and Kenyon [Martin] and Amar’e [Stoudemire] on restricted minutes,’’ Woodson added.
Stoudemire and Martin are in a bizarre platoon, theoretically alternating each game, on 10-minute restrictions. But that will have to be altered if Chandler’s out for an extended period of time. Martin already logged 18 minutes Wednesday on the night he was slated to sit.
“[Chandler’s] known for his defense his whole career,’’ said Stoudemire, who struggled massively and got booed in a two-point, 1-of-3, five-turnover, 12-minute outing. “Without having Tyson, it’s going to be not the same from the defensive standpoint from the same center position.”
The Knicks fell behind 64-54 at halftime and never recovered.
“I just pray and hope he’s fine,’’ Carmelo Anthony said of Chandler. “We missed him big-time.’’
The Knicks fell apart late after getting a 13-point, third-quarter deficit down to 91-89 with 4:09 left. But they scored just two points in the next 3:45, their offense falling into playground style, lacking ball movement. The only good thing was already up-in-arms owner James Dolan wasn’t present to witness the debacle.
“We’re just not getting it done,’’ said Anthony. “No need to try to pinpoint it. We’re just not getting it done. It’s a good thing it’s early. I don’t think it’s hard to figure it out. It seems we’re not playing hard.’’
Anthony finished with 32 points. He was a lot more aggressive, making all 10 free throws but was just 10-of-28 shooting.
Without Chandler’s interior defensive presence, the Bobcats had a free-for-all and shot 56.8 percent in the first half. They slaughtered the Knicks on the glass, 51-33, as Chandler’s absence left a giant hole. Charlotte scored 25 second-chance points while the Knicks secured just 22 defensive rebounds.
“Our defense stinks right now,’’ Woodson said.
Chandler left the game with 5:25 left in the first quarter. If he never returns, the Knicks could struggle for a playoff berth. The Knicks don’t have a first-round pick. It is owned by Denver, surrendered in the 2011 Anthony blockbuster.
Ironically, Anthony scored a bucket — not officially — for Charlotte during the late-game meltdown. Raymond Felton also didn’t distinguish himself late, missing three straight shots. Meanwhile, Charlotte upped the lead to three points as Jeff Adrien scored on an offensive putback.
Charlotte scored again on another second-chance basket when it appeared Anthony tipped a defensive rebound into the hoop for a Charlotte bucket. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got credit for the basket and a 95-89 lead with 2:20 left.
“We were a bit slow,’’ Felton said. “It’s not the kind of basketball we want to show the fans.’’