Tyson Chandler. (REUTERS)
The Knicks didn’t practice yesterday which probably didn’t please Tyson Chandler. If you hear the Knicks center talk you would think he views practice time to be almost as valuable as his contract.
When analyzing the Knicks’ 109-105 win over the Warriors Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, Chandler pointed to the two consecutive days of practice on Monday and Tuesday as key to why they were able to start fast against the Warriors and ultimately survive a 54-point explosion by Stephen Curry.
“I think we can attribute that to the great practice we had,” Chandler said. “We really got after it. When we have an opportunity to get practice time like that, it really carries over into the game.”
No doubt Chandler’s career-high 28 rebounds helped as well. It was the latest in a series of dominating performances under the glass by the 7-footer. It was the fourth time this season he has collected 20 or more rebounds, joining the streak of three straight games in early February that tied a franchise record shared by Willis Reed.
“I go into every game trying to figure out how I can make an impact for my team,” Chandler said. “Maybe I could have gotten to 30 [rebounds] if my team could have quieted Steph down a little bit.”
The Knicks play at Washington tonight in what looms as an important road test in the first of what will be a chaotic month of March that will see the Knicks play 18 games. About the only given they can expect is the inside presence of Chandler who in less than two full seasons already has established himself as one of the premiere big men in Knicks history.
He doesn’t have the outside jumper Patrick Ewing had or the body of a Bill Cartwright or the overall game of Reed. But his leadership, his intensity on the court and his consistency in the post is the foundation of this Knicks team. Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire might have bigger names and more All-Star appearances, but it’s Chandler who fuels the Knicks engine.
“When Tyson’s aggressive and controlling everything on the boards, that gives us extra possessions,” Raymond Felton said. “We also know when they take a shot and miss, we know we can always start our break.”
We’ve seen Chandler’s impact in several ways over the last two games at the Garden. Against the Sixers on Sunday he was the protector, coming to Anthony’s defense after he got into a skirmish with Philadelphia center Spencer Hawes. His two-fisted shove into Hawes’ chest defused the situation before Anthony could do something to get himself suspended. Against the Warriors, he was the most vocal Knick, anticipating the play the Warriors would run trying to get Curry an open shot in the final minute of the game. An alert Felton blocked the shot and helped preserve the win.
“I have to give myself credit,” Chandler said with a grin.
Think about it. It seems like forever since the Knicks have had a dependable big man. Since Ewing departed, there has been a parade of pretenders in the post. I’d mention Eddy Curry, but I don’t want to spoil your lunch.
Chandler already has a championship ring with the Mavericks, though you never would know it by the urgency he brings to each game. With the Knicks, he already has won the franchise’s first defensive player of the year award and is the heart and soul of a team trying to live up to high expectations. It’s too soon to predict whether his career as a Knick will be worthy of his No. 6 being raised to the rafters. But certainly he is on the right path.
March will be grueling test with tonight’s game being the first of 10 on the road, including a five–game West Coast that will go a long way in determining their playoff seeding. If only there was more time to practice.