ATLANTA — After enduring a defense-free 113-112 shootout win yesterday over the Hawks, Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson couldn’t help himself. He mentioned the lone player who didn’t compete.
“It shows you how valuable Tyson Chandler is to our ballclub,’’ Woodson said of his center. “He plugs a lot of holes for us when there are breakdowns.’’
Chandler, a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, sat yesterday, getting his wish to rest up for next weekend’s playoffs. After missing his third game this season, Chandler said he plans to be back for the next game, Wednesday vs. the Clippers in the home regular-season finale.
The rare break in the lockout schedule gives Chandler four full days without playing.
“All the games I took to get to the playoffs and clinch, a lot of minutes during that stretch, I want to be fresh for the playoffs,’’ Chandler said. “I’ll have four days off. It’s the perfect time to take off a game. I’ll be back Wednesday.’’
There’s still a chance Chandler will sit out the regular-season finale, Thursday in Charlotte, if the Knicks’ seed is locked in.
Woodson doesn’t like the policy of resting guys, but couldn’t argue with Chandler’s logic because the Knicks are a long shot to move up in the standings to sixth.
“For him it is [more important to rest],’’ Woodson said. “He’s going to log some big minutes once we get started. If he tells me he’s tired, I believe that. I got to respect that.”
Chandler has battled a wrist injury since last month and hurt his knee last Sunday vs. Miami.
“He’s not really banged-up, just tired,’’ Woodson said. “We came off [playing seven games] in 11 days. He played significant minutes in that stretch. He’s tired. As for a break, he deserves that break.’’
The difference between the Knicks defense this season and last season mostly falls on Chandler’s prowess. And it got confirmed all over again as the Hawks shot 54 percent, scored 65 first-half points and made 10 of their first 12 shots.
“Tyson is our anchor,’’ Carmelo Anthony said. “He allows everybody to push up and ball pressure the wings and hopefully they’ll drive and he’s holding the middle down. He’s vocal, he’s a loudmouth there. He gets us going out there.’’
The Knicks at least put the clamps down in the final 1:52, shutting out Atlanta, climaxed by the final play when Iman Shumpert denied Joe Johnson from getting the inbounds pass and Marvin Williams got stopped by Amar’e Stoudemire on his driving dunk attempt.
“In the end it was great,’’ Chandler said of the defense. “We’ll focus on that positive. I thought J.R. [Smith] played incredible defense all game long. Shump and Stoudemire on that last possession, they fought for this game. It was to fun to watch my teammates fight like that.’’