ATLANTA — Tyson Chandler said he is willing to sit out the last couple of games of the regular season to heal for next weekend’s playoffs with the Knicks no longer jostling for playoff position. But it’s not up to him.
Chandler has missed just one game this season amid a series of bumps and bruises. He has a mysterious wrist injury that still lingers and last Sunday he bruised his knee in a collision with the Heat’s Joel Anthony.
The Knicks have three games left — Sunday against the Hawks, their final home game Wednesday against the Clippers, and Thursday in Charlotte. Their first-round playoff series could open Saturday, but more likely will begin Sunday.
The Knicks are a virtual lock to finish either seventh or eighth and face either the Heat or Bulls in the first round. Their pipe dream of moving to sixth and supplanting the Magic still hangs by a thread. Orlando lost 117-107 to the Jazz last night in Utah.
Chandler had one of his more invisible nights Friday in Cleveland and perhaps he’s saving himself already for Miami.
“I think it’s important for us for our bodies to rest,’’ Chandler said. “It’s more important to rest and get healthy at this point of the season. I’m going to talk to coach and see what he thinks and do what’s best for the team. I’m a little banged up. The most important thing is I feel great going into the playoffs. I’ll see what he says. It’s what he wants. I’ve been banged up.’’
Interim coach Mike Woodson, who cancelled Saturday’s practice, said Friday he’s not in favor of resting guys, but wasn’t absolute. He needs to get Amar’e Stoudemire in sync with the other starters. It’s a tough call.
“I’ve been on teams where guys rested and it just destroyed what momentum we had going into the playoff season,’’ Woodson said. “And I’ve seen it the other way. I don’t want to rest guys. I want them ready to play and feel good about themselves when they step on the floor for the first playoff game.’’
Chandler, a lock to make the U.S. Olympic Team after Dwight Howard and LaMarcus Aldridge needed surgery, said his sore wrist is feeling better than when he wrote a brace last month.
“There’s just little things, nothing is really, really bothering me,’’ Chandler said. “It’s aches here and there.’’
Carmelo Anthony, finally healthy after battling assorted injuries during the lockout season, is learning toward not resting. Baron Davis sat out the last two games with a stomach virus, but possibly also to rest his hamstring.
“I don’t make those decisions,’’ Anthony said. “You have to talk to Woodson. I’ve been feeling good as of late. If there’s time I need to take to get ready for the playoffs, it’s something that could be discussed. Right now I don’t think so.’’