Tyson Chandler never toots his own horn about anything, which may be one reason he never has made an All-Star team. But when the subject of the Defensive Player of the Year Award was raised yesterday, Chandler admitted he hopes he will be considered.
Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson said he “absolutely’’ believes Chandler is a candidate, and Chandler revealed it’s been a secret goal.
“It would mean an awful lot to me,’’ Chandler said at yesterday’s morning shootaround. “That was one of my goals coming into the season. I felt I put myself right in the thick of things for consideration. I personally feel like I deserve it. It would be a great honor.’’
Ballots for the NBA awards were sent out to the media yesterday, and Chandler will draw consideration for one of the three All-NBA teams at center. The four All-Star centers this season were Dwight Howard, Roy Hibbert, Andrew Bynum and Marc Gasol.
Chandler, averaging a double-double at 11.2 points and 10.0 rebounds with a shooting percentage of 67 percent going into last night’s game against the Wizards at the Garden, hardly said boo about his All-Star snub when Hibbert got the nod mostly due to the Pacers’ record at the time.
But that was early in the season, and now the Knicks look to be a playoff team. They played as well on defense as any club in the league during their first 16 games under Woodson.
Woodson — who said Chandler was “absolutely, without a doubt” a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year — acknowledged the Knicks would not be close to the kind of defensive club they are now without the 7-foot-1 center as the glue.
“He’s done everything to put us in the position where we are today,’’ Woodson said regarding Chandler’s candidacy for DPOY. “You don’t find that many centers committed like he is, who don’t have any hidden agendas. It’s not about Tyson Chandler. It’s always about the team. That speaks for volumes. There’s a reason he was part of a team in Dallas that won a title. He’s a true pro. He should be considered for it.’’
The Woodson-Chandler pairing is a good one. In the past 16 games, the Knicks were the third-best defensive team in the league, allowing 90.3 points per game and 42.4 percent shooting.
“Our defense has put us there,’’ Woodson said of his 12-4 record. “Tyson has been a focal point of our defense. He’s done everything from a defensive standpoint. During this stretch, we have to be in the top two [or] three defensive teams in league. That says a lot.’’
Last season, the Knicks allowed 105.7 points per game with a giant hole in the middle of the defense. Their defensive average for the season was at 94.8 points going into last night, ranking 12th in the league.
That’s a difference of 10.9 points with Chandler as the anchor for voters to consider. The Knicks opponents’ field-goal percentage in 2010-11 B.C. (Before Chandler) was 47.2 percent. This season it was at 44.1.
The Knicks went 0-2 in the games Chandler missed this season due to a wrist injury, and their opponents — the Spurs and Bucks — averaged 118.5 points in those games.
Chandler’s presence is why the Knicks would have a puncher’s chance against the Heat if the teams meet in the playoffs. The Heat make their lone visit to the Garden this season tomorrow with Knicks castoff Ronny Turiaf newly installed as starting center.
Chandler dominated Howard in their past two meetings and had his way with Hibbert in all three encounters this season.
A Defensive Player of the Year Award and All-NBA selection would be a good makeup call for Chandler going his whole career without an All-Star berth.