Chauncey Billups is starting to transform into his playoff persona — and that is dangerous for the Knicks’ next opponent.
Billups’ playoff preparation is the stuff of legend, as he’s called the postseason “money time.”
Billups, the lone Knick with a championship ring, pores over game film with a fervor that would make most football coaches blush, studying his opponent’s tendencies to the last detail. Soon Billups may be seeing Rajon Rondo in his sleep.
Billups forgoes traditional water breaks during practice to shoot extra free throws. He almost always gives a speech in the locker room before each playoff game.
“It’s just magnified 20 times,” Billups told The Post about his extra playoff film work. “You watch every little thing that your opponent could be doing and try to beat them to the punch, try to know what they’re doing before they make the play. It’s hard to do, but it’s necessary to be as prepared as possible.”
The raging-hot Knicks (42-38) look scary enough to Boston with their seven-game winning streak and Carmelo Anthony’s recent scoring rampage. The sixth-seeded Knicks will open their first playoff series in seven years this weekend, probably Sunday in Boston.
The Knicks finish the regular season tonight against Chicago, where Billups takes on MVP favorite Derrick Rose, and tomorrow in Boston.
Sunday night in Indiana, Billups showed he’s entering the zone. At 34, his quickness on defense is a concern against quick point guards, and the coaching staff has used Toney Douglas more to defend the “1.”
But in the dramatic win in Indiana, Billups locked down super-quick Darren Collison in the final 30 seconds, forcing him into a shot-clock violation on a critical possession with his hounding defense. Billups has been increasingly sharp during the winning streak.
“It’s getting closer and the more serious you get about what’s going on,” Billups said.
That sort of playoff savvy is why Knicks president Donnie Walsh was willing to engage in the Raymond Felton-Billups element of the Anthony blockbuster. Billups may not be coach Mike D’Antoni’s prototypical speedball point guard, and privately the ex-Piston has told confidants he’s not enamored with the system.
But his playoff leadership will be invaluable, even more so than Amar’e Stoudemire and Anthony. Neither Anthony nor Stoudemire has been past the Western Conference finals. Anthony’s lone trip to the conference finals came only after Billups joined Denver in midseason in 2008-09.
“He’s a vocal leader as far as getting everyone on the same page, always challenging us to stay mentally focused,” center Ronny Turiaf said. “We’re not in the playoffs yet, but you can tell he’s very dialed in, a little more intensity. I’m looking forward to where he could lead us. I call him ‘The Little General’ — the guy that gives orders.”
Billups captured his championship ring in Detroit in 2004 — and was seven minutes from a second one before the Spurs rallied to win Game 7 in 2005. He’s averaged more than two points more in the postseason than regular season (17.8 to 15.5).
Walsh’s Pacers were eliminated by Billups’ Pistons two straight springs. Walsh likes to tell the tale of trading for Byron Scott in 2000 when the Pacers were sputtering at the All-Star break. Scott gave the locker room speech of a lifetime.
“He brought five rings and explained to our team what you had to do to win those rings,” said Walsh. “We won the Eastern Conference Finals that year for the first time. That’s what Chauncey can bring.”
Billups keeps his championship ring in a safe at his home in Denver. The rock won’t make any cross-country flight anytime soon. He never wears it.
“It’s just so big and gaudy,” Billups said. “I’m not a flashy guy like that. Everybody knows my body of work. We’ll talk about what it takes to win, but I’m not a guy to just bring the ring. That’s just not me. I’m sure I’ll have some conversations with the team and say things individually with some guys. That’s how I do it.”
There’s been talk from management — during the 1-9 slide — the trade was done for the future. But Billups isn’t getting any younger. The future is now for the Colorado native who has played in 139 playoff games.
“There’s only so much talking you can do,” Billups said. “Experience is the best. But I will do the best I could do to prepare everybody.”
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Stoudemire is listed as questionable for tonight’s game against Chicago after missing the last two with an ankle sprain. He will likely play one of the last two games.
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Anthony won his second straight Player of the Week Award yesterday coming off his game-winning shot and block in Indiana.
Anthony led the Knicks to a 4-0 week, averaging 28.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and shooting 53 percent from 3-point range.
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Anthony will make his first appearance of the season on “The Late Show with David Letterman” on Thursday. Stoudemire has appeared twice on Letterman this season. Anthony appeared on Letterman back in 2004. . . . The last time the Knicks had 19 road wins was the 1996-97 season under Jeff Van Gundy.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, a former Knicks assistant, is the leading candidate for Coach of the Year with Bulls locking up No. 1 seed in East. Knicks president Donnie Walsh declined to interview Thibodeau in 2008 when he hired Mike D’Antoni and the club chose Don Chaney over Thibodeau when Van Gundy resigned in 2001.