Knicks center Tyson Chandler revealed he had bronchitis and may make his return Tuesday in Charlotte as a tuneup for Thursday’s showdown in Indiana against rival Roy Hibbert.
Chandler missed his fourth straight game Monday when the Knicks topped the Suns 98-96 in overtime for their fifth straight victory, but finally showed up at the Garden to work out on the court. The Knicks public relations staff had called the illness “an upper respiratory infection.’’
Chandler had been mostly bedridden since the Knicks returned from Texas, a trip during which he pulled himself out of the game in Dallas in the first quarter. The Knicks hadn’t lost since, as they carried a four-game winning streak into Monday’s game.
Chandler admitted he still wasn’t 100 percent strong, but he’d be willing to play limited minutes against the the Bobcats.
“Get some minutes [Tuesday] and practice Wednesday,’’ Chandler said. “That would be ideal.’’
Usually Chandler gets hit with a serious bug right before the playoffs — a disturbing trend. He had the flu during the first round against the Heat in 2012, and late in the regular season, he dropped about 12 pounds after contracting strep throat from his kids.
“I didn’t lose a lot of weight this time,’’ he said.
Asked if he’s susceptible to illness, Chandler cracked that it may be the New York media.
“I don’t think so,’’ he said. “I had only gotten sick twice before I came to New York in my career. It could be certain people around me making me sick.’’
Chandler finally reported for work Sunday, taking part in a workout at the practice facility, but only did light drills on the Garden court Monday night. Chandler, who broke his leg in the season’s fourth game, has played in just 13 of the team’s 37 contests.
“It was obviously serious,’’ coach Mike Woodson said. “He was in the bed for a while. Now he’s up and around. We’ll see how he feels [Tuesday] and go from there.’’
Even after Woodson played J.R. Smith against the 76ers, the Knicks coach wouldn’t talk about his controversial shooting guard, who was fined $50,000 by the NBA for untying opponent’s shoelaces. Woodson had benched Smith for five straight quarters.
Before Monday’s game, when asked if he feels Smith finally will change his ways as Carmelo Anthony suggested, Woodson responded, “J.R. and I spoke. The bottom line is, he has to be more of a pro and do the right things and concentrate on playing basketball. That’s the name of the game. There’s nothing else. … You got to concentrate on your craft and what you’ve been paid to do — and that’s play basketball. The bottom line is, I expect him to be a pro on and off the court.’’
Smith scored 10 points in 25 minutes off the bench Monday.
Point guard Pablo Prigioni will make the Charlotte-Indiana trip, but indicated he doesn’t expect to play until Monday against the Nets. … Woodson said he hasn’t given serious thought to starting the improving Amar’e Stoudemire, but is not shy about playing him in the closing minutes. “I like him there [off the bench] but the difference now is we’ve played him down the stretch,’’ Woodson said. “That’s the key. If he continues to play at that level, I got to consider playing him down the stretch.’’ … The Knicks will face former assistant coach Steve Clifford for the first time in Charlotte. In the teams’ last meeting there, Clifford had been hospitalized following a heart episode and assistant Patrick Ewing coached in the Knicks win.