They were supposed to be the Garden’s version of the Big 3, but they’ve only been big in terms of salaries, totaling $57 million this season.
Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony — the so-called “Broadway Bigs’’ — never became a hit. Stoudemire’s knee injuries and coach Mike Woodson’s reluctance to start him since last season derailed the trio’s ability to create chemistry.
In likely his last act as Knicks head coach, Woodson now is trying for a revival of “The Broadway Bigs,” rolling with the starry trio as a starting frontcourt — and they could finish out the final 20 games, as the 22-40 Knicks are counting on a miracle finish to steal the eighth seed.
“We’re players who’ve been in this league a long time,’’ Stoudemire said. “Between us, we have [14] All-Star appearances. We know how to play the game of basketball. It’s a matter of time to jell and figure it out. So far we’re doing that.’’
For one shining moment in Minnesota on Wednesday, the trio looked the part in totaling 66 points and outmuscling Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic in the Knicks’ 118-106 upset victory over the Wolves that broke a seven-game slide.
It’s a novel concept Woodson has stumbled upon — starting your five most-decorated players.
The new alignment has reigning Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith as starting shooting guard, joining point guard Raymond Felton, who also staged a revival Wednesday. It was the first time all season all five starters hit double-figures. Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. now come off the bench.
The Chandler-Stoudemire-Anthony connection has started the past two games, and the trio is a plus-25 in the two first quarters.
Woodson tried to reinvent the wheel with Anthony as power forward, with various unorthodox lineups. Nothing’s worked this season and with Stoudemire as consistent and healthier than he has been in recent times, it was time to start him and move Anthony back to small forward.
“I don’t have a problem with that,’’ Anthony said of the new-old frontcourt. “Especially playing against a team with Love and Pekovic, those two guys going against Tyson and Amar’e keeps me from banging with those guys. ‘’
Stoudemire gave the company line on whether he wants to remain a starter, saying he knows Woodson will choose the right combination. But how the $100 million man really feels about Anthony’s recent status as power forward was evident Wednesday at Target Center when asked if Love and Melo are similar players as “stretch 4s.’’
“Totally different,’’ Stoudemire said. “Love is a 4. Carmelo is a natural 3.’’
Anthony evolved as the team’s power forward when Stoudemire needed surgery during training camp last season. Anthony moved to the 4 in a two point-guard tandem. The Knicks got off to an 18-5 start and Woodson fell in love.
With Stoudemire occasionally on back-to-back restrictions and a minutes cap, Woodson used Andrea Bargnani as the starting power forward out of camp, but chemistry was lacking before Bargnani tore an elbow ligament in January.
There’s challenges with starting Stoudemire. He’s on a 30-minute cap, making it tough on Woodson in fourth quarters.
“It’s about managing the minutes near the end of the game,’’ Woodson said. “STAT has had his ups and downs the last few years with all his injuries but he just keeps fighting.’’
Whether Woodson blew it with Stoudemire is unclear, but on his regular ESPN Radio appearance, he said of the record: “I put it all on my shoulders. I’ve always thought as a coach you need talent to win, you need healthy bodies to win but I’ve kind of gotten past that.
“I haven’t forgotten how to coach, there’s no doubt about that in my mind. … Our record doesn’t indicate that, and that’s the downside of coaching.’’
Woodson still is promoting the Knicks being in a playoff hunt — 5 ¹/₂ games behind Atlanta for the eighth seed. He has escaped owner James Dolan’s ax by convincing him the players haven’t quit on him because of all the big leads they’ve taken — and then blown.
With the No. 8 Hawks in massive free fall, Woodson hasn’t gone crazy. Consider the Knicks haven’t lost any ground to the Hawks the past two weeks despite a 1-5 stretch. The Knicks, who play host to Utah on Friday, play a 10-game stretch in which nine of those clubs are a combined 202 games under .500.
Woodson said he believes “35 to 38’’ wins could capture the final playoff spot. The Knicks have to go 13-7 to reach 35 victories.
“There is still maybe a little light at the end of the tunnel,’’ Woodson said.