Of course it couldn’t last.
The new-old Big Three alignment with Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony has gone awry yet again. Chandler missed Monday’s game against the 76ers with what the team called “an urgent personal matter,” but the Knicks prevailed 123-110.
According to coach Mike Woodson, Chandler could also miss the Boston game Wednesday. Chandler is dealing with a family illness.
The Knicks used Stoudemire at center and he thrived, with 23 points, missing just one shot (9-of-10). Woodson also plugged Iman Shumpert into the starting lineup, going with a small alignment that had Anthony back at the 4. It was the 17th starting lineup this season.
“I have no idea at this point right now,’’ Woodson said on when Chandler will return. “He’s fine. But it’s personal matters and we got to deal with that. Hopefully we get Tyson back soon and continue our winning ways.”
Chandler has had an up-and-down season. After a great start, he broke his leg in the fourth game and missed 20 straight. He also was out four games in January with the flu. Still, the Knicks missed him early as the Sixers exploded in the first quarter, grabbing a 12-point lead and scoring at will in a 61-point half.
“We had to adjust to that, not having [Chandler] for defensive purposes,’’ Carmelo Anthony said. “Once we made that adjustment, we opened the game up.’’
Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston declined to discuss Phil Jackson joining the Knicks front office but said he has “respect” for the Zen Master.
“Everyone has respect for one of the greatest coaches,” Houston said at a press conference in Westchester to introduce the team’s new D-League affiliate that will be based in White Plains next season. “I’ve played for wonderful coaches and I’ve learned a lot from all of them. I’ve played, worked with, a lot of great people, personnel, coaches. I’m a sponge, so that anybody that I work with I’m going to learn from.”
Anthony won his second Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award, leading the Knicks to a 3-1 week behind averages of 29.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.75 steals.
Andrea Bargnani can now sit on the bench, as his brace is off and he can wear a suit. He had an MRI exam on his torn elbow Monday but hasn’t seen the results and won’t predict a timetable. He got hurt against these Sixers more than six weeks ago, falling on a wild drive.
Kenyon Martin, who had platelet-rich-plasma treatment performed on his left ankle, is out of his walking boot but still hasn’t been cleared to play.