Even in the season’s darkest moments, Tyson Chandler says he believed the Knicks would be close to a playoff berth in April.
The Knicks center sent out a message straight to South Beach, reiterating a theme some NBA executives believe, too: Miami and Indiana prefer not to see orange and blue in the first round in a 1 vs. 8 pairing.
“I always thought we’d really give our ourselves a shot of making the playoffs,’’ Chandler said late Monday after the Knicks finished their Western trip 3-2 after a 92-83 win in Utah. “I still believe if we get in there, somebody’s going to be in trouble.’’
As April dawns, the Nets become the first obstacle in the way of the Knicks (32-43) making a miracle finish, stunning James Dolan, Phil Jackson and Steve Mills and stealing the eighth seed from the slumping Hawks. Atlanta holds a one-game lead, two in the loss column, but its management may have an eye on the lottery.
The Knicks host the revived Nets Wednesday at the Garden, with the rematch April 15 in the season’s second-to-last game. Whether the Knicks still are ticking by then remains to be seen.
After all, the Knicks finish with seven games against Eastern Conference playoff teams.
“These last seven games are big for us, against teams that are going to give us a run for our money,’’ Carmelo Anthony said. “We have to go out there and accept that challenge. This schedule is not in our favor right now, but we got to go take games.”
The vodka would be flowing if the Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s team was responsible for kicking the Knicks out of the playoff picture and allowing Brooklyn the sole stage in New York. The Nets (39-33) are fighting for the Atlantic Division title, trailing Toronto by two games.
“I’m pretty sure because they’re playing us, regardless of the circumstances, it will always be a tough, grind-out game, the battle between us and Brooklyn,’’ Anthony said. “We got to be ready. I’m pretty sure they’re going to be ready, too.’’
The Knicks weren’t ready in their most recent meeting against the Nets when they were outclassed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Chandler created a stir by saying Kidd’s Nets “outschemed’’ the Knicks — another jab at Mike Woodson’s defensive system of constant switching.
Kidd was a leader in the Knicks’ locker room last season, and has been sorely missed since he retired to coach the Nets. Kidd has led Brooklyn out of a 10-21 hole as rookie coach, onto a 29-12 record in 2014.
Woodson, meanwhile, likely is headed for the unemployment line, especially with new team president Jackson aboard to clean house. But Woodson holds a 17-6 record in April in two seasons with the Knicks.
“Honestly, I’ll congratulate him later in the season,’’ Chandler said of Kidd. “We talk but not about basketball. Personally, I love him. We won a championship together, and we’ll forever be brothers. But now we’re on two different squads. I think they’ve really come together since the beginning of the season.’’
Kidd’s leadership and basketball smarts made it easier for Anthony. Now Kidd is doing it as coach, winning his second straight coach of the month award.
“He’s phenomenal,’’ Anthony said. “Even when losing games, trying to figure it out, he had his team stay composed. He turned that ship around.’’
After going 11-3 in their last 14, the Knicks are trying to steer the vessel off the iceberg. They will fight off jet lag Wednesday, returning from those five games out West — traditionally a hard turnaround game.
“We can’t have any excuses at this point,’’ Chandler said. “Obviously it is going to be tough. But we have to leave it all on the basketball court.’’
On March 3 in Detroit, the Knicks had blown another big lead, lost their seventh straight game, fell 19 games under .500, dropped 6 ½ games out of the eighth seed and Chandler questioned his future as a Knick.
Who would have figured April would mean something?
“We dug this hole, we’re trying to dig out,’’ Woodson said. “Our guys are fighting. I love that.’’