Tyson Chandler better hurry back before he loses his starting job to Kenyon Martin.
The Knicks new 6-9 starting center is tearing it up – shining brightest in this home-and-home vs. Toronto.
Coming off his 19-point, 11-rebound gem Friday, Martin was back at it creating havoc tonight and had the Garden fans chanting his name in the final seconds of the first half.
Martin, making his sixth straight start, scored 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting with 7 rebounds and more nasty defensive play as the Knicks swept the Raptors on back-to-back nights, posting a 108-83 victory for their fourth straight win. Martin is 16 of 21 from the field in the last two games.
Carmelo Anthony had another smooth outing in gaining the upper hand on his former Knicks adversary, Landry Fields. Melo scored 28 points in a tidy 30 minutes as the Knicks moved two games ahead of the Nets, pending tonight’s battle vs. the Clippers.
Melo (9 of 19, 10 of 10 from the free-throw line) was able to rest up in the fourth quarter after his 43-minute marathon Friday. J.R. Smith added 23 points off the bench.
The game didn’t go by without a confrontational incident between Melo and Fields, who delivered a elbow into Anthony’s chest on a drive. Melo took issue and pushed Fields hard, drawing a flagrant 1 foul. As best friends of Jeremy Lin, Fields and Melo didn’t see eye to eye on the court or off of it.
Woodson may now have to consider keeping Martin in the starting lineup when Chandler comes back. That would move send the Knicks into a more traditional lineup, moving Melo from power forward to small forward.
Martin made a series of momentum-building plays in the last two minutes, celebrating and gyrating to the crowd. He jammed home an Anthony airball, then rammed home a Jason Kidd alley-oop pass, then blocked a penetrating point guard Kyle Lowry on the other end.
Martin capped his dynamic surge with a 3-point play after getting banged underneath and still converting a flip shot in the lane. He went to the free throw line and the Garden fans chanted “Ken-yon Mar-tin.’’
Earlier in the second quarter, Martin laid a vicious foul on driving Demar DeRozan and got away with it. Martin finished with 11 first-half points, 5 of 8 from the field with 6 rebounds.
Midway through the third quarter, Pablo Prigioni hit Martin on a long pass and layup. Martin beat everyone down the floor with his fresh legs that rested across October, November, December, January and most of February. Martin said he was getting some heckling from the Raptors bench, which stirred him on.
Smith came on strong after a brutal start. He committed three turnovers in his first few minutes of action but finished the game shooting 8 of 14. Iman Shumpert (13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals) continues to gradually become more effective and active. He had one steal that he turned into a coast to coast layup.
Woodson attempted to go light on Melo, playing him 18 minutes in the half. Aggressive going to the basket, Melo scored 19 points, going 7 of 7 from the free throw line in the first half. He had one great turnaround jumper over Landry Fields. He had played 43 minutes Friday and Woodson vowed to watch his minutes tonight. The Knicks shot 56 percent in the first half.
Woodson also elected to rest Marcus Camby on the second night of a back-to-back, fearful of the plantar fasciitis he has suffered from most of the season.
Martin conceded the Knicks were the first team to make an offer to him last month, otherwise he would have joined the first team of interest.
“Whoever called first,’’ Martin told The Post. “If it was Miami, I was going to Miami. If it was Charlotte, I was going to Charlotte.’’
Melo, his teammate in Denver, said he is not shocked by Kenyon’s emergence.
“Nothing surprises me,’’ Anthony said. “I know how Kenyon can play. I know what he’s capable of doing, especially on this team. It seemed like a perfect opportunity for him right now with guys being out to showcase that. He’s been out of the league for a minute and he was coming back trying to prove himself. What better way to prove it than stepping up to the challenge.’’