BATTLE GROUND: Tyson Chandler, who grabbed 20 rebounds for the third straight game, battles for a loose ball with Jonas Jerebko during the Knicks’ 99-85 victory over the Pistons last night. Chandler became the first Knick since Willis Reed to nab 20 boards in three straight games. (Paul J. Bereswill)
AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE Scores 20 points in win (Paul J. Bereswill)
It’s a good thing for the Knicks franchise Lawrence Frank beat out Mike Woodson for the Pistons’ head-coaching job in the summer of 2011.
Otherwise this Knicks season may never have happened.
Frank was the first choice to become Mike D’Antoni’s defensive assistant but jumped to Detroit. Woodson interviewed with the Pistons, the team he helped guide to the 2004 title. After getting passed over following two interviews and the belief he had the job, Woodson joined D’Antoni’s staff as an assistant. The rest is history as Woodson’s Knicks continue to make history.
The Knicks continued to dominate Frank’s Pistons last night, posting their season’s third straight blowout win over Detroit, storming to a 21-point halftime lead and cruising, 99-85, to complete a 5-0 homestand.
It was their first 5-0 homestand since 1996. It’s the first time since the 1996-97 season the Knicks have been 16 games over .500. They are 31-15 and still trail Miami by one-half game. Miami’s Erik Spoelstra will coach the Eastern All-Star team, but Woodson is doing the better job.
“I like how we’re playing,’’ Woodson said. “Everyone is contributing. Nobody is complaining about minutes.’’
The Knicks’ “Trio Grande’’ of Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire was wonderful again.
Anthony, after his quiet nine-point night in the Sacramento laugher, scored 19 points by halftime and finished with 27 one day after his Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII. Chandler, who lost a bet with Anthony and was forced to wear a Ravens hat during the postgame interview, ripped down 20 rebounds for the third straight game — tying a franchise record last achieved by Willis Reed.
“To me, Tyson Chandler is their MVP,” Frank said.
“I wanted to see him get a 20-20 night,’’ Jason Kidd said.
Stoudemire, in his new bench role, unleashed his new post game for the second time in 2 1/2 weeks against the Pistons, pumping in 20 points on 8 of 14 shooting. His stellar play actually began in London versus these Pistons Jan. 17 and he hasn’t stopped rolling since. Teams are even starting to double him on his move to the bucket.
“I’m proving that hard work pays off,’’ said Stoudemire, who shot 75 percent and averaged 18 points on the five-game homestand.
Woodson’s goal is to overtake Miami by the All-Star break on Valentine’s Day. Before the Boston game Jan. 24, the Knicks coach set a “mini-goal’’ for their last 11 games to finish off 9-2. They are 6-1 and counting with a Washington-Minnesota road trip on tap.
“I knew guys might be thinking about where they want to go [for the All-Star break],’’ Woodson said. “It wasn’t the time for it.’’
Though the competition was light, the Knicks had no slip-ups, winning four of the five games by double digits.
“This was something we talked about coming into this homestand,’’ Anthony said of a sweep. “We needed to win all these games and this was a must-win for us. We had to have these games, so we approached it like that and took care of business.’’
The Knicks rained in 10 3-pointers on 20 attempts in a first-half masterpiece and destroyed the Pistons, 57-36. They got off to an 28-13 start after one quarter. The first half was a work of art, with Stoudemire dominating on the low block, Anthony and J.R. Smith (16 points) drilling 3-pointers and Raymond Felton throwing lobs to the rim at Chandler (eight points).
As hoped when he returned, Felton has electrified the offense and ignited more ball movement. He had nine assists last night. Midway through the second quarter, the Knicks had 7 3-pointers to the Pistons’ zero. They finished 14 of 34, looking like the vibrant team from November and December.
“I didn’t take a lot of shots,’’ said Felton, who was 2 of 5 for 4 points. “I was doing my job as a point guard. Melo, STAT and J.R. are our scorers. We are back to the way we were playing earlier in the year.’’
For comic relief, Smith launched an airball from the free-throw line in the first quarter, drawing laughter from the Knicks bench and fans.
He finally backed away from the free-throw line, cracking up himself. Stoudemire walked over to the free-throw spot to feign dusting off the line. It was that kind of giddy night.