Tyson Chandler is one good practice away from making his long-awaited comeback Wednesday in Milwaukee.
“I’ll do a five-on-five scrimmage [Tuesday] and if it goes well, I’ll play,’’ Chandler told The Post before the Knicks fell to the Wizards in heartbreaking fashion, 102-101, Monday at the Garden.
Chandler’s imminent return can’t come at a better time as defensive big man Kenyon Martin is laid up with an abdominal strain. The Knicks haven’t provided a timetable on Martin, but Mike Woodson, when pressed, said “one-to-two weeks is in the neighborhood, but that could change.’’
The Knicks’ hopes of signing 6-foot-10 big man Jeremy Tyler are on hold because the organization feels he needs more time to get off the rust in the D-League.
Woodson, whose job security has been tied to Chandler coming back, was a little more cautious than Chandler about Wednesday, but hopes Monday’s game was the last without his starting center. The Knicks’ next game after Milwaukee is at home against Memphis on Saturday and that would be the absolute latest he would return.
“We’ll have a full-blown practice [Tuesday], give him a chance to play five-on-five and see where he is after that,’’ Woodson said. “He’s just done three-on-three. We got to see how he feels. If he doesn’t have any setbacks after [Tuesday], he might play Wednesday.’’
The Knicks are seeing what’s available on the trade market. Thursday is a key date. If a player is dealt after Thursday, he can not be dealt again before February’s trade deadline.
Chandler broke his left fibula in the first quarter of the season’s fourth game on Nov. 5. The Knicks were 1-2 at the time. Chandler had been their most vibrant player in the first three games, particularly on defense.