DALLAS — Knicks center Tyson Chandler will receive his NBA championship ring tonight at American Airlines Center. The jewel will be presented to him by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban after a video tribute and words from Dallas coach Rick Carlisle.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is this: If Chandler chooses to wear the ring this month, he’ll be placing it on a messed-up left hand and wrist more severely injured than advertised.
During Sunday’s overtime loss in Boston, Chandler unveiled a heavy pad on his hand, but it still didn’t prevent him from hurting it after a spill. Chandler, who injured his wrist before the All-Star Break, revealed he had an MRI exam last week and could be in pain for six weeks, an unsettling development.
Chandler, a key to the Mavericks’ 2011 title run, has been the lone Knicks player performing at an All-Star level all season. Coach Mike D’Antoni has called him the Knicks’ “most irreplaceable player,’’ and the decision to dip under the salary cap to sign Chandler by using the amnesty rule on injured Chauncey Billups has become another coup for interim general manager Glen Grunwald.
The Knicks have classified Chandler’s injury as “a bone bruise’’ but he said he is dealing with multiple injuries, including indications he has ligament damage.
“There’s a lot going on,’’ Chandler said yesterday at the Mavericks’ practice court inside the arena. “It’s a situation where I don’t think I’m going to hurt it anymore. It’s more the pain. It’s trying to find ways to catch the ball. We’re finding ways to pad it without restricting everything.’’
In Boston, Chandler bobbled an easy pass from Jeremy Lin out of bounds instead of turning it into an easy dunk. If things get worse, D’Antoni said he would have to consider sitting Chandler. But it would take four to six weeks of rest for the injuries to fully heal, so that is a last resort.
“If it wasn’t so many games [in so little time because of the lockout], it maybe would heal in six weeks,’’ Chandler said. “But there’s all these games so it may around a little bit. It’s a lot of doctor stuff. I’d have to go back to school to understand [the diagnosis] Just say it’s a sprain.’’
The Knicks wouldn’t let Chandler bowl last week at their annual Garden of Dreams Bowl-a-thon. And D’Antoni won’t let him sit out.
“He’s so important, he went to get an MRI and I said: Why are you going to do it, because even if it’s broken you’re playing,’’ D’Antoni said. ‘I feel bad. He’s going to have to live with it for a month. He has a hard time grabbing the ball.’’
Another bad bang to Chandler’s hand could be costly.
“Only if it gets worse and he comes to me, we got to think about it,’’ D’Antoni said. “If he doesn’t get hit, it will be great. I don’t know how realistic that is.’’
In Boston D’Antoni rested Chandler from the 4:28 mark of the third until 2:07 left in regulation. Perhaps he wanted him healthier for tonight’s tribute, when he will be feted by a sell-out crowd that realizes he was their second-most vital player next to Dirk Nowitzki. Chandler was the Mavericks’ leader, just as he has become the Knicks’ de factor leader.
“It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for really since we won,’’ Chandler said. “We’ve done a lot of celebrations, but I’m looking forward to getting the hardware.
“I’m sure it will be a good reception,’’ Chandler added. “A lot of my energy was feeding off the fans here. I grew to love them. They grew to love me.’’
The Mavericks have suffered defensively in the paint without Chandler, and own a modest record of 22-16, good for sixth place in the Western Conference. Disgruntled Lamar Odom hasn’t panned out. Chandler, meanwhile, leads the league in field goal percentage (69 percent), has dramatically improved the Knicks’ defense and is averaging 11.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Cuban has visions of signing Dwight Howard and Deron Williams in 2012 to replace Chandler, who was insulted by the owner’s one-year offer.
“It was confusing at the time,’’ Chandler said. “Once I became a Knick, I let it all go. You can’t get frustrated for somebody making decisions they think is in the best interests of the franchise, whether you think it’s right or wrong.’’
Chandler was energized to be back at Dallas’ practice court.
“Coming back to this gym is an amazing feeling, remembering the practices we went through,’’ he said. “It couldn’t happen at a more perfect time. It’s definitely giving me motivation for the second half of the season to try to get my team over the hump. I would love coming back here and getting my ring and getting a win.’’