Tyson Chandler knows he needs to relax, and the Knicks center said teammate Jeremy Lin is trying to keep him from picking up any more technical fouls.
Chandler has been whistled for nine technical fouls this season, tied with Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins for second-most in the NBA and trailing just Oklahoma City’s Kendrick Perkins (12) with 30 games remaining. If a player gets 13 technical fouls this season, he gets suspended for one game, and will be banned another game for each two additional techs.
“I’m not getting any more the rest of the season,” Chandler said Friday night during Knicks Bowl 13 at Chelsea Piers.
Then he laughed.
“I talked to Jeremy Lin and all of that, and he’s working on calming me down,” Chandler said. “I’m going to have to calm myself [down]. I’ve been spending some time with Jeremy Lin in chapel and everything’s fine.”
The Knicks also dealt with this last year when Amar’e Stoudemire racked up 15 technicals, just one shy of a suspension. Stoudemire has seven this season.
“I think I’m rubbing off on [Chandler] a little bit,” Stoudemire said.
How do you stop yourself and avoid getting hit with a T?
“Just a matter of being aware of the situation and then able to control yourself when in the heat of the moment,” Stoudemire said. “These games are so energetic, you’re so involved in the game, so you’ve got a tendency to kind of react just off emotion. I’m pretty sure [Chandler] will do a better job of controlling his technical fouls.”
Chandler also continues to deal with a deep bone bruise and swelling around nerves in his ailing left wrist, and said he was not permitted to bowl because of it.
“I need to stay away from that and relax a little bit,” said Chandler, who Friday visited a doctor for the wrist. “I don’t know what the terminology is, but I’ll leave that to the trainers and doctors. I’ll just say little pain that you’ve got to deal with.
“It’s all right. It’s going to be sore, but it’s just one of those seasons where it’s going to be like that.”
mark.hale@nypost.com