So far this season, Tyson Chandler has been efficient. Monday against the Bobcats, he was dominant. And coming into tonight’s game against the 76ers at the Garden, the Knicks think their new center will only get better as he and his teammates continue to get to know each other.
“I do think that he’s getting a feel for what we want,’’ said Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni. “Right now Tyson’s playing at a really high level. You’ve got to be a little careful about the minutes, but we’re real excited about what he does. I think he’s the No. 1 in the league, 73 percent — it’s unbelievable.’’
That’s 73.2 percent shooting, which would far exceed Marcin Gortat’s 63.4 percent if Chandler had enough shots to qualify. Chandler had a 20-point, 13-board, three-block night, shooting 7-of-8 in the process; and D’Antoni feels he’ll improve further as Iman Shumpert matures and Baron Davis heals.
“This is what people expected coming in. But it’s a growing process and it takes time,’’ Chandler said. “When I first came we didn’t really have a training camp, preseason games … I didn’t have a clue how to run the pick-and-roll with them. But I think game-by-game we’re just getting better.
“Definitely I think my teammates are really getting accustomed to understanding the way I play and getting me in the rhythm. I just want to make things easier for them.’’
With Amar’e Stoudemire able to score in a myriad of ways, the Knicks have taken advantage of Chandler’s pick-and-roll prowess, a big reason he’s averaging a career-high 12.0 points.
“I just want to draw traffic,” Chandler said. “If the defense doesn’t honor me, then I’ll finish at the rim. And if I draw traffic, it’s going to open up shots for hotter guys.”