Chandler back; will sense of urgency accompany him?
Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks celebrates a basket against the Sacramento Kings. (Feb. 15, 2012) Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Tyson Chandler will be back in the Knicks' lineup Sunday afternoon. Mike D'Antoni hopes the Knicks' defense and sense of urgency also return.
Chandler, who missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, should help in both areas against the 76ers as the Knicks try to snap their four-game losing streak. But D'Antoni said they can't think all is well just because their defensive anchor and emotional leader is back.
"Not everything is good," D'Antoni said. "Where we are -- not everything is good. I don't think we'll think that way. It's a mistake if we do.''
The Knicks' 119-114 loss in Milwaukee on Friday dropped them four games under .500. After playing Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia at noon Sunday, the Knicks are in Chicago Monday night, so this could be considered a must-win.
At Saturday's walk-through, the Knicks discussed playing with desperation and making a commitment on defense. In their last two games, they've allowed an average of 118.5 points and have been outscored 47-20 on second-chance points.
Said Jeremy Lin, "We need to play desperate, not comfortable."
During last month's seven-game winning streak, the Knicks defended more consistently and played with more urgency. They fought in each game and battled back to the .500 mark after an 8-15 start.
Since then, the Knicks have taken steps backward. They are 5½ games behind Philadelphia in the division and only two games ahead of Milwaukee and Cleveland for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
The Knicks were winning with a depleted roster and now boast one of the league's deepest teams. But D'Antoni said too much focus has been on the chemistry on offense. So much attention has been paid to Carmelo Anthony and Lin working together within D'Antoni's system and fitting J.R. Smith and Baron Davis into the offense that the Knicks aren't concentrating on what it takes to win.
"We're slipping away again," D'Antoni said. "Definitely a concern. Sometimes we get sidetracked with issues I don't think are that important. The important thing should be getting a playoff spot and getting this going. Hopefully we'll get that.
"The issues are I can't play with you and you can't play with . . . Those are issues that will always work out. If we're focused on the right thing, everything works out."
Chandler didn't enjoy watching from the bench when he knew he could help the Knicks with his defense and rebounding. But he noticed that the Knicks lacked some fight at San Antonio and Milwaukee to end the four-game trip.
"If we play the way we finished the last two games, the last six minutes, we'll beat teams by 15 or 20 points," Chandler said. "I don't see a team in this league that can sustain that kind of effort. I feel like we may be the deepest team in the league. We should be able to come at teams in waves. It's a matter of putting that together.
"I guess there should be concern because the season is only so long. There's only so long you can sit back and say, 'OK, it's going to come, it's going to come,' and then it's too late. There definitely has to be a sense of urgency."
