Tyson Chandler hopes to play limited minutes Tuesday night
Tyson Chandler had a light workout Monday night and hopes he's strong enough to play some minutes Tuesday night in Charlotte.
Chandler missed his fourth straight game because of bronchitis. He said he didn't get out of bed until Sunday and added that the "couple of trips'' he took up and down the court before the Knicks played the Suns was the most he's done in about eight days.
"It was serious," coach Mike Woodson said. "He was in the bed for a while.''
Chandler has gotten sick a few times with the Knicks, and it often takes a major toll on him. He lost weight last season just before the playoffs, wasn't at full strength against Indiana's Roy Hibbert and admittedly was outplayed.
Chandler said the "ideal'' for him would be to play limited minutes Tuesday night, work out Wednesday and be in better shape to face Hibbert and the Pacers Thursday night in Indiana.
"I didn't lose a lot of weight this time,'' he said. "Hopefully I'll be fine.''
Chandler said he started feeling ill during the Knicks' win in San Antonio on Jan. 2. He took himself out five minutes into the final game of the trip in Dallas on Jan. 5. "I thought I could play through it and play a couple of games,'' he said. "But by the [Dallas game], I kind of was going downhill.''
Woodson to J.R.: Be a pro
Woodson wouldn't say whether he thinks J.R. Smith has changed or learned his lesson from being benched Thursday against the Heat after his sneaker escapades. "Bottom line is I expect J.R. to be a pro on and off the court and concentrate on playing basketball, and that is all I want him to do,'' Woodson said. "That is simple to me.''
Fast breaks
Carmelo Anthony was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 27.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals in leading the Knicks to a 3-0 mark . . . Woodson hopes Amar'e Stoudemire can play in all of the games during this stretch of four in five nights, but he said it's up to Stoudemire . . . Woodson said Pablo Prigioni (fractured big toe) will work out Wednesday but isn't sure when he'll return.
