Mike Woodson's dumpster offense stinks right now. The only Febreeze relief amid their putrid start was their defense. The Knicks are currently third in points allowed this season (and ninth in defensive efficiency), but they’re a different team when Tyson Chandler isn’t in the lineup. Conversely, Chandler hasn’t been himself since winning the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year award. He was plagued by injuries throughout most of last season and was far from his physical peak during the playoffs.
Just four games into what he hoped would be a redemptive campaign, Chandler is back on the shelf for 4-6 weeks with what’s been diagnosed as a non-displaced fracture of his right tibula after banging knees with Kemba Walker during the first quarter of their loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. The loss to the Bobcats dropped the Knicks to 1-3 on the season, but the loss of Chandler will hurt more.
Someone should talk James Dolan down the edge of the cliff. If you think he was on edge before last night, then he’s probably locked inside of a dark room with bottles strewn across his counters and the floors right now.
The remainder of New York's frontcourt is filled out by the defensively handicapped trio of Andrea Bargnani, Amare Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin. On the other hand, this could be an opportunity for Dolan to drum up some solid P.R. and give Jason Collins’ agent a call. After all, wouldn’t that be the ultimate Dolan reaction?
