Tyson Chandler hurt, Knicks fall to Bobcats at Garden on day after report of ...
Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily NewsCarmelo Anthony scores a game-high 32 points but the Knicks can't close out the Bobcats in the end in an embarrassing loss at the Garden on Tuesday night.
BOBCATS 101, KNICKS 97
Mike Woodson has been determined to make his 'big lineup' work for the Knicks, sticking with that alignment for the third straight game - and loss - Wednesday night against Charlotte at the Garden.
But any big vs. small debate quickly will be rendered moot if All-Star center Tyson Chandler is sidelined for any substantial time.
The 2011-12 NBA Defensive Player of the Year hobbled off the court with 5:24 left in the first quarter with a right leg injury, and the Knicks' late comeback bid failed in falling to 1-3 with a potentially costly and boo-inducing 102-97 loss to the Bobcats.
The Knicks announced just before halftime that X-rays on Chandler's right leg were inconclusive, and that he will undergo further tests on Wednesday.
Bronx native Kemba Walker, a product of Rice HS, led Charlotte with 25 points and six assists, although the former UConn star also left the game briefly with an apparent injury to his left shoulder following a third-quarter collision with Metta World Peace. The Bobcats said X-rays on Walker's shoulder were negative, and he returned to the game in the fourth.
Walker earlier had collided on a drive to the basket with Chandler - perhaps knee to knee - which sent the Knicks center to the locker room with the aid of inactive center Cole Aldrich after his right knee and shin area were wrapped on the bench.
Kenyon Martin was pressed into 18 minutes of service, even though he was not supposed to play as part of a platoon with Amar'e Stoudemire intended to keep both veteran big men healthy for the long haul and the postseason.
Stoudemire, who sat two of the first three games following summertime knee surgery, scored two points on 1-for-3 shooting with five turnovers and a technical foul in 12 minutes off the bench.
Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 32 in 45 minutes - but his erratic shooting continued with a 10-for-28 night from the field - and World Peace added 18 for the Knicks, who will look to avoid a 1-4 start Friday in Charlotte.
RELATED: ISOLA: IMPATIENT DOLAN A DANCIN' FOOL FOR TIRADE THAT INCLUDES CHEERLEADERSWoodson's big lineup meant that 7-footer Andrea Bargnani (six points in 23 minutes) started at power forward for the third consecutive game, with the slumping Anthony at small forward.
'If things go according to plan, my ultimate goal was to get to a big lineup,' Woodson said before the game. 'That's where I want to be.'
Anthony's scoring average was down from an NBA-leading 28.7 points while playing mostly at power forward last season to 21.0 per game on 37.7 percent shooting through the first three games. And he had acknowledged on Monday that he believes he was playing 'passive' in the Knicks' offensive sets, particularly in the fourth quarter.
'Melo's a pro in terms of playing the four or the three, I don't think (which positions he plays) really matters to him that much,' Woodson said. 'It probably matters more to me based on how he fared last year at the four. I've just got to be patient and have got to see how this plays out a little bit. And then make a firm decision on which way I am going to go with it.'
Chandler's absence would greatly affect any such plans, of course, as the Knicks briefly used Bargnani in the middle before Martin entered the game with the Knicks trailing 64-54 to start the second half.
Raymond Felton scored eight straight points for the Knicks, including a couple of threes, to get the Knicks within four (76-72) midway through the third quarter.
Martin then pumped up the crowd with a rejection of a Ramon Sessions' drive, and Stoudemire powered through Jeff Adrien for a slam early in the fourth for an 84-80 game. The Knicks finally got within two on an Anthony put-back with barely six minutes remaining, and trailed 91-89 following another Carmelo inside move two minutes later.
But Adrien snared an offensive rebound for a lay-in and Michael-Kidd Gilchrist (16 points) was credited with another tap-in with 2:20 to go to push the Charlotte lead back to six, although the latter score appeared to go in off of Anthony's hand.
Walker buried a fall-away jumper with 48.3 seconds remaining, and the Knicks - who shot just 6-for-21 in the fourth, including 3-for-10 by Anthony and 0-for-5 from Felton -- didn't get closer than two the rest of the way.
Anthony hit a three-pointer with 16.2 seconds remaining, but Shumpert made just one of two free throws following an inbounds steal, and Gerald Henderson (18 points) sank a pair with 13.5 ticks to go as the Bobcats held on to halt a 16-game road losing streak.
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