GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Tyson Chandler says he’s “100 percent” physically ready for the playoffs and will welcome a series with the Boston Celtics that is expected to be physical.
“Right now I feel great, I feel 100 percent, honestly,” Chandler said after practicing Thursday in anticipation of Game 1 Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
“This is the best I’ve felt in a long time. This is the best I’ve felt since I got hurt in Denver. To be back right now at this time heading into the playoffs, it’s great for me.”The reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Chandler missed the final six games of the Knicks’ season, and 16 of the last 20 with a bulging disk in his neck.
“It actually was a blessing in disguise that I was able to get that time off because now I have fresh legs throughout the playoffs and I’m excited about this long run we’re about to endure,” Chandler said.
Fellow big man Kenyon Martin will also be back on the court Saturday, providing a much-needed interior presence on both ends of the court.
Martin hasn’t played since April 9, when he sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter of a blowout of the Washington Wizards, but said before Wednesday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks he will definitely play Saturday..
Asked if he was 100 percent for the playoffs, Martin said: ”Whatever it is, I’m playing, it don’t matter.”
He added: “No matter what it is, I’m going to play. It’s that time of year where injuries really don’t matter, especially for me. I show up and show out.”
Chandler, meantime, sounded refreshed and rejuvenated as the Knicks open the postseason with homecourt advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
“It’s going to be great for us,” Chandler said. “We get an opportunity to rock out in front of our fans. A lot of our fans will get behind us and push us though some tough moments. That’s how playoff basketball goes. I’m just looking forward to it and you couldn’t have a better start than Knicks vs. Celtics.”
Chandler said he’s “looking forward” to an anticipated physical series against the Celtics, whom the Knicks beat 3-1 in a season series for the first time since 2004.
“I’m sure it will be physical but you look forward to that,” he said. “Playoff basketball is physical and you add to it, it’s two teams that don’t like each other. So that’s better, that’s what you live for.”
Chandler said the Miami Heat should be the favorites to win the NBA title, but sounded especially optimistic about the Knicks’ chances this year.
“They should pick the Heat, they’re the defending champions and they should get that respect,” Chandler said. “But that’s not what we believe. we haven’t believed in that throughout the year but they should get that respect because they earned it.”
He added of the Knicks: “Now going through a great year and to have the cast that we have, this is a confident team.”
PRIGIONI IS UNLIKELY FOR GAME 1
Point guard Pablo Prigioni was on crutches as he watched practice Thursday after spraining his right ankle in Wednesday’s win over the Hawks.
He remains unlikely for Game 1, and Knicks coach Mike Woodson said he might start Chris Copeland at small forward in Prigioni’s place.
The Knicks are 16-2 with Prigioni in the starting lineup.
“We have Raymond [Felton] obviously can handle those duties and Jason Kidd can handle those duties and took the team to go on and win a championship,” Chandler said. “We definitely got guys that can step in until Pablo gets back.”
Felton and Kidd would have bigger roles without Prigioni, who averages 3.5 points and 3.0 assists in 16 minutes a game.
“We definitely are going to miss Pablo but it can’t change nothing because it’s the playoffs,’’ Felton said. “We got to perform. We’re definitely going to miss Pablo. And hopefully we’ll get him back the second game. Maybe the first game and a miracle happens.
“Pablo is hurt but at the same time we still got a lot of guys on this team that can step up. We still got a lot of guys that’s coming back who haven’t played in a while so they should have fresh legs.”
