The Knicks are seeking their fourth consecutive victory on Wednesday night in Charlotte. If they win, they’ll move into the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference (Miami is idle).

Here are some halftime observations:

CONTROLLING THE PAINT: Tyson Chandler dominated inside in the first quarter, scoring eight points on 4-for-4 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds (four offensive). Those offensive boards were particularly important, because his teammates got off to a bad start from behind the arc, going just 3-for-9 from 3-point range in the opening period, the Knicks ended up going just 7-for-19 from deep in the first half.

MELO TIME: Carmelo Anthony, who had been averaging 30.7 points in his previous six games, came out gunning from the opening tip, knocking down his first two 3-pointers. He has a game-high 20 points (7-for-11 shooting). Melo had just one point the last time the Knicks played the Bobcats on Jan. 24 (0-for-7 shooting).

WHERE'S THE D?: The Bobcats shot at a 51.1 percent clip in the first half, and scored 32 points in the paint. They were able to outscore the Knicks, 29-25, in the second quarter. New York natives Ben Gordon and Kemba Walker -- 24 points combined -- have torched the Knicks from the perimeter. New York has trailed by as many as 10, but came back thanks to a 12-2 run late in the second quarter.

RETURN OF KIDD: Jason Kidd returned from a four-game absence due to back spasms, and came off the bench for the first time since 2004. Kidd was not sporting a headband over the cut on his head, just a bandage. He had three points in eight minutes.

HOMECOMING: With several friends and family members in attendance, North Carolina product Raymond Felton has been ineffective shooting the ball (2-for-9 overall, 0-for-4 3-point range) in-large part due to the fact that he’s wearing a wrap over his bruised right hand.

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