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GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Tyson Chandler struggled on defense in the Pacers series. But he had no trouble defending himself Monday in the face of questions about his performance.

When asked if he felt he let his team down in the series against Indiana, Chandler said, "No, no. You can’t let the team down if you give them 100 percent. I gave my teammates everything I had and I’m fine with that."

A large segment of the Knicks' fanbase may disagree with Chandler there. The Knicks' center was thoroughly outplayed by Roy Hibbert over six games.

For the series, Chandler averaged 6.2 points, 6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 29 minutes per game.

Hibbert averaged 13.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks, including a 21-point, 12 rebound performance in Game 6.

Chandler admitted Monday that he wasn't 100 percent healthy during the series. He suffered back, wrist and knee injuries in Game 5. He also struggled with his conditioning and timing early in the playoffs after missing 16 of the Knicks' final 20 regular-season games due to a neck injury.

"I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I wish I could have got a couple games in before the playoffs started," said Chandler, the center on the NBA's first team All-Defense. "I feel like I never really got in a rhythm. But that’s just kind of how it went. I tried to give the team everything I had. I gave them 100 percent, gave them what I had. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough."

Chandler said his neck wasn't an issue after the Celtics series. But his timing just wasn't there after the long layoff. He was missing "the rhythm you get in with (teammates) being used to me being on the court, used to me, feeding me in certain positions, defensive rotations, all of that."

Chandler doesn't anticipate needing surgery to heal his injuries. He also hopes to work on his offense in the offseason.

"I definitely want to be more involved, more consistent on the offensive end," he said.

NOVAK 'FRUSTRATED': Sharpshooter Steve Novak played seven minutes or fewer in all but two of the Knicks' playoff games. He played a total of nine minutes in the Pacers series.

He admitted Monday that he was frustrated with his role.

"It was definitely frustrating for me not to be a bigger part of it but those are the rotations and decisions that Coach went with," Novak said. "I understand that he's always faced with tough decisions when it comes to guys and playing time and that kind of thing.

"It was frustrating but we've talked and we talked during that series as well," Novak added. "It didn't work out the way we wanted so you can always look back and question everything but that's how it goes."

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Carmelo Anthony said Monday he will talk to Tyson Chandler privately about comments the New York Knicks center made a day earlier, insinuating that the team was playing selfishly on offense.

"I really don't want to go back and forth about that because I really don't know exactly what he was talking about. But if he feels that way, we're about to get together right now. We'll discuss that amongst ourselves and figure that out," Anthony said after practice.

Anthony said he hopes to "get [Chandler's] take, get his perspective on that comment and we'll handle that internally and figure it out amongst ourselves."

Chandler was critical of the Knicks' offense after they scored 71 points in a Game 3 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

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Mike Woodson hardly ever criticizes his players in public.

But the New York Knicks coach broke protocol following Game 1 of the Indiana Pacers series.

After he watched Indiana's Roy Hibbert outplay Tyson Chandler in the series opener, Woodson said, "I've got to get Tyson [Chandler] playing better than Hibbert."

So far, Woodson's fallen far short of that goal.

Hibbert's been one of the best players in this young series. And some of his success has come at Chandler's expense.

In the Pacers' Game 3 win, Hibbert poured in 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds (eight offensive); the Pacers outscored the Knicks by 20 with their big man on the floor.

"He kind of had his way," Woodson said after Game 3, "and that's got to change."

The Knicks say that they failed to execute their defensive schemes against Hibbert in Game 3. They intended to trap Hibbert and the other Pacers bigs, just as they had in Game 2.

Instead, they left members of their front line vulnerable in one-on-one matchups and left the rim exposed thanks to poor rotations.

The Knicks' lax approach helped Indiana dominate the boards (53-40) and beat New York on second-chance points (20-10).

"We’re not trapping (the Pacers' bigs), then we’re in a tough spot," Chandler said.

That's a big problem that the Knicks need to handle heading into Game 4.

But they also need a better effort from Chandler if he gets matched up against Hibbert.

Hibbert scored on at least three post moves in which Chandler was matched up with him, one-on-one, in Game 3.

It was hard not to notice Hibbert scoring directly over Chandler, the 2011-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Afterward, teammates and coaches said it was wrong to single out Chandler for Hibbert's strong night. Instead, they said a lack of team-wide execution allowed the ex-Georgetown Hoya to dominate.

And there is evidence to support that.

Hibbert had 14 points, five blocks and eight rebounds in the Pacers' Game 1 win. He was easily the best big on the floor. So the Knicks made adjustments in Game 2; they used a trapping style against the 7-footer and limited him to just six points on seven shots in 36 minutes.

"Their offense is being run through him, and that can be a positive for us if we play it correctly," Chandler said. "But (in Game 3) we didn’t play it correctly. Because of that we were exposed."

Of course, what Chandler says makes sense; it takes five men working in cohesion to get defensive stops. So it's inaccurate and unfair to point fingers solely at Chandler for Hibbert's success.

But Hibbert's stats, when juxtaposed against Chandler's, make you wonder about the health of the Knicks' big man. Don't forget, Chandler came into the postseason battling injuries and conditioning issues.

He missed 16 of New York's final 20 regular season games due to a bulging disk in his neck. His conditioning -- and poor production -- was an issue for much of the Boston series. His numbers against Indiana suggest he is playing below expectations in this series as well.

He's averaging seven points and four rebounds in 29 minutes compared to 10 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in the regular season.

One more reason to be concerned if you're a Knicks fan?

Prior to this series, Chandler had a pretty good track record against Hibbert.

In Chandler's six regular season games against Hibbert, the Pacers' big man averaged 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds on 45 percent shooting. In the first three games of this series, Hibbert has averaged 14.7 points and 10.7 rebounds on 53 percent shooting.

Chandler, though, insists he's healthy and that Hibbert's success has more to do with the Knicks' schematic shortcomings than his own.

"It can’t be one or two guys out there. It has to be an entire team, and that’s where we’re falling short," Chandler said.

And there's plenty of truth to that.

But it would certainly help the Knicks if their big man played a little bigger against Hibbert.

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Usually around the midway point of the fourth quarter, Pablo Prigioni knows what's coming: a substitution that will keep him on the bench for the rest of the game.

But that wasn't the case on Tuesday night, with Raymond Felton being tended to on the sideline with a twisted left ankle suffered at the end of the third quarter.

Not only did Prigioni play all but the final 1:23 of the Knicks' Game 2 victory, but he left his fingerprints on nearly every possession, offensively and defensively. His presence as the starting point guard helped fuel the Knicks to a 33-13 advantage in the closing period.

"Raymond went out, he [Prigioni] came in and he stepped up big time," Carmelo Anthony said. "Tonight, Pablo was spectacular on both ends of the court. He controlled the game, he controlled the ball, and on the defensive end, he pressured the ball and he got us getting up and pressuring the ball as a team."

At the start of the fourth quarter, Prigioni nailed a 3-pointer and then drove into the paint for a short jumper, both times working off of screens with Tyson Chandler. Then, when he grabbed a defensive rebound and was bringing the ball up the court, the Garden crowd started chanting "Pab-lo, Pab-lo!" That was the first time his name echoed throughout the arena, and he called it an "amazing" feeling.

"I'm really happy, but for me it's only about the team," he said. "It's not about one guy or two guys. You can't believe how happy I am now. I'm really happy with this team. We played good, and for me the most important thing always is the team."

Further along in the fourth quarter, Prigioni dished to Anthony for a 3-pointer, and then he blocked a 3-point attempt by Paul George, who's five inches taller. That's how Prigioni's been all season: contributing to a score on one end, making a stop on the other. His relentless approach is contagious.

"[The fans] got us going and that was Pablo," Jason Kidd said. "Pablo isn't known as a scorer, but he hit some big shots, and also defensively he came up big. He also put guys in position to be successful, and that's what a point guard does."

Reflecting on the Knicks' major momentum swing in the fourth quarter, which included Prigioni throwing an alley-oop to Chandler for a dunk, the Argentine smiled when he realized he was the spark behind it.

"Yeah, I think that maybe was the key moment," he said. "We started to play good on offense. We get stops, we run and everything started to be on our side."

But more excitement radiated from Prigioni when he was asked what it was like to finish the final period -- something he hasn't been used to doing this season.

"I love that," he said. "I love to be on the court in the important moments because I used to do this in the last 10, 15 years. But I understand here, I have great players on the team, great teammates, so much experience in the NBA playoffs, so I try to give all my energy in the minutes that the coach thinks I must be on the court.

"When I'm on the bench, I try to support the guys and I have nothing to complain about that. Today, I have the chance to play that important minutes, I'm really happy. Maybe the next game, no. But I'm ready to play one minute or 25 minutes."

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BOSTON -- From one top defensive team to another.

The second-seeded New York Knicks will meet the third-seeded Indiana Pacers (the third) in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 ET, after both won their first-round series 4-2.

"We'll go back and break down the Pacers tonight and have a game plan in place when the players come in tomorrow for practice," Mike Woodson said after the Knicks' Game 6 victory over the Boston Celtics. "And then we'll be off and running on Sunday to start the second round."

While the Celtics and Pacers both excel at making stops, where the Pacers differentiate themselves is with their deeper frontcourt, point-guard depth and increased length and athleticism defensively, especially on the perimeter. In addition, Paul George has emerged as one of the best swingmen in the NBA.

"We split with them during the regular season. They're a well-coached team. They're a very talented team," Woodson said. "We worked our butts off this year to host the first two rounds on our home court in front of our wonderful fans, so I'm just going to take it one game at a time and tell our guys we've got to take it one game at a time and see what happens."

At times, Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin will need to play side by side to contend with the Pacers' size. Even Marcus Camby could get minutes. The question is, Could Amar'e Stoudemire provide a boost inside? Woodson has made no guarantees when the power forward will return.

"I don't think he's at that stage yet of playing in a game," the coach said before Game 6.

Chandler's conditioning: After his nine-point, 12-rebound effort in Game 6 against Boston, Chandler uttered five words that Knicks fans from Manhattan to Middletown have been waiting to hear.

"I felt 100 percent tonight," the big man said after the Knicks' Game 6 win.

Chandler had struggled with his conditioning earlier in the series. He was scoreless in Game 1 and had a total of 10 rebounds in 42 minutes in the first two games. Chandler's conditioning was off because he missed 16 of the Knicks' final 20 regular-season games with a small bulging disk in his neck.

"Absolutely the best I've felt in the playoffs," Chandler said. "Tonight was the first time I came in the game feeling 100 percent and being able to go through my regular routine."

Melo fellow: Carmelo Anthony picked the right time to snap out of his shooting funk. Melo had missed a career-high 19 straight 3-pointers -- including his first five attempts on Friday -- before he hit one with 1:43 to play in Game 6.

It might have been one of the biggest makes of his career. The 3-pointer gave the Knicks a nine-point edge and put an end to the Celtics' comeback attempt. (Boston rallied from 26 down to cut the lead to four with 3:32 to play.) After the game, a reporter informed Anthony that he had missed 19 straight.

"Nineteen? Damn!" he said with a smile.

Empire state of mind: The Empire State Building was lit up in orange and blue on Friday night to commemorate the Knicks' win.

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BOSTON -- Carmelo Anthony shouldn't have had to take seven extra shots in the final six minutes of the New York Knicks' first-round series clincher on Friday night.

The Knicks were up 69-47 at the start of the fourth quarter with Anthony playing one of his most trusting-my-teammates games as a Knick. After two losses of taking the heavy burden in isolation, Melo spent three quarters facilitating more pick-and-rolls, setting screens for the Knicks' guards and lending his hand defensively.

With Anthony helping his guys, the Knicks showed they can be one of the most dangerous offensively balanced teams in the playoffs. In the end, after escaping a 26-4 run by the Boston Celtics, the Knicks had nearly six players in double-figure scoring. Tyson Chandler had nine points.

"I told my teammates from the beginning of the game, 'I'm pretty sure that the Celtics really thought I was going to come out guns blazing,'" Anthony said, "so I kind of let Ray [Felton] and Pablo [Prigioni] and [Iman] Shumpert and those guys kind of get going, me helping them get going, and then try to see where I fit in throughout the course of the game. It was a great way to approach the game, and my teammates picked me up."

Melo's mindset represented the adjustments made during the past two practices. The focus was better team basketball.

"We can't play 'just give the ball to Melo and play iso' all the time, and everybody is just watching," Prigioni said after Game 6. "We talked about moving the ball, to cut, to occupy good space, and I think we did much better in this game."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers noticed it, too, saying afterward, "They talked about ball movement; I thought they came out and did that."

Entering Friday night, Anthony had six assists in the entire series. In the first quarter alone, he had two (five for the game), dishing to Felton for a jump shot and Prigioni for a 3-pointer. The Argentine, in fact, had three 3-pointers in the opening period.

The point guard also set the tone with his pick-and-roll playmaking, which he's done since being inserted into the starting lineup. At the start of the third quarter, he connected with Chandler off a screen set. It was a play they had discussed during a first-quarter timeout.

Chandler was also the recipient of an alley-oop pass from Felton, who continued to knock down shots off of screens and get deep into the paint for layups. He scored in double figures (11 points) for the sixth straight game.

"Ray had a great series," Jason Kidd said. "He's the engine that goes, and when he gets us going, it puts us in a position to win."

As a result of Felton's penetration and the team's focus on making the extra pass, they had their best 3-point shooting night in the series (42.9 percent). Shumpert (17 points) was 3-for-3 from downtown, and even Anthony, who had missed 19 long balls in a row, finally nailed a big one with 1:43 remaining to put the Knicks up 84-75. J.R. Smith (13 points) also got going in the fourth quarter.

"We did have a nice balance offensively," Mike Woodson said. "I'm proud of the New York Knick players and what they've done today."

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BOSTON -- The New York Knicks jumped out to a 24-10 lead in the first quarter, a credit to their defense and controlling the tempo in transition. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics struggled to hit even open shots (midway through the second period); Paul Pierce was 1-for-10 with three turnovers. On the flip side, Carmelo Anthony scored 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting. Melo also got his hand in the game in other important ways, finishing with five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Here are four other main observations at the half:

1. Defense on point: The Knicks dominated the first quarter like they did the first three games of the series, and they did it with their defensive rotations, quick hands and aggressiveness. In the opening period alone, the Knicks had four steals and scored four fast-break points; the Celtics had none.

A key to the Knicks' defense was their early halfcourt trapping right when the Celtics' ball handler passed midcourt. Iman Shumpert was especially aggressive, playing all over the court. Mike Woodson said before the game that because half-court scoring would be hard to come by, they needed to collect steals and then push the ball to score. That's what they did in the first quarter.

2. Pablo Prigioni's playmaking: Woodson has credited Prigioni, once he was inserted into the starting lineup, for setting the tone of the team's offense. Well, in the first quarter, he hit three 3-pointers, fueling the Knicks to their big first quarter. The Argentine utilized his creativity and experience weaving back and forth in pick-and-rolls, which allowed him to create space to pull off his quicker release, something he's been working on in practice. He was also aggressively boxing out Avery Bradley and grabbed five rebounds in the first quarter.

3. Tyson Chandler's improved bounce: The starting center has made some progress game to game in the series. So far tonight, he has two blocks, five rebounds and four points (an offensive putback and alley-oop dunk). However, he was limited by three fouls in the first half.

4. Lack of second-chance opportunities: As the Celtics slightly clawed back midway through the second quarter, they controlled the defensive glass and then capitalized in the open court. The Knicks had only two second-chance points from an Anthony jump shot.

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BOSTON -- After playing 20 minutes and then 22 in Games 1 and 2, a playing time progression seemed likely in Game 3 for the New York Knicks' Tyson Chandler, who recently had been battling conditioning issues since overcoming the flu.

The upward climb continued on Friday night, as the starting center played 30 minutes and collected his most points (six) and rebounds (eight) in a game in the series, including two alley-oop finishes.

"I felt better," he said afterward. "I was moving around a lot better. I was able to play for longer stretches. My timing with my teammates, my communication out there was a lot better."

21 SHUMP STREET: Iman Shumpert made a name for himself toward the end of the regular season with his hot starts, making stops and draining 3-pointers. That was the case on Friday night, when he hit a 3 and shut down the Boston Celtics' best offensive player, Paul Pierce, holding him to 1-for-6 shooting. Shumpert also forced Pierce into two turnovers. On one possession in the first quarter, Shumpert slid in front of him to disrupt an incoming pass, and later in the period, the Knicks guard utilized his quick hands to steal the ball.

"I think Iman is starting to get more comfortable in himself," Chandler said. "He obviously had a tough injury last year, but that's an injury that takes some time. He's worked really hard to put himself in a position that he is in now. You can see his timing coming back. Game by game, he's gotten more confident, and the same thing throughout this series."

Shumpert said the Knicks' rhythm in transition -- from making stops to pushing the ball -- is really on point. That's helped them control the tempo against the Celtics, forcing them on their heels defensively.

"Definitely," Shump said. "I think we transition it from defense to offense, and offense to defense really well. Everybody is playing for each other, and it's playoff basketball. A lot of the maybe we miss a shot and we complain to the ref during the regular season -- that's pretty much out now. It's all about getting stops and making sure we get more possessions and more shot attempts than the other team."

HOW SWEEP IT IS: Carmelo Anthony's Denver and New York teams have never swept an opponent. He's on the verge of doing that on Sunday, and that's music to his ears.

"To be honest with you, to accomplish that would be spectacular," he said. "It would be a dream come true."

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Every weekday throughout the season, ESPNNewYork.com will tackle a burning question about the Knicks in our "Opening Tip" segment.

Today's Burning Question: Are you confident Tyson Chandler can get into a higher gear in Game 2?

Tyson Chandler has spent the past two days working on his conditioning after a sub-par performance in Game 1. He says he's "feeling great" heading into Game 2.

"The more I'm on the floor, the better I'm going to get," Chandler said.

The Knicks certainly need a "better" version of Chander on Tuesday. The one they saw in Game 1 was far different from the player who earned an All-Star bid this season.

Chandler went scoreless in 20 minutes. He did not attempt a shot and pulled down just five rebounds in New York's win over Boston.

The Knicks were fortunate to have Kenyon Martin on the bench. Martin came in and secured the paint, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

Chandler said afterward that he was a bit winded, which is understandable. He missed 16 of the Knicks' final 20 regular season games due to a bulging disk in his neck.

He's confident that his conditioning will improve as the series progresses. But what about his neck?

Chandler said after Monday's practice that his neck felt a little sore but he wasn't alarmed.

"Obviously, I'm going to be a little stiff, a little sore here and there," Chandler said. "But, I feel great honestly."

Chandler also was nonplussed about the condition of his neck when he first returned from the injury. But his injury flared up after four games and he had to sit again for the final six games of the regular season.

Obviously, Chandler's health and conditioning are key for the Knicks. If he's at less than 100 percent, the Knicks' chances for making a deep postseason run diminish considerably.

So you can be sure the organization will keep a close eye on Chandler in Game 2. Will he show progress? If not, is it time to panic?

Today's Burning Question: Are you confident Chandler can get into a higher gear in Game 2?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Mike Woodson didn't play six players on Wednesday night due to rest -- Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin -- which left the roster against the Hawks with eight players.

But for the last five minutes of the game, that number whittled to six. That's because Pablo Prigioni suffered a sprained right ankle in the first quarter (X-rays were negative), and then Iman Shumpert took the bench in the fourth quarter with leg cramps.

Prigioni is listed as day-to-day, but Steve Novak doesn't believe the starting point guard's injury will keep him out of Saturday's Game 1 against the Boston Celtics.

"To lose him and his energy and his defense and just his vision on the court, would be huge," Novak said. "But I don't think that's the case. I know he's a tough guy, and I know he'll play if he has to. He's not a big icer, but I imagine he'll ice now if he has to."

Shumpert doesn't anticipate any setbacks, but the cramps are something to monitor because he's had them in the past, especially during his rookie season.

"I haven't felt them in a while," he said. "It was just a bad charley horse in my thigh. I think I was just a little too excited, stomped too hard when 'Flight' [James White] caught the dunk in the fourth. I get happy when my teammates do exciting things."

There was actually a chance the Knicks would only have five players available for most of the final period because Chris Copeland suffered a left shoulder injury about five minutes before Shumpert was subbed out. Copeland got hurt when he drew a foul on Anthony Tolliver going up for a shot in the paint.

"It doesn't feel too great right now -- I'm sure tomorrow won't be even better -- but I'll be fine by Saturday," he said. "It popped out for a second. It was one of those quick pops, and it went right back in. They called it a stinger."

Copeland continued the game and finished with a career-high 33 points on 14-for-29 shooting. He became the first Knicks rookie in 33 years (since Bill Cartwright) to score 30 points in back-to-back games.

"That's cool, man," Copeland said. "Just one of those things. I'm glad we got the win more than anything and finished the season the right way for our fans at home."

Q'S DEBUT: It had been four years since Quentin Richardson took the court at the Garden. In his season debut Wednesday night, he scored five points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Afterward, he joked he was so tired that he needed some fluids.

"I'm gassed. There's no doubt it," he said. "I said, 'They better have the IV waiting for me,' but I made it through. It was cool."

Richardson reflected on his New York return.

"It was awesome, man," he said. "I feel really blessed. The crowd was great; I heard a few 'Q's' when I was going in, so that made me feel really good. The fans have been great on Twitter and all of that stuff since they heard about the signing, so it's just great to be back."

SHEED LEAVES: Novak shared his thoughts on Rasheed Wallace retiring -- for the second time -- and his impact on the Knicks this season.

"He's been just such a huge part of our team this year," he said. "He's a voice in the locker room, someone who's won a championship and someone who everyone respects. Obviously to hear that he's done for good -- although he's said that before and come back -- I know this is probably it, and it's just been a honor playing with him."

MELO MAKIN' MOVES!: For the first time in his 10-year career, Anthony won the NBA scoring title, outdoing Olympic teammate Kevin Durant 28.7 to 28.1 points per game. The closest Melo had been previously was a second-place finish in 2006-07, when he averaged 28.9 points per game. Kobe Bryant was at 31.6.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

The Knicks have announced that Tyson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby are all questionable for their game on Sunday afternoon against the Pacers.

Chandler (small bulging disk in neck) has missed the last three games, and Martin (severe left ankle sprain) didn't play in four of the last five games. Camby hasn't suited up all month.

Even without their key big men, the Knicks were able to compete with the physical Bulls, albeit without Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, on Thursday night. On Sunday, the bigger Pacers will have a full strength frontcourt, featuring David West and Roy Hibbert in the starting lineup, with Ian Mahinmi and Tyler Hansbrough off the bench.

The Knicks only need one win to clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference and secure home-court advantage for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Pacers are currently sitting at No. 3 and could face the Knicks in the semifinals.

But if the Pacers lose tomorrow and their next two games against the Celtics and 76ers, and the Nets win all three of theirs -- against the Raptors, Wizards and Pistons -- Brooklyn would take over the third spot. That would mean a potential Knicks-Nets meeting in the postseason.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Mike Woodson didn't delve into specifics regarding his injured big men, but he did say Thursday that he felt "good" about Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin.

"I think they're going to be fine. We were cautious with Kenyon last night and came back with Tyson [late in the win over the Hawks]. [We're] trying to keep Tyson's minutes not so heavy until he gets his legs and everything fully back under him," Woodson said Thursday in an interview with ESPN New York 98.7 FM's "The Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show." "I feel good about Tyson. I feel good about K-Mart. We've just got to make sure that they're ready when the playoffs start."

There was some uncertainty surrounding the health of Martin and Chandler after the Knicks' win in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Martin was out for the final 10 minutes of the win due to a sore right knee. According to reports, Martin said after the game that he had been battling the injury for a few days and could not say with any certainty if he'd play Friday against Milwaukee.

The Knicks say Martin is questionable for the game.

“I’ll have a day off, get treatment and see how it goes," said Martin, who signed in late February after sitting out the season and has previously had microfracture surgery on both knees. "I got thrown into the fire, it’s like training camp and preseason. But I’m a warrior.’’

Chandler appeared to be in some discomfort during the game due to lingering pain from his neck injury. Chandler recently missed 10 games due to a bulging disk in his neck. Wednesday's game was his second game since returning from the injury. It was also the second game of a back-to-back.

Chandler played 23:31 and had two points and four rebounds. He left the game in the first half, clutching his chest. According to reports, he said after the game that he was stiff due to the neck injury and could not guarantee that he'd be in the lineup Friday against Milwaukee.

"It’s tough trying to look up at the ball for rebounds or lobs," Chandler said. “It’s thrown my timing off. I’m just a little stiff right now. I’m not as mobile. I’m not there. I’m not myself moving around like I normally would."

When asked about playing Friday, Chandler said, “I’ll talk to them. Ultimately I want to do what’s best for the team. Ultimately I want to be 100 percent for the playoffs.’’

Woodson has said that he will not rest his players during the final games of the regular season unless they request it. On Thursday, he said he believed both Chandler and Martin would play before the postseason.

With Rasheed Wallace (broken foot), Kurt Thomas (stress fracture) and Amar'e Stoudemire (knee surgery) sidelined with injury, the Knicks are thin on the front line.

Woodson also has used Marcus Camby sparingly of late, saying he wants to keep the veteran fresh for important situations. The Knicks have won ten straight and will be looking to extend the streak to 11 on Friday against Milwaukee.

Meanwhile, Woodson is still holding out hope that Wallace, Stoudemire and, to a lesser degree, Thomas, can rejoin the team in the playoffs. The Knicks have opted to keep Wallace and Thomas on the roster instead of releasing them and finding a healthy body to fill the roster spot.

"Hopefully we'll get some of these other bigs back toward the latter part that can add to what we've started and see if they can continue to help us," Woodson said.

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Knicks center Tyson Chandler will miss Wednesday's game against Memphis due to a lingering neck injury.

Chandler has missed eight games because of the ailment.

It is unclear when he will return. The All-Star center said on Tuesday that he's still feeling lingering pain and "spasms" from a small bulging disc in his neck.

Mike Woodson said before the tip-off Wednesday that the decision to return rests with Chandler.

"He's still day to day," Woodson said. "If he comes in tomorrow and says he wants to play on Friday ... then we'll play him."

Chandler said on Tuesday that he's experiencing a painful sensation from his neck to his shoulders. He will take a cautious approach to returning to the court.

"This is not going to be something that I'm just going to be able to fight through," he said.

The Knicks are 5-2 without Chandler, who is averaging 10.7 points, 11 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

With Chandler out, Woodson will start Pablo Prigioni, Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin against the Grizzlies.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Executives around the league are probably kicking themselves after watching what Kenyon Martin did Saturday night.

Martin had 18 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two monster dunks to key the Knicks' 110-84 win over Toronto.

In doing so, Martin, the same guy the Knicks signed off of his couch in late February, willed the team to their fourth straight win.

Remember, any other club in the league could have signed Martin. But no one came calling.

So now, Martin's in a Knicks uniform, filling in for the injured Tyson Chandler at center. And the Knicks, surprisingly, have barely missed a beat with Chandler out.

"I'm just glad he's in a Knick uniform, that's all I can tell you," head coach Mike Woodson said of Martin.

Who knows where New York would be without K-Mart?

The Knicks are 4-2 since he was inserted into the starting lineup after Chandler went down with a knee/neck injury. In his last five games, Martin's averaged 11 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes.

More importantly, he's given the Knicks gritty defense around the rim and is versatile enough to guard multiple positions, which improves their dreadful pick-and-roll defense. He's also constantly communicating on the defensive end.

"Everything he does is so sure and aggressive," Iman Shumpert said.

The proof is in the numbers: when Martin's on the floor, the Knicks are giving up 99.5 points per 100 possessions, which would rank fifth in the NBA. When he's off the floor, they're giving up 103.3, which would put them 17th.

"He's a great defender," Raymond Felton said. "That's what he does."

Martin, 35, has also filled the schism left by Amar'e Stoudemire's absence.

He's adept at cleaning up around the rim, he can score off the pick-and-roll and runs the floor well. The only thing missing is a post game.

"How smart he is on the defensive end, how hard he plays, his effort," Carmelo Anthony said, "you can’t teach that."

Martin was the one doing the teaching on Saturday. It started early in the first quarter, when Shumpert found K-Mart on a beautiful drive and dish for an emphatic slam.

Late in the second quarter, Martin had a thunderous putback dunk off of Anthony's miss. He jumped right over Toronto big man Jonas Valanciunas and celebrated by screaming and flexing his arms, looking like a first-year player rather than a guy who has 12 years in the league.

"Just trying to provide more energy than they're used to seeing," said Martin, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds in Friday's win over the Raptors. "Just doing what I do, man."

With about 50 seconds to play in the half, Martin got the Garden crowd on its feat by finishing an alley-oop from Jason Kidd and leaping high to swat a John Lucas III shot on the other end.

With that sequence, Martin seemed to send a message to the 29 teams that forgot his number when he was a free agent earlier this season.

"I just want people to know that I still can play the game of basketball," Martin said. "I wasn't the No. 1 pick for nothing. I didn't stick around for 12 years for nothing. So just letting people know that I'm still here and hopefully I'm going to be around."

Martin said he'd "love" to be back with the Knicks next season. For now, he's focused on the present.

If and when Chandler returns from his mysterious neck injury, Woodson has said that K-Mart will return to the bench.

"That's cool, that's fine," Martin said. "I just want [Woodson] to know that I still can play and he can count on me no matter what."

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WHAT IT MEANS: Led by Carmelo Anthony's game-high 37 points (14-for-31 from the field), the Knicks (41-26) clinched their third straight playoff berth with a 99-94 win in Toronto.

Kenyon Martin's inside game (19 points and 11 rebounds, 9-for-10 shooting), J.R. Smith's jump shots (14 points, 5-for-10) and the Knicks' 3-point shooting (10-for-22) helped secure the victory.

Overall, the Knicks shot 53.5 percent from the field -- their fourth-highest accuracy in a game this season. While the Raptors finished at 46.8 percent, they scored 10 more points in the paint than the Knicks (40 to 30), a clear sign the Knicks need Tyson Chandler (neck strain) back.

MELO-MAN: In the first half, Anthony shot 5-for-15 and had four turnovers (seven for the game). But he turned things around in the third quarter, scoring 11 points, including three turnaround jumpers. One of them came as the period buzzer sounded. With Raptors sixth man Alan Anderson going off in the quarter -- for 20 of his 35 points -- Melo's resurgence after halftime helped out big time.

DIFFERENCE MAKER: Martin. Once Chandler returns, Mike Woodson will have to take a hard look at starting Martin alongside the center to form a dynamic defensive frontline. On Friday night, Martin had another strong performance on both ends of the floor in his fifth straight start.

Early in the first quarter, after blocking Jonas Valanciunas' shot, Martin pick and popped with Iman Shumpert to square up for a baseline corner jump shot, then followed up a Raymond Felton missed layup with a putback dunk. Later in the second quarter, Martin stole a pass and took it in himself for a fast-break dunk.

Right after halftime, Martin hit a jump shot and then converted another putback dunk off a Felton missed layup. He was also aggressive on the boards. His play on both ends helped the Knicks build a 57-47 lead about midway through the third quarter. Even when the Raptors went on a run to cut a 15-point deficit to four, Martin had a putback layup late in the period to keep his team ahead, 75-69. Big play after big play -- and timely, too -- defined his outing, which also included connecting with Felton in pick-and-rolls.

SMALL (AND DEFENSIVE) BALL: For most of the second half, Woodson elected not to play Steve Novak and Chris Copeland, who only combined for 11 minutes. With the emphasis on winning Friday to lock up that important playoff berth, the coach likely wanted to minimize any defensive lapses. In addition, with Felton, Smith and Jason Kidd along the perimeter, the ball was moving much better.

IT'S FREE! The Knicks finished with their second-worst percentage in a game this season from the foul line (13-for-24; 54.2 percent).

WHAT'S NEXT: A carbon copy on Saturday night in New York. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. The Raptors could be short-handed without Rudy Gay, who left Friday's game in the second quarter with a jammed back.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.