NEW YORK – The toughest part of Tyson Chandler’s night was the postgame interview.
The California native and San Francisco 49ers fan, who had just tied a franchise record with his third straight 20-rebound game, was forced to face the media wearing a Ravens Super Bowl champion hat, payment of a lost bet with Baltimore fan Carmelo Anthony.
“That made my day. You just don’t know,” said Anthony, who stood across the locker room and watched Chandler’s interview with a smile. “It was a good day for me, it just was a coincidence that he had three games with 20 rebounds. That picture will be everywhere.”
That’s about all that hasn’t gone Chandler’s way lately.
The veteran center added another highlight to his first All-Star season, Anthony scored 27 points, and the New York Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons 99-85 on Monday night for their fifth consecutive victory.
In a game that was decided early, Chandler played long enough to grab his 20th rebound midway through the fourth quarter. After grabbing 20 in victories on Friday and Saturday night, he became the first Knicks player to have 20 in three straight games since Hall of Famer Willis Reed in December 1969.
“That’s what I expect,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. “He can’t tease me. He’s done it three straight games, so I’m expecting it the fourth game.”
Chandler has been on a tear since Woodson bluntly told him that he wasn’t playing the kind of complete basketball that’s expected of a player of his stature.
“He called me into his office and he said, ‘You’re an All-Star, you need to start playing like it. The last thing you want is people questioning that,’ ” Chandler said. “The next night, I had a different focus about me.”
Two nights after being held to nine points, snapping his franchise single-season record of 31 games in a row with 20 or more, Anthony matched that total in the first quarter and shot 10 of 17 from the field.
Amare Stoudemire added 20 points and J.R. Smith added 16, along with a couple of comedic highlights in a game that was mostly a yawner.
It was another lopsided victory for the Knicks, who beat Sacramento by 39 on Saturday and led this one by as many as 26 before easing up in the second half. They have jumped on the Pistons early in all three meetings this season, and after nearly rallying to beat the Lakers on Sunday, Detroit couldn’t get really close in this one.
“The last two times we’ve played New York, they’ve dominated the first quarter,” Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said. “We put ourselves in such a hole that we start playing frustration basketball. Mentally we don’t stay as focused or engaged as we need to be.”
Newly acquired Jose Calderon scored 15 points in his Detroit debut, while Greg Monroe had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Woodson lost his chance to coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game on Sunday when Miami’s victory in Toronto gave Erik Spoelstra the nod. But Woodson still thinks the Knicks can be ahead of the Heat when the teams break on Feb. 15, saying he wanted the Knicks to go 9-2 in their 11 games leading into the weekend.
They’re 6-1 now with winnable road games up next at Washington and Minnesota before they finish up at home against the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto.
Jazz 98, Kings 91 (OT)
In Salt Lake City, Randy Foye had 20 points, including six in overtime, and Utah defeated Sacramento.
Paul Millsap added 14, with a key block, step-back jumper and rebound in the extra session for the Jazz, who used an 8-0 fourth-quarter run to take the lead with 2:40 left in regulation.
Pacers 111, Bulls 101
In Indianapolis, David West scored 29 points and Paul George had 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, leading the hosts past short-handed Chicago for a share of the Central Division lead.
The Pacers have won three straight and extended their home winning streak to 14, matching the team’s longest since 2002-03.
Marco Belinelli had a season-high 24 points and Nate Robinson had 19 to lead the Bulls, who lost for only the third time in nine games. Chicago played again without starting guards Kirk Hinrich (elbow), Derrick Rose (knee) and center Joakim Noah (foot).
Wizards 98, Clippers 90
In Washington, Martell Webster scored 21 points, and the Wizards broke a four-game losing streak against a Los Angeles team missing Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.
Jamal Crawford scored 28 points, and DeAndre Jordan had a career-high 22 rebounds for the Clippers.
Heat 99, Bobcats 94
In Miami, LeBron James scored 31 points and Chris Bosh added 23 to lead the Heat to their 10th consecutive win over Charlotte.
Dwyane Wade had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, which has won nine of its last 10 at home.
Thunder 112, Mavericks 91
In Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook scored 24 points, Kevin Durant had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the Thunder avoided a third straight overtime game against Dallas.
Trail Blazers 100, T-Wolves 98
In Minneapolis, LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Portland avoid a late collapse against Minnesota.
Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio had 10 of his career-high-tying 14 assists in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 15 points in a season-high 34 minutes.
76ers 78, Magic 61
In Philadelphia, Spencer Hawes had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Jrue Holiday had 13 points and 14 assists to lead the Sixers to their third straight win.
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