GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- It was halftime of the Cavaliers game Wednesday night, and the Knicks were down 61-49.
Tyson Chandler was not pleased, and let the guys know it.
"I just let my teammates know that if we really want to be true contenders, on nights like this we've got to show it. Nothing's going to come easy," said Chandler, who won a championship with the Mavericks last season.
The Knicks responded, winning by 17, 120-103, and they climbed back to .500 (18-18), where they stand now heading into Sunday's matinee against the Celtics. They would not be the eighth seed with tremendous upside without Chandler, who's arguably been the team's best leader this season. Whenever a Knick is interviewed, Chandler's name always seems to come up as a main motivator for putting the players in position to win.
That leadership is also represented in Chandler's on-court production. In fact, he is currently the NBA's most efficient player, and could go down as the best over the course of one season.
Here's a breakdown, based on four key metrics:
1.) Field goal percentage
Chandler, who's averaging 11.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, is shooting a league-best 69.8 percent from the floor.
Second-best this season: Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic (57.3 percent)
All-time record: Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain (72.7 percent during the 1972-73 season)
2.) True shooting percentage (a measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account field goals, 3-pointers and free throws)
Last season with Dallas, Chandler had the third-best true shooting percentage in NBA history (69.7). Now he's at 73.8 percent.
Second-best this season: Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (66.6 percent)
All-time record: Bulls center Artis Gilmore (70.2 percent during the 1981-82 season)
3.) Effective field goal percentage (a measure that adjusts for the added value of 3-pointers by counting them as 1.5 field goals)
Chandler already has the 14th-best effective field goal percentage in NBA history (62.3 in 2007-08 with the Hornets). His 70.3 percent this season would rank second all-time.
Second-best this season: Chalmers (64.6 percent)
All-time record: Chamberlain (72.7 percent during the 1972-73 season)
4.) Offensive rating (points produced per 100 possessions)
Chandler already has the third-best offensive rating in NBA history (131.0 in 2010-11 with Dallas). His 134.8 percent this season would outdo that previous number.
Second-best this season: Magic power forward Ryan Anderson (127.0 percent)
All-time record: Bulls power forward Horace Grant (132.2 during the 1991-92 sesaon)
Source: ESPN Stats & Info
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