11/25/2009 - 14:10
Ty Ready for Raptors
by Devon Jeffreys

After sitting out two games with back spasms, Tyson Chandler will be back in the lineup tonight as the Charlotte Bobcats host the Toronto Raptors.

Tyson went 100 percent in practice on Tuesday for the first time since the spasms crept up on November 18 in Philadelphia. The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell reported the news:

Chandler missed the past 21/2 games with back spasms, but practiced fully Tuesday and expects to play tonight against the Toronto Raptors.

In Bonnell's report, he also talked with TC about coach Larry Brown's decision to trim back the playbook to a much more manageable extent:

Chandler and small forward Gerald Wallace say coach Larry Brown trimmed back the play selection of late, apparently to make it easier on the newcomers.

Wallace estimated the active plays have been trimmed from 30 pages to three. Chandler put it this way:

"I'd rather be great at 15 plays than just OK at 70."

But No. 6 believes that it's not only the trimming of the playbook that makes the offense easier to run, it's the arrival of a scorer in Stephen Jackson, as quoted by Bonnell:

"Having Jack and Flip out there - two playmakers - makes our offense flow so much easier," Chandler said. "When I'm setting those screens for Jack, he can make those reads. He's a bigger guard who can see those passes. I've always been someone who feeds off other guys."

According to Ty, the presence of a true scorer and a pair of playmakers on the wings takes some defensive pressure off of he and his teammates in the paint.

"When you have guys (on the perimeter) who are always prepared to score, it makes the defense shift a little bit," Chandler described. "Before, the defense could just pack it into the paint and dare us to shoot jump shots."

"There was no chance to flash behind your man if your man's always standing next to you."

In his last full game, Tyson was faced with Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Tonight's matchup won't be much easier as Ty will spend much of the night guarding another elite big man, Chris Bosh of the Raptors.

No. 6 hasn't faced Bosh and Co. since March of 2008 with the Hornets. In that game, Ty went for 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Hornets took down the Raptors in Toronto, 118-111. Another game like that would be just what the doctor ordered for The Big Cat.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and all the action can be seen on Fox Sports Carolinas.

RELATED STORIES
Bigger guards add scoring punch for Bobcats (Charlotte Observer, November 25, 2009)
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/bobcats/story/1074223.html