01/30/2008 - 06:26
Streaking
by Tyson Chandler

My daughter woke up this morning and, you know, she's starting to recognize when I'm gone and my patterns. As soon as she woke up, I guess she ran to the door and was screaming my name. And she was waiting for the whole shootaround until I came back with her forehead pressed against the window. When I got out of the car, that was the first thing I saw. So, my day is going pretty well right now.

NINE STRAIGHT
We've been playing great lately. In this case, I'm kinda taking it game by game, but I do kinda look at blocks of games. Like, I'll look at my next five opponents. But I'm really just a game-by-game guy.

They said if we win tonight, we'll clinch getting coach Scott in the All-Star Game, so that's the goal for tonight. I guess we win the tiebreaker with Dallas from what they said. One of the marketing people from the Hornets said we'll clinch it with a win. How he came up with that, I have no clue. I'm gonna just say that we gotta win both games before the cutoff regardless.

San Antonio was definitely a huge game, because everybody was kinda saying, "OK, they beat Phoenix, they beat Dallas and some of the other tough teams in the division, but can they get past the ultimate team in San Antonio?"

So I think it was a game that we kinda took personally, just to prove to ourselves that we're as good as we think we are. It was a tough game. The champs are never going to beat themselves. They're always going to make it tough on you. But lately, we've been coming out in the third and fourth quarters, and we've been handing it to guys.

Anytime you beat one of the top teams in the NBA, it kinda boosts your confidence, depending on how good that team is and how you beat 'em. And you know, it's one thing to run off a winning streak against teams that are below .500, and it's another to beat some tough teams in this league. And that's one we've done throughout this winning streak and throughout the year. Our momentum has been growing. We've been beating tough teams, and the teams we're supposed to beat, we're just kinda railroading.

BIG BENCH
Players were saying that we were going to be a tough team except we don't have a bench. Players around the league were saying, "Oh, we don't really respect their bench. The first five is great, but the dropoff is so huge, we can make our runs when they're not on the court." And coach took it to the bench and told them that, and also challenged them. He told them, "Look, starters get paid to get out there to set the tempo and get the momentum for you guys, but you bench players get paid to give guys more energy when they don't have it."

And he was like, "You guys aren't doing your job." A lot of trade talks and speculation came up. And I think guys on this team took it personally. We've got some prideful dudes, and they've been showing it. They've took it to a whole 'nother level.

Right now, I think we're strong with the team we have, but you never know what's gonna happen. Because obviously, there's always gonna be talks. If GMs aren't talking to each other, they're not doing their job. You never know. If a deal is presented that they can't pass on, I'm pretty sure they'll do it. But I like our chances with the team that we have.

BIG DAY TOMORROW
I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I didn't care about the All-Star team announcement tomorrow. I hope the coaches around the league see it the way I see it. My numbers have been great against every All-Star name that's been out there. Also, my team is in first place in the Western Conference. I just hope that they see it the way I see it.

I feel we should have three All-Stars in the game, to be honest with you. We're gonna try to find out before we leave for Sacramento tomorrow, just so we know what's going on. I feel like I'm right on the bubble and either way it goes, I feel like I've had a great year so far. I feel like I've had an All-Star type year. But I also understand that this may be just setting me up for next year, to continue to improve and be a lock next year.

To be an All-Star is probably everybody's ultimate individual goal. When I'm working in the gym in the summertime, that's what my whole workout is based on, trying to get myself to that All-Star level.

But I said I would never go to the game unless I was in it. It's too tough. I'm a competitor. I want to be in the showcase and on the floor, and it would be too tough for me to sit there and watch. The good thing about it is every season, I've always had better second-half numbers, because I think the All-Star Game kinda ticks me off a little bit.

But I don't even watch it on TV.

I've never had the numbers to even be mentioned for the All-Star Game. I know that. This is the first time I feel like there's an actual shot that I can be playing in the game. Before, it was just frustration like I know I should be there.

And the second half of the season, I just come out motivated. And it won't be any different this year, whether I make it or not. I'm still gonna come out with a chip on my shoulder either proving to everybody that I deserved to be an All-Star, or proving to everybody that I deserved to be an All-Star. If I make it, I'm still gonna be proving it.

GO PATRIOTS
We'll probably see if we can get a restaurant room to rent out in Utah on Sunday. Just get all the guys in there, watch the Super Bowl, eat and do a little bonding. I don't think anybody's a Giants or Patriots fan, but I'm a huge Randy Moss fan. He came to my workout when I was working out for the Wizards with MJ. We went out to dinner a couple of times and I've been around him. So, I've been a fan of his ever since I came into the league.

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