Knicks' Chandler earns All-Star nod

BOSTON — Tyson Chandler had a big smile on his face an hour before the Knicks faced Boston Thursday night. As he left the locker room, The Post asked him if he knew he had made his first All-Star Game. Chandler said, “Yeah, but I don’t want to jinx the good news.’’

Good news it is. For the first time in his career, Chandler is an All-Star, being selected as one of the seven Eastern reserves last night. Chandler is headed to Houston on Feb. 17, giving the Knicks two All-Stars for the first time since 2001.

Asked if he was confident going into the day, Chandler said, “You never know. I felt I was going to be an All-Star last year. I felt I had a shot in Dallas. I thought I had a shot one year in New Orleans. I wasn’t getting my hopes up.’’

Chandler , who scored five points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Knicks’ 89-86 victory, will join Carmelo Anthony, who will start at forward, next month. Chandler, who has an NBA title and Olympic gold medal, is averaging a double-double for the first time in his career — a career-best 12.2 points and 11.0 rebounds.

“I’m very thankful of my teammates putting me in this position,’’ he said.

He ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding — second in the East — and first in field-goal percentage at 67.4 percent. But defense and leadership are his forte.

“If you take Chandler out of that lineup, the Knicks aren’t a playoff team,’’ TNT’s Kenny Smith said.

J.R. Smith, who told The Post recently he thought he had a shot because of the lack of shooting guards in the East, was denied. On TNT, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal both said the sixth man of the year candidate was deserving.

* Raymond Felton will practice Friday at Temple University in contact drills for the first time and scrimmage. Team doctors will evaluate him tomorrow before deciding whether he can play against the Sixers.

Felton, who hasn’t played since Dec. 26, was more cautious than earlier on whether he will be cleared to return from his broken right pinkie Saturday in Philadelphia.

“There’s no need to rush back,’’ Felton said. “These guys are doing great. No need to try to come back and reinjure my hand and I’m out longer. If I have to sit out another two more games, if that’s what it takes, and come back home, that’s what I have to do. We’ll see what happens [Friday].’’

Felton said earlier this week there’s a “a big chance’’ he’ll be cleared.

* Center Marcus Camby (plantar fasciitis) has taken his boot off his left foot and could be a week away from returning. Thursday was two weeks since he reinjured his left foot in Indiana. The diagnosis was 2 to 4 weeks.

Camby said the pain has lessened.

“I don’t know yet,’’ he said when asked if he will be back next week.

Camby is not allowed to take another cortisone shot for two months. He took one in December that got him back on the court on Christmas.

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