http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/13/sports/basketball/13knicks.html?pagewanted=all

November 13, 2005

Despite Loss, Knicks See Improvement
By HOWARD BECK

SACRAMENTO, Nov. 12 - The list of things that went right for the Knicks on Friday night, as articulated by Coach Larry Brown, was lengthy and detailed. Their turnovers were down, their defense was sturdy and their poise was noteworthy. The list of what went wrong was more limited: They lost again, despite their best effort of the season.

Whether that should be viewed positively or negatively depends on personal philosophy, but given the wide gap between preseason expectations and their record (0-5), the Knicks will cling to every shred of optimism.

"We've been in every single game," Jamal Crawford said. "We've had the lead in every single game at some point in the fourth quarter. So we're right there. We're not far away."

Every loss will stoke more Stephon Marbury trade rumors and fuel the belief that the Knicks are headed for disaster.

"It's so close," Crawford said. "I know once we win one, we'll get on a roll and the pressure will be off."

Judging by the taut looks of disappointment late Friday, after the Knicks lost, 86-84, to the Golden State Warriors, the pressure is already immense.

The Knicks are 0-5 for the first time since 1987, and the streak matches the worst start of any team Brown has coached. If they lose the next three games of this trip (at the Kings, the Jazz and the Lakers), the Knicks will match the worst start in franchise history. The trip's final game is in Denver on Friday.

The situation seems desperate, but Brown has his own way of measuring these things.

"I thought it was desperate two weeks ago," he said Saturday after a two-and-a-half-hour practice at Arco Arena.

There were encouraging signs the night before. Crawford and Marbury combined for 43 points and made 18 of 33 shots, the Warriors shot only 38.7 percent from the field and the Knicks had a 13-point lead in the second quarter.

Marbury looked more comfortable in Brown's offense, and the Knicks made only 13 turnovers. As Brown noted, discounting an overtime period in Boston, the Knicks have allowed only 88.8 points a game in regulation. Last season, they allowed 97.3 points a game.

"That's leaps and bounds," Brown said.

The Knicks have tended to fold under pressure, but they held firm and took a late lead even after losing their 13-point advantage against the Warriors. But they have yet to show the ability to win close games, a weakness last season as well.

Victory slipped away Friday after Malik Rose missed an 11-footer with 33.9 seconds left and Crawford was stripped of the ball on the final possession.

Brown felt the game was lost in the minutes before that. Crawford and Marbury missed 3-pointers, Quentin Richardson threw away a pass intended for Eddy Curry, and Curry was called for a technical foul when, in frustration, he slapped a ball that bounced off Derek Fisher's face. Fisher made the technical free throw and followed with a key 3-pointer.

Brown was not angry about Curry's reaction, saying, "That shows me he cares."

"He was mad he missed the layup," Brown said. "The referee told me if he didn't accidentally hit the guy, he wouldn't have called it."

REBOUNDS

Although he did not say so outright, Larry Brown sounds ready to put the untested center Jackie Butler in the rotation. "Jackie Butler's played better than any of our bigs in the last two practices," Brown said. Butler is only 20, but team officials value his ability. He has been on the inactive list this season, which, Brown said, "might not be a very smart thing."

LB sounds as if he really regrets not using Jackie. I'm anxious to see what this cat is gonna bring tonight. Let's see if those good practices translate into something helpful on the court.

It throws me for a loop sometimes when I think about how young this team is now. Wasn't too long ago when we were the oldest in the NBA.

I hope we get to see Jackie soon, it looks like he has deserved some burn time, I also hope Lee gets some time too, he has played well when he has had a chance to play.

AS far as the Soap Opera drama in the NBA, most of it's created by the media, IMHO, bu ti doesn't help when certain coaches like Karl, LB and Jackson like to use the media as pawns in their silly little head games with their respective players and teams.