BY BOB HERZOG
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

December 20, 2005

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Bad things are coming in threes for the Knicks.

Their opponents have hit an uncanny 60 percent of their three-point shots in the Knicks' last four games, which is a big reason that their losing streak has reached a season-high six games. It's also a big reason why coach Larry Brown spent nearly a half-hour at the end of practice yesterday emphasizing such situations.

"Isolation plays where you have to give help and recover" is how Brown explained the walk-through session in which he maneuvered his players into what he hoped would be the proper position to prevent the long-range devastation his team has been suffering.

"Defense is a big emphasis for us, not just the threes," guard Stephon Marbury said. "Guys have been making shots against us. You can see that sometimes we've been playing good defense and guys are still making threes."

Marbury pointed to Atlanta power forward Al Harrington, who hit all six of his three-point attempts against the Knicks on Friday night. "He had a great night shooting the ball," Marbury said, "and he usually is a foul-line and [low] box player."

Hawks guard Joe Johnson also scorched the Knicks with 6-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Outside-shooting specialists such as Orlando's Pat Garrity (5-for-7) and Hedo Turkoglu (4-for-5) and Milwaukee's Michael Redd (5-for-5) also have contributed recently to a problem that has plagued the Knicks all season.

The Knicks have allowed opponents to hit 38.3 percent of their three-point shots, tied for fifth-worst in the NBA. The league average in that category is 35.6 percent. Fittingly, Brown cited three reasons.

"Most of the time when we have three-pointers made against us, the open ones are guys coming down in transition," Brown said. "We didn't get to our man quick enough, and that usually came after a turnover or after a long, quick shot. You'll always struggle in that regard, and we're leading the league in turnovers."

The Knicks have committed a league-high 410 turnovers in 23 games, an average of 17.8. That's one problem.

"The second thing," Brown said, "is we get beat on dribble penetration where you have to help and you're scrambling. Another thing is giving up offensive rebounds. A lot of teams kick it out and you're scrambling, which leaves open shooters. But I can't tell you which one is more prevalent. They're all part of the problem."

So is bad luck. In the 102-96 loss to the Pacers Saturday, Danny Granger - 0-for-6 from outside the arc for the season - shot 2-for-2 from three-point range, and Jermaine O'Neal made his first three since early last season.

Said Brown: "That happens when you're losing."

Notes & quotes: Centers Eddy Curry (sprained left ankle in air cast) and Jerome James (bursitis, right ankle) did not practice. Brown characterized Curry as "very doubtful" and James as "questionable" to play against the Spurs and Tim Duncan tomorrow at the Garden.

Killer threes

How the last four Knicks opponents have shot from "downtown" in their victories:

Date Team 3PA 3P 3Pct

12/12 Bucks 19 12 63.2

12/14 Magic 18 11 61.1

12/16 Hawks 16 12 75.0

12/17 Pacers 19 8 42.1

Totals: 72 43 59.7

Thanl God, something different. I actually thought this was another Stephon bashing thread.

The article is absolutely true too. Another thing that's been hurting is the pick and roll. I know it's fundamental, but it's still probably one of the most difficult players to defend b/c I would say it requires both a lot of concentration and communication at the same time. I noticed this is another weakness of Channing Frye at the defensive end, but that will come, hopefully. I think it's also just a matter of guys just coming out on the shooters harder with their hands up higher. This goes for everyone. Don't be so nonchalant. They have to look like they are gonna rip their heads off as they are running at the shooters, just to distract them even a little. If he hits the shot against good D, kudos to them. Now we know what it was like to guard Allan Houston.

And you guys thought it was another article bashing Marbury, shame on you!,