Knicks: Yes, it gets worse
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Arenas scores 46 in only three quarters in Washington's rout

BY GREG LOGAN
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

February 25, 2006, 11:04 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- Two games into the Steve Francis-Stephon Marbury era, things aren't going so well for the Knicks' double-barreled backcourt. Washington's Gilbert Arenas outscored them by himself by 22 points last night at MCI Center, and Marbury reinjured his left shoulder in the process of trying to guard him.

Arenas totaled 46 points in three quarters, and it was one of those non-competitive nights when Knicks coach Larry Brown devoted the fourth quarter to developing his young kids at the end of a 110-89 blowout by the Wizards.

The loss was the 10th straight on the road and the 19th in their past 21 games for the Knicks (15-40). It's not certain whether Marbury will be able to play .tomorrow night in San Antonio against the defending NBA champions.

With 55.4 seconds remaining in the first half, Marbury took himself out, wincing from the pain in his injured left shoulder. Up until that point, he was the Knicks' most dangerous offensive threat, scoring 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting. But Francis, who was playing in front of family and friends in his home area, managed only nine points on 3-for-9 shooting. He and Marbury each had only two assists.

Quentin Richardson and Jackie Butler were the only other Knicks in double figures with 10 points each. Washington (29-25) got 14 points from Antonio Daniels and 13 from Antawn Jamison.

Brown kept the locker room doors closed while he berated his team for its poor effort and execution, and his disgust was evident when he emerged. .Making reference to Marbury's wish to go to an uptempo .attack, Brown said, "We tried to run with them, and we gave up 71 points."

It's never a shock when Arenas goes off on a scoring binge. After all, he came into the game with a 28.3 average that ranked fourth in the league behind Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and LeBron James. But the ease with which he destroyed Marbury and the Knicks' perimeter defense in the first quarter was downright silly.

Just as the Nets rushed out to a 20-4 lead Friday night at Madison Square Garden, the Wizards jumped on the Knicks early, running up a 22-9 lead that included 16 points from Arenas. He finished the opening quarter with 23 points, his career-high for one period and second in franchise history by a point behind Michael Jordan, as the Wizards led 38-27.

Arenas sat out the first five minutes of the second quarter, but it didn't help the Knicks, who never got closer than eight points. When he returned the Wizards were sitting on a 14-point lead, but he scored seven straight points to trigger a 17-4 run. It ended with consecutive three-pointers by Arenas and 6-11 rookie Andre Blatche for a 69-42 lead. The half ended with Washington ahead 71-45, tying the amount the Knicks gave up in Atlanta on Dec. 16.

If Marbury is on the shelf again, the Knicks are in trouble. "Hopefully, he'll be all right," Brown said. "If not will have a little more pressure on him, and Jamal will have to play. It's hard for him right now. He doesn't know any plays. Not that we ran any the first half. But Arenas was phenomenal, getting 46 points in 30 minutes. What's indicative of our team is Malik was the leading assist guy with three. We had 28 turnovers."

Believe it or not, it could have been worse. Arenas added another 13 points in the third period, including a three-pointer that gave the Wizards their biggest lead at 85-57. But Washington coach Eddie Jordan called off the dogs, removing Arenas with 44.9 seconds left in the third quarter even though he was just one point short of his career-high of 47.

Arenas could have scored 50 or 60, but against the defensively deficient Knicks, somehow, it just didn't seem sporting.