NO PROFIT FROM ISIAH'S MOVES
By PETER VECSEY


ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Isiah Thomas is making
lineup swaps already for his 4-9 Knicks, but
the Hall of Fame guard isn't about to start
dishing out assists himself.


November 24, 2006 -- STEVE FRANCIS "vol unteered" to give up his Knicks starting spot same as I left college before being asked to leave.

Two lineups down, 40 to go! Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose gone; Francis, Stephon Marbury, Jerome James and Isiah Thomas to go!

Late in Wednesday night's first quarter, right about the time the Timberwolves had compiled their second 13-2 torrential downpour at the Target Center, Larry Brown's smirk morphed into a salacious smile. Rolling like thunder, under the covers, is next.

I should've killed the car radio when Thomas lost complete control of the game by failing to do anything constructive to stop Minnesota's momentum until the first 13-2 torrent was complete.

Who does The Prophet think he is, The Zen Hen?

Only Phil Jackson gets away with leaving players like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom out there to clean up their own mess.

Having worshipped at the altar beneath Herb and Hubie Brown, I was taught, as long as the verdict's in doubt, you never allow the home team to run off more than two straight baskets without calling a meeting at the mound. Deflate the crowd. Keep your players from becoming thoroughly demoralized. That's the idea.

You'd think Brendan Suhr would have some influence on Thomas, who finally signaled for a 20-second time out. By then, the T'wolves were nearing expending a clip of nine uninterrupted bull's-eyes.

Thankfully, I waited about 15 more minutes before muting John Andariese and Spencer Ross in disbelief and disgust; otherwise I wouldn't have gotten a whiff of the lineup monstrosity Thomas concocted for a brief beating: Marbury, the league's premier pout guard, Nate Robinson, Francis, Renaldo (Namond) Balkman and David Lee.

Who does The Prophet think he is, The Drama Queen?

Only Don Nelson would think he can away with playing three small over-dribbling machines and a pair of offensively flawed forwards. Except Nellie's notion of small is five athletes between 6-3 and 6-9, all either shooters or slashers or both.

Less than a minute later, Channing Frye replaced Namond, as if it mattered who couldn't guard his man this enchanted evening.

Right about then my cell chimed. It was The Mysterious J: "I know it's an open net, but the Knicks have as much chance of winning at Target as I do of seeing Kevin Garnett shopping at Target."

When evaluating The Prophet, in my subservient judgment, James Dolan will not measure his handiwork on wins and losses. That is, unless Thomas threatens to tie or break Brown's stained record.

The only absolute, positive, sure way Thomas gets relieved of his Garden duties - other than losing his sexual harassment suit - is if the players quit on The Prophet, themselves or each other.

Exhibit A is the Knicks' Thanksgiving Eve start-to-finish, defensively-delinquent, offensively-oblivious, no-show.

Exhibit B is the zero number of shots registered by Quentin Richardson, the team's most productive server when the ball is being shared and he's being spotted on the perimeter.

Exhibit C is the team's 11-assist total, a patent mark of self-interest. Only four Knicks helped a teammate score. Of the eight players who committed turnovers (17), only Richardson (3-2) and Crawford (3-1) amassed more assists than mistakes.

Exhibit D is Jamal Crawford (15 FG attempts and eight FT tries), Francis (13 and nine) and Marbury (15 and five) lacking the "vision" to let Richardson or, shockingly, even Robinson (0-one FG and 1-2 FT, no assists) play with their ball.

Exhibit E is the T'wolves' 53-percent field goal shooting.

Exhibit F is the Knicks' zero in the steals column.

Exhibit G is realizing Eddy Curry has yet to "assert his manliness" means the Knicks must remain in the big man market.

For what it's worth, the Knicks' next three games are a pair of other Eastern bloc-heads . . . tonight at Boston before a home-and-home with the Bulls. Who knows, maybe their non-aggression against the T'wolves was an aberration. In all fairness, out of 13 games (4-9), it was the first time they surrendered without a fight.

For the moment, let's accept an explanation I only wish Thomas had offered: "They told us that since it was the holiday season, we ought to mail it in early."