STEPH WARNS LAX KNICKS

By MARC BERMAN

October 23, 2004 -- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Knick captain Stephon Marbury’s remark last Monday before the team flew west sounds all too prophetic now. Marbury, one day after rehabbing Allan Houston was booed at the Garden, said the Knicks need him healthy if they are “to compete for a championship.” After two hideous blowouts in Utah and Dallas, Marbury made another comment that, for coach Lenny Wilkens’ sake, won’t be as prophetic. Before the Knicks got routed again, to the Timberwolves last night, 102-82, at Sioux Falls Arena, for their third straight disaster, Marbury warned if the club continues to show a lack of effort, play no defense and have a horrible start to the regular season, fans will call for Wilkens’ head. During their 0-3 trip, the Knicks were outscored by 82 points and come home with their starting small forward, Tim Thomas, suffering a sprained ankle. “You can win nine preseason games and everyone’s talking about you, and as soon as the first game starts and you lose five in a row, they’re talking about the coach getting fired,” Marbury said. “So, you know how that goes. I’m just being honest.”

Wilkens and his coaching staff felt it important enough to give an extended lecture to the club after the Maverick blowout Thursday night, the locker-room doors closed to the media for 20 minutes. But last night’s game wasn’t important enough for Marbury to play, as Wilkens rested him, citing a back-to-back. The Knick offense suffered, with Jamal Crawford shooting 1-11. Trevor Ariza, starting for Thomas, was 2-9. One theory is if the Knicks start off miserably, the Wilkens Watch begins in December. However, Isiah Thomas lowered expectations at the outset, saying the club would be “lucky” to be .500 after 20 games because of a vicious schedule that includes a four-game road trip — Indiana and the fearsome Texas triangle. But Thomas also said preseason wins were important to create habits. It’s premature for Phil Jackson to be seriously mentioned, especially since he’s busy with his book tour. One of Jackson’s close friends believes the massive egos of the two men would clash. But it’s known Thomas respects Jackson and feels he’s one of the few coaches who make players get better, which Thomas values more than X’s and O’s.