KNICK NOTES ATLANTA – Dave Checketts deftly sidestepped the Jeff Van Gundy issue yesterday when he was asked what it would take for Van Gundy to return as coach as next year.

“I’m not going to get into that,” said the Garden president, who fired Ernie Grunfeld last week. “We’re focused on making the playoffs, getting the best possible position in the playoffs and then seeing what we can do from there. Frankly, it’s very possible that this team could come together in a way and we could get fully healthy … There is a lot left to do.”

Checketts’ decision to fire Grunfeld last Wednesday put Van Gundy at ease, considering Van Gundy and Grunfeld were not on the same page.

The Knicks are 3-1 since the switch with four games to go. Asked if the change had helped Van Gundy, Checketts said, “I think Jeff has been pretty focused overall. But obviously there were some divisions that needed to be resolved … That isn’t why the step was taken but if that is one of the benefits for those last games, that’s an unexpected benefit.”

Checketts said he will look at the “whole body of work” of the season and playoffs before making any final decisions. Talking about Van Gundy’s skills as a coach, Checketts said, “Jeff has always been the kind of coach who has been well prepared, works very hard and keeps a certain level of discipline on his team that I admire.”

“There’s no question in anybody’s mind that this team has tremendous talent, but coming together and really making the best use of that talent, people feeling comfortable in their roles, that was really something else we’d have to achieve and we didn’t have much time to do it.”

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The Knicks’ brutal 76-73 loss to the Hawks last night, fittingly, ended with a turnover on the last possession.

With 1.2 seconds left and down three, the Knicks ran a terrible play. Ex-quarterback Charlie Ward rushed a full-court pass into the seats on one bounce down the other end of the court, the Knicks’ 20th turnover of the night. Ward finished with this line: zero points, four turnovers and three assists.

The late Red Holzman will be honored tonight at halftime of the Sixers game when the Knicks rename the Knicks’ Kid Foundation the Red Holzman Kids Foundation.

The night will feature the return of Knicks who have had their numbers retired: Walt Frazier, Dick Barnett, Earl Monroe, Dick McGuire, Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere.

Bill Bradley cannot make it because he is on the campaign trail. Phil Jackson is another former Knick who thought the world of Holzman and is also campaigning for Bradley right now and will not be present. Holzman’s family will be honored as well in the festivities that will be presented by MSG.