KNICK NOTES

Knicks GM Scott Layden did not sign center Michael Doleac for his low-post presence or for his rebounding and shotblocking. When Layden made the August signing, he raved about Doleac’s deft perimeter shooting.

So far, the Garden has yet to see what all the summer fuss was about. Doleac has been in a shooting slump for much of the season and is turning the ball over too often. Missing the entire preseason schedule and the first seven games with a nagging hamstring strain set back his adjustment to a new team, but his lack of production in all phases is a growing concern.

The Knick fans even took it out on him in Saturday night’s 113-90 thumping vs. Boston. There was an audible groan every time Doleac missed a shot (he was 2-of-8) and it finally turned into boos late in the third quarter after he clanked a jumper, then got beat on the other end by Vin Baker for a layup.

In 11 minutes, he’s averaging 3.0 points on 36.7 percent shooting, 2.4 rebounds and one turnover. “Right now he’s struggling,” Chaney said. “He’ll admit it himself. We need more from him and hopefully we’ll get it. We got to have more from him because we need Kurt [Thomas] to have more rest and when Kurt gets in foul trouble we have to have somebody who can carry that load. So I expect more from him.”

At least the Knicks didn’t overpay, getting him for the bargain-basement exception of $1.4M. Doleac wasn’t highest on Layden’s list of free-agent centers but the GM was under a Cablevision edict not to overpay any longer. Layden deemed Jerome James and Keon Clark, both angling for the full $4.5M exception, too expensive, and he had always admired Doleac’s character. Doleac, who takes med-school classes in the offseason, nearly attended West Point (his younger brother Kenny is Army’s small forward).

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Limited tickets on sale for tomorrow’s Nets-Knicks showdown.