KNICK NOTES

SEATTLE – Jamal Crawford put the kibosh on Larry Brown’s starting-lineup plans that did not include Stephon Marbury.

Brown said he planned on starting Crawford and Nate Robinson last night against the hometown Sonics and bringing Marbury off the bench. Brown then changed his mind after a conversation with the two Seattle natives.

Brown has a ritual of starting guys in their hometowns. He started Maurice Taylor in Detroit, Trevor Ariza in L.A. and Matt Barnes, now gone, in Sacramento.

Both Crawford and Robinson asked Brown to start Marbury, who had a streak of 261 straight starts. Robinson and Marbury started and Crawford came off the bench in Brown’s 11th different starting lineup in 16 games.

“I didn’t realize Steph had a streak going,” Brown said. “And both Jamal and Nate came to me and said it’s not that important to them. I don’t want to break his streak. They didn’t want Steph not to start.”

Marbury had started 675 of 681 career games. Of his six non-starts, the last came April 6, 2002, with Phoenix.

Brown went with Robinson over Crawford because “Jamal’s been back,” Brown said. “This is Nate’s first chance.”

Robinson made his third career start but Brown was all over him during shootaround for being out of position during defensive rotations.

Yesterday, Crawford was honored at Rainier Beach H.S. for donating $100,000 to the basketball facility. The basketball floor was newly named “Crawford Court” during festivities.

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Brown has asked Isiah Thomas to provide more coaching input during this West Coast trip. Brown said Thomas helped coach during Monday’s practice and during yesterday’s shootaround, instruct players about the finest details of position and passing angles.

Thomas had not traveled with the Knicks before this trip continues in L.A. tonight vs. the Clippers and finishes up Friday in Phoenix.