KNICK NOTES

SEATTLE – Larry Brown’s obsession with starting players in their hometowns continued with a flourish yesterday and it was expected to affect Stephon Marbury last night against the Sonics.

At the end of yesterday’s morning shootaround, Brown had Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Jerome James wearing the blue practice jerseys designated for that night’s starting lineup. Crawford and Robinson are from Seattle’s Rainier Beach High School. James played five seasons with the Sonics.

Marbury wore the white jersey – the same color of newcomer Qyntel Woods and little-used rookie David Lee. Marbury had started 675 of his prior 681 career games. Of his six non-starts, the last came April 6, 2002 with Phoenix.

Yesterday, Crawford was honored at Rainier Beach HS as he donated $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 take a more active role in coaching the club during this West Coast trip.

Brown said Thomas helped coach during Monday’s practice and during yesterday’s shootaround, instructed players about the finest details of position and passing angles.

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

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Ray Allen, a former Seattle teammate of James’, was quoted calling James at times “lazy on the court” in a local newspaper. Allen admitted yesterday James and him often sparred as mates but remained close.

“He definitely needs support form his teammate, to pound on him negatively won’t get him to respond,” Allen said. “There were times Jerome thought I attacked him a couple of times, but I saw more potential in Jerome than he was putting out on the floor. He finally realized I wasn’t against him, I was for him.”