ATLANTA – Mookie Blaylock was running low on energy, running high on mistakes and the Hawks were running their way back into the game behind Anthony Johnson.

“That’s what happened,” offered coach Lenny Wilkens on his decision to keep Blaylock plastered to the bench for the final 8:47 of the Knicks’ 100-92 victory over Atlanta in Game 1. “When you take a player out, he has a chance to gather himself, to see what’s happening on the floor as well. I thought he [Blaylock] got caught up in the frenzy and expended himself.”

And Wilkens presented the most simple counter argument of all. Good things were happening for the Hawks with Johnson in and Blaylock out so why mess with it? But Wilkens did admit had the spread ever gotten to two points (the closest the Hawks got was seven) then he would have summoned Blaylock back.

“That was a circumstance last night. He ran out of gas. He wasn’t doing it but your bench has got to step up and they’ve got to feel that they can play,” Wilkens said. “We made a run. Why do you stop that run? A.J. made a couple passes and went to the basket real strong. Do I stop that?”

Blaylock, Atlanta’s unquestioned court leader, said he asked to be relieved as he felt fatigue hit him in the gut early in the fourth quarter.

“I was just running around, running wild and I got kind of tired going down,” said Blaylock, who claimed no problem with Wilkens’ decision.