Knicks 115

Warriors 99

Who says the Knicks don’t have the goods in the low post?

Michael Sweetney, Maurice Taylor and Tim Thomas all were beasts down low last night as the Knicks hummed their way to a 115-99 bounce-back victory over the Warriors at the Garden.

The Knicks have been a jump-shooting team since Patrick Ewing left four years ago. Coach Herb Williams said beforehand the Knicks would try to establish a post game against the Warriors, who have a weak interior led by Adonal Foyle.

“We pounded the ball inside tonight,” said Stephon Marbury, who collected 16 assists to go with 26 points.

Recovering from a disgraceful showing Friday in Orlando, the Knicks’ offense was a machine early on. They made 12 of their first 14 shots in building a 13-point first-quarter lead. Sweetney made his first nine shots and scored an incredible 18 first-quarter points to set the tone for the Knicks’ fourth win in five games.

“I didn’t know how many, but I knew I didn’t miss any,” said Sweetney of his first-quarter shooting. He petered out after that hot start, missing his last three shots and finishing with 19 points.

Tim Thomas finished with 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting as the Knicks shot 61.8 percent. And Taylor, acquired in one of the two draft-day deals, had his best game as a Knick. He poured it on in the second half, finishing with 15 points on a near-perfect 7-of-8.

Despite all that offense, the Knicks needed to save the win with a stalwart defensive performance in the fourth quarter. After Andris Biedrins’ basket put the Warriors up 93-92 with 7:24 remaining, the Knicks used a 21-1 run and to close them out, holding Golden State without a field goal for more than six minutes.

“We just wrapped up,” Marbury said.

Sweetney attempted to leave the locker room early when he bumped into a gang of reporters entering at the doorway, stopping him in his tracks.

“You can’t leave without talking to them,” Allan Houston said to the second-year Knick. “You had a big game.”

Well, Sweetney at least had the best quarter of his life and was on track to set a record for most consecutive baskets to start a game, owned by Bernard King and Johnny Newman (11 for 11).

Sweeney’s best bucket came in Patrick Ewing fashion – a deep fadeaway 15-foot jumper.

“I’m feeling good, feeling confidence. They’re calling plays for me, guys are looking for me,” Sweetney said. “I got into a good rhythm, running the floor for lay-ups.”

Sweetney was remarkable inside and Marbury, who had 11 as sists at halftime, kept finding him rolling to the hoop.

“When he has his legs under him, that really gets him going,” Marbury said.

Marbury had six assists in the first four minutes and soon Tim Thomas got rolling inside, too. In the first quarter, he posted Jason Richardson and scored over him on a turnaround without Richard son bothering to raise his arms.

Sweetney went quiet in the second half but his backup in the post, Taylor, came on.

Taylor made a big play during their fourth-quarter surge, grabbing the offensive rebound of a free- throw miss by Tim Thomas, laying it in and drawing a foul. It boosted the Knick lead to 10 points with 6:23 left.