KNICK NOTES

ATLANTA – During preseason and the season’s first half-dozen games, Trevor Ariza looked like a high-impact rookie. But the 19-year-old former UCLA swingman has hit a wall, minutes decreasing with his production, looking more like a second-round pick.

Saturday against Toronto, Wilkens used him just four minutes. Ariza hasn’t looked as active recently on either end, though he denies it’s tiredness. With Allan Houston’s return upcoming soon, Ariza could be most affected.

Wilkens said part of the slump is that teams have become familiar with his athletic game. Clubs are playing off him to take away his drive. Ariza’s jump shot is not his strong suit.

“People are starting to adjust to him, he has to adjust as well,” Wilkens said before the Knicks played the Hawks last night. “They know he likes to make hard cuts to the basket. Now they anticipate it and try to be there, making it harder for him. Trevor will pick up on that. He’ll find where his openings are.”

Ariza has looked especially dead on second nights of a back-to-back games. The Knicks face Memphis tonight in a second leg.

“I’m sure it’s a lot of games,” Wilkens said. “He played one season of college ball and now he’s going against some of the best players in basketball. He’s a smart kid.”

Said Ariza, “It’s a long season. I’m just learning every day. I’m just getting used to everything. Just getting used to regular-season play.”

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The Knicks are making a sincere attempt to establish themselves in any place that the Nets consider important.

In a press release, the Knicks made a point to announce they had expanded its “in-school reading zones” to include northern New Jersey and Brooklyn, the Nets’ eventual home. The Knicks will purchase books for Newark and Brooklyn schools and make visits.

Houston said he didn’t feel any soreness after Monday’s fullcourt scrimmage, acknowledging his halfcourt scrimmage last week was more taxing.

“[The body] is better than I thought it was,” Houston said. “I thought it would be sore. It’s really not. The first time I did contact was the biggest shock to my body. It was sore the next couple of days. [Monday] wasn’t too much different. It was just running. Running is a little easier than actually doing cutting.”