Scout's Take

On the Knicks (17--23 through Sunday), who replaced coach Lenny Wilkens with assistant Herb Williams last Saturday:

"You can't blame Lenny totally because he wasn't in control. Isiah Thomas has assembled players with offensive skill, but they don't do what it takes to win. The only guy who rebounds and defends is Kurt Thomas. His reward? Daily rumors that he's about to be traded. Look at the assistants Isiah hired for Lenny--none of them is a defensive tactician. Coming up with big stops used to be their trademark. They need to get back to that if they're going to turn it around."