Knicks kick off five-game road trip in Seattle

Seattle, WA (Basketball News) - The New York Knicks kick off a five-game road trip tonight in Seattle when they tangle with the SuperSonics at Key Arena.

The Knicks enter tonight’s contest on a down note after falling in overtime to the Detroit Pistons, 79-78, on Monday. New York, which was led by Allan Houston’s 20 points, scored only nine points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth to throw away a lead that had grown as large as 15.

New York also had Antonio McDyess in the lineup for the first time, but was plenty rusty in posting just two points and missed all five of his field goals in 13 minutes off the bench. He had been sidelined with a left knee injury for every regular season Knicks game since the team acquired him in a draft-day trade in June of 2002.

Kurt Thomas chipped in 16 points for New York, which also got 18 rebounds from reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Dikembe Mutombo, who played a season-high 39 minutes.

Keith Van Horn has struggled since returning from a sprained ankle that caused him to miss six games. Van Horn has hit on just 3-of-18 shots since returning and was a dismal 2-for-12 on Monday.

The Knicks, who are 3-6 away from the friendly confines of Madison Square Garden, will also face Portland, Golden State, the Lakers and Utah on their current trek.

Seattle, meanwhile, comes into tonight’s affair on a wining note after Rashard Lewis scored 27 points and hauled in nine rebounds to lead Seattle over Houston, 95-88, on Saturday. Lewis had missed the team’s previous game because of the death of his brother.

Antonio Daniels added 13 points for the SuperSonics, who snapped a two-game skid.

Seattle, which will wrap up a three-game homestand on Friday against the Indiana Pacers, is 4-4 on its court this season.

New York and Seattle split the two meetings last season, but the Knicks have won six of the last eight matchups and seven of the last 10. The Sonics, though, have won two of their last three and four of their last six versus New York in Seattle.