One of the many problems the Knicks are struggling through during their current five-game losing streak is a lack of defensive intensity. Dikembe Mutombo feels the problem could be linked to his recent benching.

"My own observation from the sideline is I realize after 50-something games my teammates got used to having somebody who is an intimidator in the back," Mutombo said, trying to sound diplomatic. "I think they're kinda confused defensively because we didn't practice all of this."

Adding insult to injury: Not only is Mutumbo buried on the bench, there is speculation that he may be released if the Knicks sign Vin Baker. Cutting Mutombo after tomorrow would be especially cruel since it would prohibit Mutombo from qualifying for a postseason roster.

It sounds as if Knicks president Isiah Thomas and forward Kurt Thomas are close to working out a 4-year contract extension worth $30.45 million.

"I've had some encouraging discussions with Isiah," Jerry Hicks, Kurt Thomas' Dallas-based agent, said Thursday. "He's continuing to say he's interested in extending Kurt, and we have reason to think he will."

Thomas can opt out of the final year of his contract this summer.

If an extension is signed, it would kick in after next season.

Kurt Thomas's commitment to helping the Knicks this past month has been exemplary, given that he has been playing with virtually one hand tied behind his back. And now it appears that the team is ready to pay him back.

According to his attorney, Thomas and the Knicks are closing in on a contract extension, one that will probably pay the power forward an additional $30 million or so over four years beyond the end of his current deal, which expires after the 2004-05 season.
   
"I have great confidence it's going to get done, yes," attorney Jerry Hicks said yesterday from his Dallas office. "I spoke with Isiah (Thomas) shortly before the trade deadline, and we had a good conversation. He reaffirmed his interest in wanting to extend Kurt, and expressed how pleased he has been with all of Kurt's efforts. And as he said all along, he likes Kurt. I take discussions like that to mean that we should be able to get something done."

Dikembe Mutombo, revealing that Isiah Thomas told him the club was "going in a different direction," was removed from the starting lineup, giving Nazr Mohammed his first Knick start last night.

The center switch likely is permanent and Mutombo fumed. "Nobody ever talks to me about nothing," he said. "I'm feeling I've had enough of this game. Thirteen years, I'm getting tired of all this [garbage]."

Mutombo said he'd rather retire than get traded this summer because he doesn't want to be away from his family in Philadelphia. The $4.5 million final year of his contract could be an huge trade asset next season, so the Knicks may not want to buy him out.

On Sunday, Vin Baker's agent, Aaron Goodwin, said that his client should be signed by the end of the week and that the Knicks have a good shot at landing him.

"The Knicks have a great chance," Aaron Goodwin said before the Knicks lost to the Cavs. "It's a great organization and they have number of people who are sensitive to the issues that Vin has gone through. They are also a playoff team and those are the categories we're looking for."

However, because of his grievance against the Celtics for terminating his contract with the Players Association, there might be a hold up but executive director Billy Hunter said on Sunday that Baker should be cleared to sign with another within the next 48 hours.

"We just want to make sure it doesn't negatively impact his arbitration," Hunter said. "We hope to resolve that within the next day or so.

Detroit, Indiana, and Miami are also rumored to be interested in Baker's services.

DENVER (AP) The Denver Nuggets were awarded center Michael Doleac on a waiver claim Friday, scrapping the New York Knicks' plans to re-sign him.

Doleac was to join the Nuggets in Orlando for their game Saturday night. To make room for him on the active roster, center Francisco Elson was placed on the injured list.

Doleac was traded last Sunday from New York to Atlanta, and the Hawks waived him Wednesday. Knicks president Isiah Thomas was ecstatic Thursday when the Utah Jazz used up all their salary cap space in a trade, making them ineligible to claim Doleac.

But the Nuggets also had cap room _ along with a need for an outside shooting big man who can draw opposing centers away from the basket _ and claimed his $1.6 million contract. Doleac can opt out and become a free agent this summer.

``He knew our offense, he was starting to learn the screen-and-roll-and-pop real well with Stephon (Marbury),'' Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens said. ``He's a big guy who can make shots from the elbow.''

Doleac averaged 5.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in 46 games for the Knicks.

The Knicks couldn't land the big man they wanted by Thursday's trade deadline, but they may add one of the greatest centers ever to their payroll.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time scoring leader, could join the Knicks in a scout/player development capacity. The creator of the fabled skyhook was at Thursday's practice, helping out in post-up drills with Tim Thomas, Nazr Mohammed, Mike Sweetney, and Cezary Trybanski.

Knicks' president Isiah Thomas invited Abdul-Jabbar to practice. When Thomas was the Pacers' coach, he helped him out on occasion, working with big men. Abdul-Jabbar, who hasn't worked in the NBA since serving as an assistant coach with the Clippers from February-July of 2000, "hopes" he's given a permanent position. Thomas said there have been "preliminary" discussions.

"I know he's a guy that wants to get back in the game, and is trying to get back in the game," Thomas said. "We'll sit down and talk to him and see if it makes sense to have him in the organization."

Thomas, who has been active since taking over Dec. 22, was in talks last night with the Warriors about a possible deal that would bring center Erick Dampier and guard Nick Van Exel to New York for Kurt Thomas, Dikembe Mutombo and Shandon Anderson.

Van Exel would serve as insurance for Allan Houston and would be a backup to point guard Stephon Marbury. Dampier would replace Mutombo as the Knicks' starting center. Thomas' wheeling and dealing has to stop today, when the trading deadline arrives at 3 p.m.

When reporters were let into practice yesterday, Thomas could be seen in his office, talking on the phone. But he declined several interview requests, saying through a spokesman that he would talk only after the deadline passes. But Thomas did find time for a 20-minute radio interview, leaving it to Lenny Wilkens to handle all questions regarding possible trades.

"I don't think we're banging peoples' doors down, saying: 'We want to make a deal,' " the Knicks coach said. "But you have to hear."

MILWAUKEE (AP) Although Keith Van Horn didn't like the timing of his latest trade, he says the Milwaukee Bucks should be a perfect fit for him.

``I see a lot of guys that really understand the game. I don't see any selfish players on this team. I think it makes an easy adjustment for a new guy to come who feels the same way about the game,'' Van Horn said Tuesday, minutes after the beginning of the Bucks' game against Orlando.

``You look at this team and the talent that they have, the way they play, the way they play with each other, the love that they display for the game. It's a great situation.''

He said Knicks president Isiah Thomas told him about 24 hours before the trade that it might occur. Van Horn was getting ready for his 4-year-old daughter's birthday party at Disney World. The news was a shock, he said, despite the recent upheaval in the Knicks organization.

``I thought it'd get to a point where it would stop. I was obviously wrong,'' he said. ``I wasn't looking forward to leaving. I didn't necessarily want to be traded. But when you do get traded, you look at all the positives in what has came about and I think there's a lot of positives in the situation.''

Van Horn passed his physical Tuesday, two days after he was traded from the Knicks as part of a three-team deal, but he put off joining the team on the court until Saturday. Instead, he was to fly home to New Jersey to prepare his wife and four young children for the trade.

Van Horn will also miss the Bucks' game at Detroit on Wednesday.

Taking a few days to tie up loose ends might make it easier for the 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward once he does return to Milwaukee for Thursday's practice, coach Terry Porter said. Porter expects Van Horn to play Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

``It gives us three days,'' Porter said. ``That's pretty good, be like throwing a little minicamp for him. Gives us a chance to really go over everything with him and make sure he grasps as much of it as possible.''

Milwaukee is Van Horn's fourth team since he was drafted with the second overall pick in the 1997 draft. He spent five seasons in New Jersey and one in Philadelphia before being traded last summer to New York.

During his short stint with the Knicks, Van Horn was once booed by New York's intense fans. He said he expected something different in Milwaukee.

``It's great to be in an area where you have a fan base that loves the team and supports the team,'' Van Horn said. ``And when you have a situation like that, it does nothing but make you want to go out there and give it your all every night.''

He also heard praise for the city from his former coach at Utah, Rick Majerus, a Milwaukee native who coached at Marquette in the mid-1980s and was later a Bucks assistant.

In exchange for sending Van Horn to Milwaukee, and center Michael Doleac and a 2005 second-round draft pick to Atlanta, the Knicks received Tim Thomas from the Bucks and Nazr Mohammed from the Hawks. Atlanta also got Joel Przybilla from Milwaukee.

Van Horn, 28, averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 47 games for New York.

``Obviously we think he's going to be able to step in and help us,'' Porter said. ``He's a good all-around player. I think he can run the floor good. I think he rebounds at both ends, offensively and defensively, well.''