One Wally Szczerbiak was better than two Knicks All-Stars.

Much better.

Szczerbiak abused Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston for a career-high 35 points last night as Minnesota defeated the Knicks, 104-94, and left Jeff Van Gundy's team with a 1-3 record, its worst start in 14 years.

"He was being aggressive," Houston said of Szczerbiak, who is from Cold Spring Harbor, L.I. "A guy like that, you let him get off early and get confident like that, he's going to be dangerous. And that's what he did. Our defense on him was poor, and he can make you pay."