After two straight losses, the last a blowout in the Garden opener, unofficial assistant head coach Dick Helm was asked to resign by the team. The longtime friend of Lenny Wilkens has been replaced by Brendan Suhr, who is also the Knicks' director of player personnel and a close friend of Thomas, the team president.

No official reason was given by the team.

"He has some personal things, some things he wants to do right now," Wilkens said. "He just doesn't feel that he can focus on it."

Asked if Helm's departure was related to the Knicks' 0-2 record, Wilkens interrupted, saying: "Not at all. It had nothing to do with it."

Asked if it was Thomas's decision, Wilkens said: "Nothing to do with it. I can't tell you more than that."

Reached by telephone Monday afternoon, Helm declined to comment, saying questions should be directed to Thomas.

"I will let Lenny and Isiah be the spokesmen for me," Helm said.

"It's a marathon, I'm not worried about it," said Jamal Crawford, who added that the Knicks had two "really competitive" days of practice after Saturday's debacle.