<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>siah Thomas juggled his lineup last night with the intention, he said, to get a look at some players in different roles. In the second game of a back-to-back, Thomas gave Stephon Marbury the night off with the intention to use Jamal Crawford at the point and slide Quentin Richardson to the two-spot. It wasn't as bad as Wednesday's 40-point loss in Boston, but the Knicks' defense didn't look any better in a 110-94 loss to the Nets at the newly-renamed IZOD Center. Perhaps more notable than sitting Marbury to see how other players look in his place was that Thomas also gave Allan Houston the night off. Thomas was asked if "slim" was the best way to describe Houston's chances to make the Knicks roster. "I'd say that's accurate," he said. Houston, who played just six minutes against Boston, said the decision was made by Thomas, but quickly added, "I'm not angry." There are three preseason games left, all of them at Madison Square Garden next week and there's no guarantee that Houston will make one more appearance on the Garden floor. In fact, before last night's game, Thomas spoke as if Houston's fate already was decided, not that he had ever suggested otherwise. "Unfortunately, part of the business that we're in, you really do have to break a lot of hearts and crush a lot of dreams," Thomas said. "This is what the tough part of the business is, when you have to call someone into your office and tell them that it's not going to work out. None of us like doing it, so when that day comes, if it comes, we'll do what's best for the Knicks."</div></p> Source: NY Daily News</p>
