NEW YORK _ All it took was one-and-a-half home games for the Knicks to hear their first boos of the season. Unless they find a way to stop teams, those boos will rain down more often and louder.
The Knicks gave much less-than-maximum effort on the defensive end for the second straight game, and James Harden and the Rockets completely took advantage of it.
The Rockets scored 100 points through three quarters and rolled to a 118-99 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This was the most points the Knicks (1-3) have allowed this season. Jeff Hornacek's team also allowed 117 and hasn't yielded fewer than 100 in a game yet.
Harden just schooled the Knicks with his playmaking and shooting. He finished with 31 points and 15 assists. Harden was 9-for-15 from the field, and knocked down five 3-pointers, a few of them the step-back variety. Eric Gordon added 21 points and Ryan Anderson 16.
As disturbing as the Knicks' defense was, Kristaps Porzingis' disappearing act could also be a cause for concern. He had no impact on the game, finishing without a field goal (0-for-4) and scoring only three points.
Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 21 points. Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee each had 16.
The Knicks, who lost in Detroit Tuesday, can't use the excuse that they were tired from completing a back-to-back. The Rockets lost in Cleveland Tuesday and still had enough energy to nearly match the 120 points they scored against the Cavaliers. The Mike D'Antoni-coached Rockets are 3-2.
The boos started late in the first half after the Knicks fell behind by 20 and picked up again late in the third. Nothing Hornacek tried worked.
Looking for some kind of spark, Hornacek brought in undrafted rookie Ron Baker as his first sub off the bench in the third quarter. The Knicks scored on two straight possessions to get within 14, but the good feelings didn't last long. Harden scored the last eight points of the quarter to give the Rockets a 100-78 lead.
After allowing 64 points in the first half in Tuesday's loss in Detroit, Rose said the Knicks need to develop an identity, and invoked the name of Tom Thibodeau. When he was the Bulls coach, they were known for defense and toughness.
Rose said he wants the Knicks to be known as "just a hard-working team. Just know it's going to be a battle every night or time you come into this arena and whenever you play us. It's about building a culture and it takes time for that."
He said it takes about 20-25 games to develop an identity. Hornacek said the Knicks' should be "a team that goes out there and plays hard all 48 minutes."
The Rockets had no trouble getting the ball inside and creating open layups or open 3-pointers. Houston shot 52.3 percent in the first half and led 68-51 at the break.
The Knicks were fortunate it was that close.
Houston shot only 6-for-18 on 3-pointers, missing many wide-open looks. The Rockets also missed seven free throws.
Hornacek tried several different combinations in the first half. He played Porzingis at center for a stretch, but after he picked up his third foul, Hornacek went small with Anthony, Lance Thomas and Maurice Ndour up front.
It didn't matter. Nothing worked. The Knicks just couldn't slow Harden and the Rockets.
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