Baron Davis would have been too good no matter who the Knicks started at point guard. Davis had 31 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors ruined Stephon Marbury's return to the lineup Tuesday night with a 108-82 victory, sending New York to its seventh straight loss. Stephen Jackson added 23 points for the resurgent Warriors, who have won three straight after an 0-6 start. Jackson missed all of those losses while serving a seven-game NBA suspension, but Golden State is clearly a different team with its captain on the floor. Marbury scored 18 points, but the Knicks were never in the game in the second half and were booed often over the final three quarters. So was coach Isiah Thomas, who saw no results from his decision to demote Marbury last week and heard "Fire Isiah!" cries on a few occasions during the game.

Zach Randolph, who had missed three of the last five games after the death of his grandmother, had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks. Jamal Crawford also scored 15 points.

Marbury was demoted a week ago and responded by skipping a game in Phoenix. He served as a reserve for the final three games of New York's road trip, then was told at the beginning of the Knicks' shootaround Tuesday that he was returning to the lineup.

Davis, who shot 11-of-20 from the floor, was the wrong guy to have to face first.

The losing streak is New York's longest since Larry Brown was in charge two years ago, and it felt like those days again last week with Marbury and his coach feuding. Thomas acknowledged before the game that Marbury's demotion was a punishment, and believes Marbury has learned his lesson.

"Last year he always guarded the best player and he did a good job in shutting guys down," Thomas said before the game. "To start the season the way he started with those kind of lapses is inexcusable and unacceptable, and I think we're over that."

Marbury was introduced last during pregame introductions, as usual, and loudly booed - though not as heavily as Thomas. The boos started again as soon as Marbury got the ball after the opening tip, and resumed every time he touched the ball in the early going.

Working mostly against Marbury, Davis scored 12 points in the first quarter, when the Warriors shot 55 percent and led by as many as 11. New York closed to 47-43 on Randolph's three-point play with 4:20 left in the half, but some sloppy play in the closing minutes let Golden State pull away and disgusted the crowd.

Jackson's 3-pointer made it 58-47 with 1:02 left, and the boos reached their loudest point about 10 seconds later after yet another turnover. The familiar "Fire Isiah!" chants returned seconds later, and the Knicks were booed off the floor after committing 15 turnovers and trailing 60-47.

The Knicks couldn't make any sort of run in the second half against the league's worst defensive team. They trailed 77-62 after Davis' jumper with 2.1 seconds to go in the third, then never get closer than 13 in the final period.

Notes:@ Thomas said before the game he didn't know if Marbury would travel with the Knicks for Wednesday's game in Detroit. Marbury's aunt died Monday. ... The Knicks played without reserve F Renaldo Balkman, who has a sore right ankle. ... Randolph has double-doubles in all seven games, the longest streak by a Knicks player since Charles Oakley had nine in a row to open the 1989-90 campaign. Oakley was sitting courtside. ... Golden State is 2-0 on its five-game trip, which continues Wednesday at Boston.

Written By BRIAN MAHONEY