NEW YORK (NBA.com exclusive) --  It was a battle between two of the most defensively-challenged and most dysfunctional teams in the NBA.

In the end, Golden State proved less defensively challenged and, on this night, less dysfunctional as they handed the Knicks a 121-107 loss at Madison Square Garden before 19,763.

New York's sixth-straight loss dropped it to 1-9, the worst start in franchise history. The Knicks have lost four in a row at home and now play five of their next six away from the Garden.

"Golden State at home is a game we should win," said Knicks forward David Lee, who scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. "That's no disrespect to Golden State. But teams that are talking about being playoff teams, teams that talk about being decent teams in this league win games at home against teams with a below .500 record."

Golden State improved to 3-5 behind double-figure scoring from five players. Disgruntled forward Stephen Jackson led all scorers with 23 points. Kelenna Azubuike, Monta Ellis and Corey Maggette scored 22 apiece. And C.J. Watson came off the bench to add 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

"I think we played hard and we wanted to win more than they did," said Jackson, who has publicly requested a trade.

The Warriors entered as the league's poorest defensive outfit, giving up an average of 112.4 points per game, while the Knicks were allowing 109 per contest. Yet New York's porous defense allowed Golden State to shoot 64 percent in the first half while taking a 66-52 halftime lead.

After the Knicks cut it to 86-80 after three quarters, the Warriors outscored New York 35-27 in the fourth. "I just thought our lack of fight was the most disappointing thing," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said.

When Jackson wasn't hitting uncontested 16 and 18-foot jumpers in the first half with plenty of time to spot up, Azubuike was driving undefended into the paint past Lee and hitting easy layups. Watson came off the bench to go a perfect 5-for-5 for 11 points before the break.

The Knicks also were sloppy with the basketball, committing 21 turnovers that led to 31 Golden State points. Three Knicks made four turnovers.

Golden State, whose starting front line of Azubuike, Jackson and Mikki Moore is hardly one of the league's most imposing, outscored New York 58-46 in the paint in the first half.

Golden State outran the Knicks, outscoring them 17-6 on fastbreak points.

"We haven't even showed any glimmers of it [defense]," D'Antoni said. Stephen Curry, whom the Knicks might have picked at No. 8 in the NBA Draft had Golden State not taken him at No. 7, did not have an impressive return to the Garden. He went scoreless and played less than three minutes.

Curry admitted to imagining what it might have been like to play for the Knicks had they chosen him.

"Watching the offense, you kind of picture yourself and how you could've played, what kind of plays you could've made," he said before the game. "They got a lot of talent ? like we are ? we've just got to figure out how to put it together and get some wins.

The Knicks chose Jordan Hill with the No. 8 pick and D'Antoni opted to start him in the second half to spark the offense. Hill responded by scoring eight points early in the third period on 4-for-4 shooting but he also picked up four fouls in under nine minutes.

D'Antoni on Thursday reaffirmed his support of starting point guard Chris Duhon after Duhon failed to score in Wednesday night's loss to Atlanta. Yet here was Duhon again, going 1-for-7 for five points, with seven assists, four rebounds and one turnover.

Danilo Gallinari led the Knicks with 19 points, Al Harrington added 16 and Toney Douglas had 15.

"I wish they start playing well," Jackson said. "I definitely wish that because I never wish losing on anybody and I think Donnie [Walsh] is a great manager and Al's a great player and I wish them the best."

Jackson was fined $25,000 earlier this year for requesting a trade, and head coach Don Nelson said before the game the team would be better off if Jackson got his wish.

"Well, when you have a guy that doesn't want to be with your team it's a problem because it's very difficult for him to give you what he needs, to give you extra because he's unhappy," Nelson said before the game. "He wants to move on. That's been an issue.

Asked if there was any progress on trading Jackson, Nelson said: "I don't know. You have to talk to our general manager."

Asked if the Warriors had to trade Jackson for the betterment of the team, Nelson responded: "We don't have to but I think it would be best for him and for us at this point. But if it doesn't happen, he's going to be here. He's under contract for four years I believe."

Jackson said he doesn't think about the issue while he's on the court.

"When I'm on the court it's the only time I forget about everything because none of that's important out there," Jackson said.

Still, Jackson still wants out of Golden State.

"I spoke my mind on it and everybody knows how I feel and I got fined for saying some things," he said. "I think I said enough for people to know how I feel."