NBA

Knicks’ Felton continues to get his touch back

GOOD FEL-LA: Raymond Felton looks for an opening during the Knicks’ 106-104 victory over the Hawks last night at the Garden. (Paul J. Bereswill)

From hitting his first three shots to playing some tough fourth-quarter defense against the red-hot Jeff Teague to his array of assists — including a highlight-reel between the legs pass — Raymond Felton is quickly shaking off the rust and rediscovering the kind of game he had been playing before he got hurt.

“I can’t say I’m 100 percent, but each and every game will get better,’’ said Felton, who had a dozen points and 10 assists to help the Knicks to a 106-104 triumph over the Hawks, his second game back after missing five weeks with a broken pinkie. “My first game I shot the ball pretty bad in Philly. I wanted to come out and be aggressive.’’

Pretty bad is an understatement, just 2-for-8 in Saturday’s return, a loss to the 76ers. But he hit his first three last night against the Hawks, and when Atlanta adjusted to take him away, he set up his teammates, including a between-the-legs pass to a trailing Carmelo Anthony for a 3-pointer with 1:55 left in the first half.

“That’s the game of basketball, you’ve got to have fun,’’ Felton said. “You’ve got to be serous because it’s our job and you’re trying to win the game, but you’ve still got to have fun. That’s when you’re at your best, When you’re having fun out there on the court.’’

Felton had trouble with Teague early on, unable to get back in front of the Hawks guard coming off pick-and-rolls. After Teague’s layup and three-point play with 5:36 left in the third, he had 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. But Felton held him to just a single shot the rest of the way.

Down the stretch Felton passed to Anthony for his final three-point play with just :12.5 remaining, and played well enough that Knicks coach Mike Woodson played him 37:54, resting Jason Kidd just 5:24 into the game.

“He’s going to get better and better game-by-game,” Tyson Chandler said. “It was good to have his penetration out there. He makes everybody on the floor better.”

“Those are the shots he was making earlier in the year,” Woodson said. “He’s capable of making those shots, putting pressure on bigs, getting to the rim just like Teague does. He was in a good place early, and we’re going to need him to be in a good place.”

With the Knicks kicking off a homestand that includes games against the Magic, Bucks and Kings, Felton said, “We got a stretch of four games at home and we’re trying to win all of them. They’re big games.’’