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The number has escalated to 641 — the amount of times a Knicks player has launched a shot from beyond the 3-point line in 22 games.
By season’s end, at that pace, the Knicks will shatter the NBA record — set by Mike D’Antoni’s Knicks in 2007-08 — for most attempts in a season.
Cringe if you like, but in the name of James Naismith, there is no evidence suggesting these 3-point parties won’t lead to a championship party — contrary to TNT’s Charles Barkley’s rantings.
Barkley never won a title himself, but has repeatedly stated he hates 3-pointers as much as he hates an empty donut tray.
“They don’t get a lot of easy baskets,” he said during the Knicks’ dismantling of the Lakers Thursday night. “I don’t think a team can win a championship shooting jumpers. I don’t know if they can keep shooting 3’s like that. That’s my only critique. It’s not a criticism, it’s a critique.”
However, coach Mike Woodson is telling everyone: Critique this. Woodson, whose team is an Eastern Conference-best 17-5, has no qualms about the trend — even if some fans find it so D’Antoni. Woodson’s Knicks are on pace to smash the record of the 2007-08 squad, which averaged 27.8 attempts per game and didn’t make the playoffs.
Woodson was defiant last weekend in Chicago when asked if it’s scary to live and die by the 3.
“If I didn’t have players who can make them, you can rest assured we wouldn’t be shooting them,’’ Woodson said testily. “But I got guys who can make them, so why not? Miami won a title last year when they surrounded themselves with guys that made 3’s.”
Thirty-five percent of the Knicks’ field-goal attempts are taken from 3-point range. Consider the Rockets, who won the NBA title in 1993-94, led the league in 3-point attempts that season, yet only 19 percent of their total shots were from beyond the arc.
The Rockets are the only club to lead the league in 3-point attempts and win a championship, turning the trick two straight seasons in 1993-94 over the Knicks and 1994-95. The only other team to make The Finals and lead the league in 3-point hoists is the 1992-93 Suns, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Knicks aren’t just leading the league in 3’s; they are doing something entirely different in launching an average 29.1 attempts per game. Even legend “Downtown’’ Freddie Brown is blushing.
In the 32 years since the 3-point stripe was painted for NBA games, nine teams who led the league in attempts didn’t make the playoffs, with 23 getting in. It is at least a recipe for the playoffs, if not a title. According to general managers interviewed, teams now possess at least twice as many 3-point aces than in the 1990s.
“The Knicks are doing very smart things,’’ one GM told The Post of their offensive balance. “Woodson has been tremendous.’’
The Knicks have three players in the top 15 in 3-point shooting percentage, and the club ranks third in 3-point percentage at 41.2.
Jason Kidd, who has never been a 3-point ace, is hitting an absurd 52.7 percent, ranking first in the league. He said this week he started working on his outside shot in his final days with the Nets when he lost “two, three steps.’’
Carmelo Anthony, whose 3-point shot was never his specialty, is clicking at 45.5 percent to rank seventh, and all but knocked the Lakers out in the first three minutes Thursday by knocking in three straight in the first quarter. And Steve Novak, one of the best outside shooters in the league and who will likely be selected for the 3-point shoot contest on All-Star Weekend in February, is hitting them at 42.7 percent for 15th place.
Raymond Felton (39.2 percent) and J.R. Smith (36 percent) are not too shabby from downtown either.
“We’ve only been out of one game — that’s the Houston game,’’ said Woodson, whose club hosts Cleveland tonight. “The league is changing. We’re not the only ones shooting 3’s. We just happen to be making them. So yes, we are going to continue shooting 3’s. We’re not going to change.‘’
The 3-point spree, however, could lessen when Amar’e Stoudemire returns and plays his expected 15-to-18 minutes off the bench. Stoudemire isn’t a 3-point shooter, living off mid-range jumpers, powerful drives and inside buckets coming off pick-and-rolls. Stoudemire’s inability to hit the 3-pointer could hurt spacing.
The evidence shows the Knicks are better this season launching as many 3-pointers as they can. Three of the Knicks’ five losses came in games in which their attempts from deep were among their season’s top-5 lowest outputs. When the ball moves crisply around the horn, creating open 3-pointers is when the Knicks are at their best.
“Every now and then you get a team that can beat you with the long ball,’’ TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal said. “The Knicks have a look in their eye like they want to win a championship.’’
The 1992-93 Suns, who lost to the Bulls in The Finals, led the league in attempts but shot just 36.3 percent from 3-point land in the regular season. The Rockets shot 33.4 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively in their two championship seasons while leading the league in attempts. The Knicks’ percentage is significantly better.
Only one truism exists in debating the issue: If the Knicks keep taking this many 3-pointers and make 41.2 percent of them, book the parade down Broadway in June.
marc.berman@nypost.com