Yahoo: "I thought Steph was phenomenal," Brown said. "I loved the way he was being aggressive. I told people before the game he would play great."
Marbury's cousin Sebastian Telfair had a career-high 27 points for the Blazers in his return home.
"Getting a chance to play at the Garden is a special thing," Telfair said. "I give it to the Knicks, they won."
Marbury left the game with 44.2 seconds left and New York leading 103-92, drawing a standing ovation.
"It's always great to win," Marbury said. "Winning for coach being that it was his first game."
Brown had hoped Marbury would be more aggressive, and his star responded with 14 points in the first half.
"I felt like I was going to come out and play the way I know how to play basketball," Marbury said.
Telfair had 19 points in the first half, including 13 in the second quarter. The guard from Brooklyn hit two 3-pointers and an acrobatic drive to help Portland take a 57-54 lead at the half.
"Sebastian is getting better every second of every game," Brown said. "He made some plays that you don't see many people make."
Eddy Curry kept the Knicks close with 12 points in the first half, but didn't return. He has been slowed by a left calf injury.
"I have been trying to play through it, but it hurt a little bit," Curry said. "It got a little sore as I played. I just have to take care of it so that it is not a nagging injury."
