Going into last night’s action, the Knicks stood three games out of the last playoff spot with only six games to go, which means their “contention” really was a matter only for headline writers and fans who border on delusional. However, that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing at stake in the Knicks’ final five games of the season. Ever since an injury plague ended their late season surge, the Knicks have had issues to resolve as they tumble into the off-season.

The foremost issue is how to prepare for next season. It’s easy to assume that with the solid improvement shown by many young players, that once healthy, this team will be in the thick of the playoff race next season. In reality, this season may have been an anomaly, not for the Knicks, but for the Eastern Conference. Next season, it’s easy to imagine Philadelphia, Boston, and Toronto, three of the Knicks’ four Atlantic Division rivals being at least seven to 10 games better, and possibly more. It’s also easy to envision Chicago, the Knicks’ opponent tonight, and Cleveland making big steps forward as well. In other words, next year’s Knicks should be better than this year’s model, but that holds true for much of their most important competition.

Obviously the best reason to watch the Knicks finish out their season is that this team has often been tremendously entertaining. If you expected Eddy Curry to shoot, much less nail that three to tie the game Saturday night at Milwaukee, then you’re a big enough liar that you should consider work on a 2008 presidential campaign. The second best reason is to watch the Knicks rookies and secondyear players. Their performance will go far toward determining the off-season agenda. Let’s take it on a case-by-case basis.

RENALDO BALKMAN Balkman’s rookie performance is another reason to never doubt an Isiah Thomas draft pick. A largely unheralded player from the University of South Carolina, the 6-foot-7-inch forward has been a sparkplug off the bench all season. During the last few weeks he’s received major burn and has become a crowd favorite for his hustle and enthusiastic defense. In his last five games, Balkman has averaged 11 points, 8.8 boards, and shot 52.4% from the field. Balkman’s performance makes Jared Jeffries expendable. Balkman’s only flaw is his lack of range, something he’ll need to work on during the summer. A perimeter player who can’t stretch the defense will soon become a liability, but ace defenders Raja Bell and Bruce Bowen both developed their outside shots well after arriving in the league. So there’s considerable hope for Balkman to develop further.

NATE ROBINSON Last season Robinson seemed like a cute novelty, a 5-foot-9-inch shooting guard who energized the crowd and annoyed opponents. Then came last December’s brawl with the Nuggets that made him seem like a bad apple. Like his team, L’il Nate has rebounded nicely from that ugly incident, and the guard has posted stellar improvements on last year’s numbers. Since he was somewhat trigger-happy last season, it’s a particularly pleasant surprise to see that he’s become more selective about his shot, and since getting major minutes, he’s shooting 45.1% from the field and that includes an astonishing 43.5% from behind the arc. Perhaps in the off-season, Robinson can show Balkman and guard Mardy Collins how he did it.

MARDY COLLINS Sometimes major minutes can bolster a player’s counting stats and hide his inefficiencies. Such is the case with Collins, the Knicks other first round pick. His increased burn, from garbage time to starter, has caused his averages to jump, but totals like the 19 points against Milwaukee on Saturday night have come in the worst way possible, via lots of low-percentage shooting. In April (minus last night’s game), Collins is shooting 34.7% from the field, and 22.2% from behind the arc. He’s barely making half his free throws. If his ambition is to be more than an end-of-the bench guy, he’ll need to improve his marksmanship or make a habit of being on teams in which three or four guards get hurt at once.

CHANNING FRYE “What’s wrong with Channing Frye?” has been asked so often that it could become the title of a reality TV series with different NBA players playing analyst. Frye’s numbers are down so much that you’d think he misses Larry Brown. The simple explanation to Frye’s ineffectiveness this season is that he doesn’t attack the rim. Going into last night’s game, Frye had attempted only 97 free throws all year; that’s less than half of what he attempted last season. If you thought he was settling for outside shots a lot, you’re right. I don’t think the Knicks can trade Frye now as his value is at its lowest, but Thomas will have to find a way to get the 6-foot-11-inch, 240 pound forward to take it strong to the hole. Otherwise they’re left with a lottery bust.

David Lee, whose improvement has been well chronicled, obviously has to find a new conditioning routine so that he doesn’t miss nearly a third of the season, and, well, it’s hard to know what to make of new reserve center Randolph Morris until the season’s over (and perhaps not even then).

Overall the Knicks will go into the off-season needing improvements from Frye and Collins and needing to figure out if someone wants Jeffries enough to offer a favorable trade. Robinson’s performance should embolden them to buy out Steve Francis’s contract, but otherwise, the quieter this summer is at Madison Square Garden, the better. The Knicks have made solid improvements and should contend, though due to the likely improved competition, the playoffs are no guarantee. The biggest challenge may be to manage expectations.

mjohnson@nysun.com