“Fifty-one points,” Jackson, in a dark blue suit and a striped tie, said as he arched his eyebrows. “When it’s 35 points you start to get worried. When it’s a 51-point quarter, that’s really awful.”

If the Knicks are trying to make an impression on their new boss, they did not equivocate. It will most likely be the last time he will see them play in person until they return home from the five-game swing west that began Tuesday. Jackson said he had not yet begun to inquire about coaches, scouts or other front office staff he might want to bring in. He is in assessment mode.

“We’re in a talent hunt,” Jackson said. “We have to bring in talent.”

The specter of Jackson floated through Staples Center throughout the day, hanging in the air like the five championship banners he helped the Lakers to as a coach. He still has a large presence in this city and while his courtship with the Knicks played out, there were many Lakers fans who hoped it would prompt the team to bring him back in.

But when Jackson watched a 45-minute workout Tuesday morning from the stands with General Manager Steve Mills at his side, he was in Knicks warm-up gear. As the Knicks arrived by bus, Jackson was sequestered in the visitors’ locker room. Carmelo Anthony, who would score a game-high 29 points, and Tim Hardaway Jr. were among the few players who saw him there. Most were out on the court.

If there was any discussion, it appeared to be small talk.

“He just sat back and observed,” said guard Shannon Brown, who played for Jackson on two championship teams in Los Angeles. “He told us he would check us out tonight, but it wasn’t like last week in New York, when he talked with everybody.”