"Baron Davis may be from Los Angeles, but he has spent his career dreaming of playing in New York.

"As a rookie when you first go to the Garden, everybody's telling you how magical it is," Davis said yesterday after signing with the Knicks. "This is a place I always wanted to play, and I always kind of rise to the occasion when I play against the Knicks and in the Garden.

"It's an unbelievable opportunity, and I'm ready to accept the challenge."

The question now is when Davis' body will allow him to accept that challenge. When he was released by the Cavaliers last week, using the amnesty clause in the new collective bargaining agreement, Davis' agent, Todd Ramasar, said Davis could be out for as long as 8-to-10 weeks with a herniated disc in his back."