"There they were with an actual chance to silence the wolves, the lambs and the vultures Friday night in Boston, and what did the Knicks do? Croaked from second-hand choke.

Up a dozen against the recently exhumed Celtics, they were hosing their hosts in the third quarter (7:15 left), until the Knicks reverted to playing like the Knicks: No movement, slurred shot selection (0-for-10 from the great divide in second half after downing 3-5 before intermission) and too many defensive breakdowns.

The Celtics had more second chances than a career criminal with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Even after the refs correctly (and interminably) decided a Paul Pierce prayer resulted after the shot clock had expired, the Knicks squandered their found fortune. An ugly miss by Carmelo Anthony and a last-gasp lunge by 10th man Steve Novak (or Novak Djokovic, I can't recall) reaffirmed the regurgitation.

Interesting that Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, following the review of Pierce's belated shot, needed a 20-second timeout — after time had been out forever — to draw the next play on the board.

Now I ask you, why would anybody get the impression D'Antoni might be in critical coaching condition?"