Loss #10

A humiliating defeat at the hands of the Celtics who are on a roll. If this game doesn't re-establish a rivalry I don't know what will.

Lessons learned:

1. Boston has yet to learn a lesson in NBA manners. Watch how you treat the other team on the way up, you'll be seeing them again on the way down.

2. Reggie Miller is a pro's pro. His observations on the Knicks were measured, accurate, and fair while the rest of the TNT commentators were aping the "Fire Isiah" mantras and rehashing tired and pathetic cliches.

I think Miller sees great potential in the Knicks and says as much even in criticism - they are a joke because they should be winning. True.

3.) These players are breaking Isiah's heart and his back by destroying his credibility. He cares about them, he caters to them, and he is protective of them and they don't get it. I say this again and again - bring back Larry Brown at any cost. Brown is nothing like Isiah but Brown knows talent at the service level and he is a coach's coach. And Isiah has to step away from protecting players he cares about to creating a team that wins - Brown knows how to make that happen.

Will a guy like Brown piss off Dolan, Isiah, some players, and some fans? You bet. And it's a good thing.

4.) I advocated the acquisition of Curry at considerable cost believing (rightfully so) that players this big are just too rare not to take a flyer on. It is time to trade Eddy. He's been here long enough to make a difference and he hasn't. The Celtics so easily stripped him repeatedly that I felt bad for him. feeling bad for one of your own players means he don't belong here.

Jeffries and Lee can play center on a reconfigured Knicks team that emphasizes speed and agility rather than brute strength, say, a Phoenix East.

5.) Our starting unit is terminally dysfunctional. In fact we don't have a starting unit. We just have high-priced veterans who start - get rid of as many as we can.

We are no longer in a position to rebuild from scratch - we have a nice young core. but we carry veterans who have no future here. Rose needs to be traded to a contender. Ditto for Q. Sooner is better. Savvy vets can always be acquired late in January should our season correct itself.

So if we can't can't rebuild, what next? We need to get out of the state of denial about this team and trade our way toward a more cohesive and effective team.

#1 priority really must be a guy like Andre Miller. we need somebody who can distribute the ball.

6. ) Isiah would be wise to quit. He doesn't deserve being fired any more than LB did but it is all over for him. If not today then soon. I'm not advocating such a thing - just sayin'.