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SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Now I've heard it all. "The Knicks In Seven" says an article written by Wallace Matthews of the New York Post. You remember Matthews don't you? The guy who was supposed to be the sane fishwrap writer starring opposite the rambunctious Jim Rome on Fox's The Last Word? Well Matthews isn't on the show but he and the staff of columnists and sports writers at the Post honestly believe that the Knicks can take the Spurs in this series?

Now I've never been to the Big Apple and I might not even travel during this series. As a lowly managing editor of a weekly newspaper in San Antonio doesn't allow me to afford such luxuries. Yet I do get the opportunity to witness history in the making. Do I think the Knicks are a talented team. At one point I did. Yet as this team played in the playoffs, I found myself nodding off to sleep on more than one occasion. Is this what NBC wants? Surely there has to be a better way.

The story line for this series has to be titled "The Improbable Choices". The Spurs, who were favored early in the season, got off to a rocky 6-8 start but then caught fire and lit up the rest of the West. They almost flawlessly executed the T-Wolves out of the playoffs. They foreclosed on the Great Western Forum and the Lake Show. Then they enticed the Trailblazers into thinking that there would be a problem winning on the road with tight victories at home only to scorch the Blazers on their home court. All in all this team is 11-1 in the playoffs. Are the Bricks that formidable?

It's been a Cinderella season for Jeff Van Gundy and his beloved Knicks. For a team that was at .500 most of the season, this team has found ways to win in TWO series. Against the Miami Heat, Allan Houston found a way to make it happen. Against the hapless Atlanta Hawks, they just breezed through. Then against the Indiana Pacers, they defeated a team that defeated themselves. All of this was done at a time when Sir Patrick Ewing nearly ruptured his achilles tendon and with Larry Johnson going down in the second quarter of game six. That has left this team with nine players to go up against a team that may want the title a lot more.

It's not that I don't think the series will be a good series but one has to look seriously at where the Knicks came from. Sure they're tough but are they tougher than the Spurs? The Spurs have come on at a time when no one thought they should be making a run. Head coach and GM Gregg Popovich has had guys believing in his system and in each other. That's not to say that embattled coach Van Gundy hasn't had his problems. Yet it is time for that glorious run at the title to finally come down to reality. Far be it for me to say that the Knicks will falter early. They won't. Yet the Knicks have never seen anything all season like the Spurs team that will be ready on Wednesday.

Marcus Camby has never had to deal with Tim Duncan. This is the pros, not college. If Chris Dudley thinks David Robinson is washed up, then he might want to call the Trailblazers and find out the truth. Kurt Thomas is going to be indoctrinated into what playing defense is all about. Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell and Chris Childs will finally learn HOW to play defense. And as for L.J., the L Train will quickly become the Sunset Limited.

It 12 O'clock midnight Knick fans and that luxurious coach you've been riding in for so long is about to become the Great Pumpkin.


By Gregory Moore