It's been so long since any Knicks game mattered that last night's wild and crazy finish was a special treat. Hosting the Lakers, the Knicks were up by 15 points with 8 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter. The lead was still 12 points with 1:20 remaining, but then the Lakers sank 4 three-pointers in 46 seconds to send the game into overtime tied at 107. Finally, the Knicks held on to win 117-115, helped by a bonehead play by Kobe Bryant in the last few seconds (this was fun to watch).

Other cities may have better basketball teams, but there is still no question that Madison Square Garden is the #1 stage in pro basketball. The fans and media attention create a vibe that no other city comes close to matching. This is why it was so exciting in the mid 1990s when you could count on huge games against the Bulls, Heat and Lakers every year. For just a few minutes last night, there was a playoff-like atmosphere at the Garden--something, for a variety of reasons, not likely to be felt again anytime soon.