NBA Preview: New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic

After a devastating loss Friday night to the NBA worst Sacramento Kings, the New York Knicks flew into Orlando for the first of two back to back games against the Orlando Magic.

As ever-cool Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni prepared to leave New York's Madison Square Garden last night after a121-94 Knicks loss to the the NBA cellar dwelling Sacramento Kings, he anticipated along and uncomfortable flight from New York to Orlando with a team he described as "devastated" and "possibly broke". After a surprising 3-0 swing through the NBA's Rust Belt last week, and gutsy, intense, defensive wins against Milwaukee, Detroit and Minnesota, Knicks forward Al Harrington (and D'Antoni) were pumped to return to MSG, the "world's most famous arena" and self proclaimed "mecca of basketball", and add further traction to the Knicks' March playoff drive against visiting squads New Jersey and Sacramento. The Knicks has not been in contention for the playoffs in March for a half decade, their NBA thoroughbred status from the 70s stained by the twisted tutelage of Bad Boy Isiah Thomas, currently collecting more than $20 million a season as a "European scout" after an alleged drug overdose in late 2008. (Maybe he should be scouting prodigy and first round pick Danilo Gallinari's bad back. Gallinari is getting ready to return from Italy after consulting top shelf back surgeons there re: a bulging disc.) Until Friday, the Kings had not won a single contest against an Eastern Conference team, shooting duds in some 28 games. Early in the year, the situation was dire enough for management to rehire the grizzled, grey and Yoda-like Pete Carrill, creator of the "Princteton offense", as an assistant coach and basketball consultant. The principal offense evident Friday night in the Garden was the one leveled at the sold out Knicks crowd via their horrid perfomance. The fans were disgusted. So were the knicks players. Harrington did not play Friday. He was nursing sore Achilles tendon. He is currently the Knicks' leading scorer at 20 points a game, just ahead of "Kryptnate" Robinson, who when he isn't making history as the greatest little guy in the league since Calvin Murphy, is mulling offers for appearances on Letterman and Conan. Get in line Jimmy Fallon. The Knicks hit Orlando tonight, where the Nate Robinson-Dwight Howard duel will be revisited. Its a back to back confrontation, with the Magic returning to the Garden on Monday to face the Knicks. D'Antoni is wondering if he pushed point guard Chris Duhon and out of position center David Lee (returning to the state of his alma mater tonight) too hard earlier in the season. He said watching the Knicks the last two games was like "watching people try to move through mud". But if history repeats itself, look for the Knicks to win tonight, and then again at the Garden on Monday. and then lose to a team they are supposed to beat the next time they hit the floor.