Dave Cowens was in town yesterday but the Knicks would neither confirm nor deny that the former Celtic great was being interviewed for a job on Don Chaney's coaching staff.

Cowens, a former teammate and a long-time friend of Chaney, fits one of the main requirements for the job: he has had head coaching experience, with Charlotte and Golden State.

Yesterday, Cowens attended Dave DeBusschere's funeral in Garden City, L.I., and was seated next to Chaney. Cowens and DeBusschere helped create the NBA's Retired Players Association.

Indiana's Brendan Malone, a former Knicks assistant, is also under consideration for a job.