The Associated Press reports: Today might be another record-breaking day for Toronto Raptors coach Lenny Wilkins.

If the Raptors lose today's home game against the New York Knicks, Wilkins will tie Bill Fitch for the most all-time losses as an NBA head coach with 1,106 losses.

Wilkins, who owns the record for most coaching wins with 1,290 wins, isn't worried about tying or breaking Fitch's record.

"It doesn't bother me at all," Wilkens said. "With success comes failure, too. I think that I've accomplished more good things than others."

Things have not been good for Wilkens' Toronto Raptors this season, who have lost too many games to count to injury and are only 22-49 for the season.

Still, he is not worried about his job despite being constantly blasted by local newspapers, fans of the team , and speculation that he will be let go after the season.

"I have a contract for next year," Wilkens said. "We'll see. I'm not going to worry about anything. Every game I go out there and coach and try to win and that's the way it's going to be until the end of the season. Then we'll see what happens."

In 1999, Antonio McDyess was a highly coveted free agent with a decision to make. Stay with Phoenix or leave to Denver. More than 4 years later, McDyess still regrets the decision he made reports Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.

"I blame it on how young and stupid I was," McDyess said. "There was a lot of pressure on me. Honestly, I was young and I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't look back to see what we had. I wasn't thinking what we could do and how far we could go. I just made a silly mistake.

"I always look back at that and think what could have and should have happened. I try to let it go and put it in the past but it's kinda hard when you see how well he's playing now with the Nets and I think about how good we played together when we were at Phoenix."

How good is right. McDyess averaged 15.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game on 54% shooting in 1997-1998, their only season together. It was the only season McDyess has made the playoffs as well.

"That was great," said McDyess, who is expected to re-sign with the Knicks when his contract expires next summer. "I still kinda think about why I left because I think we had something special."

Now Kidd faces a similar situation, so what will he do Antonio?

"Honestly, I don't know," McDyess said, laughing. "He doesn't really say anything about it."

Marc Berman reports that in a bizarre scene that lasted nearly a minute, Klein caused a commotion when he wobbled over from his celebrity-row seat to Sprewell and struck up a conversation while Spree was trying to in-bounds the ball. Klein was escorted back to his seat by security so play could continue.

Witnesses said Klein had spent the game munching on potato chips and sipping on beverages. The incident occurred with three minutes left in last night's victory over the Raptors.

Klein, wearing jeans and a gray pullover, shouted, "Sprewell" after he returned to his seat.

Sprewell looked befuddled as Klein approached and said afterward he didn't know who it was until a Knicks p.r. staffer informed him in the locker room.

Klein then tried to barrel onto the court at the buzzer, perhaps to congratulate the Knicks for sticking in the playoff race. "I was a little surprised," Sprewell said. I had no idea [it was him]. I was wondering if security was going to come over at some point."

Sprewell wouldn't say what Klein told him, but the Knick star was more amused than angry. "I'm going to keep that to myself," Spree said. "I don't want to get into it."

Sources said Klein got his tickets through the NBA, not the Knicks. Klein attends Knick games periodically, but never before had caused a ruckus before.

New Jersey Nets center Dikembe Mutombo is set to make his return to the lineup after sitting out most of this season reports Fred Kerber of the New York Post.

Mutombo was cleared by doctors to practice with the Nets for the first time in four months and could be ready for game action in as early as a week.

"They got a new teammate again. I was able to do the things that I have not been able to do all year long," said Mutombo, who tore ligaments in his wrist Nov. 28 and underwent surgery a week later. "It has been something I have been looking forward to for a long time . . . I will know in a week if I feel ready to go."

For now, the Nets are targeting next Saturday's game against Golden State as a possibly return date.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports: Could P.J. Brown and his rebounding be headed to the Garden this offseason?

The free agent-to-be isn't ruling anything out.

"No doors are going to be closed on anybody," Brown told The Post. "I'm familiar with the area, with New Jersey for three years. I wouldn't have a problem with that at all. A lot more people up there like me than they want to put on. I have a lot of love for New York."

A lot will depend on how much the Hornets are willing to offer him.

If they offer Brown a multi-year deal that starts above the projected Mid-Level Exception, which is expected to be around $4.7-to-$5 million this offseason, he will probably re-sign in New Orleans. However, if they don't, Brown's services are up for grabs.

Knicks head coach Don Chaney said some nice things about Brown.

"P.J. Brown, he doesn't get the ink he should get," said Don Chaney. "He makes shots. I've always had a great deal of respect for him but I really respect his offense more now. You used to double and not rotate to him. Now you have to rotate to him."

For the season, Brown is averaging 10.8 points, 9 rebounds, and a tad over a block per game.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports: Apparently, the rumors were true.

Contrary to the belief that the Spurs were not serious about acquiring Knicks guard Latrell Sprewell at the trading deadline, due to the fact ex-coach P.J. Carlesimo is part of the San Antonio staff, the Spurs say it was not an issue.

However it wasn't a "pie-in-the-sky story,"according to a source.

Carlesimo claims he'd have no problem coaching Sprewell again, saying "If I stay in the league long enough, I'll coach against him and maybe it goes the other way."

Former NBA player John Starks is the new coach of the Westchester Wildfire of the U.S Basketball League.

The USBL season runs from April 19 through June 21.

"As my playing career wound down, it was clear to me that my future interest was in coaching basketball on the professional level," Starks said.

NBA players were graded separately on salary (1 is highest) and overall performance compared to their teammates (1 is best). Performance rank was subtracted from salary rank. For example, a team's top-paid player, if he ranked sixth in performance, would score a -5.

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports: John Starks has followed former teammates Herb Williams, Patrick Ewing, and Doc Rivers into the coaching ranks.

Yesterday, Starks was named the head coach of the Westchester Wildfire, a USBL team whose inaugural season runs from April 19 through June 21.

"This is a great opportunity for me," Starks said yesterday. "I'm happy to be back in the New York starting a new profession."

Starks even got a congratulatory phone call from former coach Jeff Van Gundy.

Van Gundy told Starks he was buying season tickets just to see Starks' reaction the first time "someone comes down and jacks up a three in transition. John's going to go nuts and I'm going to be laughing."

Said Starks: "As long as he makes the shot I won't complain."

"Whenever you're able to learn under a great coach like coach Pat Riley and Jeff you tend to catch the coaching bug," Starks said. "They taught me a lot about the game."

If you want to play for Starks, the team is holding open tryouts on March 29-30 at SUNY-Purchase, the same site where Starks practiced with the Knicks. The Wildfire official Web site is http://www.westchesterwildfire.com.

Newsday's Greg Logan is reporting that the Knick's will get some cap relief this year.

The Knicks currently have a $93 million dollar payroll- $16.5 million of those dollars coing from retired players Larry Johnson and Luc Longley. NBA sources confirmed that Longley's $6.9 million dollar salary would be taken off the Knick's cap immediately.

The decision is significant in that the Knicks will likely pay closer to $33 million dollars in luxury tax instead of the currently estimated $40 million.