Now comes the fun part: Figuring out where Jeff Van Gundy will coach next.
Having suddenly quit as head coach of the Knicks, the coaching lifer will only be unemployed as long as he wants to; teams will find ways to clear the decks to hire him as soon as he puts the word out that he's interested in getting back in the business.
Two intriguing possibilities:
Last summer, the Portland Trail Blazers were denied permission to talk to Van Gundy about the vacancy they eventually filled with Maurice Cheeks. The Blazers are still in disarray, Damon Stoudamire's pouting about playing time; Scottie Pippen's been injured and Portland's stumbling along at a game over .500 and making absolutely no noise in the tough Western Conference.
The other is full of intrigue.
Van Gundy learned at the feet of Pat Riley, whose Miami Heat are among the worst teams in the league, coach Riley has been done wrong by general manager Riley and the coach's message and method are wearing thin. Van Gundy's brother, Stan, is an assistant with the Heat and he'd be a fine foil for his brother.
The morning line favourites: Miami, slightly over the Blazers.