night, the phone lines for a late-night sports talk show on WFAN in New York lit up with calls. Basketball fans in the city that doesn't sleep were impressed with what they saw at Madison Square Garden.

The host conceded that Boston was ''a legitimate playoff contender.'' Then, he complimented Tom O'Brien on the job he had done turning around the Celtics. We'll be sure to pass the good word along to coach Jim O'Brien.

With almost one quarter