Some uncorked bottles of wine have breathed longer than Allan Houston's old locker. Yet there Antonio Davis sat Tuesday night, barely more than 24 hours after Houston announced his retirement, declaring he wants to be what Houston can't anymore.

A Knick. And a leader.

"Larry [Brown] said he wanted me here," Davis said before sitting out New York's 114-99 loss to Philadelphia. "Isiah [Thomas] said he wanted me here. I'm here and I'm ready to go."

Ready to mentor Eddy Curry, his former Bulls teammate with whom he was traded to the Knicks. Ready to play the locker room role Brown hoped Houston and other now-departed veterans would play.

Ready to play for a coach who brought him into the league in Indiana and resume his role as one of "Larry's guys."

"The guy literally gave me a chance to play basketball," said the 6-foot-9 Davis, who turns 37 on Halloween and is entering his 13th NBA season. "I was overseas and I had tried out for the Pacers before and didn't make the team. And he came in as a new coach, and saw me play and loved what I do and let me play."

"Tony's been around so long," Brown said. "He's been with me. The fact that he plays a position where so many of our young kids play, [his role will] be huge."