Here’s a Team That Brings Nation Together

Mike Wise in the New York Times: “It is time for the annual rite of spring, when New York falls in love with its basketball team and the rest of America wants it arrested.

“This message is from a friend in Northern California and she is incredulous:

“ ‘OK, Sprewell takes down Vince Carter, one of the most exciting players in the game. And Larry Johnson congratulates himself after a three-pointer, flashing that ridiculous ‘L’ sign. It’s just like last year in the playoffs.

“ ‘I hate the Knicks. Absolutely hate them.’ ”

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More Knicks: New York forward Marcus Camby finds it difficult to argue. “At times, we’re probably one of the most disliked teams in the league. I don’t know why. I think we have a lot of good guys on this team.”

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Trivia time: Which NBA team holds the record for turnovers in a playoff game?

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Chasing the Tiger: From Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post, on David Duval’s quest to keep up with Tiger Woods:

“At the Masters, one of Duval’s key strategic questions was how many miles he should run in the morning before he played. In his quest to catch Tiger, Duval has gone far beyond dieting to weight training and distance running. To him, a six-mile run is something to ‘get me loose.’

“Not so long ago, a six-mile run would have killed Billy Casper, Julius Boros, Fuzzy Zoeller, Lee Trevino, Phil Rogers and the young Ohio Fats version of Jack Nicklaus. All six of them, as a relay team, probably couldn’t beat Duval.”

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Hunch bet? It was Senior Citizens’ Day at Sportsman’s Park in Cicero, Ill., on Monday--especially in the third race.

Torole and Rut, 10-year-old thoroughbreds, finished 1-2 in the mile event.

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Bertka views: Shaquille O’Neal in an interview with the Sacramento Bee said that longtime Laker assistant coach Bill Bertka has been particularly helpful to him:

“He’s always pointing stuff out, telling me a lot of war stories just like, ‘You’re working too hard to do the drop step. Just fake the drop step and come back with a little hook.’

“Or, he’ll say, ‘Stop shooting the fadeaways. Go to the jump hook. Kareem never shot a fadeaway. Score. Let’s go!’ ”

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Tossup? Dan Le Batard in the Miami Herald: “Who is more annoying? That too-goofy, too-loud Arquette guy in the collect-call commercials or Met Manager Bobby Valentine?”

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Looking back: On this day in 1956, Rocky Marciano retired undefeated as heavyweight boxing champion. He finished with a 49-0 record and 43 knockouts.

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Trivia answer: The Chicago Bulls, 36, against Portland on April 17, 1977.

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And finally: Jeff Gordon in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Celtic Coach Rick Pitino may not have the horses to win at Boston. But a thoroughbred he owns, Ruby Rubles, looks like a champion on the track.

“The 5-year-old mare won the $126,300 Bed O’ Roses Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Aqueduct on Saturday. She has won four of her five starts this year--a streak the Celtics could never match.”