From this day forward, every bad team in the NBA will talk about the Boston Celtics rebuilding in a matter of months and enjoying a historic turnaround. Heck, it was mentioned several times in the Knicks’ locker room this season long before a championship trophy was raised.

So, did you enjoy the show?

I know league officials giggled with excitement when the overnight ratings came in well higher than in past seasons. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett even managed to outdraw Tiger Woods!

By the way, I meant Celtics in six.

It appears both teams are poised to make a repeat visit to the NBA Finals next season. The question is, who’s going to win more rings in the next five seasons, Bryant or Garnett?

The next round of workouts at the MSG practice facility is scheduled for Thursday, but we’ve not been told who’s coming yet. In the week before the draft, some teams like getting repeat visits to give prospects a second look.

It sounds like the coaching staff will become official later in the week unless there’s a snag.

Wilson Chandler did receive clearance to resume basketball activity last week. He sprained his left knee and missed the final game of the season. Chandler does have some unspecified restrictions to follow, but is reportedly back home in Michigan working out. It would do him a world of good to spend August and September in New York under the watchful eye of Mike D’Antoni and company.

He might be the small forward the Knicks have been looking for.

It seems the only players who’ve utilized the MSG practice facility since the end of the season are David Lee and Nate Robinson, who stop in from time to time. Both were fixtures there last summer. It doesn’t mean the other guys aren’t getting shots up.  

There are some interesting quotes from Ben Gordon, who was asked whether New York would be a good place to land should the Bulls grab Derrick Rose in next week’s draft and unload somebody from a crowded backcourt. There’s one thing people forget when they ask that question. Although he grew up in Mt. Vernon, a short ride from MSG, Gordon was a Michael Jordan fan. He’s always been a Bulls fan.

And somebody is going to have to pay him going forward.

Before you concoct any deals, figure out how to account for the $8 or $9 million a season Gordon is going to be looking for. It’s a number that cramps the Donnie Walsh game plan.

Again, please forgive the absence of updates. It’s a busy month with kindergarten recitals and predraft workouts and Little League games all vying for attention. The calendar is getting manageable this week, so we’ll have a chance to catch up.

Let’s start with Stephon Marbury making another court appearance. He was on the stand yesterday, testifying about a leaky basement. Here’s the story from Jane McManus that ran in The Journal News today. Who are we pulling for, the athelete who’s going to make $21 million this season or the big money developer who allegedly cut some corners?

I’m anxious to hear what the powers that be thought of D.J. Augustin, who is the one self-professed point guard in this draft. While he’s just 5-foot-11, the instincts and intangibles are NBA ready. Did anybody watch him in the NCAA tournament? He was struggling, but still found ways to contribute something to help Texas win games. Augustin scores well enough to keep defenses honest, and he seems committed on the defensive end.

Assuming Derrick Rose and Jerryd Bayless are off the board, do you use the No. 6 pick to get a player you want or take a gamble and trade down a couple of spots?

Here’s a little news about Jamal Crawford doing good, and Zach Randolph doing the opposite.

I was busy shooting a golf video this afternoon, so I didn’t get to the training facility, but it sounds like Phil Weber ran Jerryd Bayless and Eric Gordon around pretty good. He and Dan D’Antoni will probably be official members of the Knicks staff in the very near future now that everything is settled in Phoenix.

Next up are Robert Dozier of Memphis and Jeffrey Ferguson of Pikeville.

I’m not even going to guess what kind of scenario either of them fit into. Donnie Walsh is apparently beating the bushes in case he’s got an opportunity to move around the existing pieces.

The most prevalent trade rumor so far involves Zach Randolph going to Philadelphia, which is a pretty creative way to move salary. I’m not sure what kind of legs that speculation has, but that is the formula.  After the workouts are complete, the Knicks might be convinced it’s better to let somebody else take a flier with the No. 6 pick and make a deal that helps move them under the cap in 2010.

Robert Dozier (junior forward, 6-9, 215, Memphis)

Jeffrey Ferguson (senior F/C, 6-10, 230, Pikeville)

The invitation list for tomorrow’s workouts have been released, Jerryd Bayless and Eric Gordon.

It’s not going to be a head-to-head affair, which is standard for picks expected to go high in the lottery. Agents do not want their guys landing in situations where the competition winds up with a chance to show better.

We’ll have to wait until next season to watch them get after each other.

I’m not sure where both players are projecting, although most personnel experts I’ve spoken with so far believe Bayless will be a point guard. He’s got decent size at 6-foot-3, but we don’t know about the ability to make decisions at NBA speed. Gordon might be a more capable scorer, but do the Knicks need to duplicate what they already have in Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson?

There’s a chance Bayless won’t be on the board at No. 6, but he clearly doesn’t have a promise from anyone sitting ahead of the Knicks or he wouldn’t be coming in to run around.

Update (2:03 p.m.)
On another subject entirely, the folks are Madison Square Garden really are demonstrating a desire to provide fans with an opportunity to see championship basketball. According to a story moving on the wire, MSG wants to host an NCAA regional final in 2012 after the renovation is complete. Here’s the story from the Associated Press:

NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden, which last hosted an NCAA tournament game in 1961, is hoping its $500 million renovation will help it land the East Regional championship as early as 2012.

The current Garden, which opened in 1968 and is home to the NBA’s Knicks and NHL’s Rangers, announced its plans for the building upgrade in April and now has its sights set on bringing back college basketball’s national championship tournament in 2012 or 2013.

“When we announced the renovation, it was with the thought we would be able to draw a lot of these type big events we’ve never had,” Joel Fisher, the executive vice president of Madison Square Garden for Sports and Arena Renovation, said Monday. “And it’s important for us to complete the 2011-12 season, the first after the renovation, with an event of that stature.”

The current Garden is the fourth such New York arena with that name.

The NCAA tournament selection committee, which chooses where the tournament will be played as well as which teams will be in it, has yet to begin the process of selecting sites for the 2012 tournament but there is interest in Madison Square Garden hosting part of the tournament for a 17th time.

“The renovation makes it much more conducive to the kind of space we would take a look at,” Greg Shaheen, the NCAA’s vice president for men’s basketball, said Monday. “We are not in an active bid cycle right now with everything awarded through 2011, but it is always part of an ongoing discussion. Clearly Madison Square Garden is interested, and I think the basketball committee is interested as well.”

Shaheen said the committee is looking at Final Four bids for 2012 through 2016 and will begin looking at early round and regional sites early next year with the final decisions announced about a year from now.

It doesn’t sound like the Knicks will be hosting another group of draft prospects before next Tuesday, so I was able to spend a little time browsing online story after online story.

Did you see the one about former Knicks guard Allan Houston possibly latching on in Phoenix?

He was apparently out there in the spring to visit with Grant Hill, and you can read the rest in this story in the Arizona Republic because I’m too lazy to retype the details here.

Oh yeah, read the comments.

There’s somebody who’s clearly been out baking in the dry heat too long. I’m not making this up. Somebody out there is hoping the Suns deal Steve Nash to the Knicks, and wait until you see what he wants in return. It’s hilarious.

Before the Lakers and Celtics tip off tomorrow night, let’s get some predictions on the record here. While there have been a number of competitive series, I can’t say the level of play in the postseason has been impressive, but I am looking forward to watching this matchup.

Let’s say Lakers in six.

I know several owners and general managers will be watching in disgust, feeling the Lakers got in because they stole Pau Gasol and the Celtics got in because they stole Kevin Garnett.

Get used to the idea.

Both organizations are poised to contend for a number of years going forward, but the league needs a couple of hated teams. It makes things more interesting.

On the home front, Dave Hanners rejoined Larry Brown in Charlotte as expected, the official release went out this morning:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hanners played guard at UNC under Smith from 1972-76, sharing a backcourt with Ford for his final two seasons. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Tar Heels from 1976-78, then spent three seasons as an assistant coach at UNC-Wilmington, two seasons at Furman and four seasons at East Tennessee State before returning to UNC in 1989 as an assistant coach.

Here they come. The first group of NBA draft prospects are stopping by the MSG Training Facility in the morning for a hearty workout.

The invite list is six deep:

Joe Alexander (junior F, 6-8, 230, West Virginia); Chase Budinger (sophomore F, 6-7, 208, Arizona); Sundiata Gaines (senior G, 6-1, 210, Georgia); Steven Hill (senior F/C, 7-0, 245, Arkansas); JaVale McGee (junior C/F, 7-0, 237, Nevada); Russell Westbrook (sophomore G, 6-3, 187, UCLA).

I’m particularly interested to see what the last two guys on the list bring.

Westbrook, 19, doesn’t have enough range to be considered a shooting guard in the NBA, but he is elusive on the offensive end. He’s also fairly determined on defense, which is something the Knicks haven’t seen out top since Charlie Ward chased opposing point guards around with conviction.

He might be somebody Donnie Walsh could trade down a couple of spots for.

McGee, 20, is another player with some upside, but I don’t see anyone using a lottery pick to lock up a player who’s a couple of years away from being a major contributor. He is a developing shot-blocker, though, and really doesn’t seem to mind running up and down the floor.

The only other I’d keep an eye on in this group is Budinger, who is a little one dimensional right now. The kid is a shooter, and that’s a commodity in Mike D’Antoni’s system. Should the Knicks deal for a second pick in the first round, there should be some interest.

I was in the car this morning listening to a little sports talk radio when a commercial for Knicks season-ticket plans got my full attention.

Naturally, the advertisement trumpeted newly-hired coach Mike D’Antoni and the exciting style of play he’s bringing to New York. It’s the one and only selling point right now. The spot went on to list some of the players expected to excel in the up-tempo game—Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and David Lee.

Did you catch that?

Yes, there’s a strong possibility the Knicks will have to endure at least one more season with Marbury, but I really don’t understand why he’s part of the marketing plan. I really hope there’s more to the campaign …

“Hey fans, come on down to MSG next season and see if Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry figure out how to get along.”

Only in New York.

It sounds like the Knicks will be having some draft prospects in for a closeup starting on Wednesday, but we don’t exactly know who’s on the list.

The process can be a little complicated.

Agents work hard this time of year to position their clients as high as possible. Derrick Rose would be wasting precious time working out for any team outside Chicago or Miami, and the same goes for Michael Beasley.

There might be eight players who don’t believe they’ll land in New York and are reluctant to come in.

From what I can tell, Herb Williams and Greg Brittenham will be putting the prospects through all kinds of drills meant to display strengths and weaknesses in short order. Mike D’Antoni might also play a role. It can be a physical challenge despite weeks of intense preperation, which is why it’s not helpful to the player to run around the country repeating the process over and over again.

Potential draft picks also be going through a fairly serious interview process with Donnie Walsh and other team officials who are looking to get a sense of presence and personality.

And there’s plenty of due dilligence.

That’s a polite way of describing what security personnel do behind the scenes to make certain there will be no surprises. I’m betting somebody behind the scenes will know more about O.J. Mayo’s tricky situation than even the NCAA when that dirty laundry gets sorted.