The crisis is officially over. There may actually turn out to be a basketball season in New York.
The Garden roared with repeated and thunderous chants of "De-Fense`` last night in the closing minutes, not "Fire Isiah,`` as the Knicks hung on for a superb 113-109 victory over the Jazz.
It is a victory that may mean something.
So what if Italy-bound Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas never share a gondola ride in Venice? Marbury has a fire lit under his butt. He carried the Knicks with him during a festive Garden night for their second straight win.
"No. 3 was really good tonight,`` Thomas said of his feuding partner, whom he inexplicably benched two weeks ago, setting off a firestorm that threatened to wreck the season.
In the space of two games, Marbury has turned the boos to cheers. Last night, he racked up 28 points on 9-of-14 shooting with six assists in outplaying the league`s best young point-guard stud, Deron Williams. (...)
