NEW YORK – Whenever the Boston Celtics are in town, particularly on Fan Appreciation Night, there is interest. It’s not just about what went right, or what went wrong, during the 2007-08 season. It’s about where they were a year ago, and about where they are expected to be a year from now.

Beyond basketball, there was also significant interest at the concession stands, as this particular game also offered free eats and sodas. But, alas, that was the only thing fans had to cheer about during a seventh consecutive losing season.

Monday night’s 99-93 downer was just one more loss, and one more season sweep for the Celtics. The rivalry that persisted from the 70’s through the 90’s has little air left. Quentin Richardson’s words in late November –“We’re not in awe of them; they ain’t won no championships.” - had attempted to intensify a grudge. Two months later, his verbal challenge to Paul Pierce -on the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., no less- was just as fruitless.

The Celtics are 64-16, and own the best record in the NBA. They have already captured home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The only thing that New York [23-58] won, in its quest for the bottom of the Eastern Conference, is the hope of winning the No. 1 pick this June.

Boston has been there before. Just twelve months ago, in fact.

In 2006-07, they finished nine games behind the Knicks. Instead of strengthening their tem through the lottery, they traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Those two additions have propelled them 42 games ahead of New York. That’s a smooth 51-game swing between the two teams, which is unheard of in this era.

Still, somehow, the Knicks sold out eight of their last ten games, and 21 overall for the season. That fact resonated with Isiah Thomas, who could have, very well, coached his final home game at the Garden.

“If this is the worst it could possibly be,” he said before the game, “then the best in New York has to be heaven.”

“If this is the extreme on the bottom, then New York is a great place to be, an awesome place to be. Because [the fans] are there. We’ve been in lot of arenas where there’s apathy, where they didn’t care. I, honestly, love the way they supported our team through these difficult times.

“There’s a certain aspect of losing that really, really stinks, and the fans have a right to voice it when it stinks . . . because we’re in the locker room voicing that, too.

“It’s been a very unique year,” added the embattled coach, who was in a courtroom awaiting his fate in a sexual harassment trial when training camp opened.

“I have seen the bad times, so I would love to be here in good times,” said Jamal Crawford, who has the distinction of being the longest-tenured NBA player without a playoff appearance. “I have tried to stay as patient, and professional, as possible. But, I really can’t worry about stuff I can’t control.”

Boston, winners in 10 of 11 overall, has now won six straight overall against the Knicks, and six straight at Madison Square Garden. New York could not win even though Garnett, Allen and Pierce did not dress.

With one more victory, the Knicks will avoid tying the franchise record of 59 losses, which they have established three times before. New York will close out their season on Wednesday, against the Pacers, having dropped 58 for the fifth time in their history.

They finished 15-26 at the Garden, which tied the 1985-86 and 2005-06 teams for their worst ever over a 41-game schedule.

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