My son Nick and I walked out of the rain into the vale of tears that is Madison Square Garden just before the start of Tuesday night’s Knicks game.

If seeing a competitive basketball game was our aim — and, just for giggles, why not? — we should have sprinted to our seats. Every team in the league is tied at the opening tip. Instead, we tempted fate and ducked into the concourse to buy an overpriced chicken taco, or two, and a couple of beers.

As I paid my bill at the register, I glanced at the television set. Dirk Nowitzki had hit a rainbow 20-footer. It was two and a half minutes into the game, and the Knicks trailed by 4. Behind me, a lawyer groaned. “I can’t take it,” he muttered. “If this keeps up, I’m leaving at halftime.”

It kept up. We settled into our seats with 7 minutes 45 seconds to play in the first quarter. The Knicks were down, 19-7.