I’ll spare you all the cliche story of the Knicks beating the odds (or the NBA helping them out in their own self interests)and winning the innaugeral draft lottery in 1985 and drafting Patrick Ewing.

There's no way that Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley don't go 1-2 or 2-1 in the June NBA Draft.

That appears to be the way Pat Riley is approaching the next two NBA seasons for his Miami Heat. By all accounts, assuming Miami gets the No. 1 pick, he seems to like the idea of drafting Derrick Rose ahead of Michael Beasley.

It's been a constant source of debate in Miami for weeks. Whom will the Heat pick in the NBA draft? Kansas State forward Michael Beasley or Memphis point guard Derrick Rose?

He has the build and the brawn, the athleticism and the agility, the tenacity and the touch.

No, there are no pingpong balls with individual team logos. And, no, there are not 1,000 pingpong balls in play.

This week is the NBA’s Draft Lottery and hopefully the Miami Heat can attract some luck in landing the number one spot.

A prayer for relevance... for the following argument, and for the Grizzlies.

Kansas State's Michael Beasley and Memphis' Derrick Rose are poised be the top two picks in the NBA Draft. But who will be No. 1 is up for debate.

Much like last year, there seems to be a growing debate about the top two players on NBA draft lists.

The NBA's version of Powerball will be played Tuesday night with the "winning ticket" expected to deliver a player talented enough to change the course of an entire franchise.

This year's draft once again presents us with a great debate at the top — Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley? Conventional wisdom has always been that when in doubt, go with size. But today's NBA premium on point guards evens the playing field.

Mike D'Antoni has told confidants he thinks Rose can be the next Steve Nash. And he told The Post that Rose is "Jason Kidd with a shot."

This evening, New Yorkers from the Bronx to Brooklyn will have their fingers crossed hoping tonight is the night jumpstarting the Knicks' reconstruction.