Ryan’s luck ran out, however, as the Giants won the coin toss. They proceeded to move the football deep into Falcons territory on their possession, and Lawrence Tynes sent the Meadowlands crowd home happy by booting a 36-yard field goal.
   When I asked Eli Manning later if it was too much to say the Giants’ season hinged on a flip of the coin, he smiled and said, “Let’s just say that I was glad that Matt Ryan called tails and the coin wound up heads!”
   The pitiful New Jersey Nets had lost their first 13 games of the 2009-10 season going into last night’s game at Portland. If they lose all four games on their Thanksgiving trip — a Nets tradition even on those rare occasions when they have a solid team — they will tie the 1988 Miami Heat and 1998 Los Angeles Clippers for most losses to start a season. Even if they manage to eke out a win before getting to that dubious mark, they still have a good shot at breaking the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers mark for fewest wins in a season. That awful team won a paltry nine games.
   I have to chuckle when Nets radio broadcasters Chris Carrino, and his unlistenable shill partner, alleged basketball analyst Tim Capstraw, lament the injuries that befell a number of players literally as soon as the season began. Granted, Devin Harris’ groin injury and forward Chris Douglas-Roberts recent bout with swine flu were major blows. The fact that such other expected major contributors as Jarvis Hayes, Yi Jianlian, Keyon Dooling and Courtney Lee have been missing hurts as well. The bottom line, though, is that even at full strength, the Nets would be lucky to have three wins by now because the opposing teams all have better players.
   You really can’t blame Knicks Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and General Manager Donnie Walsh for not signing controversial point guard Allen Iverson. Iverson has always been a “me first” player, and his stints with the 76ers, Nuggets and Pistons all ended on a sour note. At age 34, his best days on the court are behind him. His presence would not turn the Knicks into a winner.
   It was a pleasant homecoming last week for Syracuse freshman forward James Southerland, who grew up in Cambria Heights, as his team upset the mighty University of North Carolina at the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament, held at Madison Square Garden. The annual event raises funds for the American Cancer Society.