NBA

D’Antoni left coaching kids instead of Knicks

It was a tale of two coaches, a tale of two sports at the Garden’s Westchester practice facility yesterday.

Against one wall, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni fumbled, bumbled and laughed nervously to most questions — afraid of being fined $1 million by commissioner David Stern for even acknowledging the existence of an NBA lockout.

Not 10 yards away, Rangers coach John Tortorella was sticking up for his team in a glorious rant, blasting Sharks captain Joe Thornton for calling his Blueshirts “soft.’’

D’Antoni? He’s not even allowed to mention any of his players’ names.

D’Antoni and Tortorella were brought together yesterday by Madison Square Garden’s “Garden of Dreams’’ foundation as they coached 26 “underserved’’ Bronx kids in tug o’ war, relay races and shooting baskets. It was Team D’Antoni vs. Team Tortorella.

It was a great day for charity, but it could have been greater.

D’Antoni wasn’t preparing for the Heat, and that was a shame. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were scheduled to invade the newly transformed Garden tonight against Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire in the Knicks’ 2011-12 season opener, in what would have been a wonderful night near Broadway. It was canceled by the lockout, which crossed the four-month threshold yesterday.

King James was even moved to tweet last night: “I’m supposed to be in NY preparing to battle [Anthony, Stoudemire] and the Knicks in the Garden 2tomorrow night. SMH (Shaking my head).’’

Asked if it was good to be coaching at least something yesterday, D’Antoni joked, “We did win.’’

The media was told not to ask D’Antoni about anything other than the charity competition, but he was willing to vaguely talk about what he’s been up to while labor negotiations took place fruitlessly in Manhattan.

“Just preparing,’’ D’Antoni said. “Trying to get better as a staff, doing a lot of clinics, trying to make the best of everything.’’

Then a D’Antoni, feeling he said too much, said, “Thank you. We’re outta here.’’

A league source told The Post no meetings are scheduled and none may take place all week, because the deadlock over the revenue split rages on.

Today the NBA and the players’ union will have a procedural hearing regarding a potential dismissal of the league’s complaint that the players’ association has not bargained in good faith. The union has filed a similar complaint against the NBA.

So the hardwood will not be placed over the ice at the Mecca of Basketball tonight. Not until Duke — not the Knicks — opens the place for basketball on Nov. 15 vs. Michigan State. D’Antoni’s buddy Mike Krzyzewski gets the honors.

Duke will use the Knicks’ new circular locker room and step on the Knicks’ logo on the fresh orange/blue carpet before Stoudemire will ever see it.

“It’s a great state-of-the-art facility and the details are fantastic,’’ said D’Antoni of the transformation, another topic that was safe. “From the fan experience, all the way to the players, everyone’s going to enjoy the arena. It’s always had tradition. Now you have state of the art, so it’s a pretty good complement.’’

It was a good day for charity. It could have been a greater day for basketball in The Mecca.