By MARC BERMAN

Pacers owner Herb Simon decided to end it all today by staging a press conference to announce Donnie Walsh is leaving the Pacers. The press conference is ongoing.

It opens the door up for the Knicks, who have made contact with Walsh across the past two weeks, having spoken to him about the job preliminarily. When I asked Walsh Saturday night on the phone if the Knicks were a longshot, he said, “I wouldn’t say that.”

There had been a report Sunday Walsh was staying in Indiana and Larry Bird would be out. Walsh wanted to wait until the end of the season, but speculation was too strong. Now Bird finally gets total control for the first time. Meanwhile, the Bucks are in the hunt too for Walsh. It’s unclear if Walsh is the Knicks’ first choice. “I think I’ve been here too long,” the Bronx-born Walsh said during the press conference, referring to his 24-year service in Indiana.