Richie Adubato has but one concern when he returns to the Garden today for the first time since he was fired as Liberty head coach last summer.

“I hope I don’t go into the wrong locker room,” said Adubato, who will coach the Washington Mystics today against the 1-3 Liberty. “I spent nine years of my life there. I love the building.”

Adubato was the head coach of the Liberty for 5½ years, during which he guided them to Eastern Conference titles in 1999, 2000 and 2002. He previously called MSG home as an assistant with the Knicks under Hubie Brown for four seasons from 1982-86. Today will not be the first time he faces his former players, though, as his Mystics fell to the Liberty last week, 77-68, at MCI Center.

Vickie Johnson led the Liberty to their first win of the season with 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. After that loss, Adubato did something he never did before in his coaching career.

“It’s the first time I ever took the other team out for dinner afterwards,” Adubato told The Post. “But VJ was only allowed to order a hamburger.”

Adubato, 100-78 in his New York WNBA tenure, should be welcomed back with open arms today after all he did for the Liberty. He was fired last summer, July 4th weekend, after the team failed to qualify for the 2003 playoffs and got off to a rocky start last season. He says he harbors no bad feelings about his surprising termination, and said he is trying to mold his new team into the tough, prideful bunch the Liberty were under his watch.

“I’m very proud of what I did,” Adubato said. “I hope we’ll develop the same pride with Washington. I have a lot of fond memories there. It was a great time.”