How many Giants will be healthy enough to play against Titans?

This is how bad the injury bug has bit the Giants: Their special teams coach, Tom Quinn, is walking around in a boot after he hurt his calf Sunday on the sideline in Jacksonville, Fla.

That game, a difficult-to-fathom 25-24 loss, cost the Giants three of the five — count 'em, five — players added to an injured reserve list on Tuesday. It continued an assault on the roster that has forced a scramble to find and sign capable bodies as the Giants limp on through another dismal season.

"I feel badly for any player who has his heart and soul in what he's doing and is denied that because of an injury,'' Coughlin said on Wednesday. "I feel badly for them and, then again, we speak to the opportunity that comes to the next in line. And we've had a lot of next-in-lines, I'll say that.''

"Next in line," or "next man up," could serve as the T-shirt slogan to characterize what has gone on with the Giants as they take their 3-9 record into Sunday's non-titanic tussle with the Titans (2-10) in Nashville. Since cut-down day prior to the season, nearly 20 percent of the roster has landed on injured reserve. In all his years, Coughlin said, never before has he had to put five players in one day on IR, as he did this week.

The Giants have 20 players on IR, including a bunch of their key contributors: Prince Amukamara, Jon Beason, Victor Cruz, Geoff Schwartz, Robert Ayers, Mathias Kiwanuka, Walter Thurmond and Trumaine McBride.

"It has definitely taken its course on this team. … It has just been a weird year all the way around,'' safety Antrel Rolle said.

"That's not exactly what you're looking for,'' quarterback Eli Manning said, "but we still got guys.''

Yeah, in many cases what the Giants have are just guys, replacements who would not be in the NFL otherwise. When determining who stays and who goes on the coaching staff and the front office, it will be interesting to see how the injury malaise affects ownership's thinking.

The situation has devolved so completely that guys are getting hurt almost before they arrive. Terrell Manning, signed a few days earlier off the Bengals' practice squad, made his Giants debut on Sunday, hurt his ankle, needs surgery and won't be seen again.

The situation is so woeful Schwartz is wondering if he is the first player ever to be put on injured reserve twice in the same season (he is not). Schwartz missed the first 10 games with a dislocated right big toe, finally returned, but did not make it out of his second game before going down with an ankle injury that requires surgery.

Eli Manning is one of the few Giants who has remained healthy.Photo: AP

The situation has been so strange that it always is interesting to see what slashes Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will have after his name describing his ailments. It's been hamstring/knee and hamstring/back and hamstring/IT band, and his latest combo is back/shoulder.

The situation has been infuriating to the Giants because they cannot get their pieces onto the game board at the same time. Odell Beckham Jr., Cruz and Rashad Jennings have been on the field together for about 30 minutes all season — Oct. 5 against the Falcons, before Jennings was forced out with a sprained knee. Is it a coincidence that was the last time the Giants won a game? And now, Jennings might be out again, as he hurt his ankle against the Jaguars and did not practice Wednesday.

"You're asking me for a comment that has miffed me forever: Why does it happen?'' Coughlin said. "I wish I had an answer for you. A lot of people want to go on and on about, 'Do we have enough offseason?' I think that might be a legitimate something to bring up at some point in time. It is the nature of our business, unfortunately. We push forward.''

Coughlin, infamously during his introductory press conference in 2004, proclaimed injuries "a cancer'' as he alluded to all the players on IR down the stretch of Jim Fassel's final season. Coughlin also said "It's a mental thing, I believe, as much as anything else.''

Reminded of those words, Coughlin with his struggling team ravaged by injuries, so many years later offered a different sort of rhetoric.

"I understand what you're asking, but you're asking me if it's a losing mentality and I'm saying to you that I don't see that,'' he said. "I don't see that on this team, I don't.''

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Rex’s strategy for final few games before expected ouster

Rex Ryan is a goner.

The Jets players know it. The fans know it. Ryan knows it.

Next year at this time, Ryan either will be in a broadcast booth somewhere or coaching another team. This situation has created an interesting dynamic for the end of the 2014 season. At 2-10, does it matter if you win a few more games or should the final month be about figuring out which young guys can play for whoever is the coach next year?

That is the fine line Ryan is now walking. He is a proud coach, who has looked beaten down after recent losses. Clearly, he wants to win some games, but what is really the difference if the Jets finish 2-14 or 4-12? Some fans believe they would be better off losing anyway to wind up with a better draft pick.

That debate has raged over the past week when the Jets put Geno Smith back at quarterback, fueling the idea they were in evaluation mode … before having him throw just 13 times against the Dolphins, showing that winning still matters to Ryan.

"I want to win," Ryan said Wednesday. "I don't want to be 2-14. I can tell you that much. It's bad enough being 2-10."

Ryan has talked about playing younger players down the stretch, and they did give some rookies a little more time against the Dolphins. But Ryan won't tank the season to see how the draft picks look, nor should he.

He owes it to the players in the locker room still practicing and playing hard to do everything in his power to win games. That is exactly why he had the run-heavy attack Monday against Miami. You can debate whether that works in the NFL in 2014, but it nearly did for the Jets.

If Nick Folk looks like himself or Calvin Pace intercepts a pass that hits him in the hands, maybe everyone is praising Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg for the game plan.

Instead, because they lost and the season went down the tubes months ago, it's easy to pile on and make fun of the hapless Jets.

"I remember everybody was praising New England for running it however many times they ran it the other week and you have a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady," Ryan said, referring to the Patriots' 42-20 victory over the Colts when they had 44 rushes. "They're a genius, we're not quite there."

The Jets are the worst passing team in the NFL with Smith or Michael Vick at quarterback. Running is their best option to win games. Everyone seems to forget that in their win over the Steelers last month, Vick threw the ball just 18 times.

So, evaluating Smith should be a priority in these final four weeks, just not the No. 1 priority.

"The winning is what it's all about," Ryan said. "The evaluating part is something that you want to do. Yes, we want to get some younger players in and opportunities to look at [them]. At the same time, when you game plan you game plan specifically to be successful and to win the game.

"Take Geno, for instance. It's not we're going to throw it 50 times to see what we have if it's not prudent to do so. If we think it's in our best interest to throw the ball 50 times, then that's great also."

Ryan sent a clear message on Monday night. This is not September at Citi Field. He is not putting the Triple-A call-ups in to figure out who gets a spring training invitation. Ryan is on his way out as the Jets head coach. He has won 48 games in his six years as the Jets coach. If he has his way, he will get a few more before cleaning out his office.

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Yankees cut ties with this once-promising first-round pick

The Yankees made official Tuesday what many have believed for a while: If Slade Heathcott is going to play in the big leagues, it won't be for the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2009 draft.

Injuries and the long-term contracts given to Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner decided Heathcott's fate.

The hard-playing and oft-injured outfielder was among three players not tendered a contact by the Yankees, which makes the 24-year-old a free agent and able to sign with any other club. Lefty David Huff and righty Jose Campos also were non-tendered.

Following the 2013 season for Double-A Trenton, Heathcott underwent knee surgery. Nine games into the 2014 season for the Thunder the injury resurfaced and finished his season.

It was the latest in a long list of injuries for the Texarkana, Texas, product who experienced a rough childhood and struggled with substance-abuse problems as a teenager. As a senior in high school Heathcott, also a football star, lived out of his truck.

"If he had been healthy, I believe he would have been a good player,'' said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' amateur scouting director who selected Heathcott with the 29th pick in the 2009 draft. "Look at the year he had in the Arizona Fall League. Players who do well there and get ranked usually do well. It was about staying healthy.''

After the 2012 season in which he batted .307 (66-for-215) in 60 games for Single-A Tampa, Heathcott hit .388 (26-for-67) in 18 AFL games for Scottsdale.

In six minor league seasons Heathcott played in 309 games and posted a .268 average. The 103 games in 2013 for Trenton when he batted .261 with eight homers and 49 RBIs with a .738 OPS marked Heathcott's season-high in games played.

"I think if he stayed healthy he could have been like Brett Gardner,'' an AL scout said of Heathcott, who like Gardner has above average speed, throws and hits from the left side. "He had a lot of tools but his skills never developed. Somebody will take a chance on him because of his tools.''

Campos was part of the Jesus Montero for Michael Pineda deal between the Yankees and Mariners prior to the 2012 season. The Yankees liked his arm but troubles to that arm limited what Campos could do.

The 22-year-old right-hander didn't pitch at all last season due to arm problems and appeared in 31 games (five in 2012) for Single-A Charleston across two seasons.

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Gregg Popovich finds creative way to take shot at Phil Jackson

Gregg Popovich isn't interested in talking about Phil Jackson.

The Spurs coach was queried about his longtime coaching rival before the Nets beat the Spurs, 95-93, in overtime Wednesday night, and Popovich didn't take the bait.

"That's his problem," Popovich said when asked about the challenges the Knicks team president faces trying to turn his team around. "I will spend no time thinking or wondering about that. I have a job. Why would I care about his job?"

Later, Jackson's name came up again. It was regarding his comments that the Spurs haven't been a true dynasty despite their incredible run of success because they have yet to win back-to-back championships.

And, in typical fashion, Popovich didn't disappoint.

"Ooh, that makes me mad," Popovich said as sarcastically as possible, drawing laughs from the assembled media.

"Just write whatever you want, and I'll say I said it. Make it good, though, so you get a promotion. Juicy, ugly, and I'll say, 'Yeah, I said it and I'm really sorry.' … Have fun with it."

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The basketball world may have seen its last battle between Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

For the second time in as many weeks, the Nets chose to rest Garnett for the second half of a back-to-back against the Spurs. His absence meant the two future Hall of Famers won't meet this season — barring a meeting in the Finals, an unlikely scenario for the Nets.

With both men in the final year of their contracts, there's a good the two never will face each other again.

"If he's not here tonight, maybe there's never a matchup," Popovich said before the game with a laugh. "You know, those two guys have been competing for a long time. Great respect for both of them, obviously.

Tremendous, just competitive people, who reached that level when they did it night after night after night. And you know, young kids can look at them. You don't look at that level of star unless you can do it consistently and those two guys are two of the best at what they did over a long period of time. So I miss not seeing Kevin play, because he's tremendous."

Nets coach Lionel Hollins said the decision on whether Garnett was going to play was up to Garnett.

"It's his body," Hollins said. "I don't have any input. I just hear him say, 'I'm not going tonight,' and I say, 'All right, I'll see you tomorrow.'

"It's not that big of a deal. [Popovich] has been doing it for the last five or six years with these guys, so it shouldn't even be a question. He's playing or not playing, and we move on."

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Knicks’ J.R. Smith expected to play against LeBron, Cavaliers

Probably, the Knicks are getting some help back to face the Cavaliers on Thursday. So there is probable cause for some relief.

J.R. Smith — who sat out Tuesday against the Nets and all but six minutes Sunday against Miami, both losses because of "flu-like symptoms" — has been upgraded to "probable" for the Cleveland game at the Garden.

Smith is averaging 9.2 points and has just five double-figure scoring efforts in his 17 games. But he still will be a plus for the sagging Knicks offense.

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Carmelo Anthony played a season-high 42:45, including all 24 minutes of the second half, Tuesday against the Nets.

"I survived. I survived," Anthony said, following his second game back following a two-game absence with back spasms.

Obviously, coach Derek Fisher would prefer not placing such a burden on Anthony's shoulders but there was little choice.

"It is never the plan to have a guy play that kind of stretch, to play the whole half that way, but the way we started the third quarter put us at such a deficit that we couldn't afford to allow for more separation by maybe going deeper into the bench," Fisher said. "I don't necessarily enjoy doing it but I just thought it was necessary."

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What's the worst part of being 4-15? Being 4-15, said Amar'e Stoudemire. But the Knicks center/forward insisted it is not the end of the world — or at least the season.

"The record is the worst part about it. Obviously, you don't want to see that when you're looking at the standings, but there's no team in this division that's pulling away," said Stoudemire who played his second straight game of 37 minutes. "I think Toronto is playing great, but other than that, there's still a chance. We've got to be optimistic and see what we can do."

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Cavaliers coach David Blatt is making his first NBA foray into the Garden

"The Garden is significant part of the history of the National Basketball Association. For me or for anyone, so going there for the first time as part of the NBA is special," Blatt told reporters after Cavs practice Wednesday in Independence, Ohio.

So the place inspires reverence from a Boston guy?

"I wouldn't call it reverence," Blatt said. "Obviously, Boston and New York in all sports, and both of those like Cleveland, are great sports cities. We were extremely competitive and rivals in every sense of the word. You could say we looked at that as one of our great rivals."

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Former Knicks Larry Johnson and John Starks plus ex-Ranger Stéphane Matteau will help unveil a new interactive digital exhibit on the Garden's SAP Madison Concourse before Thursday's game. The exhibit highlights past great Garden events.

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Johnson’s big second half helps Nets knock out Knicks again

Joe Johnson hasn't been himself lately. But when the Nets needed someone to deliver in the second half of Tuesday's installment of their crosstown rivalry with the Knicks, he delivered time and again.

Johnson finished with 22 points ­— including 19 in the second half — to go with eight rebounds and six assists to lead the Nets to a 98-93 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

"I was trying to get him involved," coach Lionel Hollins said. "He was 0-for-4 in the first half, and then he came back in the second half and was 7-for-10. I thought all the guys played hard and well … we kept battling."

It was the kind of performance the Nets haven't seen much lately from Johnson, who after averaging over 19 points through the first nine games this season had finished in single-digits in three of the previous six heading into Tuesday night's game. But after looking like he was headed to another off night in the first half, Johnson took over after halftime, making sure the Nets didn't let a game they led almost wire-to-wire slip away.

"I thought we ran our offensive sets with pace, when we did that and played with some enthusiasm, especially down the stretch," Johnson said. "For whatever reason we'd be up 10 or 15 coming into the fourth and it's like some way, somehow we make it a tough game.

"We shouldn't be doing [that]. We got to learn how to put teams away but when we ran our offensive plays and played with some energy, defensively we were able to get stops and big rebounds and made clutch plays down the stretch."

Once the Knicks cut it to three in the final minutes, Johnson hit Deron Williams in the corner for a 3-pointer with 1:42 remaining to make it 94-88, and then Johnson hit four free throws inside the final minute to officially seal the win.

"When we needed him to be aggressive, he was aggressive," Kevin Garnett said. "He made some great baskets at some key moments of the game."

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All the Nets needed to do to solve their rebounding woes was play the Knicks. After being outrebounded 50-34 by the Bulls Sunday — prompting general manager Billy King to say Monday "We're not a very good rebounding team right now" — the Nets responded by grabbing 21 offensive rebounds and 49 rebounds overall Tuesday.

"Coach has been stressing rebounding," said Kevin Garnett, who finished with six points and 13 rebounds, including six offensive boards — the most in any game by a Net this season. "We have made an emphasis for the bigs to rebound better, and tonight I did."

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Walking wounded: Five more Giants added to injured reserve

Add five more to the list as the hits just keep on hurting the Giants.

They've added defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka (knee) and Robert Ayers (pectoral) and offensive linemen Geoff Schwartz and Adam Snyder (knee), and linebacker Terrell Manning to injured reserve, making it an NFL-high 20 players on IR and lost for the season. For Kiwanuka, it's likely the end of his nine-year stay with the Giants. Ayers, with five sacks, is tied for the team lead with Jason Pierre-Paul.

To fill the roster, the Giants signed four players: Running back Chris Ogbonnaya, who was with the Panthers earlier this season and three players off their practice squad: Offensive lineman Eric Herman, linebacker James Davidson and defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton. The depth chart is now dangerously thin for the final four games of the season.

Defensive end/linebacker Paul Hazel, defensive end Jordan Stanton and guard Rishaw Johnson were signed to the practice squad.

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Mired in a seven-game losing streak, the Giants (3-9) have lost the last three by a total of 10 points — 16-10 to the 49ers, 31-28 to the Cowboys and 25-24 to the Jaguars. It is the first time the Giants have lost three consecutive games by a total of 10 or fewer points since Nov. 17 to Dec. 1, 1974, when they lost to the Lions (20-19), St. Louis Cardinals (23-21) and the Bears (16-13) by a total of six points.

The past two weeks, the Giants also "achieved'' a statistical first. It is the first time in team history they scored at least 21 points in the first half in back-to-back games and lost both. They led the Cowboys 21-10 at halftime and the Jaguars 21-3 at the half. This is also the first time in Giants history they lost consecutive games after leading by 11 or more points in halftime of each game.

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Time is coming for Rangers to make decision on rookie Duclair

Anthony Duclair is young, but he sure knows how to play the role of diplomat.

The Rangers' 19-year-old winger is in the midst of a big organizational decision — he could be sent to the World Junior Championships this month, or he could stay with the Blueshirts, with whom he has been in and out of the lineup since making the big club out of training camp.

Duclair grew up in Montreal, which, along with Toronto, is hosting the tournament from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. That would make the event even more special for Duclair, who would have to report to Team Canada's tryout in Toronto by Dec. 11.

"If I do go, it's going to be a great experience," Duclair said after Tuesday's practice. "It's a tradition in my household to watch those games. Since I was a kid, I dreamed of playing that tournament.

"Obviously, here I'm happy. It's a decision we'll have to make in a couple weeks here."

Coach Alain Vigneault said before Monday's 6-3 loss to the Lightning at the Garden he has already begun discussing the situation with assistant general manager Jeff Gorton, but it needs to be addressed further.

Vigneault has been a coach for Team Canada at the World Juniors before, and said it is a great experience.

Yet Duclair played 18 of the Rangers' first 24 games, and that's rather good experience, as well.

"It's something I have to discuss with AV [Vigneault]," Duclair said. "He knows much more than me. I'm just learning every day and coming to work hard. He's been through this situation in the past, so I'm just going to listen to what he has to say."

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Defenseman Dan Boyle missed Tuesday's practice with his continuing case of "flu-like symptoms" that are not the mumps. The Rangers are still awaiting the results of his blood work, which could take a couple of days.

"It's been three days now," Vigneault said of Boyle's illness, which kept him out the past two games. "So they're going to investigate a little more if he doesn't perk up."

There was no update on Tanner Glass, still the only one on the team diagnosed with the mumps. … Fourth-line center Dominic Moore missed practice only for what the team called a "maintenance day."

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Vigneault said the biggest thing he has missed in the extended absences of talented defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Boyle is not on the power play, but on getting offensive production from his back end.

"Our defense right now, stats-wise in our conference, I think we're 15th in goals, assists, point production, shots — we're one of the last teams in our conference," Vigneault said. "And a lot of offensive in the past has come from Mac. Once Mac finds his game, Dan comes back, I think we'll have some real good looks there."

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Mom of child beaten to death plans to sue city and ACS

A woman whose 3-year-old son was fatally beaten in his grandmother's Bronx apartment plans to sue the city and the ACS, which placed the child with the relative, for $25 million.

Ashley Ramirez, who lost custody of son Poseidon Quinones after a domestic dispute in 2013, told The Post the boy "was everything to me."

Poseidon Quinones

"This is for my son," Ramirez said about the suit. "I need to get his story out there."

Her notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, was filed Tuesday.

It says the city's Administration for Children's Services knew there was a history of substantiated child abuse at the Morrisania home of Madeline Yensi, the mother of the tragic boy's father.

Ramirez says she "begged" ACS to place Poseidon with different foster parents.

Yensi's boyfriend was arrested in the slaying of the child.

"No amount of money can replace the loss of a young child," said Ramirez's attorney, Abe George, of counsel at the law firm Novo.

A spokesman for the city's Law Department said, "The city will review the claim regarding this tragic incident."

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Why Brook Lopez would love playing the Knicks every night

Rumor has it Brook Lopez is petitioning the NBA to play all 82 games against the Knicks.

Lopez put in a dominant performance against the Nets' crosstown rivals for the second time this season Tuesday night, scoring 23 points to go with eight rebounds and three blocks to help lead the Nets to a 98-93 victory over the Knicks.

"I think throughout the game we had fun out there," Lopez said. "We played with a lot of confidence, and showed a good effort.

"We have lots of room to improve, but I think a lot of guys are getting back to what they are known to do."

It was the kind of performance the Nets (7-9) hope to get more frequently from Lopez, coming off a second season-ending injury to his right foot in the past three seasons. And it also was the kind of performance — albeit against an awful Knicks team — that gives the Nets reason for optimism about whether their core of Lopez, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson is capable of making noise in the Eastern Conference.

"If we're going to be anything," Kevin Garnett said, "it's going to be because of Brook and the other guys."

When that question was posed to general manager Billy King Monday, his answer was a simple, "We'll see."

Because the trio has one just first-round series victory on its résumé, has endured myriad injuries and is on its fourth coach in three years together, it would have been hard for King to say anything different.

But his answer also officially started the clock on the next big decision he and the Nets have to make: what to do with Lopez.

With a player option looming at the end of this season, Lopez is the only one of the "Big Three" that potentially could leave the team on his own next summer. And, because of the lingering questions about the long-term health of his right foot, the Nets will have to think long and hard about whether to move on from Lopez, as well.

Lopez's performance against the Knicks, however, was a glimpse into what the 7-footer is capable of. After scoring 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the first meeting between these teams last month in Brooklyn, Lopez scored 19 points in the first half in this one, easily establishing whatever position he wanted on the court against whatever defender the Knicks tried to cover him with.

He also made a pair of key plays in the game's final two minutes, grabbing a defensive rebound and calling timeout and blocking a Cole Aldrich shot.

"Coach has been on Brook so hard, along with some of you guys," Garnett said. "I haven't been keeping up with it, but I hear it. But for the most part, he's been dealing with it really well. The fact he takes the criticism and comes through and plays with that fire, those are the things I think we're looking for from him.

"It's good. I'm glad he had a super game. He was a monster tonight."

When healthy, Lopez is arguably the NBA's best low-post scorer, and while he's never going to be Bill Russell defensively, he's become a more effective rim protector.

Though Lopez has his strengths, he also has significant weaknesses. He's a skilled scorer but limited when it comes to passing, and despite his massive frame is a below-average rebounder while also lacking in foot speed and athleticism in pick-and-roll coverages.

Then there are the obvious concerns about the long-term health of Lopez's right foot. He underwent a complicated surgery in January to reposition bones in the foot to better distribute his weight across it.

Because of his injury history, if Lopez remains healthy this season it almost assuredly would mean he would opt-out of the final year of his contract in order to secure a lucrative long-term deal, one he had undoubtedly get given the lack of quality big men around the league.

Lopez has looked like a player trying to round back into form so far this season, entering Tuesday's game averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 rebounds while having his production fluctuate nightly. He also has had issues with new coach Lionel Hollins, who isn't afraid to speak his mind and has openly called for Lopez to do more, primarily in terms of defense and rebounding.

Because of the forgiving East, the Nets have plenty of time for Lopez and the team to round into form and make the playoffs. But simply making the playoffs isn't what King and the Nets had in mind when they put this group together in July 2012.

And, if that's the extent of what the Nets do this year, it will leave King, Lopez and the Nets with lots of questions to answer next July.

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