The Knicks are Eliminated

The New York Knicks were eliminated this past Sunday after an unfortunate Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks simply did not have enough as they just continued to be decimated by injury after injury after pushing Indiana to a cinematic seven game series. 

Anyone who argues that injuries did not play a large role in this series, or Indiana was simply the better team is just wrong. A healthy Knicks team beats that Indiana team in 5 games and I am confident on that one. Sure injuries are apart of every sport, but this many injuries to one team in one playoff run is unheard of. 

Jalen Brunson, even though most of us knew, has emerged to the rest of the basketball world as a superstar and has completely silenced the critics. He literally gave it his all as the only thing that was stopping him from giving it 100 percent was fracturing his hand in the 3rd quarter of Game 7. 

The amount of injuries the Knicks had is painful to list, but next season when all the guys are back and ready, the league is going to be put on notice. Now that the offseason is upon the Knicks, they really should keep most of this squad together. We really only saw a tiny sample size of what this team can do when fully healthy and it was scary. I believe Randle, Anunoby, and Brunson played 15 games together and in that time they lost one game. 

Anunoby is a pending free agent, so re-signing him I believe is the number one thing the Knicks need to be focused on. Extending Jalen Brunson should also be a topic of discussion but I believe they are close in discussion talks already. And then essentially keeping the core of this team together is what the Knicks should be focusing on as well. 

I don't expect and would understand if Bogdanovic, Burks, and Achiwua all walk in free agency and find new homes. The one drastic change that the Knicks should pursue would be to trade for another star to counterpart Jalen Brunson at the right cost. If not I think keep this team the same. At the same time, there are three guys I think that would fit perfect on the Knicks right now: Donovan Mitchell, Mikal Bridges, and Devin Booker. 

Knick fans have been manifesting Donovan Mitchell in the Big Apple for years now and after a couple of uneventful years in Cleveland, it could be a real possibility that he is on the move this summer. Mikal Bridges would be yet another Villanova guy coming over to the Knicks and be so impactful for not only the success of this team, but the chemistry as well. Devin Booker I think is a stretch and I feel like it would take a lot to get him, but Booker and Brunson would assert themselves as one of the best duos in the association. 

The plan is simple for this offseason: keep the squad together or go after one of those guys. After years and years of misery, the Knicks finally have a bright future. No need to look at mock drafts or draft lotteries anymore, the Knicks are on the rise and I cannot wait to see what this team shapes out to be in the next couple of seasons. Let's Go Knicks. 

My Yankees Report (25% into season)

 

The new look Yankees have played 42 games so far this season and have been looking like a much better and different team than just a season ago. The addition of guys such as Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and others, along with the dominant pitching all around, the Yankees have been cruising. 

The Yankees currently hold the second-best record in the American League and that's without their ace, Gerrit Cole, and a slew of other arms as well. This season the Yankees have been able to hit the ball extremely well and consistently compared to their abysmal season at the plate last year. 

Yes, they are second in baseball with 57 home runs, but the averages, OPS, OBP, WAR, and all other stats are up from a season ago for a lot of their offense. For instance take Aaron Judge, off to a slow start in the hitting column, but to make up for that, his OPS is sky high and he is drawing the most walks he ever has before. 

New York has become a very patient and disciplined team at the plate and this is a direct reflection of the improvement from franchise shortstop Anthony Volpe. Volpe after winning a gold glove at shortstop a year ago, was dismayed by his offensive performance and wanted to focus on that going into the offseason. 

Volpe opened the season as arguably the best Yankee hitter for the first couple weeks and since then has cooled off a bit, but has shown massive improvement and he has earned the leadoff spot. The overwhelming talking point with the Yankees is obviously Juan Soto, so let's talk about him. 

Soto has been doing everything right in the field to in the batter's box. Currently leading the Yankees in most offensive categories, Soto is making a good case for MVP given the short amount of time this season has eclipsed. His job has been plain and simple when at the plate: give the opposing pitcher's nightmares. The lineup itself is already scary to deal with, and with Soto playing at his highest level, he's helping give his teammates better pitches to hit as well. 

Let's take a look at the pitching so far and they have not missed a beat, even in the absence of Gerrit Cole. Everyone was panicking in Spring Training that the Yankees were losing Cole for an extended amount of time, but they knew all along that they had the guys in that clubhouse to fill the gaps. The rotation headlined by Stroman, Rodon, Cortes, Gil, and Schmidt has been nothing but excellent so far in the first 42 games. 

The Yankees pitching staff currently combines for the second-best ERA in all of the Majors at 3.10. With the pitching doing its job, even without their ace, and the offense being able to facilitate at a high rate, it is going to be tough to beat this team given that they keep it up. 

We know the end goal is to get a 28th to the Bronx and with the way this team has been playing, they are definitely going to be in contention for it. Although it's a small sample size, it's refreshing to know that the Yankees are playing some great baseball. 

So Many Playoffs

From late April to mid June, the sports world is centered around not one, but two major sport playoffs. The NHL and NBA have both completed their high-intensity first rounds with even more drama to come in the second round as it starts to get underway. 

The NHL and NBA playoffs usually operate around the same time every calendar year but not as close as they have been this year. Cities across the country have multiple teams competing in these playoffs including New York, Boston, Denver, and Dallas making the ratings and viewership even higher. 

I believe that these two playoffs are by far the best out of the 4 major sports. People may argue that the NFL playoffs are better, but personally I prefer seeing a best of seven game series rather than seeing a one game playoff to see who advances. 

The playoffs are all about momentum and who is the hottest at the right time. The regular season is a totally different season and mindset than what the playoffs are. We are seeing a whole new era in the NBA where the younger teams are dominating compared to the teams with ample experience. 

Take the example of the Suns vs Timberwolves series where the Wolves swept the Suns with an emerging superstar in Anthony Edwards. The Suns consisted of one of the best players of all time in Kevin Durant along with Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. We are in a new age in the NBA where you don't always have to pay the big bucks to win. The Suns are once again a prime example of this. 

The NHL playoffs are my favorite playoffs to watch. Across the country obviously the NHL is not the most popular out of the big sports leagues, but once you get tuned into the playoffs, people are very amused. From the big hits to insane saves to clutch goals, the NHL playoffs has it all and no other playoffs can really top that. If you don't like the NHL, turn on the playoffs and then make your decision again. 

The intensity is only rising throughout the NBA and NHL and I am all here for it. Enjoy the playoffs while they last and watch the unforgettable moments and sequences that take place that will have your grandchildren talking about them.