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. 

The Knicks are the #2 Seed!

 

For the first time since the 2012-2013 season, the Knicks have achieved the 50 win total and lock up the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference! A total rollercoaster ride of a season for New York with tons of devastating injuries and obstacles overcame each and every game day. 

The Knicks came into the season with a very similar team from their 2nd round exit team just a season ago with a couple of minor additions. Then about 30 games into the season the Knicks totally changed the dynamic of their season by trading away two cornerstone pieces, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. OG Anunoby and Precious Achiwua was the return and they have made their impact well known. 

Anunoby has not been as healthy as the Knicks imagined he would be, but in the 23 games he played the Knicks won 20 of them. Having him healthy in the playoffs as the defensive catalyst and the dominant offensive player he is, is vital towards this team's success. 

The offseason add, that seemed small at the time, of Donte DiVincenzo now looks like one of the biggest steals of this past free agency. DiVincenzo ended the season top 3 in the league for the most three pointers made and average around 16 points per game as the team's starting shooting guard. Nicknamed Divo, Donte has turned into one of my favorite players as well on this year's Knickerbockers. 

The Knicks also made a trade deadline deal to acquire Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic. At the time I was very excited to land two veterans that would give this team very good minutes and shoot the ball very well, but my expectations were wrong. Bogdanovic has come on to play efficiently as of late, but Burks has been a total disappointment to the point where he has been benched. Bogdanovic playing good minutes will be key towards this team's success. 

As the #2 seed, the Knicks will take on the #7 seed, the Philadelphia 76ers. This is a bit of a tough matchup for the Knicks because of the stars which the Sixers have. The Sixers could have been a much higher seed, but the long-term injury to Embiid dropped them very far in the East. Luckily for the Knicks, after watching the Sixers play-in game, Embiid still does not look 100 percent healthy. 

If the Knicks can attack Embiid's vulnerability and capitalize, then they can easily win this series. The Sixers without Embiid have been horrific and having him off the court on the bench will be key. Ultimately, I think the Knicks have a good shot to win this series. Many people are portraying them as the underdog although they are the 2 seed. The series starts tomorrow at the World's Most Famous Arena. 

The Best Time of the Year!

 

The best time of the year is upon us as the madness is beginning as we enter mid-March with all of the power 5 conference tournaments about to get underway. The craziness will continue until the end of March and I am all here for it. 

It is going to be another year where the number next to each team's name DOES NOT matter. The regular season and the NCAA tournament are two completely different seasons from one another. Once your team makes the tournament, they start off fresh and have the same record as everyone else, 0-0. 

We saw it last year with the record amount of upsets taking place and I believe that trend will continue into 2024. In 2023 we had a 4 seed, two 5 seeds, and a 9 seed in the Final Four. Now it might not get as crazy as that, but expect there to be some chaos because there is always chaos in March. 

I believe it is going to come down to the team that is able to knock down the three pointer at a high percentage and play above average defense as well. Being able to combine these factors is what it is going to take to survive in this tournament and if you can do one but not the other then your stay in March will be short lived. 

We saw a #16 seed upset a #1 seed and a #15 get all the way to the Sweet Sixteen last year along with many other surprises. If this tournament is anything like last year's, buckle up because the madness is about to ensue. 

Deadline Wishlist for the Knicks

The NBA Trade Deadline is just days away and many teams are in need of making a move including the New York Knicks. The Knicks have been one of the hottest teams of late, being 9-1 in their last 10 games, but they are not anywhere near perfect as a roster just yet. 

The Knicks already made one of the biggest trades in the NBA this season when they acquired OG Anunoby from Toronto, but their next move needs to be centered around acquiring another shooter that can play valuable minutes off the bench. 

Once the Knicks are fully healthy again, they have a tremendous starting lineup, but ever since they traded away RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and also with multiple injuries, their depth has been tested. The only way you can be successful as a team in the NBA is to be able to knock down 3's at a highly consistent rate. 

The perfect guy that comes to mind for the Knicks, who fits Tom Thibodeau's wishlist, is Bruce Brown. Bruce Brown has emerged as a great player throughout his brief time in the NBA and is not only a great defender but is also a decent shooter. Brown was just traded to the Raptors and is currently on a $22.5 million contract so it would take at least a guy like Evan Fournier, who the Knicks are more than willing to give up, to get him. 

Another guy that I have missed since he departed the Knicks a couple of years ago is Alec Burks. Burks is currently on the Pistons and is a lights out shooter. One of the most important things to have as a team besides good three-point shooting is chemistry. Burks is very familiar with a handful of the current Knicks on the team and would make the team chemistry even better than what it is now. Thibs loves bringing in his former guys so maybe we will see Alec back in the orange and blue. 

My third option who I believe would also be great for the Knicks is Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon is currently on a struggling and young Blazers team that is pretty likely to move him at the trade deadline. Brogdon is not only a great shooter, but a former Boston Celtic until recently when he was traded in the Jrue Holiday deal. His knowledge on the game plan of the Celtics would be an underrated aspect of what he could contribute to the Knicks. 

There have been many rumors circling around the Knicks and LeBron James and while I don't think anything is going to happen here, I would be disappointed if the Knicks went out and landed him. Sure he is one of the best players of all time and is still thriving at age 39, but he totally changes the dynamic of what this team really is. 

This team is built around young guys who love to hustle and fit the Thibs game plan and LeBron would alter that. The other guys that I mentioned don't really change the dynamic of the team too much because they are exactly the types of pieces Tom Thibodeau desires. The time to go after a superstar is in the offseason, not while you are currently one of the hottest teams in the NBA. 

I would consider it a successful trade deadline if the Knicks go out and get a guy like those three that I mentioned that can both shoot the ball at a good percentage and hustle back on defense. I would prefer one of those three guys compared to others, but any move could be beneficial. While I believe it would be vital for the Knicks to make a trade, I would not be surprised if they stand pat come Thursday evening. 

Only Four Teams Remain

The NFC and AFC Championships have been determined and we are down to the final four teams in the NFL Playoffs for a chance at the Super Bowl. Both championships feature the #3 seeds taking on the #1 seeds. 

In the NFC, the Lions after beating the Buccaneers at home head to Santa Clara to face the 49ers who just narrowly defeated the Packers in the divisional round. The Lions have had their best season in over three decades and they are looking to reach their first ever Super Bowl in the history of the franchise. 

The 49ers have been dominant all season on their way to the number 1 seed, but stumbled a bit in the divisional round against the Packers. Early in the game, Deebo Samuel went down with an injury and after the Niners lost him they did not look like their normal selves. Whether Deebo can play or not will have a huge impact in determining the outcome of this one. 

In the AFC, the Chiefs after just escaping Buffalo with a thrilling victory will head to Baltimore to take on the #1 seeded Ravens. The Ravens trounced the Texans in the Divisional Round and people across the NFL are continuing to say that it is the Ravens year. But they will have to face Patrick Mahomes for a chance to go to Vegas for the Super Bowl. 

Mahomes, who just played in his first true road playoff game, will play in his first road AFC Championship game after making it for the sixth consecutive year. The Chiefs have not looked like their dominant teams of the past this season, but they looked scary in their win in Buffalo. There are many people that you can never doubt or bet against in the sport and Patrick Mahomes is definitely one of those guys. 

Both of these games should be great with major storylines coming into them. I think that the Ravens will put an end to the Chiefs run and advance to the Super Bowl and if everyone is healthy for the 49ers, I predict them to advance as well. If my predictions are correct, we will have a rematch of Super Bowl 47 in which the Ravens took down the 49ers in New Orleans. Will history repeat itself? We will see this weekend.