There is an abundance of facts that, taken together, make a strong case for free agent Allonzo Trier making the Knicks. He was the second-ranked high school recruit in 2015 behind Ben Simmons, who just won NBA Rookie of the Year honors. He became the first player in the history of the Nike EYBL to […]
It’s amazing what a coaching change and a change in culture can do for a franchise. Back in April, Enes Kanter was leaning towards opting out of his contract with the Knicks. Financially, it didn’t seem the sensible move. The Knicks’ center was reportedly set to make $18.6 million, a significant number for a low-post […]
Many of the players that heard their name called Thursday night at the NBA Draft used words such a surreal, blessed, humbled and speechless to describe the experience. Knicks pick Kevin Knox might also use another word – poignant. At Barclays Center that evening was Michael Thomas, Knox’s maternal grandfather. On April 4, 2016 Knox […]
Kevin Knox‘s dad let us in on a little family secret. “One thing that the Knicks fans can understand about the Knox family is that nobody works harder than the Knox’s,’’ Kevin Knox Sr. said. “And we’re a blue-collar family. We’ve always had a chip on our shoulder. I think that’s why Kevin’s always had […]
The last man to truly coach Mitchell Robinson, the 7-foot center the Knicks took in the 2nd round of Thursday night’s NBA Draft, says New York got a steal. “I was surprised he lasted until the 36th pick,’’ William Stockton, Robinson’s coach at Chalmette High School in Louisiana told MSGNetworks.com. “After his senior year when […]
He’s young enough to have had his NBA Draft night ensemble sponsored by Fortnite. He’s old enough to know the first thing he wants to do when he settles in New York is try a slice of city’s legendary pizza. And he’s good enough to possibly start for the Knicks next season at small forward. […]
Of course, minutes after I filed my mock draft, another reputable outlet released its mock draft that had Trae Young being picked by the Knicks. I have the Knicks taking Wendell Carter Jr. with the 9th pick in tonight’s NBA Draft. A lot has to fall right for the Duke center to be available. Even […]
Thursday night’s NBA Draft will be like no other in history. Never before have we seen a run-up to a draft in which every other player believes they’re worthy of the No. 1 pick. “I know I’m going No. 1,” said Arizona center Deandre Ayton. [Complete Rookie Week Coverage] “I definitely believe I’m the No. […]
At first, it seemed like a no-brainer. Who had the greatest rookie season in Knicks history? Easy. Uncontested dunk easy: Patrick Ewing. [Tune In To MSG & MSG GO For ‘Rookie Week’ Programming] And then I did the one thing my wife and kids have warned me about for years: I started thinking. Ewing won […]
The next week will test your nerves and patience. The NBA Draft is seven days away. Between now and then, you’ll hear and read more reports of possible trades, players rising and falling, team needs, expiring contracts, and enough rumors to make an editor at Page Six drool. Fact: No one, with the possible exception […]
In what should be remembered as the most transparent, courageous and illuminating press conferences in the NBA Finals history, LeBron James went beyond confirming what anyone that has ever seen an NBA game knew: The Golden State Warriors were overwhelmingly more talented than the Cleveland Cavs. The King, who didn’t reveal he played the last […]
As the first of Cleveland’s fans faced the brutal reality that Wednesday night’s Game 3 against the Golden State was about to end in futility — that the season was all but over — they somberly headed for the exists in Quicken Loans Arena exists. Their black T-shirts with dried blood maroon lettering ‘CLE,’ was […]
LeBron James isn’t just the best basketball player on the planet. He’s also one of the smartest. In fact, one could argue his intelligence, combined with his strength, is what separates The King. After the Cavaliers dropped Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, James called it one […]
We expect an NBA Finals game to come down to the final seconds. We just don’t expect a key player to suffer a mental lapse for the ages that decides the outcome, and possibly the series. JR Smith, that rebel without a clock, made a monster athletic play, snatching the offensive rebound of a George […]
Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery was an exercise in frustration. The cards were unveiled and the Knicks, projected to get the No. 9 pick in the June draft, remained at No. 9. So, what now? If the Knicks search for a new coach is any indication, expect president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry to […]
The NBA Draft Lottery is tonight and here’s a word to the wise Knicks’ fan: Don’t fall in love with any specific player. I repeat: Do not fall in love with any specific player. Are there some terrific talents in this draft? Absolutely. Duke’s Marvin Bagley III should have Stud III on the back of […]
The Knicks introduced David Fizdale as their new head coach in a bright lights, big-city news conference in the World’s Most Famous Arena. He didn’t blink. A significant portion of Fizdale’s intro focused on how he and Marc Gasol, his star player on the Memphis Grizzlies, had a falling out. Here’s where we learn a […]
“If you can’t get to a point where you don’t have an ego about this thing, and you just want to share and learn, you end up getting better because of that. I really tried to hang my hat on that and learn from any person I can.” – David Fizdale on the reason for […]
When the Knicks unveil their new head coach, Steve Mills and Scott Perry will be able to stand before the media knowing they have checked every box in their search. Interviewed a former NBA head coach? Check. See David Blatt, Mike Brown, Mike Budenholzer, David Fizdale, Mark Jackson, Mike Woodson. Interviewed a promising NBA assistant […]
The days leading up to the NFL Draft might be the greatest — or worse — example of paralysis by analysis. You hear terms such as “fluid through the hips,” or — and this one is my favorite — “feet are crisp and hypnotic.” Are we talking about a $42 kale salad or a football […]
I’ve had this argument with friends and family. I’ve had it at my favorite sports bar, Turnmill, just talking sports with fellow New Yorkers. I’ve had it many, many times with co-workers in other cities. Apparently, I have always been wrong. Or I’ve been told I was wrong so many times that I started having […]
Now comes the hard part. The Knicks will be a vastly different team next season, starting with the head coach after the Knicks announced they were parting ways with coach Jeff Hornacek early Thursday morning. Time for team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry to make the most important hire of their partnership. [Press Release: […]
I have a friend who is as knowledgeable and passionate a Knicks fan as I know. We can talk about anything Knicks. We can, how shall I put this, ‘emphatically agree to disagree,’ about whether or not Kristaps Porzingis is a franchise player or if the Knicks would be better or worse off if Enes […]
After the Knicks used a second-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft on Damyean Dotson, I called his college coach Kelvin Sampson. One quote from the University of Houston coach kept recycling in my thoughts. “Before the season is over, Damyean is going to surprise you,’’ Sampson said. “You’ll see early on that he is […]
I’m a big believer in letting experts do their job, whatever it is. You don’t tell a plumber how to fix the leaky toilet. You don’t tell the lawyer how to argue the case. You don’t tell a GM who to sign or draft or acquire. Except in this case. The case of Enes Kanter. […]
While listening to the Knicks broadcast Monday night, (Ed Cohen and Brendan Brown are a must hear!) it was pointed out that Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb was averaging a career-high 13 points this season, up from his previous high of nine points last season. [Watch Knicks-76ers Wednesday on MSG & MSG GO. Download Free] Lamb is […]
March can be the kindest and cruelest of months for a college basketball player. One minute you’re a relatively unknown player in Michigan named Jordan Poole, the next you’ve hit a ridiculous, game-winning 3-pointer and you’re being confused with Oscar winner Jordan Peele. But what becomes of the players whose shot doesn’t drop? How do […]
The Knicks have a chance tonight to accomplish something they haven’t done since the end of January – win consecutive games. After blasting the Charlotte Hornets 124-101 on Saturday, the Knicks host the Chicago Bulls at The World’s Most Famous Arena. Winning two straight may not seem like a significant accomplishment but everything the Knicks […]
Ever since Kristaps Porzingis crumpled to The Garden court clutching at his injured left knee, even the most optimistic Knicks fan knew the season was headed for troubled waters. Porzingis suffered a torn ACL on Feb. 6 against the Milwaukee Bucks, a game the Knicks were winning until KP went down. Including the game against […]
Since the Knicks began to focus on evaluating their young talent — namely guards Frank Ntilikina, Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke — one player has literally flown under the radar. Not anymore. [Watch Knicks-Raptors Sunday on MSG & MSG GO. Download Free] Since joining the Knicks, forward Troy Williams turned in his most impressive performance Friday […]
Before we get into whether or not Jarrett Jack will finish this season in a Knicks jersey, a little insight into the veteran point guard who has done everything the franchise has asked of him – including not playing much of late. When Jack decided to make himself available for the 2005 NBA Draft after […]
Players often talk about doing the extra work. But what if the work becomes part of the problem? What if you’re stuck in a shooting slump and all those extra jumpers in practice are clanging off the rim just like the shots in games? So when Tim Hardaway Jr., mired in the worst shooting slump […]
The first game of the Knicks unofficial youth evaluation season opened Thursday night with recently-acquired Emmanuel Mudiay making his first start in a New York jersey. After the Knicks played a woeful defensive first quarter, they regrouped and beat the Magic, 120-113, in Orlando. Mudiay finished with 8 points on 4-of-9 shooting with 5 rebounds, […]
There is a difference, not a subtle void but a huge divide, between tanking and strategic evaluation. I know of no professional athlete, coach or GM that embraces losing as a means to an end. So let’s be clear, the Knicks should not be entertaining the idea of a better position in the 2018 NBA […]
Before we get carried away with the Emmanuel Mudiay Experiment, let’s take a timeout and remember that the NBA has countless stories of players that changed teams and experienced an astounding career revival — that didn’t last. Having thrown out that caution, Mudiay’s Knicks’ debut was something to behold: He made his first three shots, […]
Life without star Kristaps Porzingis began Thursday night, and like the torn ACL he suffered in his left knee on Tuesday night at The Garden, it was painful to watch. Not only were the Knicks without KP, who will undergo surgery as soon as the swelling subsides, they also were without Enes Kanter, who underwent […]
Before every Knicks fan from Queensbridge to Kingsbridge and City Island to Staten Island wants to act like an Eagles fan because a playoff spot might be slipping away, consider this: If you had been told prior to the start of the season that the Knicks would be 23-31 and four games out of a […]
The Knicks will face one of the Top 5 players in the NBA under the age of 25 tonight when they take on the Bucks in Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo was a Greek mystery when he entered the 2013 NBA Draft. He lasted until the 15th spot in one of the weaker draft classes in recent […]
There were times last season when Kyle O’Quinn wasn’t K.O., the gregarious, cajoling, joking, heart-on-his-sleeve, hustling player that has been a locker room and fan favorite throughout his NBA career. The Knicks were losing more than they were winning. O’Quinn’s minutes were inconsistent as first-year coach Jeff Hornacek navigated a new roster. And the death […]
Kristaps Porzingis played his first game as an NBA All-Star Thursday night. His numbers (21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, seven rebounds and one blocked shot) weren’t overwhelming but that’s not what caught the eye of a former NBA coach. “I was impressed that he played after missing the Golden State game when he tweaked his […]
When the Knicks signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a lucrative free agent deal over the summer, they believed they were getting a scoring swingman on the verge of stardom. They might have gotten more. Hardaway, despite missing nearly six weeks with a stress reaction injury in his leg, has been everything the Knicks hoped he […]
The Knicks just gave Jeff Hornacek carte blanche to make any coaching move he desires. Bench a starter, go ahead. Sub the first unit, be my guest. The team’s 105-99 loss in Memphis Wednesday night was arguably the worst setback of the season. [Watch Knicks-Jazz Friday on MSG & MSG GO] You want to blame ref Derrick […]
You can’t blame Knicks fans for fretting that this feels like “Deja boo” all over again. [Watch Knicks-Pelicans Sunday on MSG & Download Free on MSG GO] Friday night’s loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves was the fifth defeat in the last six games and dropped the Knicks to 19-23, three games out of the last […]
Jeff Hornacek won’t talk about Courtney Lee‘s free throw streak. It might even be sacrilege writing about it, like teammates talking to a pitcher that has a no-hitter late in a game, and Rick Barry says Lee shouldn’t even think about streaks or records. For Lee, well, he didn’t even know he was on the […]
Watching the Knicks-Wizards game Wednesday night, I found myself focusing on Washington forward Otto Porter Jr. I remembered Porter when he was a spindly star at Georgetown, all gangly arms and legs with a puppy dog’s enthusiasm for the game. Porter, now 24 and in his fifth season in the league, is listed as 6-8, […]
Ron Baker saw the two little boys sitting baseline at a recent Knicks game and he remembered what it was like to be that age, to be starstruck by the stars at Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State. Baker jogged to the Knicks locker room at The Garden, grabbed a pair of sneakers and socks, […]
The doomsayers believe this is the beginning of the end of the Knicks playoff chances. They remember last season when the Knicks were 16-13 on December 22 and proceeded to lose 11 of their next 13. They look at this year’s team, in the playoff hunt with a 17-16 record, but see the schedule and […]
The fact that the Knicks are sitting three games above .500 as we head towards Christmas is surprising. The fact that they’re doing it with Jeff Hornacek as the head coach should not be. [Watch Knicks-Pistons on MSG & Download Free on MSG GO] No sane betting man – not even the most daring Bitcoin investor […]
Carmelo returns. The superstar that was the face of the Knicks for some seven seasons returns to The Garden for the first time since being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder this summer. [Watch Knicks-Thunder on MSG & Download Free on MSG GO] To say Melo was a polarizing figure in his final seasons in […]
Ron Baker became not just Knicks fans favorite rookie, the shaggy-haired dogged guard who left everything on the court – including skin – became a teammate favorite. Carmelo Anthony dubbed him Ron Burgundy, even if Baker didn’t have the bulging biceps of the legendary San Diego news anchor. Hard work, not you Mr. Burgundy, gets […]
They met Thursday night at The Garden, two storied franchises that are as different as the ominous green of the Atlantic Ocean and the sapphire blue of the Pacific. The Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 113-109 in OT, in a game that matched two polar opposite rookie point guards and two fan bases pining […]
Lance Thomas‘ stat line Wednesday night against Memphis, with one huge exception, was as bland as one of those pre-made bagels with cream cheese you find at the corner deli. Thomas had eight points, four rebounds and one assist in 32 minutes in the Knicks’ 99-88 win over the Grizzlies. [Watch Knicks-Bulls Saturday on MSG […]
For the second time this season, there was some genuine concern about the Knicks. They had lost their third straight Monday night — a 103-91 setback to the Portland Trail Blazers — and it was one of the few times the Knicks didn’t play with a strong heartbeat. This three-game skid had a different feel […]
Maybe you didn’t know what to make of Frank Ntilikina after the Knicks made him their first-round draft choice. Perhaps you were discouraged by an early-season injury, but impressed by his confidence after he drained two monster 3s in a recent win over the Pacers. Still, you’re on the fence. After his actions in the […]
Joakim Noah used the word ‘humbling’ over and over again after practice on Friday. Every time he said it, you could hear the sincerity and pain in his voice. Noah is set to return to the Knicks for Monday night’s game against the Cavaliers at The Garden. He’ll sit out Saturday night’s home game against […]
You’ll have to excuse me. I studied Spanish at Canarsie High School so I don’t know the French word for courage. But every Knicks fan now knows that Frank Ntilikina has it. You don’t drain two clutch 3s in the final seven minutes of the biggest early-season game of the season, in the World’s Most […]
We can talk about the one-handed offensive rebound tomahawk jam, and we will. We can talk about the blocked shot that led to a monster throwdown dunk – all in five seconds, and we will. But here are the three most important things you need to know about the scintillating 37-point, seven-rebound, three-blocked shot masterpiece […]
Walt “Clyde” Frazier was at a book signing about 10 years ago when a fan introduced himself with a most unusual greeting. “Thirty-six points, 19 assists, seven rebounds,’’ said the fan. Frazier was stunned. “You remember that?’’ said one of the greatest Knicks of all-time. That’s one of the beauties of sports – they create […]
Kristaps Porzingis took up boxing in the offseason to improve strength, footwork, conditioning and toughness. Thus far it has served him well. The new face of the Knicks scored 33 points in the 111-107 home-opening loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. He scored 31 in the season-opening loss at the Thunder, making Porzingis […]
My running battle with out of town sports fans is going public – now! Here’s the beef: New York fans are passionate and savvy. No arguments, please. They also can be patient. I know – the City That Never Sleeps; New York Minute; honking cabs; crowded trains. [More From Robbins’ Nest] But to steal from […]
So much for an off season. Since winning their regular-season finale, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 114-113 in the World’s Most Famous Arena, the Knicks have made one dramatic move after another. And if all the changes and acquisitions haven’t got you thinking about the possibilities of what the 2017-18 season can hold, consider this: The Knicks […]
No point guard in New York Knicks history understands the challenges of playing the position as a rookie like Mark Jackson. Walt Frazier, of course, led the Knicks to their two NBA titles but he did so in an era when the media wasn’t nearly as omnipresent as it was when Jackson played. And Frazier […]
Kristaps Porzingis has been hitting the heavy bag. And the speed bag. And sparring. And working on his footwork. And lifting weights. No, the Knicks’ 7-foot-3 stretch forward isn’t eyeing a megabucks fight against the Floyd Mayweather-Connor McGregor winner. His focus is to take that big step toward stardom that many of the best players […]
A little more than a week ago, University of Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox texted Ramon Sessions and asked if his former point guard would be willing to come to Athens and watch his team workout. Fox received a return text almost immediately. “What time do you need me?’’ That’s the player the Knicks have […]
The day after the NBA Draft has become somewhat what like the opening day of the fishing season – a frenzy of, well, fish stories. Sports talk radio sounds something like a cross between a live auction and a Sunday morning sermon. Newspapers devote columns and analysis that could take days to sort through. Grades […]
There’s a new sheriff in Knickstown. Actually two. Two men with a shared vision. Two with an unspoken desire to create a legacy as the duo that restored sustained excellence to the Knicks organization. Steve Mills and Scott Perry were introduced Monday as the team’s president and GM, respectively. They left little doubt as to how […]
Bob Wolff, a sportscasting legend, died Saturday night at the age of 96. For those of you asking ‘Bob Who?’ you have just paid him the ultimate compliment. For although Wolff is one of only two broadcasters to be honored by the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fames, he never forgot who he was – […]
The first sign that the Knicks were determined to changing the culture of the franchise was when former general manager Steve Mills offered a free agent deal to Tim Hardaway Jr. As the son of five-time All Star Tim Hardaway, the Knicks’ newest player grew up around the game. The word ‘culture’ wasn’t as popular […]
Tim Hardaway Jr. wears identical black rubber bracelets around each wrist. In white bold lettering is the word ‘Family’ and names of those he holds dear. When the Knicks drafted Hardaway Jr. in 2013, he didn’t have those bracelets. He was like most rookies – head spinning, legs going nowhere at 100 MPH, arms firing […]
The biggest reason why the Knicks’ signing of Tim Hardaway Jr. works is because of who he is and where the franchise is. The Knicks are looking to get younger, tougher on defense and more athletic. Hardaway, a 25-year-old shooting guard that plays both ends of the floor, checks all of those boxes. And here’s […]
When a team states its intention is to get younger, more athletic and play a more team-oriented style of ball, it doesn’t make for the sexiest headlines. But if you’re a fan of the Golden State Warriors or the Boston Celtics or the possibility of what the Philadelphia 76ers can become, then what the Knicks […]
Second-round NBA draft picks are guaranteed nothing except a chance, an opportunity to find the right fit in the right place at the right time. Damyean Dotson thought he had such a window when the Knicks took him with the 14th pick in the second round, the 44th pick overall. Since then, Dotson’s window has […]
Surprise has been a theme in Canyon Barry’s life. It’s a theme that began before he was born. Hall of Famer Rick Barry, and his wife, Lynn, were rafting the Colorado River, which runs through the bottom of the Grand Canyon when Lynn turned to Rick and blurted out, ‘I think I’m pregnant.’ Some seven […]
When the news broke Wednesday morning that the Knicks and Phil Jackson had mutually agreed to part ways, there was a tumult of emotion – both positive and negative. Putting that aside, let’s consider the state of the Knicks: In Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks have a rising superstar. In Willy Hernangomez, the Knicks have a talented […]
Frank Ntilikina walked down a hallway at Barclays Center Thursday with a Knicks cap on his head, a resplendent three-piece maroon suit right out of the pages of GQ, a focused look in his eyes, and he exhaled. “The pressure is starting to come out,’’ he said. Let Knicks fans rest assured of this: The […]
Evolve or perish. That’s the law of the wild and the mandate in the NBA. When the Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing with the No. 1 pick in 1985, the NBA was a big man’s game: Abdul-Jabbar, Duncan, Olajuwon, O’Neal, Parish ruled the paint. Only the Chicago Bulls, because of a one-in-a-generation talent by the name […]
OK, so the ping pong balls weren’t kind. Instead of getting the 7th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the Knicks got the 8th pick. Guess who the Knicks took with the 8th pick in the 1964 draft? Willis Reed. How’d that work out? The league has changed, the draft has changed, the business of the […]
The Ali-Frazier of NBA Finals tips off Thursday night and there is no truth to the rumor that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will have cut men seated at the end of their respective benches. Then again, it might not be a bad idea. For all the incredible wealth of talent that will […]
Fortunately for the Knicks, the 2017 NBA Draft is one of the deepest in years. It’s uber deep at the two positions the Knicks have prioritized — point guard and small forward. However, the NBA’s Draft Lottery held Tuesday night in midtown wasn’t fortuitous for New York. The odds favored them getting the 7th pick. […]
Kristaps Porzingis has vowed to ‘live in the gym’ this summer. Willy Hernangomez and Mindaugas Kuzminskas are planning to work out together. Ron Baker and Chasson Randle spent the last third of the season picking each other’s brains about the art of playing point guard. And the Knicks have the seventh slot in the NBA […]
Kristaps Porzingis is a little more worldly than your average 21-year-old. He speaks multiple languages and has played professionally since 2012. When the Knicks used the fourth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft on the forward from Latvia, a lot of fans didn’t know what to make of Porzingis. But KP knew about the Knicks […]
No president of basketball operations takes over an NBA team, waves a magic wand, and Ta-Da, a championship is delivered. Such has been the case with Phil Jackson. He has yet to bring a title to New York, but in a 49-minute media session on Friday at the team’s training facility, Jackson gave Knicks fans […]
You’re an NBA GM. You’re looking for a backup, if not starting point guard for next season. Here are two players under consideration: They are both undrafted rookies. One stands 6-foot-4, weighs 220 pounds and looks like he could be a heckuva quarterback. The other is 6-foot-2, weighs 185 pounds and looks like he could […]
How far would you go to try to make a dream come true? Would you hop a 14-hour flight from your native land to a foreign country where you didn’t speak a single word of the language? Would you leave behind your family and friends when you were barely old enough to shave? When you […]
Willy Hernangomez was a bit hesitant to answer a question about his offseason plans to prepare for next season. There are still games to be won and improvements to be made this year, he said. But Hernangomez, who has emerged as the surprise player of the Knicks this season, acknowledged he is formulating an offseason […]
Neither Mindaugas Kuzminskas nor Sasha Vujacic are about to take Ron Duguay or Steve Valiquette’s jobs, but the Knicks forward and guard have found another passion outside of basketball. They’ve both become Rangers fans. In addition to the Knicks and Rangers sharing the same training facility, Kuz and Vujacic have taken in several Rangers games […]
For at least a few days, there won’t be much relief from the frustration and disappointment of missing the playoffs. That’s one of the most bitter pills for an NBA franchise to swallow. The Knicks had high expectations heading into this season. Carmelo Anthony, fresh off winning a third Olympic gold medal, was primed to […]
At about 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, a South Carolina fan, who was about to see a dream come true, turned to a friend in The Garden and asked, “Why do they call this the Mecca of college basketball?” Four hours later, he would have an answer. At exactly 5 p.m., just as the words ‘New […]
Tommy Sacks, the assistant coach at Roselle Catholic High School in New Jersey, is fond of telling the story of the first time he met Chris Silva in person. Sacks was waiting at the arrivals terminal at JFK International Airport, looking for a tall, skinny teenager. He had seen a 24-second video of Silva playing […]
Former Knicks coach Stu Jackson won’t be at The Garden tonight when Wisconsin attempts to take yet another step closer to reaching a third Final Four in the last four years. Yes, On Wisconsin. On to securing its place among the elite programs in college basketball. The Badgers (27-9), the No. 8 seed in the […]
The hottest player in the NCAA Tournament had to cool his heels the last time South Carolina played at The Garden. Sindarius Thornwell, who has averaged a March Madness-best 26.5 points in the Gamecocks’ march to New York and the East Regional semifinals, was suspended for six games in December for a violation of athletic […]
Your NCAA Tournament bracket looks like a slice of 10-day old Swiss cheese that wasn’t refrigerated. Your neighbor’s 11-year-old daughter, picking her bracket based on mascots, is in first place. Your buddies are claiming they had South Carolina upsetting Duke, and 11th-seeded Xavier dismantling Florida State by 25 points in Florida. Of course, they neglected […]
Rematch! Based on the reaction of the percolating sellout crowd Saturday night at The Garden, Gennady ‘Triple G’ Golovkin and Danny ‘Miracle Man’ Jacobs have to fight again. And that rematch would have to take place in the World’s Most Famous Arena. The evening started with the crowd soundly favoring the undefeated Golovkin and it […]
It is known as the Mecca of Boxing. It is the boxing cathedral where some of the greatest fights of all time have taken place. Legends have been made and fighters have been disgraced. Champions have been crowned and champions have died. There have been more fights in Las Vegas, there was the Thriller in […]
It wasn’t going to work. It almost never worked. College coaches jumped at the riches and lure of the NBA only to realize the difference between the two jobs was as different as hip-hop is to opera. Some succeeded, but the majority found more losses than wins and ultimately returned to college campuses. Consider this […]
If he had scored on the ensuing offensive possession, after making one of the defensive highlights of the 2016-17 NBA season, Kristaps Porzingis would have created his own stat — the triple single. Many times over the last two seasons, Knicks fans have been wowed by the exploits of the 7-foot-3 forward. He quickly gained […]
The road to the NCAA Championship began at The Garden for the defending national champions. Whether or not the Villanova Wildcats can make it to Glendale, AZ, site of this year’s Final Four, and become the first team since the 2006-07 Florida Gators to repeat as champs remains to be seen. The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee […]
The Big East Conference Tournament is where legends are made. Ray Allen and Allen Iverson all but counted off 10 paces, turned and fired in an epic championship game 20 years ago. Allen’s off-balance jumper with 14 seconds left somehow dropped, giving UConn a 75-74 victory over Georgetown. The unforgettable game at the World’s Most […]
Jay Wright is a wolf in a designer clothing. The Villanova coach is tall, dark, handsome and reportedly has one entire closet dedicated to his suits. Another closet holds his custom-made dress shirts, shoes, ties, pocket squares and possibly a felt-lined jewelry box for his NCAA Championship ring. Talk about the Wright Stuff. But under […]
Johnny Dawkins, the former Stanford basketball coach who is now taking Central Florida where it has never gone before, remembers his first impression of Knicks guard Chasson Randle, the player. “Competitor,’’ Dawkins told MSGNetworks.com. “Just a fierce competitor.’’ He also remembers his first impression of Randle, the person. “One of the most genuine kids I […]
Kris Jenkins hit the biggest shot in Villanova history, a three-pointer at the buzzer that beat North Carolina in the 2016 NCAA Championship Game. Josh Hart, the Big East Player of the Year, has had one of Nova’s most accomplished careers, one of just two Wildcats with 1,800 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists and 150 […]
How do you know when a college basketball program has crossed that ethereal line that separates the great from the truly elite? How about when it wins the national championship and that’s not good enough. Villanova proved last season that it deserves to walk with Kansas, Duke, Indiana and UCLA when it upset blue blood, […]
To quote Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh of Bull Durham fame, Knicks rookie guard Ron Baker had no intention of announcing his presence with authority. Rookies earn their place in the NBA, especially undrafted free agent rookies. Baker has played by the rookie code this season, making the most of every minute of playing time and […]
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone. February is about to turn to March. More and more focus will be on teams vying for a playoff spot, such as the Knicks, and playoff seeding. But for the Knicks, February holds special meaning. February is Black History Month, a time to remember those that helped […]
After he had answered question after question as to whether or not he thought he would be traded, one reporter soft-tossed Carmelo Anthony a hanging breaking ball: “Do you think this team has what it takes to make the playoffs?” “If I say, ‘No,’ you’ll be all over me,’’’ said Anthony, who clearly has come […]
It is virtually impossible to predict when a team will turn the corner. Case in point: The Atlanta Falcons. The Kansas City Chiefs walked into the Georgia Dome on Dec. 5 and strutted out with a 29-28 win over the Falcons. Atlanta, winner of three of its previous four and bristling with confidence, were reeling. […]
Kristaps Porzingis got the ball at the high post in a recent Knicks game in The Garden and squared up to the basket. Simultaneously, Willy Hernangomez flashed into the paint. The 7-foot-3 Porzingis didn’t hesitate. He fed the 6-foot-11 Hernangomez who faked left, spun right and scored. “There are a lot of teams that would […]
It’s become a cliche’ of sorts. A former sports star retires and finds work in the radio or TV booth of his or her former team. It doesn’t matter if said athlete brings anything to the table. The resume reads, ‘former athlete.’ You’re hired! Walt Frazier never saw himself as the athlete-turned-color commentator. He had […]
Towards the end of what was, by all accounts, one of the most intense and chippy Knicks’ practices of the season on Tuesday, Joakim Noah stood next to coach Jeff Hornacek and talked basketball, the two gesturing toward different spots on the floor. Noah then did the same with assistant coach Jerry Sichting. The Knicks […]
Well this is unusual. From the moment every child first picks up a basketball, he or she has one thought in mind: Shoot! Ball movement. Spacing. Passing. All that comes later. The first instinct is to shoot, shoot and shoot some more. So it seemed a bit odd to hear coach Jeff Hornacek urge Courtney […]
Before Wednesday night, the last time Sasha Vujacic played more than 20 minutes in a game was last year. Seriously. Vujacic got 22 minutes on Dec. 30 in a loss at New Orleans when starting shooting guard Courtney Lee was out with a sprained ankle. Since then Vujacic played a grand total of 26 minutes […]
From Carmelo Anthony to Derrick Rose, to Jeff Hornacek to opposing players and coaches around the league, we have a heard a common refrain regarding the emergence of Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis as one of the new faces of the NBA. It goes like this: “It’s kind of crazy,’’ Rose said after Porzingis poured in […]
The sudden emergence of rookie center Willy Hernangomez can be attributed to a number of concrete factors: Hernangomez has grown more comfortable playing the NBA game. His confidence has soared as coach Jeff Hornacek has given the 6-foot-11 center more playing time. He’s added about 13 pounds of muscle since last season, allowing him to […]
Step aside Stephen King. Move over James Patterson. There’s a new best-selling author on the horizon and he plays for the Knicks. You’ve probably heard about the literary accomplishments of Ron Baker. His children’s book, “You’re Too Big to Dream Small,” has been something of a cult hit in Baker’s home state of Kansas. Baker […]
Marshall Plumlee had gone 34 days, some 816 hours and about 48,900 seconds without playing for the Knicks until coach Jeff Hornacek inserted the 7-foot rookie center into Wednesday night’s game in Boston. Plumlee responded by playing 20 minutes, scoring five points, grabbing seven rebounds and was a plus-11 in the Knicks’ 117-106 win over […]
The Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks today in a game they need to win to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. At the halfway point of the season they are 18-23 but just a mere two and one-half games out of a playoff spot. So this is an important game. But it is […]
Brothers fight. When they’re little it can be over a toy. When they’re young men it can be over keys to the family car. When they’re on the court, well, Jrue Holiday, the New Orleans Pelicans guard and brother of Knicks guard Justin Holiday, said it best. “Older brother doesn’t want to lose to little […]
Mindaugas Kuzminskas isn’t old enough to remember the Miracle Mets and the native Lithuanian had never heard of Jerry Koosman, so he was fascinated to learn he is not the first metropolitan area athlete to be serenaded by cheers of, ‘Koos! Koos!’ “Actually, the first time when I heard that, I came on to the […]
When Knicks reserve big man Marshall Plumlee walked into the weight room at Duke as a freshman, he saw coach Mike Krzyzewski bench pressing. It was Plumlee’s turn to work out next. He attempted one lift before pausing to remove plates. Sorry to out you Marshall. Let the record show by the end of his […]
Got those post-holiday blues? Blew that New Year’s resolution already? Washington Redskins fan? Hang tight. The New York Knicks (16-17) take the court for the first time in 2017 tonight at The Garden right in the middle of a heated Eastern Conference playoff race. Not exactly what you were hoping for? Hang tight. For a team […]
Brandon Jennings has played in almost 500 NBA games, scored almost 7,500 points, dished out almost 3,000 assists, made almost 650 steals and played for four teams. There isn’t much he hasn’t experienced. Unless you consider his experience this season. “I just feel like it’s my whole rookie year all over again,’’ Jennings told MSGNetworks.com. […]
Memo to Carmelo Anthony: The next time you bestow the extraordinarily generous gift of a new car to an unsuspecting family that has known more than its share of hardship, please bring a box of Kleenex. Anthony’s charity, the Carmelo Anthony Foundation, in conjunction with the Garden of Dreams Foundation and Kia, shocked 17-year-old cancer survivor […]
It doesn’t matter if you’re a 7-year-old child or an NBA player: Christmas morning brings love, joy, hope, excitement, curiosity and yes, occasionally disappointment. What will be waiting under the tree? Or in some cases, in the driveway? The Knicks continue the NBA’s tradition of playing games on Christmas Day when they host the Boston […]
Home is where the heart is, but it is also where the bed is, the dog is, the cozy spot on the couch and the local shops that every Knicks player enjoys. With the first grueling road trip of the season in the rear view mirror, the Knicks will take the court tonight in The […]
Tonight in Denver, the Hernangomez brothers will break bread. There will be no arguing or jostling for the check. The Knicks backup center, Willy, and his brother, Juancho, the Nuggets reserve forward, are so close, such dear friends, when they’re off the court, love, support, and generosity are the rules of the day. Tomorrow night at […]
Ron Baker isn’t in Kansas anymore, a fact he’s reminded of every time he looks up. Baker was born in Utica, Kansas, a population of 158 as of the last U.S. Census report. Like most natives of the Great Plains that hail from small towns, Baker has his own system of finding his way. It […]
The grind has officially begun. It’s not as if the Knicks have had it easy this season. They’ve faced the defending NBA champion Cavs twice; once in the season-opener, when Cleveland celebrated its title, and Wednesday night when the Knicks were playing the second game of a back-to-back, while the Cavs were rested. The Knicks […]
Standing in front of his locker Friday night in The Garden, just minutes after posting season highs in points (20) and rebounds (13), Kyle O’Quinn is peppered with questions that hold little value to the Knicks backup center. He’s asked his thoughts on coach Jeff Hornacek possibly tweaking his starting lineup. He’s asked about how […]
Knicks fans will never have to fret about Guillermo “Willy’ Hernangomez developing a big head. The rookie center has been drawing rave reviews from the coaching staff and his teammates. Carmelo Anthony went as far as to say that Hernangomez reminds him of Marc Gasol, the rugged center for the Memphis Grizzlies. But Hernangomez, by […]
The phone call came early in the morning Lithuanian time and the suspense began. Mindaugas Kuzminskas’ agent said an NBA team had made an offer to the rising European star and that details would come via email in about five minutes. Ever wait for the news that a baby was born? “I was waiting like […]
Apparently, there is an unwritten Thanksgiving rule among NBA players. If you are spending Thanksgiving Day at a teammate’s home, you are not expected to bring a side dish or dessert. For example, Derrick Rose, whose family is in Chicago, will be spending his first Thanksgiving in New York at Carmelo Anthony’s home. Rose told, […]
One would think that at some point in Justin Holiday’s arduous journey to the New York Knicks, he would have given up on the NBA dream, or at least considered doing so. After going undrafted in 2011, despite being one of the Pac-10’s best defensive players at Washington, Waze would have had trouble keeping up with […]
BY: LENN ROBBINS The first time the New York Knicks‘ 7-foot-3 forward Kristaps Porzingis learned that a life-sized cardboard cutout of himself had been placed in the arrivals terminal at Riga International Airport in Latvia was when a fan tagged him in an Instagram post. “It looked like it was the real me,’’ Porzingis told […]
According to the Basketball English to English Dictionary, a ‘Glue Guy,’ is defined as: “A valuable player whose main contribution isn’t using up lots of possessions.’’ There is no picture of New York Knicks guard Courtney Lee next to that definition, but there should be. Heck, his nickname should be Elmer’s. Take Lee’s contribution Wednesday […]
When the Knicks acquired Derrick Rose in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, they knew they were getting a mercurial talent, a player that has such remarkable strength and explosiveness he’s a YouTube highlight waiting to happen. What they didn’t necessarily know is that Rose can be a sensational leader. “One thing about Derrick that […]
Derrick Rose’s heart always will be in Chicago. You can’t blame the man. It was in the Cubs’ city (Cubs fans never thought they’d read that clause in a sentence) that Rose was born and raised, learning the game he loves at Murray Park, a small outdoor basketball court in Englewood. It’s a similar story […]
Some 45 minutes after the New York Knicks fended off the Memphis Grizzlies for a 111-104 win in their home-opener Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, Joakim Noah was dressing in front of his locker while about 45 journalists waited to get his take on his debut in a New York uniform. Noah spent the […]
NEW YORK — Jeff Hornacek knows a thing or two about crazy home-court advantages. Hornacek played at Iowa State, where Hilton Coliseum — aka Hilton Magic — boasts as frenetic an atmosphere as you will find in college basketball. That didn’t stop the first-year Knicks‘ coach from being blown away by the passion of Knicks […]