There was nobody in the crowd at Madison Square Garden more hyped for the New York Knicks’ Game 2 win than John Starks.
The Knicks took a 2-0 lead Monday in their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers thanks to a gritty closeout performance in the 104-101 affair.
Starks, who’s no stranger to big moments at MSG, was as fired up as can be along the baseline whenever the Knicks made a big play.
Starks sat next to fellow former Knick legend Carmelo Anthony. But whereas Melo still kept the appearance of a former player watching his peers, Starks channeled a lot of proud dad energy.
Starks was also there to enjoy the Knicks win in Game 1. He had his arms — and a beer — raised in celebration after Josh Hart hit his dagger three late in the contest.
Starks played 14 seasons in the NBA. But the Oklahoma State alum was best known for his eight seasons as a member of the Knicks.
Starks had his best season with the Knicks during the 1993-94 campaign. The 6’5″ guard earned his first and only All-Star nod with averages 19.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game over 59 games played. Starks also won the Sixth Man of the Year Award during the 1996-97 season.
Decades removed from his last playing year, Starks’ passion for the game — and the Knicks — appears to still be completely intact.
Mar 8, 2020; Sacramento, California, USA; Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse gives instructions during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia 76ers let Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the New York Knicks slip away in a matter of seconds. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse felt the referees were at least partially to blame for the late-game collapse.
The 76ers lost 104-101 to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y.
Philly held a 101-96 lead with under a minute to play but somehow still lost after a brutal 14-second sequence. The crux of the Sixers’ meltdown came when Tyrese Maxey lost the ball on an inbound pass.
76ers head coach Nick Nurse appeared to be calling timeout before Maxey received the inbound pass. But the referees didn’t grant the timeout, which preceded the Knicks making two three-pointers in rapid succession.
Nurse during his postgame press conference addressed the sequence that doomed his squad. The veteran coach was adamant that he had called timeout on two separate occasions but was ignored by the officials both times.
“I called timeout. The referee looked right at me, and ignored me. Tyrese Maxey got the ball. I called timeout again, he ignored me again,β Nurse said.
The Sixers are reportedly planning to file a grievance over the officiating in Games 1 and 2.
The 76ers got huge scoring outings from stars Maxey and Joel Embiid. The Sixers tandem scored 34 and 35 respectively despite both not being at 100% health.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson led his team with 24 points but shot just 8/29 from the field. His teammates picked up the slack as all five Knicks starters finished in double figures to take a 2-0 series lead.
Apr 22, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers logo at center court during game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The reinforcements may be arriving for a Los Angeles Lakers team that needs all the help that they can get right now.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported Monday that Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is targeting a return to the lineup as soon as Game 3 against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. Vanderbilt has been ramping up his workouts over the last two weeks and went through a particularly intense workout at Ball Arena ahead of Monday’s Game 2, McMenamin adds.
The 25-year-old Vanderbilt, who specializes in defense and rebounding, has not played at all since Feb. 1 due to a right mid-foot sprain he suffered in a game against Boston (video here). Vanderbilt also missed extended time prior to that with a heel issue and was thus limited to 29 games all year.
There was a belief that Vanderbilt might potentially be out for the remainder of the season, so this is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise. He probably won’t be thrown into the playoff fire right away after missing nearly three months. But if Vanderbilt can pick up some spot minutes off the bench and supplant the likes of Jaxson Hayes or Taurean Prince in the rotation, that would be a nice boost for the Lakers.
Fans couldn’t believe how badly the Philadelphia 76ers collapsed Monday against the New York Knicks.
The Sixers lost 104-101 to the Knicks in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y.
76ers star Tyrese Maxey hit what felt like a dagger three-pointer to put his team up 100-96 with just over a minute left in the contest.
Philly got a stop on the other end, which forced the Knicks to foul Kyle Lowry. The veteran guard split his free throws and gave the 76ers a 101-96 lead with 47.1 seconds to play.
Chaos ensued the rest of the way.
The Knicks, who on their next possession appeared to have trouble just keeping control of the ball, got a friendly bounce on a frantic Jalen Brunson three. The Sixers then turned the ball over on the inbound pass, which led to a Donte DiVincenzo triple to give the Knicks a 102-101 lead.
A five-point 76ers lead evaporated in the span of 14 seconds.
Maxey was blocked on the other end by Isaiah Hartenstein before Knicks forward OG Anunoby sank two clutch free throws to seal the win.
Fans on X couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.
Maxey played through an illness and was questionable to even play in the contest. Embiid battled through his knee pain to match Maxey shot-for-shot. The pair combined for 69 points with 12 field goals apiece.
But all their efforts amounted to nothing because the Knicks appeared to just want it more down the stretch. The series shifts to Philadelphia with the 76ers trailing 0-2.
Aug 26, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Former NFL player Tom Brady on the field before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
New England Patriots legend Tom Brady recently revealed his one big problem with some of the new blood entering the NFL these days.
Brady recently appeared on the “DeepCut with VicBlends” podcast to discuss all kinds of topics, from his childhood crush to his current mission in life.
Brady also touched on his “biggest problem” with young football players in this day and age. The 46-year-old pinpointed players being too self-centered rather than team-focused.
“I think the biggest problem with a lot of f–king kids these days, it’s all about them,” said Brady. “Their brand, their social media. When it’s about me and then not about us, well there’s no way to succeed as a team if all you’re doing is thinking how selfish it is for you to get the attention.”
Brady knows what it takes to win in the NFL more than anyone in history. The 7-time Super Bowl winner was regarded as an excellent team leader throughout his 23-year NFL career. But Brady always harped on the importance of his teammates and operating as a cohesive unit.
With some young NFL players damaging or completely derailing their careers of late due to hubris or vanity, Brady’s words certainly ring true.
August 14, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes isn’t the only one the franchise has locked up for the foreseeable future. The team has now done the same for head coach Andy Reid, general manager Brett Veach, and team president Mark Donovan.
The Chiefs on Monday announced that they have signed Reid, Veach, and Donovan to contract extensions.
While no specific details about the new deals were given, the team’s press release indicated that the Chiefs’ leadership trio would “remain in place for the long-term future.”
Reid in the statement expressed gratitude toward the Hunt family for allowing him to continue to call Kansas City his home.
“The community has embraced us, we’ve watched our family grow, including having all 12 grandkids during our time here,” wrote Reid. “On the field, there have been so many people that have contributed to our success and Super Bowls, and I’m grateful to the players, coaches and staff that have all invested their time into this process. … Chiefs Kingdom is a special place and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be here.”
Reid has spent 11 seasons as the head coach of the Chiefs. He’s led the team to four Super Bowls and won three of them.
Reid, Veach, and Donovan have all been together since 2017. The team has a record of 100-34 since then, including seven consecutive AFC West division titles.
Reid’s contract figure more than likely isn’t as massive as the one Mahomes signed in 2020. But it was enough to keep the core together in Kansas City for the long haul.
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The Orlando Magic got a major scare with their top perimeter defender in Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the first quarter of Monday’s game, Magic guard Jalen Suggs stepped into the path of Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell on defense. The legs of the two players collided with Suggs getting the worst of it. He immediately crumpled to the ground in pain, clutching at his left knee.
Here is the video, which appeared to show Suggs suffering a hyperextension.
Suggs eventually had to be carried off the floor by teammates and could not put any weight whatsoever on that left knee.
While only Orlando’s third-leading scorer this year, Suggs is a fantastic glue guy who shot 39.7 percent from deep during the regular season and sets the tone for the team with ferocious defense, high-effort plays, and elite irritant antics. Thus, losing him for any extended period would be devastating to Orlando’s chances of pulling off the upset over Cleveland.
If there is any silver lining, it is that the Magic get two full days off before the series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 on Thursday. But based on the looks of that injury, they would be lucky to get Suggs back at any point this series.
May 24, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Tyreek Hill (10) stretches during OTA practice at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins could reportedly be hunting for a long-term replacement for wide receiver Tyreek Hill in this week’s NFL Draft.
The Dolphins are viewed by some teams as a potential landing spot for Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. Worthy would add more speed to an already fast offense, but notably, he is also viewed as a player that could allow the Dolphins to move on from Hill within a year or two.
Hill only just turned 30, but the Dolphins may already be thinking about a future beyond him. His cap hit increases to over $31 million this season, and Miami would be able to save roughly $50 million in cap space by moving on from him at the end of 2024. While Hill has been hugely productive in his two years with the Dolphins, age may be a concern for a player whose speed has always been a big part of his game.
Worthy’s speed has been well-documented. In theory, the Dolphins could still keep Hill and Jaylen Waddle as their top receiving options while Worthy gets comfortable, and then try to pair Waddle and Worthy beyond 2024. They do not pick until No. 21, however, so Worthy would have to stay on the board that long for them to consider this scenario.
Jan. 4, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; ESPN logo prior to the 2011 Sugar Bowl between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Louisiana Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
The Charlotte Hornets have interest in a current ESPN analyst to potentially fill their head coach vacancy.
Shams Charania reported on Monday that the Hornets are interviewing JJ Redick for their head coach job.
Charania noted that Redick has had interest in making a transition into coaching.
Redick reportedly interviewed for the Toronto Raptors job last year, though he didn’t get it. He also was said to have been a candidate for the Philadelphia 76ers job, which went to the experienced Nick Nurse.
Since retiring from the NBA after the 2021 season, Redick has grown his media presence. He is a top NBA analyst for ESPN and frequently serves as a broadcast analyst on games. He also has been hosting a podcast since his playing days and even is collaborating with LeBron James on one.
The 39-year-old Redick played 15 seasons in the NBA and averaged 12.8 points per game during his career. In a recent podcast, he got very detailed with Dan Hurley about UConn’s offense, indicating the type of mentality Redick has about basketball.
Nov 30, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham at a press conference during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Some have called on the Los Angeles Lakers to make a coaching change after two inconsistent seasons under Darvin Ham, but the team does not appear to be preparing to make such a move.
The Lakers are expected to keep Ham even if they are defeated in the first round of the playoffs, according to Lakers reporter Anthony Irwin. There is skepticism that owner Jeanie Buss would want to pay Ham $8 million over the next two years to not coach, and Ham may also get some leeway for the numerous injuries to role players the Lakers have endured this season.
The Lakers also have not forgotten that Ham guided the team to the Western Conference Finals last season as a first-year head coach.
There have been reports that some Laker players became disillusioned with Ham this season over his lineup management. Those issues do not appear to have really derailed the team, even though they had to get through the Play-In Tournament to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Despite that, the suggestion seems to be that the coach will be given at least one more year.
