Second Verse, Same as the First

For the second straight game, the New York Knicks faced an Eastern Conference opponent that's considered a threat to their throne, and for the second straight game, they came up short. On opening night they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 106-100 at the Garden, and last night in Boston the Celtics beat them 107-103. New York became the first NBA champion to drop its first two games since the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.

The one thing both losses had in common was a sluggish third quarter in which the Knicks were outscored by a combined 20 points. In the other three quarters, the Knicks outscored Philly and Boston by a combined 10 points. 

But while it may be tempting to focus just on the third-quarter woes, there's more to it than that. The fact is the Knicks have been outworked and out hustled in both games. The hunger that drove them to a historic playoff run simply hasn't been there. They've been competitive, to be sure, which explains why they weren't blown out in either game. But the simple truth is that both the Sixers and the Celtics wanted the win more than the Knicks did.

Mikal Bridges, who was outstanding in the playoffs last season, went back to being the invisible man again. He scored four points against the Sixers and zero against the Celts. As good as he is defensively, the Knicks cannot afford to have someone on the court who isn't contributing offensively. Mike Brown was forced to bench him most of the second half, which meant that Josh Hart wound up guarding Jayson Tatum; a mismatch if ever there was one. Tatum lit up the Knicks with 36 points on 14-26 shooting.

Bridges wasn't the only culprit; merely the most noticeable. Overall, the starters are shooting just 39.5 percent from the field; last season, they shot 48.7 percent. Jalen Brunson, last year's finals MVP, is shooting an anemic 36.1 percent; 12 percent below his career average. To say this is unacceptable would be an understatement.

I mentioned in my season preview that there were three things I was concerned about regarding the Knicks: tougher competition, injuries and distractions. I should've added complacency to the list. Last season, the Knicks were the hunter; this season, they're the hunted. The moment the 2026-27 schedule was published, every team in the NBA that considers itself to be a contender circled the games that they were going to play against the Knicks the same way a traveler circles an upcoming vacation on their calendar. The anticipation in places like Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Indiana, Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver and Minnesota is off the charts. Just as the Knicks celebrated dethroning the Celtics two season ago, teams are literally frothing at the mouth for the chance to do the same to them.

To be fair, this is new ground for the Knicks. Like a dog that's been chasing a car for 53 years, now that they've caught it, they don't quite know what to do with it. I can't imagine the pressure that must exist in that locker room. But pressure or no, this team must snap out of it and start playing with the same level of intensity that its opponents are, or it will suffer the same fate the previous seven champions suffered: one and done.

Yes, I know, it's still very early. And no team ever wins or loses a title in October, I get it. But habits - good or bad - have a tendency of setting in. And all of a sudden, October becomes December and the habit becomes a trend, and trends become very hard to break. The Knicks are not a team laden with super stars like other past champions. There are no Magic Johnsons or Michael Jordans on this roster. The key to their success comes from their work ethic. When that work ethic is missing, we get results like we saw at the Garden and in Boston.

The good news is that this is fixable. Like any team with high-character players, the Knicks know what they have to do; it's just a question of doing it. One thing they can count on: their opponents won't stop gunning for them.

The British have a saying: "the king is dead, long live the king." It's a saying the Knicks hope they don't hear this Spring. 

Running on Empty

If you were at MetLife Stadium yesterday afternoon to watch the Giants play the New Orleans Saints, you got a special treat: you saw three games for the price of one.

There was game one, in which the Giants forced the Saints to punt on their first three possessions and went up 10-0 late in the second quarter. 

There was game two, in which the Giants turned the ball over four times - one on a fumble - and the Saints scored 34 unanswered points to take a 34-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.

And then there was game three, in which the Giants mounted a furious comeback, scoring 17 straight points to pull within 34-27 with 2:04 left in regulation, and were seconds away from possibly tying the game.

In the end, though, the rally fell short and New York lost a very winnable game against an opponent that started the day 1-4. With the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys both losing to fall to 2-4, Big Blue blew a golden opportunity to take a commanding lead in the NFC East.

There was plenty not to like about this game.

The fumble by Charlie Jones on a kickoff return with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter and the Giants up 10-3, completely changed the trajectory of this game. The Saints scored the tying touchdown with one second left in the half and then scored the next 24 points to take a commanding lead. You can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win in the NFL. At the very least, the Giants should've taken a seven point lead into the locker room. At the most, they could've extended their lead.

Jameis Winston finally came back down to Earth. After two very impressive starts in which he threw for 576 yards with 6 touchdowns and two interceptions, he transformed back into a pumpkin. His two picks in the second half, one of which was thrown directly at the defender, were inexcusable, but sadly predictable. This is what you get with Winston: a quarterback who can thrill you with incredible pass plays but can also frustrate you with inexplicable interceptions. You literally get the good with the bad with him. 

And finally there was the run game, or lack thereof. The Giants managed only 84 yards against a Saints team that had allowed an average of 157 yards on the ground in their last three games. Cam Skattebo, whose fumble in Washington last week would've resulted in a loss had Jayden Daniels not had the brain fart of the decade, had zero carries. John Harbaugh said it had nothing to do with sending a message, but nobody seriously believes that. The real question wasn't why Skattebo didn't touch the ball but why Matt Naggy abandoned the running game so early. After they went up 10-0 late in the first half, the Giants ran the ball only seven more times the rest of the game, and one of those rushes was a 28 yard scramble by J.J. McCarthy on their final possession.

The Saints defense could not believe their good fortune; they teed off on Winston and McCarthy, sacking them five times for a loss of 18 yards. It is axiomatic, even in today's NFL, that you need to be able to run the ball in order to keep defenses honest. Otherwise you get what happened yesterday. Harbaugh can say all he wants that no one has stepped up in that room, and that's certainly true. But even if you're only gaining 2 to 3 yards a pop, that's still better than throwing an incomplete pass, which is what Winston did a lot of yesterday. I'd rather have a third and a manageable five than a third and long any day.

Case in point, on their first scoring drive, the Giants ran a total of 12 plays: 7 runs for 34 yards and 5 passes for 59. It was by far their most effective possessions of the game. Why on Earth would you stop doing that, especially with a quarterback that moves about as fast as a glacier in Greenland? It literally made no sense to anyone who was watching. 

So instead of being 4-1-1, the Giants are 3-2-1 going into Houston to play a Texans team that has won two in a row and is clicking on all cylinders. Unlike the Saints, the Texans can actually play defense, and they have a pretty damn good quarterback. C.J. Stroud is second in the league with 1,714 yards and is playing like he did his rookie season when he threw for over 4,100 yards. According to ESPN Analytics, Houston has an 85 percent chance of winning. Normally, I don't pay much attention to predictions, but it's hard to argue with this one.

If I'm Harbaugh, I've seen enough of Winston. It's time to turn the page and hand the reigns over to McCarthy. His 243 passing yards in the fourth quarter yesterday were the most ever by a quarterback in NFL history. How much of that was because of McCarthy and how much of it was because the Saints went into a prevent defense is anyone's guess. But regardless, the Giants aren't going anywhere with an immobile and erratic signal caller under center. With the division wide open, Harbaugh has no choice but to roll the dice. As I wrote in an earlier piece, he didn't acquire him to sit on the bench. He clearly knows enough of the playbook to start.

McCarthy gives the Giants something they haven't had since Jaxson Dart went down in week two: a dual-threat quarterback. Naggy was brought here to design an offense around Dart. While no one is suggesting that McCarthy is as good as Dart, it's clear from the evidence that Winston ins't. He's the perfect backup, as long as you don't need him to actually play.

Week six is in the books; week seven is up next.

2026-27 Knicks Preview

When I started this blog back in 2012, it was always my wish that one day I would write a preview for a team of mine that had won a title. I came close twice: the 2014 Rangers lost to the L.A. Kings in the Stanley Cup finals, and the 2015 Mets lost to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. That's it. two close shaves in 14 years. 

Well my wish has finally come true. For the first time since 1973-74, the New York Knicks begin the season as the reigning NBA champions, and I will be writing their 2026-27 preview.

A part of me still can't believe it happened, but happen it did. The patience and devotion of this fanbase was finally rewarded, and over a million of them poured into the Canyon of Heroes to show their appreciation, and to celebrate a moment most of them thought they'd never live to see.

As for the players, far from being a burden, the expectations that were put on them last year helped propel them to one of the most impressive playoff runs in modern history. The Knicks went 16-3 in the postseason; only the 2017 Golden State Warriors (16-1) and the 2001 L.A. Lakers (15-1) were more dominant. In the end, the team most prognosticators thought would never make it out of their own conference, had the last laugh. 

But as the Monkees once sang, "That was then, this is now." In the NBA, the only thing harder than winning a championship is repeating. The 2018 Warriors were the last team to win back-to-back titles. Since then, the Toronto Raptors, L.A. Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and Knicks have all hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Will the Knicks break the curse or will they follow in the footsteps of the previous seven winners? 

I wrote last year that I was bullish on the 2025-26 Knicks. Well, guess what? I'm just as bullish on the 2026-27 Knicks. And not just because I'm a fan, but because, despite losing Mitchell Robinson in the offseason, New York has the best starting five and the deepest bench in the league, and that's with most of the Eastern Conference getting better. 

Leon Rose re-signed Mohammed Diawara, Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado to multi-year contracts, brought back Jordan Clarkson on a one-year deal and signed Andre Drummond to replace Robinson. While Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Miles (Deuce) McBride are extension eligible, all but McBride have options past this season. 

I expect Mike Brown to run more of the offense through Towns this season. It worked very well in the playoffs last year; there's no reason it shouldn't work well this year. And while the Knicks have never been a load-management team, I would expect Brown to give some of his starters, such as Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, an occasionally day off to keep them fresh for the playoffs. Barring a trade, which I don't anticipate, there should be no issues with this group.

So what could prevent the Knicks from repeating? Three things.

Tougher competition: As I mentioned above, several teams in the East made significant improvements to their rosters. Chief among them were the Philadelphia 76ers, who acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics for Paul George, and then signed LeBron James to a two-year deal. The Raptors reacquired Kawhi Leonard, who was integral in their championship run in 2019. The Detroit Pistons lost some of their toughness in Isaiah Stewart but gained some offensive skill in John Collins. But the biggest threat comes from a familiar foe. The Indiana Pacers were devastated by injuries last season and failed to make the playoffs. They are healthy going into this season and would love nothing better than to knock off the champs.

Injuries: Let's be honest, the Knicks have been very fortunate over the last two seasons that they didn't suffer any major injuries. Given Anunoby's history, that's no small feat. There's also Josh Hart's dislocated right ring finger that he played through last season and will have to deal with for the rest of his career. A major injury, especially to the starters, could derail any hopes of a repeat. 

Distractions: It goes without saying that the ongoing impasse between Rose and Towns over a contract extension dominated the headlines over the summer and into the fall. The hope was that both sides would reach an agreement before the start of the season. That now appears doubtful. The question is will this become a distraction? We know that KAT can be very emotional at times, and based on his comments over the last couple of weeks, he doesn't appear to be taking the lack of progress well.

If I had to pick just one, it would be the injury concern. Even with the East getting better, the Knicks are still, overall, the best team in the conference. I also don't think the contract situation will prove to be a big deal. These players are professionals, and there's more than enough leadership in that locker room to overcome any potential distractions.

As for where the Knicks will finish, last year, I picked them to finish first in the East; this year, I'm picking them again to finish first. Last season, there was a new coach and a new system. This season, there's no such transition period. I expect this team to get off to a good start and be more consistent. Yes, everyone will be gunning for them, but that's to be expected. The over / under for the Knicks win total this season is 52.5. I'm picking the over.

Below are my predictions for where the top 10 teams in each conference will finish. One caveat: While I'm picking the Sixers to finish second in the East, that's dependent on whether Joel Embiid can stay relatively healthy. If he can't, I can see them falling to fourth or even fifth. Also, the top five teams in the East are likely to be separated by five or six games.

Eastern Conference:

Knicks
Sixers

Celtics

Raptors

Pistons
Pacers

Cavaliers

Heat

Hawks

Magic

Western Conference:

Thunder

Timberwolves

Spurs

Nuggets

Rockets

Lakers

Warriors

Mavericks

Trail Blazers

Grizzlies

Eastern Conference Finals:

Knicks over Celtics 4-2

Western Conference Finals:

Timberwolves over Thunder 4-3

NBA Finals:

Knicks over Timberwolves 4-3

 

Don't Blow It Up, Drury.

So far, Chris Drury's retool has been an unqualified success. The New York Rangers are 6-2 and in second place in the Metropolitan division, one point behind the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. His offseason moves, in which one third of the roster was turned over, have transformed a team that was one of the worst in the NHL last season to one of the best this season. 

Even without their star goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who sustained a season-ending injury in Washington a few days ago, the Blueshirts continue to hum along. They beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 and the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 with Dylan Garand in net. The latter was impressive in that it was the second time in as many tries that they beat the Bolts. 

But while the skies over Madison Square Garden may be blue for the moment, we know from past experience that Drury is capable of screwing up a sunset. Remember the trade deadline of 2023 when he acquired Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, and in the process ruined the chemistry in the locker room? The Rangers lost to the Devils in the first round that year and Gerard Gallant was fired.

Well now, according to a piece by Mollie Walker of The New York Post, Drury is thinking about placing Shesterkin on SELTIR; currently he's on LTIR. What's the difference? Under the current CBA, a team with a player on LTIR can receive up to a maximum of $3.97 million in cap relief. But if that player is placed on SELTIR (season-ending long term injured reserve), a team can recoup his entire salary against its cap. For the Rangers, that means all $11.6 million of Igor's salary comes off the books. Imagine what Drury could do with an extra $11.6 million in the kitty.

Unfortunately we can. That's the problem. Because after missing the playoffs two years in a row, Drury is fighting to save his job. A third consecutive year without a postseason appearance and they'll be someone else in his office. You can count on it.

Desperation can drive a man to do foolish things, and if what Walker is reporting is even remotely true, it would be the most foolish thing Drury has ever done in his five years as GM and President. According to Walker, Drury is considering using most, if not all, of Shesterkin's cap relief to land a big fish. Some of the names being bandied about are Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin and - you need to sit down for this one - Connor McDavid. I'll go through each one in order.

Hellebuyck is signed through 2031 with an AAV of $8.5 million. He is currently under suspension by the Winnipeg Jets for refusing to report to training camp after requesting a trade. Frankly, I don't blame him. If I had to play in Winnipeg, I'd probably sit out too. He's an elite goaltender, no doubt, but why on Earth would the Rangers carry two goalies with a combined $20.1 million in annual salary? This literally makes no sense.

Larkin is a solid two-way center who has a manageable $8.7 million cap hit. But even if Drury could convince Detroit to give him up for a first rounder and a prospect, what happens next year when Shesterkin is healthy and that $11.6 million is back on the books? As it is, the Rangers have two prominent RFAs of their own who will need extensions. And they won't be cheap. Will Cuylle could well cost between $7 and $8 million per year to re-sign; and God knows what Gabe Perrault's next contract will look like. Even with the cap going up next season, the Rangers will be hard pressed to get to the league minimum of 22 players.

But now we come to the ultimate fools gold. To be clear, no one is questioning McDavid's bonafides. They're well established and earned. He would instantly become the Rangers best player should Drury be able to pry him away from Edmonton. But does anybody seriously think that the Oilers are just going to give him away for nothing, especially when they have him signed to a very team-friendly $12.5 million AAV contract for another year? Figure Alexis Lafreniere, Perrault and Liam Greentree, plus two first rounders, is what the return package might look like. And that's assuming Stan Bowman doesn't hang up on Drury.

This is how GMs lose their jobs. This is how fans get their hearts broken. 

For the first time since 2023-24, the Rangers look like they might go somewhere this season. They have the youngest roster in the NHL and are playing inspiring hockey. It's actually a joy to watch them. Garand has done a magnificent job taking over for Shesterkin; the defensive pairings are the best they've been in over a decade; Lafreniere is finally delivering on his promise; and Perrault is showing everyone that passed on him in the '23 Draft that they made a terrible mistake.

After five years of farting around, Drury finally got the memo and made the changes that were necessary. The last thing he should be contemplating is blowing it up just so he can replicate what Steve Cohen did to the Mets two years ago when he signed Juan Soto to a $765 million contract. Cohen wanted a trophy he could hang over his mantle. He got it and the Mets missed the playoffs the last two seasons as a result. Even in a sport as individualistic as baseball, you still need depth throughout your lineup to win a championship.

My point is, let this team cook. If the Rangers are in contention for a playoff spot at the deadline, they can always add a player or two; preferably a center in the bottom six who can actually put the puck in the net. As of now, they don't have one.

It's said that the worst time to go grocery shopping is on an empty stomach. For the sake of this franchise and its fans let's hope Drury gets three squares a day.

Giants Fit To Be Tied

Coming into their game against the Washington Commanders yesterday, the New York Giants had played four games: Two good, one bad and one ugly. Well now you now can add bizarre to that list. Because bizarre is the only description that fits this game.

It was a tale of two halves. In the first half, the Giants managed only 82 yards of total offense; Jameis Winston was 7/16 for 72 yards; and Dominic Zvada missed a 50 and 57 yard field goal attempt. New York trailed 12-3 at halftime.

Then in the second half, the Giants got their second wind. They put up 239 yards of total offense to the Commanders 173. Winston threw for 3 touchdowns, including the game-tying one to Malik Nabers with 1:43 left in regulation, and New York outscored Washington 24-15 to force overtime. 

In the OT, the Commanders won the coin toss and elected to have the Giants receive. The Jints took the ball down to the Washington 28, where Zvada missed a 46-yard field goal attempt; his third miss of the game. The Commanders then took over at their own 36, but managed only 13 yards before having to punt the ball back to the Giants.

With a new lease on life, the Giants again marched down the field with a mix of passing and rushing. They had the ball at the Washington 24 with 2 minutes left in OT. A field goal would've won the game. But after watching Zvada miss three field-goal attempts, Matt Naggy, wanted to pick up a few extra yards to help his kicker. He called a run play for Cam Skattebo. The last two plays, Skattebo picked up 14 yards. The Giants were hoping he'd pick up at least five. 

Unfortunately, he did the one thing you can't do in that situation; he fumbled the ball and the Commanders recovered it at their own 23. With 155 left, Washington now had a golden opportunity to win the game. And win it they almost did.

I say almost, because this is where things got truly bizarre. Jayden Daniels, who ran for two touchdowns on the day, completed passes to Terry McLaurin (16 yards) and Antonio Williams (6 yards) to get to his own 45. Daniels then scrambled down the right sideline for 16 yards and completed a pass to Treylon Burks for 13 yards down the left sideline and out of bounds to the New York 26 with 55 seconds left. The Commanders then ran the ball off right tackle, I suppose, to put the ball at the right hashmark for their kicker.

There were 50 seconds left, with the clock running and the Commanders out of timeouts. All they had to do was spike the ball and kick the winning field goal. Instead, for some reason only they know, they elected to run another play. Daniels let the clock run down to 12 seconds before taking the snap. He dropped back like he was going to pass, then decided to run. By the time he was tackled there were only 8 seconds left, not nearly enough time for his players to get back to the line of scrimmage and for him to spike the football. Time had run out and, as improbable as it was,  the game ended in a 27-27 tie. 

Like I said, bizarre. 

On the one hand, the Giants were disappointed they didn't win; on the other hand, they were fortunate they didn't lose. It's not every week that a team commits that kind of malpractice. The last time something like this happened in a game that featured the Giants was on opening week of the 2022 season in Dallas. The Cowboys, like the Commanders, could't get back to the line of scrimmage in time to spike the ball and get their field-goal unit on before the clock ran out. It's also the first time since that same 2022 season that the Giants played to a tie, ironically against the Commanders at MetLife.

But while the Giants didn't win, they still had some incredible performances from some of their players. Winston continued his metamorphosis from the player everyone sweared at to the player everyone swears by. Overall, he was 33/54 for 326 yards with 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a QBR of 77.2. In his last two games, he's thrown for 576 yards with 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. If this is what the Giants envisioned when they signed him to an extension, mission accomplished. If nothing else, he's put to bed all the talk of J.J. McCarthy taking over the reigns. For the time being, this is his team. 

Nabers and Isaiah Likely were also exceptional. On a day when the running game couldn't get going, they combined for 22 receptions, 215 yards and 3 touchdowns. For the Giants to continue to succeed, they will need both of them to contribute.

And despite giving up some explosive plays, the defense played quite well. Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese each had nine tackles and a sack. Abdul Carter and Dru Phillips had five tackles a piece and combined for 3 sacks. As a unit, the Giants defense had a 2.14 average time to pressure against the Commanders; the fastest time for any team in a game this season. Over the last two games, Dennard Wilson really has this defense clicking.

All things being equal, I'd much rather be a Giants fan today than a Commanders fan. The Giants are in first place in the NFC East; the Commanders are in dead last. Neither team deserved to win and both probably deserved to lose. In a sense, it was a fitting end to the most bizarre game played in years.

Sometimes the football gods smile on you, sometimes they frown on you, and sometimes they just shrug their shoulders. 

Leon Lays Down the Law

There's one rule that supersedes all others when it comes to sales: you never negotiate against yourself. Case in point: a customer walks into a store to buy something but thinks the price is too high - What else is new? 

I'm going to lay out two scenarios for you.

Scenario one:

Customer: "What can you do for me on that price?"

Salesman: "I can save you twenty bucks."

Customer: "Still too much."

Salesman: "How about forty?"

Customer: "Sorry, still too much."

Salesman: "Well, how about sixty? That's a pretty good discount."

Customer: "Can I speak to your manager? Maybe he can give me a better price."

Scenario two:

Customer: "What can you do for me on that price?"

Salesman: "What do you mean? That's a great price."

Customer: "Too high."

Salesman: "Well, what are you looking to spend?"

Customer: "Less than what you're charging."

Salesman: "And that is?"

Customer: "Not sayin'."

Salesman: "Did you see it for less somewhere else? I'll match any legitimate price."

Customer: "No, I just know I can get it for cheaper."

Salesman: "Well, I really can't do anything on the price without knowing what you're willing to spend."

Now you may be thinking, what the fuck does this have to do with the negotiations between the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns? Everything.

That first scenario is basically a salesman negotiating against himself. Without any proof that the item was in fact cheaper elsewhere, he lowered the price, not once, not twice, but three times. And he still didn't get the sale. All that work, and in the end, his manager had to get involved to clean up the mess.

In the second scenario, we see a salesman who knows he made a fair offer, but is still willing to negotiate the price if the customer gives him proof that it's cheaper elsewhere. When the customer doesn't comply, the salesman ends the negotiation by putting the onus back on the customer where it belongs. 

Guess which salesman Leon Rose is? Granted, in this case Towns is not looking for a discount but rather an increase over the offer he received from Rose. But other than that, it's pretty much the same thing.

Towns is eligible for a max deal of $276 million; the Knicks offered him $185 million. They then up'd that offer to $200 million. The reason we know that is because the agency representing Towns leaked both offers. How do we know they leaked them? Because the one thing the Knicks and Rangers both have in common is that neither franchise airs its linen in public. If you know anything about James Dolan, he treats public statements from his employees the same way the Pentagon treats classified leaks. It's frowned upon. Indeed, the only time we ever see Rose and Chris Drury make public statements is when someone is hired or fired. Other than that, you never hear a peep out of them.

We also know that the leaks were from Towns' agent because we still don't know what they're looking for. All we keep hearing is that KAT is willing to take a discount from the $276 million he's eligible for, but like that customer in scenario one, we don't know how much of a discount.

And therein lies the problem. Ten days from the start of the regular season, Rose found himself at an impasse. His initial offer was rejected; he increased it and it was still rejected. How much higher does he have to go to get a yes? Ten million? Twenty million? You see the dilemma, right?

Only a lousy salesman would continue to negotiate against himself. And Rose is hardly a lousy salesman. Prior to becoming President of the Knicks, he was co-partner at CAA Sports, the very agency currently representing Towns. Indeed, Rose once repped Towns, along with other notable players like LeBron James. And Jessica Holtz, Towns' current agent, once worked for Rose. You think he doesn't know how this game is played? There isn't an I he hasn't dotted or a T he hasn't crossed in his career.  As I wrote in an earlier piece, he's forgotten more than most GMs - or agents for that matter - know. 

That's why I'm not that concerned that the Knicks have decided to "table" all contract extension talks until later in the season. That's Rose's way of letting Holtz know that he's not playing her game. If she isn't willing to let him know what number Towns is looking for, he's not going to guess what it might be. The offer is $200 million. Take it or leave it.

Holtz knows all this. She's not stupid. She's up against her former boss; the man who taught her everything she knows; the man who, despite what the numb nuts on social media keep saying, knows full well what he's doing. She no more wants to see Towns leave the Knicks than Rose does. Playing poker with a man who owns the deck is not a winning strategy. In fact, it can backfire badly.

That's why I still think this gets resolved by October 19, and for a number around $228 million. That comes out to $57 million per season; the exact salary Towns is making this season. And if it doesn't get resolved by then; if it ends up dragging into next summer and Towns insists on becoming the highest paid player in the NBA - Steph Curry currently holds that distinction at $62.5 million - then he can go play for the Brooklyn Nets next season. I'm sure Julius Randle would love that.

Wouldn't that be a hoot? The two players who were traded for one another landing on the same team.

Since the second apron was fully implemented by the NBA in the summer of 2024, only five teams have gone over it: the Boston Celtics (2024-25); the Cleveland Cavaliers (2025-26); the Denver Nuggets (2026-27); the Minnesota Timberwolves (2025-26); and the Phoenix Suns (2024-25 & 2025-26). Of those teams, only the Celtics have a championship to show for it. They subsequently unloaded several key players from their core. They are now $22.9 million under the second apron.

Leon Rose is trying to thread a needle. He would like nothing more than to keep his core together for another three years, but in order to do that - and still stay under the second apron - he has to stick to his budget. Karl-Anthony Towns wants to get paid what he thinks he's worth. There's nothing wrong with that. But if paying him what he wants means Rose would have to trade a Mikal Bridges, that doesn't make any sense. KAT may not want to hear that, but it doesn't make it any less true. 

The fact is the Knicks won the title last season because they had the best five-man starting rotation in the league. The only way they will win another is by keeping it intact.

Either they win together or they lose apart. It's that simple.

Rangers Turning Heads, Instead of Stomachs

It's early, I know, but there's something different about this New York Rangers team; something we haven't seen in quite some time. And no, it's not the 4-1 record. The Rangers have gotten off to good starts before. Two years ago, they got off to a 7-2-1 start. We all know what happened that season. 

No, the thing that's different about this Rangers team is HOW they're winning. After an opening night dud in Boston against the Bruins, in which they looked very much like last season's team, the Blueshirts have won four consecutive games, three in impressive fashion. They have yet to allow a goal in the first period.

The turnaround has been noticeable. While the Rangers rank 15th in the NHL in Corsi 5v5 shot attempts - no surprise given their history - they are second in team save percentage (.940) and first in team goals against average (1.60). They have the first and fourth best defensive pairings (Marcus Pettersson - Sean Dursi) and (Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox); and the 6th and 7th best forward lines (Gabe Perrault - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafreniere) and (Pavel Dorofeyev - J.T. Miller - Oliver Bjorkstrand).

As much as it pains me to admit it: Chris Drury did a much better job during the offseason than I gave him credit for. The acquisitions of Dorofeyev, Pettersson, Dursi and Bjorkstrand, along with Eeli Tolvanen and Alberts Smits (via the draft) have paid off handsomely. This team looks nothing like the bottom-feeder that was routinely booed off the ice by its fans last season. It's a much more cohesive unit. The forwards finish their checks; the defensemen rarely get caught pinching; the neutral zone coverage has been, for lack of a better term, exceptional; the penalty killers are aggressive in their checking; both power play units are getting good chances to score; and most importantly, they aren't relying on Igor Shesterkin to bail them out. While Shesterkin has been brilliant, he hasn't needed to be Super Man the way the team needed him to be in past seasons.

Case in point, Tuesday night's 5-2 win over the Islanders. Going into the third period, New York led 3-2. Normally, the Rangers would've gone into a shell and Igor would've been subjected to a barrage of shots. This time, however, the Blueshirts hunkered down. They limited the Isles to a measly 5 shots on goal the entire period. With 1:41 remaining in regulation, Zibanejad forced a neutral-zone turnover by Matthew Schaefer. Miller picked up the loose puck, skated into the Islanders zone and fed Lafreniere for the one timer into the empty net. Last season, Schaefer would've been allowed to skate into the Rangers zone to set up what would've been multiple scoring chances.

Lafreniere was clearly the best player on the ice for either team. He had a hat trick and assisted on Bjorkstrand's opening goal. I said going into the season that for the Rangers to be successful, Lafreniere was going to have to "deliver on his promise." And while I realize that two of his goals were empty netters, that doesn't detract from his level of play. Perrault is another player who has stood out so far. He has 2 goals and 2 assists this season. He's looked impressive on the first line with Zibanaejad and Lafreniere. 

The defensive pairings have, for the most part, been solid, and have given this team something it hasn't had in a long time: stability. The Rangers can finally get out of their own zone without being hemmed in for long stretches. Not only that, but because they've been so successful at controlling the puck along the boards, the Rangers are better able to gain the offensive zone and set up their forecheck.

If there is one area of concern, it's the lack of goal scoring from the bottom six. So far, only Tolvanen has lit the lamp, though to be fair, Will Cuylle and Tye Kartye have three and two assists respectively. Mike Sullivan has to find a way to get production from these two lines for the Rangers to continue to do well. With the injury to Joe Veleno, that's going to be a bit harder. 

The power play could use some work, too. Though it's generating chances, as I mentioned above, it isn't converting the way it needs to. It's currently 11th in the league; last season, it finished 4th. The penalty kill has been marginally better. It's currently 8th; last season, it was 13th. If Sullivan can get both into the top 5, this will be a very formidable team.

Like I said, it's still early. While there's a lot to like here, past Rangers teams have gotten off to good starts before, only to peter out as the season wore on. That 2024-25 team I mentioned above that got off to a 7-2-1 start, eventually finished 39-26-7.

Bottom line, if you're a Rangers fan, you're cautiously optimistic. But you also know you've seen this movie before. It never seems to end well.