Who Will Harbaugh Select in the Draft?

Going into the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants have two first round picks: numbers five and ten; the latter coming from the Cincinnati Bengals in the Dexter Lawrence trade. Who will John Harbaugh select with those two picks? That depends on who gets chosen before those picks.

Since it's generally assumed the Las Vegas Raiders will take Fernando Mendoza first overall, the real fun begins when the New York Jets are on the clock at number two. Will they take David Bailey or Arvell Reese? Will the Arizona Cardinals take Jeremiyah Love with the third pick, or will they trade back as some are predicting? Will the Tennessee Titans take the edge rusher the Jets didn't take, or will they take Sonny Styles, or maybe even Love if he falls to them?

A lot of variables, to be sure. Now you know why every team has multiple players on their board. Because you can never predict what other teams will do. What we know from last season is that the Giants number one need going into this draft is defense, and if Harbaugh has a chance to improve it, he will certainly do so. At the same time, we can't rule out that if someone like Love falls into his lap he won't take him. We also can't rule out the possibility that Harbaugh might trade back to acquire more draft capital. Given that the Giants don't have a third-rounder, that could be what he does with pick 10.

When I look objectively at this draft, three players stand out to me: Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and, if he falls, Arvell Reese. All three played at Ohio State and all three could easily anchor this defense. But I can also envision taking a chance on Jordyn Tyson with the 10th pick. The Giants also need help on the offensive and defensive lines. See what I mean about a lot of variables? 

I'm predicting two trades: the first is between the Giants and the Cowboys. Dallas sends the 20th pick to New York in exchange for Kayvon Thibodeaux. The second is between the Cardinals and the Dolphins. Arizona gets the 30th pick from Miami, which they will use to select Alabama QB Ty Simpson, in exchange for a second round pick. 

So, without further ado, here is my mock draft for the top 20 picks in the first round. I hope you enjoy reading it half as much as I enjoyed writing it.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana.

2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State. 

3. Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame. 

4. Tennessee Titans: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech.

5. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State. 

6. Cleveland Browns: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State.

7. Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State. 

8. New Orleans Saints: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami. 

9. Kansas City Chiefs: Manor Delane, CB, LSU. 

10. New York Giants (via trade with Cincinnati): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State. 

11. Miami Dolphins: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami. 

12. Dallas Cowboys: Makai Lemon, WR, USC.  

13. Los Angeles Rams: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah. 

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State. 

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon. 

16. New York Jets, Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana. 

17. Detroit Lions: Kaydyn Proctor, OT, Alabama. 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon.

19. Carolina Panthers: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn. 

20. New York Giants (via trade with Dallas): Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State.

As with all my other predictions, please take them with a large grain of salt.

Have fun, people.

Worst Team $381 Million Can Buy

Twenty-three games into this season, the New York Mets are 7-16. They've lost 12 in a row, and currently own the worst record in baseball. Only the Philadelphia Phillies, at 8-15, are slightly better.

How bad are the Mets? During this losing streak, they are a minus 46 in run differential, the worst in the majors; they are last in team ERA (5.64); last in team batting average (.194) last in batting average with runners in scoring position (.161); last in runs scored (22); and tied for second fewest home runs (8). They've been shutout three times and held to two runs or fewer nine times. They aren't just bad, they're historically bad, and if they lose tonight, they will be tied for the third longest losing streak in franchise history with the 1962 team that lost 120 games. 

Let's take a look at the last 12 games. First the hitters:

Francisco Lindor: 2 HRs / 4 RBIs / .245 BA / .260 OBP / .648 OPS

Marcus Semien: 0 HRs / 2 RBIs / .220 BA / .273 OBP / .517 OPS

Bo Bichette: 1 HRs / 3 RBIs / .239 BA / .286 OBP / .612 OPS

Mark Vientos: 1 HRs / 2 RBIs / .094 BA / .118 OBP / .305 OPS

Brett Baty: 0 HRs / 2 RBIs / .161 BA / .182 OBP / .375 OPS

Luis Robert Jr: 1 HR / 1 RBI / .190 BA / .227 OBP / .537 OPS

Francisco Alvarez: 1 HR / 2 RBIs / .212 BA / .333 OBP / .636 OPS

Carson Benge: 0 HRs / 0 RBIs / .182 BA / .229 OBP / .441 OPS

Tyrone Taylor: 0 HRs / 2 RBIs / .235 BA / .278 OBP / .572 OPS 

Now the pitchers:

Sean Manaea: 11.0 IP / 0-0 / 5.73 ERA 

David Peterson: 13.2 IP / 0-2 / 5.93 ERA

Luis Garcia: 1.1 IP / 0-0 / 20.25 ERA

Luke Weaver: 3.2 IP / 0-0 / 14.73 ERA

Richard Lovelady: 2.1 IP / 0-0 / 0.00 ERA

Nolan McLean: 20.0 IP / 0-1 / 2.70 ERA

Clay Holmes: 10.1 IP / 0-2 / 2.61 ERA

Tobias Myers: 7.0 IP / 0-0 / 5.14 ERA

Huascar Brazoban: 5.0 IP / 0-0 / 0.00 ERA

Brooks Raley: 3.1 IP / 0-1 / 5.40 ERA

Koadai Senga: 5.2 IP / 0-2 / 20.65 ERA

Devin Williams: 1.1 IP / 0-1 / 47.25 ERA

The numbers speak for themselves. This isn't just a bad team, it's an historically bad team, and its principal architect, David Stearns, bears the brunt of the responsibility. He said after last season that run prevention would be his number one goal over the winter. Based on the results, this pitching staff is significantly worse than last year's. The worst offenders, by far, have been Weaver and Williams. The two were brought in by Stearns to give the Mets a formidable one-two punch at the back end of the bullpen. Instead, they've both been horrific during this losing streak.

As for run production, there isn't one hitter over the last 12 games that has distinguished himself. Lindor is having the worst year of his career; Bichette is batting 53 points below his career average; Semien is confirming what everyone suspected when he was acquired for Brandon Nimmo: that his best years are behind him; Baty looks completely overmatched at the plate; and let's face it, Benge belongs in Syracuse.

Meanwhile, the three players Stearns traded away or let walk, are all doing better than the players who replaced them:

Pete Alonso: 3 HRs / 10 RBIs / .213 BA / .327 OBP / .700 OPS

Jeff McNeil: 1 HR / 5 RBIs / .278 BA / .361 OBP / .750 OPS

Brandon Nimmo: 4 HRs / 11 RBIs / .295 BA / .368 OBP / .863 OPS

This is Stearns third season as President of Baseball Operations for the Mets. In that time, he has turned over almost one half of the roster, including some players who were very popular in the locker room as well as with the fanbase. It would be one thing if he had slashed payroll, as I thought he was going to do after last season. But the payroll has ostensibly stayed the same going into the 2026 season. This is mostly on him.

I say mostly because Carlos Mendoza is hardly guiltless. He's mismanaged the pithing staff and he's been way too patient with his players. There was simply no excuse for not benching Lindor, who literally went 17 games without a single RBI, made several mistakes in the infield and got picked off first base. I wrote in my season preview that if the Mets got off to a slow start he might not make it to the All-Star Break. The way this team is playing, he might not make it to May.

Chemistry isn't a word normally associated with baseball, but this team looks about as comfortable playing together as a crowded elevator in Manhattan. Something's gotta give or this season will be over before we get to summer, if it isn't already. The return of Juan Soto will provide a badly needed spark, but he can't do it all by himself. The other players need to pull their weight.

I can't believe Steve Cohen is going to let this nightmare continue much longer. He may be patient to a fault, but even he has his breaking point. He's the owner of team with a $381 million payroll. This can't be sitting well with him. 

Bottom line, there is simply no excuse for the level of play we've seen from this team. It's unbecoming of professionals making the kind of money they're making. It's time to shit or get off the pot.

64-2

For seven quarters, the New York Knicks had the Atlanta Hawks right where they wanted them. They had beaten them in game one of their best of seven series 113-102, and led them 91-79 going into the fourth quarter of game two. They were on the verge of going up 2-0. Outside the Garden, the fans were chanting "We want Boston," in anticipation of what looked like a four-game sweep. And then everything came crashing down. Atlanta outscored New York 28-15 over the final 12 minutes to eke out a narrow one-point win.

It was a devastating loss to a team many, myself included, thought would be a very tough opponent. Going into last night's game, the Knicks were 64-1 in the playoffs when taking a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter. Make that 64-2.

How could this have happen? How did a team as experienced as the Knicks unravel against a team that was making its first appearance in the postseason in seven years?

There was a lot of blame to go around, starting with:

1. Mike Brown: For 11 minutes, Brown inexplicably took his two best scorers - Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns - both out of the game, and went with a lineup that consisted primarily of Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. During that span, the Knicks were outscored by seven points. In another bizarre move, Brown elected to call a timeout with 2:43 left in the fourth quarter and New York in possession, leading 100-99. Brunson was driving to the basket when the whistle blew. That timeout would come back to haunt the Knicks as they were unable to stop the clock with 5.6 seconds left in the game, forcing Bridges to take a last second desperation shot that hit the rim and bounced away.

2. The Bench: Apart from Robinson (13 points and 7 rebounds) and Clarkson (7 and 5), the bench was MIA. Alvarado, Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet were a combined 0-7. McBride's performance was particularly disappointing, as the Knicks are counting on him to be the primary scorer off the bench. At least Alvarado was a plus 5; everyone else was a minus, including Robinson, who was a team-high minus 10.

3. Free Throws: After going 25-30 (83%) from the free throw line in game one, the Knicks went 17-27 (63%) in game two. Anunoby missed two critical free throws late in the fourth that could've given his team the win. The Knicks are not going to beat the Hawks missing that many free throws.

4. Jalen Brunson: I wrote before the series began that for the Knicks to advance Brunson could not be the only scorer on the team. And for the first three quarters of last night's game, the Captain was a ball distributer, assisting on seven baskets. But then in the fourth quarter, he became a ball hogger. Towns, who scored 14 points in the third quarter, took only two shots in the fourth. The Knicks offense stalled and had their worst output of the season.

The good news is that all four of these issues can and will be addressed going forward. Brown, hopefully, will not sit both Brunson and KAT at the same time, and will use his timeouts more judiciously; the bench, especially McBride, won't be so anemic; the Knicks will do much better from the free-throw line; and Brunson will get the ball to KAT instead of trying to win the game on his own. More good news: despite their fourth-quarter collapse last night, the Knicks are defending very well in this series. Their defensive rating of 108.7 is eighth among the 16 teams in the postseason. Atlanta, by comparison, is 10th. The Knicks did not lose because of their defense; they lost because of their offense, or lack thereof.

Which leads me to the bad news. Thanks to their malpractice, the Hawks now have the home-court advantage as they head back to Atlanta for the next two games, where they are 17-4 over the second half of the season. That means New York will have its work cut out for it trying to get a split. 

This is what happens when you don't take care of business; you give your opponent a lifeline. The Knicks could've had a stranglehold on this series; instead, they're in for the fight of their lives.

A fight they could well end up losing. 

Harbaugh Lays Down A Marker

Very early in my sales career, the manager of a store I was working at decided to hold a meeting. Sales were down, the salesmen were bitching about conditions, and he was going to nip it in the bud once and for all. He started off the meeting by pointing to the door and saying, "See that? That's the exit. We don't just put that there for the customers to use. If you're not happy here, let me know and I'll accommodate you. I've got five applications on my desk for every one of you." Suffice to say he got his point across. The bitching stopped and sales soon picked up. Mission accomplished.

I am quite certain that the last thing John Harbaugh wanted to do was trade one of his better players, even if that player did have an "off" year. In his mind, the Giants were better off with Dexter Lawrence on the roster than without him. But after Lawrence issued his trade demand and refused to negotiate on a new contract, Harbaugh's hands were tied.

He could've called Lawrence's bluff and forced him to report to camp or forfeit his salary. But as I wrote in a previous post, why would he want that kind of headache in his first year as head coach? In the end, Harbaugh had no choice but to show his disgruntled player the exit, as it were. And in so doing, he laid down a marker. Don't want to be here? No problem. 

What's remarkable about this situation isn't that the Giants moved on from Lawrence, it's what they got in return. Harbaugh had said he wanted no less than a top ten pick for him, and that's exactly what he got. The Cincinnati Bengals traded the 10th pick straight up for the defensive tackle. 

Already the Monday-morning quarterbacks are at it, arguing that the Giants should've gotten the same haul the Jets got for Quininen Williams: a first, a second and a player. But like I pointed in that same post, you can't compare a trade made at the deadline with a trade made less than a week before the Draft. The Jets had all the leverage in that deal; the Giants had practically none, especially given Lawrence's demands. Frankly, I was starting to doubt whether they could even get a first rounder for him.

But the Bengals needed to improve a defense that was third from the bottom in the NFL, and they figured - correctly - that the best defensive players were all going to be gone by the time they got to choose. So they made the deal.

There were no losers in this trade. Both sides won. The Bengals got the player they wanted and the Giants got the draft capital they needed. They also saved $13 million in cap space, which they can put towards another free agent, D.J. Reader perhaps.

The real question is what will Harbaugh do with the 10th pick? Will he keep it, or will he trade back, as Gary Myers suggested, to get even more draft capital? It all depends on what happens with picks 6 thru 9. Assuming Jeremiyah Love goes 4th to the Tennessee Titans, the Giants will have their choice of Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs at 5. Either would instantly be a stud. Let's say Harbaugh takes Styles. It's unlikely that Downs would still be available at 10. The same goes for Carnell Tate and Jordan Tyson, who many believe is the best wide receiver in the Draft.

The Giants could certainly use some help at offensive tackle, as well as cornerback. There are several players at those positions who would still be on board deep into the first round. Trading back six or seven spots could get them a badly needed third round pick. After pick 37, the Giants don't select again until 105. That's a long time to go between picks.

It's important to remember that for all the good vibes the Harbaugh signing engendered, the Giants went 4-13 last season; the year before that they went 3-14; and the year before that they went 6-11. This team isn't two or three players away from being a contender; it's eight or nine players away. It needs all the draft picks it can get. Indeed, I wouldn't rule out the Giants trading Kayvon Thibodeaux. If Harbaugh could get a second and fourth for him, imagine the holes he could fill with those picks.

That's the difference between John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen or Dave Gettleman. Harbaugh clearly knows the Giants aren't a playoff team, and he isn't willing to take short cuts to get there. He only wants players who want to be here. He has a vision and a mandate from ownership to see it through. And make no mistake about it, he is running the show. Schoen can hold all the press conferences he wants; on Draft Day, Harbaugh will have the final word. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Schoen is let go next week. Dawn Aponte, who was hired in February to be the team's Senior Vice President of Football Operations, is more than capable of filling his shoes.

 

For the first time in a long time, this franchise is in competent hands. 

Knicks Playoff Preview (Round One)

For the fourth season in a row, the New York Knicks are in the playoffs; and for the third season in a row, they've won at least 50 games. Without question, this is the best team since the one Pat Riley took to the finals in 1994.

And like that '94 team that didn't have to face Michael Jordan, this Knicks team was the prohibitive favorite to come out of the East going into the season. That's because both Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum suffered Achilles injuries and were presumed out for at least a year.

Well, a funny thing happened. While Haliburton never came back, Tatum did, making a Boston Celtics team that was already having a surprisingly good year without him an even more imposing threat. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Detroit Pistons, the team the Knicks beat in the first round last year, came out of nowhere to win 60 games. Oh, and I almost forget to mention that the Atlanta Hawks, who went 21-9 over the last 30 games, deliberately tanked their last game so they could fall to the 6th seed and play the Knicks in the first round.

So much for a glide path to the finals. If this Knicks team is going to win its first championship since 1973, it is going to have to do so while going through a gauntlet that would make walking through a mine field seem like a stroll through the park.

The good news is that they should have more in the tank than last year's team. Under Mike Brown, the starters averaged roughly three minutes less per game than they did under Tom Thibodeau. More good news: from January 21, only the Oklahoma City Thunder had a better defensive rating than New York: 109.1 to 109.4. For the season, the Knicks were a league-best +11.7 in the fourth quarter, the highest ever recorded in the modern play-by-play era. Over the last three postseasons, Jalen Brunson has more 40 point playoff games (8) than Nikola Jokic (6) or Anthony Edwards (5); and Karl-Anthony Towns had more double doubles this season (56) than Jokic (55).

Now the bad news? The Knicks two best scorers (Brunson and KAT) also happen to be their two worst defenders. And while this year's team is better than the one that went to Eastern Conference finals last year, it has also been plagued by inconsistencies. The same team that routed the Nuggets in Denver also barely survived the Nets in Brooklyn. I have written about this several times and it bears repeating: the Knicks are capable of going all the way to the finals; they're also capable of being ousted in the first round. And the most frustrating thing about them is that you don't know which team will show up Saturday night at the Garden.

Notwithstanding those concerns, what are the keys to the Knicks beating the Hawks? It comes down to three.

1. Get KAT involved early and often. As good as the Hawks were in the second half, they have no one who can guard Towns in the paint. The Knicks must get the ball to him, no excuses. He is capable of dominating this series. 20 plus points and 14-15 rebounds per game is a must for New York to advance. 

2. Control the boards. It's no secret that when the Knicks win it's usually because they out-rebound their opponents, particularly on the offensive glass, and this leads to second or third shot attempts. This is where Mitchell Robinson factors in. I expect Brown to play him and Towns together on the court, especially in the fourth quarter. If New York controls the boards, they will win this series.

3. Don't let Brunson shoulder all the load. While there's no doubt Brunson will be the best Knick in the series, he can't beat the Hawks all by himself. Other players, like Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Deuce McBride will have to step up and contribute on the score sheet. The Knicks averaged 27.4 assists per game this season; to beat the Hawks, they are going to have to meet or exceed that average.

In case you haven't noticed, the Knicks have a history of drawing tough first-round opponents in the Leon Rose era: The Cavaliers in '23, the Sixers in '24 and the Pistons last year. The Hawks are no exception. Contrary to what many in the fanbase are saying, this will not be a quick series, or an easy one. They won't say it publicly, but to a man the Knicks would much rather have played the Toronto Raptors.

That being said, the Knicks, if they bring their A game, should dispense with Atlanta. If they don't, heads will roll. New York in six.

Here's how I see the rest of the first-round matchups going:

Eastern Conference: 

Detroit over Orlando in five. The Magic bludgeoned a flawed Hornets team in the Play-In just for the privilege of playing the Pistons.

Boston over Philadelphia in five. Even with a healthy Joel Embiid this would've been a heavy lift for the Sixers. Without him, it's impossible.

Cleveland over Toronto in five. The Raptors caught a break when the Hawks tanked in their last game. It won't make enough of a difference against the Cavs.

Western Conference:

OKC over Phoenix in five. The Thunder needed an easy first round opponent to defend their title. They got one in the Suns.

San Antonio over Portland in six. I'm probably giving the Trail Blazers more credit than they deserve, or maybe it's because this is the first postseason for the Spurs in seven years.

Denver over Minnesota in six. I know the Ant Man has historically done well against the Joker, but there's something about this Nuggets team that makes me think this could be their year. Plus, I have them in the finals against the Knicks.

Houston over Los Angeles in five. This would've been a great series if Luka and Austin Reaves had been healthy. Without them, the Lakers are toast.

As in past years, if the Knicks advance, I'll preview the second round. If they don't, my pick is the Nuggets to win it all. 

We Need To Talk About Lindor

Through 17 games, Francisco Lindor's slash line is .176 / .291 / .250.  He has no home runs and no runs batted in. That was not a misprint, folks. The man who almost became the captain of the New York Mets has been hit by a pitch (1) more times than he's driven in a run (0). I've heard of slow starts, but there were glaciers during the last ice age that moved faster than Lindor has begun the season.

But as bad as his hitting has been, his fielding and base running have been equally atrocious. He was picked off first base while adjusting his glove, forgot how many outs there were on a ground ball that should've been a double play, failed to cover second base on what also should've been a double play, and was tagged out trying to get back to third on an ill-advised scoring attempt. And to think we're only half way through April.

If these were the actions of a rookie, you could almost chalk them up to inexperience or nervousness. But Lindor has been in the majors twelve seasons. He has no excuse for this level of play. What's even more frustrating is the indifference he exhibits in his postgame interviews. Tone deaf doesn't begin to describe it.

When David Stearns assembled this roster over the winter, there were many questions I had about it, most of them sadly coming to the forefront. But the one constant I thought we could all agree on, the one "put in the books" player the Mets had was Lindor at shortstop. His two-run, 9th inning homer against the Braves in game 161 of the 2024 season got New York into the postseason, and his grand slam against the Phillies in the 8th inning of the NLDS, got them to their first NLCS in nine years. When the team won 101 games in 2022, Lindor had his best season as a pro, batting .270 with 26 HRs and 107 RBIs.

This is no scrub, or rookie, or bench player we're talking about here. This is an elite ball player in the prime of his career who is off to a hellish start, and whose nonchalant attitude over his performance is entirely inappropriate given his team's place in the standings, which at the moment is dead last in the National League East. 

I know it's still early, and I also know that no team wins a pennant in April. But the way this team is playing - particularly Lindor - the season may be over by Memorial Day, if not sooner. Something's gotta change. And that something has to be the lineup. Carlos Mendoza came under fire last season for the way he handled his pitching staff. But he's also been way too lenient with his players in general. Why on Earth Lindor hasn't been benched is beyond me. The example this is setting for everyone in that dugout is that it's ok to play like this. And that is unacceptable for a team that went into the season with playoff aspirations. Jesus, even players managers would know when to draw the line.

If Mendoza won't hold Lindor accountable, how the hell is he going to hold the other 23 players on his roster accountable? How does he justify sitting Carson Benge, who at least has 1 HR and 3 RBIs? Players aren't stupid; greedy, yes, but stupid, no. They can tell when a player is being given special treatment. It would be one thing if Lindor just had a couple of bad games; benching him would be an overreaction. But this isn't just a couple of bad games we're talking about; this is a trend that if not nipped in the bud threatens to derail the entire season. For the good of the team Mendoza must bench Lindor.

It doesn't have to be for long; one game should be enough to send a message. And that message is it doesn't matter who you or how much money you make. Every one is held to the same standards. You perform, you play; you don't, you sit. Period.

Lindor undoubtedly won't like it. Tough. It's not about him anymore; it's about a team that is seriously underachieving at every aspect of the game: hitting, pitching and fielding.

Enough with the excuses; enough with shrugging off unacceptably bad performances. It's time for some tough love.

Harry Truman used to have a sign on his desk that read, "The Buck Stops Here." Maybe Mendoza should get one for his desk.

Ya Gotta Have Hart

Don't let the Debbie Downers spoil the moment for you. Last night's game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics at the Garden was huge, and not because of playoff seeding. Barring a miracle, the Cleveland Cavaliers have pretty much resigned themselves to a fourth place finish in the Eastern Conference, all but guaranteeing the Knicks and Celtics will meet in the second round; assuming, that is, both teams beat their respective first-round opponents. 

It was huge because this team, which has been the sports equivalent of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde most of the season, badly needed a statement win before going into the playoffs. And they got one. By beating the Celtics 112-106, the Knicks won the season series 3-1 and improved their record against teams with winning records to 29-22; last season, they were 0-4 and 12-22 respectively.

The difference isn't just in the won / loss column. Since January 21, the Knicks have the third best defensive rating in the league at 109.3. Last season, it was 11th best at 114.3. This season, they have a fourth quarter point differential of plus 236; last season, it was minus 82. Some of their wins have been epic: 114-89 over the Spurs and 142-103 over the Nuggets, while others have been pedestrian: 93-92 over the Nets and 110-107 over a depleted Warriors team. I've heard of keeping your powder dry, but this is ridiculous.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if the team that throttled the Spurs and Nuggets shows up in the playoffs, they'll make it to the conference finals, maybe even the league finals. But if the team that squeaked by the Nets and Warriors shows up in the playoffs, they'll go out in the first round. Now you know what I mean by Jekyll and Hyde. They're either ascending to the top of Mount Everest or they're sinking to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. There's no in-between. And the scary part is that on paper, only the Oklahoma City Thunder are deeper and more talented.

That's why these wins against teams like the Celtics are so crucial. The Knicks have a habit of playing up to or down to the level of their opponents, and beating a playoff-bound team that many are picking to win the East will do wonders for their psyche.

Last night it was Josh Hart who was the hero. He scored 23 of his game-high 26 points in the second half - including two three pointers in the closing minute - to propel his team to victory. To quote Stefan Bondy, "The Celtics dared Josh Hart to beat them. He obliged." But as clutch as Hart was, he had help. Jalen Brunson had one of his better games of the season with 25 points and 10 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. It is essential that these two players work well together for the Knicks to have any hope of a deep playoff run.

Overall, New York outscored Boston 46-32 in the paint, and outshot them 54-45 percent from the field and 43-37 from three-point range. They also had a season-low seven turnovers to the Celtics 11. The only stat line they struggled with was on the boards, where the Celtics out rebounded them 42-30. As for Jalen Brown not being dressed, you play against the team that's on the court. If we're going to start qualifying Knicks wins, what about all those games Brunson, Towns, or Hart missed that the Knicks lost? Can we award them a couple more wins for being shorthanded? The bottom line is if a team can't win without its best player in the lineup, it doesn't deserve to be called a contender. 

Anyway, it was a win; an important win. And that's all that matters. 

John Harbaugh's First Test

John Harbaugh was having a pretty uneventful first few months on the job. He had assembled his coaching staff, signed some notable free agents like Isaiah Likely, Tremaine Edmunds, Jason Sanders, Jordan Stout, Calvin Austin, Darnell Mooney and Cam Jones, and was preparing for what many Giants fans are hoping will be the first of many NFL Drafts as head coach and de facto president of football operations.

Then two days ago, Dexter Lawrence decided to spoil Harbaugh's honeymoon. The 340 pound defensive tackle, who was the 17th pick in the 2019 Draft, demanded a trade. Suffice to say the timing could not have been worse. While no one knows for sure what Harbaugh will do with the 5th pick, hold onto it or trade back to get additional picks, the general consensus was that he was leaning towards keeping Lawrence rather than moving him for additional draft capital. Now those plans appear to be up in the air. If Harbaugh can't satisfy Lawrence's contract demand - and the assumption is he's looking for a new one - he might have no option but to accommodate his wishes.

So, what would Lawrence fetch in a trade? If last year's Quinnen Williams deal is any indication, then the Giants should expect a first and second round pick, plus a defensive player. Of course there's one small problem with that analogy: the trade between the Jets and the Cowboys was made at the deadline, which is typically a seller's market. No such market exists here. Just the opposite, in fact. Every team in the league knows the spot the Giants are in. The last thing they're going to do is make it easy for them. If the best Harbaugh can get is a first round pick for Lawrence, he should take it and run. 

Of course he could wait until Draft Day. There's always a team out there looking to bolster their interior defense. And if Harbaugh can get an additional pick on top of a first for Lawrence, it might be worth the gamble. However, the reverse is also true; teams might try and lowball him, hoping to get a steal. In that event, Harbaugh would be up a creak without a paddle.

Lastly, Harbaugh could always call Lawrence's bluff. After all, he is signed through 2027 to a very team-friendly contract. $26.9 million may be below market value for a player with his talent, but it's considerably better than nothing, which is what Lawrence would get if he sat out the season. 

But does Harbaugh really want a player on his roster who's disgruntled, especially one as important as Lawrence? While he may have had an off year in 2025, he is still considered one of the better defensive tackles in the game. And for a team that struggled mightily against the run last season, I'm not sure Harbaugh wants that kind of headache in his first year on the sidelines.

So the choices appear to be a) pay him what he wants, then write the contract in a way so that the cap hit is less than what it is now; b) get what you can for him in a trade, even if it's less than what he's worth; or c) call his bluff and hope he doesn't sit out or tank.

If I had to guess, I'd say Harbaugh opts for Plan A. At 28, Lawrence still has several good years left before his skills begin to diminish. A three-year deal at $100 million, with the first two years guaranteed, should do it. Both sides get what they want. The Giants solidify their defensive line with a manageable cap hit, and Lawrence gets the security he's been looking for.

If Harbaugh still needs to shed more salary, he can always trade Kayvon Thibodeaux. Indeed, prior to Lawrence's demand, the smart money was on the Giants moving Thibodeux on Draft Day for a second round pick. Now that's almost a certainty.

You know what they say: the best laid plans of mice and men.

Mike Brown's KAT Problem

"I'm still trying to figure out where I could impact our team and winning the most."

- Karl-Anthony Towns

75 games into the season and the Knicks number two scorer still doesn't know what his role on the team is. I don't want to sound like an alarmist here, but we're way past the point where this should be an issue. Typically, this late in the season, teams are fine tuning their systems, not redesigning them. If someone as valuable as KAT is saying something like this publicly, I can assure you Leon Rose cannot be happy. And if Rose isn't happy, you can bet the ranch James Dolan isn't either. 

I have given Mike Brown the benefit of the doubt on more than one occasion. In my opinion, he has been an improvement over his predecessor Tom Thibodeau. He has cut down on the minutes the starters were playing, has increased the number of players in his rotation and, most notably, gotten a team that was fourteenth in defensive rating last season to seventh this season. Indeed, since January 21, the Knicks are first in the NBA in defensive rating.

He has also managed to do something Thibs couldn't do: get Towns and Jalen Brunson to defend. Since January 21, KAT's defensive rating is 104.5 and Brunson's is 111.9; last season, it was 110.3 and 118.2 respectively. It was no secret that in last year's Eastern Conference finals, the Pacers took advantage of both players whenever they were on the court. So bad was it that Thibs was forced to move KAT to the 4 and start Mitchell Robinson at the 5 once the series shifted to Indiana.

But while Brown deserves accolades for the defensive turnaround, there's no excuse for one of his players not knowing what his role is. We're not talking about a bench player here. We're talking about a 7-0 center who, last season, averaged 24.4 points per game and shot 42 percent from three-point range. Only Nikola Jokic averaged more points per game at that position.

There's also no excuse for Brown pulling that player out of a game in which his team was trailing by two late in the 4th quarter. Sunday night in OKC, the Thunder were leading 95-93 with 5:41 left in regulation. The Knicks were on a 12-3 run with Towns accounting for nine of their points. Thanks to a turnover by SGA, New York had the ball. That's when Brown inexplicably pulled his star center and inserted Mitchell Robinson in his place. Though the substitution was short-lived, the momentum had ostensibly been killed. KAT never scored another point. OKC would go on a 16-7 run to close out the game. 

It is incumbent upon a head coach to communicate to his players what his expectations are and what their roles will be. For most of the season, Towns has looked lost out on the court. He passes up shots that are there while forcing shots that aren't. Against the Thunder, he took only nine shots. To put that in perspective, Jose Alvarado took ten off the bench.

This was not some blow out; this was a close game that was winnable. The first rule in sports is you always go with your best lineup when the game is on the line. KAT was on a roll; no way he should've been substituted. While Robinson has many talents, offense isn't one of them. He had no business being on the court in that situation. His turnover two possessions later opened up the flood gates for OKC.

This isn't the first time Brown's tinkering with the rotation has been questioned. You could say it's been a season-long preoccupation of his. There's just one problem: this isn't November or December, it's March, about to become April. The tinkering should be over. The way this team is playing, they'd have a hard time making it out of the first round, let alone getting to the finals. And if they end up facing the Pistons in the conference finals, they might very well get swept.

Mike Brown was hired to get the Knicks over the hump. They entered the season as the prohibitive favorites to win the East. As of now, they're more likely to finish fourth than first. Not all of what's wrong is his fault; but the part that is he must fix, and fix soon. Otherwise, this season of high expectations will go up in smoke.

Just like all the others. 

ELIMINATED!

It was fitting that on a night when the Rangers actually played one of their better games of the season, it was their goaltending that let them down. Well, at least they had more than 10 shots on goal.

How the mighty have fallen. To think that only two years ago the Blueshirts won the Presidents' Trophy and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three seasons. In spite of what the analytics community was saying, they were legitimate Cup contenders, even if their window was one of the shortest in franchise history. 

And now, for the second straight season, there will be no playoff games at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers were officially eliminated from postseason contention last night in Toronto. They are currently second from the bottom in the NHL standings. So much for "No Quit in New York." I hope J.T. Miller kept the receipts for those T-shirts. Maybe he can get a Happy Meal for them.

As you probably noticed, I haven't been writing much about the Rangers this season for two reasons: One, the Knicks have been a far better story; and two, there's only so much bile I can spit up. Watching this team brings new meaning to the term self abuse.

There are many culprits in this tragedy, but none more egregious than J.T. Miller. Captain Clunker is now sadly part of two of the worst trades in Rangers history: the first was when he was dealt to the Lightning in 2018 for a package that included Brett Howden; the second was when he was reacquired last year from the Canucks for Filip Chytil and a first round pick. Jesus, talk about double dipping. 

With a few rare exceptions, Miller has been brutal this season. How brutal? Without him in the lineup, the Rangers are 7-5-2; with him in the lineup, they're 21-30-7. Since his return from I.R., he has no goals and only 4 assists in seven games. During that span, New York is 1-5-1. Prior to that, they had won their last three games.

This wasn't what the Rangers envisioned when they brought him back to Broadway. Clearly, something is wrong. If he's injured, he shouldn't be playing; and if he isn't injured, there's no excuse for his performance. Either way, there's no justification for keeping a player making $8 million AAV through 2030 beyond this season. Chris Drury may not like retaining dead cap space on the books, but in this instance, he really has no other choice. He must buy out Miller's contract over the summer and rid the organization of an albatross that will cripple his efforts at rebuilding the roster.

Here's what a potential buy out for Miller would look like:

2026-27: $2.92m

2027-28: $5.42m

2028-29: $5.42m

2029-30: $2.92m

2030-31: $1.92m

2031-32: $1.92m

2032-33: $1.92m

2033-34: $1.92m

At first glance, this may seem like a lot of money to eat, but with the salary cap scheduled to go from $95.5 million to $104 million next season and $113.5 million the following year, it's not as bad as it looks. By year five the cap hit would be less than what a bottom six forward would cost. The alternative is keeping a subpar player on an aging contract who will only take valuable minutes away from a younger, more promising prospect. Better for Drury to cut his losses than to continue throwing good money after bad. This would be the no brainer of the decade.

Speaking of no brainers, it is imperative that the Rangers find out what they have in their pipeline. Continuing to dress players like Taylor Raddysh and Conor Sheary when you have players in Hartford that could be called up and looked at is absurd. With ten games to go in the season, Drury and Mike Sullivan need to give as much ice time as possible to these players.

To some extent, they've already begun to do that. Tye Kartye (who was claimed off waivers from the Kraken) has been a pleasant surprise, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists in 14 games with New York, and averaging 14 minutes per game playing on the third line. Jaroslav Chmelar is another young player who has 2 goals in 18 games. And last night, Adam Sykora made his NHL debut.

But the biggest, most pleasant surprise has come courtesy of the top six. Gabe Perrault has 4 goals and 9 assists this month; Mika Zibanejad, with 32 goals and 37 assists this season, is playing his best hockey since 2022-23; and Alexis Lafreniere has 11 goals and 10 assists since Artemi Panarin was traded to the Kings in January. Five of those goals have come on the power play. Over the last 13 games, the trio has 20 goals and 26 assists. In an otherwise lost season, they've been one of the few bright spots on this team.

Vincent Trocheck - who was almost traded - has 3 goals and 6 assists since the deadline. If Drury doesn't get a good enough offer for him over the summer, he should keep him. A 2C making $5.6 million is very manageable in this league, especially one who averages 60 points per season and wins 57 percent of his face offs.

Look, there's no way to sugar coat this. The Rangers are a bad team, and they will likely be a bad team for the foreseeable future. The best thing Drury can do is not make the same mistakes his predecessor made by taking short cuts. He needs to build through the draft, develop his young prospects, and when appropriate, make smart trades. That's the way most successful teams have done it. 

It's the way the Rangers did it under Emile Francis and Craig Patrick. 

2026 Mets Preview

Boy, David Stearns had himself a very busy offseason, didn't he? The Mets President and GM ostensibly turned over almost half of the roster from last year. Gone are Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte, Ryan Stank, Ryan Helsey, Tyler Rogers, Cedric Mullins and Frankie Montas. Replacing them are Devin Williams, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr, Luke Weaver, Freddy Peralta, Richard Lovelady, Tobias Myers and Carson Benge. 

If you were vacationing the last four and a half months in a place that didn't have internet access - the moon, for instance - you're in for one helluva shock when you get your yearbook.

That 2025 was a huge disappointment would be putting it mildly. After signing Juan Soto to a record-breaking 15 year, $765 million contract, the Amazins were expected to not only make the postseason, but go all the way to the World Series. Instead, they endured a historic four-month implosion that began in mid-June. Clearly, some changes had to be made. The only question is will those changes be enough to wash the taste of last year out of the organization's mouth.

Frankly, I have my doubts. Don't get me wrong, the additions of Bichette, Polanco, Semien and Robert Jr will bring balance to a batting order that was top heavy last season. And for the first time in four years, the Mets finally have an ace in their starting rotation in Peralta. I'm also very high on Nolan McLean and think he has the potential to be an elite pitcher in the majors. 

But when I look objectively at this roster, there are some red flags. For one, defense. Robert Jr will be fine in center, as will Semien at second. But Bichette is a natural shortstop who's never played third, and if you thought Alonso was an adventure at first, Polanco has played exactly one inning - actually one pitch - at the position his entire professional career. For a GM who stressed run prevention at the conclusion of last season, you'd have to admit, that's a pretty odd way of addressing it.

Then there's the bullpen, which was the primary culprit in last season's implosion. Losing Diaz - the best closer the franchise has had since Billy Wagner - to the Dodgers for what amounted to $3 million over three years is THE definition of malpractice. Hoping Williams regains the form he had with the Brewers is the biggest gamble since Custer said, "One more for the road, boys."

The starting rotation is also problematic. After Peralta and Clay Holmes, the drop-off is immense. As I said above, I think McLean is legit, but what if he isn't? What if he needs another year at Syracuse? And then there's Kodai Senga. Can he rebound from a disastrous 2025, or is this it for him? As for David Peterson and Sean Manaea, who knows what to expect from them. You'd have to be an incurable optimist to think this rotation can carry a team all the way to a World Series. 

And then there's the manager. While Carlos Mendoza wasn't the architect of last season's train wreck, he has to shoulder some of the blame, most notably how he handled the pitching staff. Should this team get off to a poor start, like it did in 2024, it's hard to see him surviving to the All-Star Break. Fair or not, the expectations for this franchise are still high. A second consecutive season missing the playoffs will not be tolerated by Steve Cohen. 

Now for my predictions. Last year, the Mets finished 83-79; the year before that, they went 89-73. Mike Puma of The New York Post has them going 95-67 this season and winning the National League East. I'm a bit less bullish. I have them going 88-74. While that won't be enough to win the NL East, it should be enough to clinch a Wild Card spot. And if Senga and Williams regain their previous form, they could challenge the Phillies for the division. However, that's a big if.

Here's how I see each division breaking down:

NL East:

Phillies

Braves

Mets

Marlins

Nationals

NL Central:

Brewers

Cubs

Cardinals

Reds

Pirates

NL West:

Dodgers

Padres

Giants

Diamondbacks

Rockies

AL East:

Blue Jays

Yankees

Red Sox

Orioles

Rays

AL Central:

Tigers

Guardians

Twins

Royals

White Sox

AL West:

Mariners

Rangers

Astros

Angels

A's

NL Wild Cards: Braves, Mets, Cubs

AL Wild Cards: Yankees, Red Sox, Guardians

World Series: Blue Jays over Phillies 4-2

As with all my predictions, take them with a grain of salt. 

A very large grain of salt. 

Will the Real New York Knicks Please Stand Up?

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. Just when you think you've figured out this Knicks team, they throw a curve Sandy Koufax would be proud of.

23-9, 2-9, 8-0, 4-4, 4-1, and now 1-2. 

I give up.

How can the same team that was responsible for the only loss the San Antonio Spurs have suffered since the beginning of February need a second-half comeback against a Utah Jazz team that was fined $500,000 by Adam Silver for tanking? Your guess is as good as mine. 

Exasperating doesn't begin to describe it. This team plays with all the consistency of a ship without a rudder. One minute, it's a championship contender; the next, it's a borderline play-in team. And the most frustrating thing about them is you never know which team is going to show up on any given night.

Even last night, the Jazz pretty much had their way with the Knicks in the first half, shooting 54 percent from the floor and 67 percent from three. Jalen Brunson went 1-8 and was a minus 16, while Mikal Bridges - the MIA player of the year - went 1-5 and was a minus 17.  If it hadn't been for Karl-Anthony Towns (5-9 / 15 points) this game would've been over by halftime.

Fortunately for the Knicks, they were playing the Jazz. That sense of urgency which had been missing in the first half, as well as against the Lakers and Clippers, suddenly appeared in the third quarter. Brunson woke up and scored 18 points, and Jordan Clarkson had himself a nice homecoming, scoring 19. In all, New York outscored Utah 78-52 in the second half and won going away.

But why did it have to come to that? Why does this team, which everyone agrees is loaded with talent, insist on playing down to the level of its opponents? That is the sixty-four thousand dollar question that must be answered satisfactorily by the playoffs or this dream season will come to a nightmarish ending.

It starts with having heart. No, not Josh Hart, who was out because of left-knee soreness, but good old-fashioned heart; the kind that championship-caliber teams display on a regular basis. If you can beat teams like the Spurs, Boston Celtics or Denver Nuggets handily, you should have no problem beating lottery teams like the Jazz or Indiana Pacers, who upset the Knicks at the Garden last month. 

The fact is games like this should never be in doubt. Yes, I realize that even the best teams occasionally have an off night or two, but with the Knicks, it's become something of an occupational hazard. You can almost predict when the next slump will occur. It typically happens right after a good stretch of games. If ever there was a team that couldn't stand prosperity, it's the Knicks. 

I have defended Mike Brown numerous times in this blog. In my opinion, he is a vast improvement over Tom Thibodeau. The proof is the Knicks record against the best teams in the NBA. Last season, they were 0-10 against the Cavaliers, Celtics and Thunder. This season, they're 4-3. Even with these last three games, the Knicks still have the best defensive rating in the league over their last 24 games.

But if there is one criticism that you can levy on Brown - and it is one that has plagued him throughout his coaching career - it's that he wants to be liked by his players. You can tell by his demeanor on the bench. He rarely, if ever, calls them out, even when they deserve it, like they did after that horrendous first quarter. Being calm, cool and collected is all fine and dandy, but every once in a while, you gotta be the bad cop. I'm not saying he has to be the second coming of Hubie Brown or Bobby Knight, but Jesus, even Thibs occasionally lost it now and then. There are worse things than hurting your players feelings; being eliminated in the first round, for instance.

One player whose feelings desperately need to be hurt is Mikal Bridges. The small forward has been a virtual no show the last three games, scoring a combined total of 12 points and posting a minus 34. So bad was he against the Jazz that Brown benched him in the fourth quarter. It is simply unacceptable for someone as valuable as Bridges to play that poorly. And let's be clear, this isn't the first time the player Leon Rose traded five first round picks for has gone AWOL. In fact, you could say he's been a repeat offender. 

The irony is that Bridges, for all his disappearing acts, has had some memorable moments. It was one year ago tonight that he had one of his best games as a Knick, scoring 33 points against the Portland Trail Blazers, including the deciding three pointer to propel New York to a 114-113 OT win. Earlier that season, he scored 41 points against the Spurs on Christmas Day at the Garden. The man has the talent; it's the will that's been lacking.

Brown must find a way to unleash that will. He has to risk hurting Bridges feelings so that the talent that's in him comes out more consistently. Mike Keenan was one of the toughest NHL coaches ever to work behind the bench. The man was, for all intents and purposes, a hard on. But in the Spring of 1994, that toughness was exactly what the Rangers needed to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940. Nice guys don't always finish last, but they seldom finish first.

Mike Brown doesn't have to be as tough as Mike Keenan in order to win a championship; but being Fred Rogers isn't going to cut it.

16-5

When last we checked, the New York Knicks had just gone 2-2 and appeared headed towards another skid, similar to the one they went through in January when they went 2-9. They had gotten their ass kicked by the Detroit Pistons - the third such beatdown this season - and had phoned it in against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In between, they needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Houston Rockets at home, and barely won against a Bulls team in Chicago that had lost eight in a row. As I wrote in my last piece, they could easily have gone 0-4.

Well, as the Monkees once sang, that was then, this is now. The Knicks have won four of their last five games, with three of those wins not remotely close. They routed a Milwaukee Bucks team that was 8-2 in their last ten, shocked a San Antonio Spurs team that had gone 11-0 in the month of February, and handed a Denver Nuggets team yours truly picked to go to the finals their worst home loss in more than two decades. The collective margin in all three of these wins was 383-290. The lone loss was a 103-100 thriller against the OKC Thunder at the Garden that would've been a win had the Knicks made just one extra three pointer and one extra free throw.

This is not a small sample size. We're talking about a quarter of a season here. Over the last 21 games, the Knicks have gone 16-5, and they've held their opponents to under 100 points ten times. Their defensive rating of 104.4 is the best in the league, per StatMuse. To put that in perspective, the Boston Celtics are second at 107.8, followed by the Spurs at 107.9; the Knicks have beaten both teams.

Last season, New York struggled against the top teams in the NBA. They were a collective 0-10 against the Celtics, Cavs and Thunder. So far this season, they're 4-3 against those teams. With last night's win in Denver, they're 17-10 against the top six teams in each conference; they've won four games by 35 or more points (a franchise record); seven games by 30 or more points, and eleven by 25 or more. The Thunder, last season's champions, have three, eight and 13 wins respectively.

While this has been a team effort, the biggest turnaround has come from none other than Karl-Anthony Towns. The much maligned center has been reborn under Mike Brown. It has taken a while, but KAT is playing his best basketball since he was acquired by Leon Rose in the summer of 2024. His offensive production may be down five points per game from last season, but he's been a force to be reckoned with in the paint. His defensive rating during this stretch is 100.3. Last season, it was 110.3.

Another player who's enjoyed something of a metamorphosis is Jalen Brunson. The Captain and NBA clutch player of the year last season, has become a distributor of the ball recently. Over the last three games, he has 40 assists, including 15 a piece against the Nuggets and Thunder. Getting Brunson to play more off the ball has been a goal of Brown since day one. Not only does it make it harder for opponents to double team him, it gets his teammates more involved in the offense. How effective has this strategy been? New York led Denver 65-52 at the half and Brunson had only two points. In all, the Knicks had 44 assists in the game, one shy of the franchise record.

Speaking of getting other players involved, Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet have been invaluable coming off the bench. The former is Rose's best deadline acquisition since Josh Hart and the latter was all but forgotten under Tom Thibodeau. With the depth on this roster and the emphasis on defense first, the Knicks are a legitimate threat to go deep in the playoffs. They've already proven they can hang with almost any team in the league.

Look, there's still plenty of time left in the regular season. As good as the Knicks have played during this stretch, they're still in third place in the Eastern Conference. one and a half games behind the Celtics, who now have a healthy Jayson Tatum back from an ACL injury he sustained in last year's second-round series against New York. And the Pistons - the Knicks kryptonite as I called them - are still solidly in first place. If these two teams meet in the conference finals, the winner could well be the next NBA champion.

Buckle up; shit's about to get real.