NEW YORK — On Sunday in Madison Square Garden, the Knicks trailed the Heat by 11 points with less than 20 minutes remaining in not only Game 4—but possibly their season. It was at that point that they got a spirited effort and a much-needed energy jolt from the man that was once the leader of their renaissance. Finally, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony won a playoff game. And in some ways, it was fitting. Before the series began, I made the
NEW YORK — It’s amazing how history repeats itself. Once again, Carmelo Anthony was unable to deliver a victory to a passionate and raucous Madison Square Garden in a decisive Game 3 of an NBA playoff series. Last year it was the Celtics, and this year, it’s the Heat. Both times, Anthony failed to deliver. Now, as ‘Melo stares at the prospect of being swept in the first round for the third time in his career and second time as a Knick,
This BS has got to stop, all right. Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle was right, noting “The dirty BS has to stop,” after losing Games 1-2 in Oklahoma City, not that a lot of tears were shed at seeing his defending world champions’ hair, and skeletal systems, mussed up. The Mavs play as rough as anyone, as Carlisle all but conceded in his plea for humanity. “Playoff basketball is physical,” said Carlisle. “We don’t like the cheap shots when they give them. They don’t
NEW YORK — Prior to Game 2 of their playoff series against the Miami Heat, Amar’e Stoudemire said that things would end differently than they did in Game 1. In some ways, he was right. On Monday night, the Knicks actually competed with the Heat and kept Game 2 close, but in the end, they would lose, 104-94. The Knicks now trail the Heat 0-2 in their best-of-seven series and are faced with a must-win Game 3 on Thursday night. To make
It’s right there on Page 58 of the NBA rule book. Thou shalt not bumb a ref. OK, those aren’t the exact words, but that is the gist of the rule that Rondo violated in the closing minute of Game 1 of the Hawks-Celtics first-round playof series, won by Atlanta 83-74 Sunday night. Rondo drew a technical foul for arguing a call with 41 seconds left when he thought a jump ball should have been called, then clearly made intentional contact with referee
I know I should be writing about the playoffs. Derrick Rose tore his ACL. The Orlando Magic have a pulse. The New York Knicks might never win another playoff game. Yada, yada, yada. At some point, I’ll get around to it. Instead, I’m going to write about something I thought would not happen in my lifetime: The 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers are no longer the worst team in NBA history. I have been following the NBA for 40 years. I have always been fascinated by
So the playoffs began on Saturday afternoon, and they could not have gotten off to a worse start. A much anticipated day of postseason action turned absolutely tragic when two key players for the Bulls and the Knicks – Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert – each suffered devastating knee injuries – a torn ACL. Chicago was well on its way to the first postseason win of the season. Then, with less than two minutes remaining in the game, the reigning MVP jumped up
MIAMI – This was the playoff butt-kicking Miami fans wanted for a long time. Heat 100, Knicks 67. It doesn’t erase the three years of heart-che the Knicks inflicted on the Heat during that glorious four-year playoff stretch from 1997-2000, when the Knicks took the last three series after the Heat took that initial suspension-marred series in 1997. But Saturday’s Game 1 victory in this best-of-seven first-round playoff matchup at AmericanAirlines Arena helps ease Miami’s decade-long pain a little. And here’s something else that