Knicks' Mike Brown effusive of Josh Hart, compares him to Andre Iguodala: 'Those dudes are winners'

Looking at the box score of the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, it would appear Josh Hart had a bad game. 

Not only did he shoot below 50 percent from the field and 20 percent from downtown, Hart had two turnovers, played just 31 minutes of a game that went to OT, and had a plus/minus rating of -23, meaning when he was on the court, New York was outscored by 23 points.

In Thursday’s Game 2, Hart, on the surface, played much better. He scored 26 points, including going 5-for-11 from three-point range, with seven assists and four rebounds and added two steals to one turnover. His plus/minus rating was +18.

It’s true that Hart definitely had a better game on Thursday than he did on Tuesday, but he doesn’t necessarily believe he had a bad game in Game 1.

“I’m never a huge analytics guy,” he said on Thursday night. “At a certain point, they’re a lamp post to a drunk person – you can lean on them but it won’t get you home. At a certain point, you gotta have a good feel for the game.”

While Hart’s analogy, which drew incredulous laughter by not only reporters but Karl-Anthony Towns, who was sitting right next to him, is certainly interesting, head coach Mike Brown agrees with the sentiment that Hart is more than just his stat sheet.

“He does so many little things that don’t show up on the box score,” Brown said. “I mean obviously, he shot well tonight, he scored 26 points, he had seven assists, one turnover, but he does so much more.”

To truly appreciate Hart’s impact on the game, one must look past just his stats and actually watch what Hart does on the court.

Sometimes that means simply defending the other team’s biggest player. Maybe it’s a recovered loose ball at a pivotal moment in the game that completely shifts the momentum, or perhaps it’s just something he says to his teammates in the huddle.

Whatever Hart does, Brown notices and doesn’t take it for granted. Brown even compared Hart to another player he coached while he was with the Golden State Warriors: Andre Iguodala.

“They’re different players, but they’re similar players because Andre is edgy too,” Brown said. “And Andre is a hell of a player and he does so many little things that if you’re not careful, you won’t appreciate them. It’s the same with Josh.”

Iguodala spent 19 seasons in the NBA, but other than a few really good seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers in the mid-2000s, his numbers never exactly jumped off the page.

During the Warriors’ dynasty in the mid-2010s, Iguodala hardly ever started, yet he impacted the game so much that he actually won NBA Finals MVP in 2014-15 while averaging just 10.4 points per game during the playoffs.

Thursday’s offensive output notwithstanding, Hart is very similar for the Knicks, which is exactly why he has earned Brown’s benefit of the doubt.

“Because he’s so impactful as a connector, I gotta give him probably more leash than anybody else,” Brown said. “I gotta let him go be him and get out of his way. 

“And that’s hard sometimes as a coach because you’re looking at X’s and O’s and you want everything to be perfect and you’re looking at the box score and you’re looking at this and with Josh and with Andre, all that s— should be thrown out the window because those dudes are winners.”

Hart appreciated the high praise and comparison to a potential Hall of Famer, but his focus continues to be solely on winning.

“Iggy was a hell of a player, I don’t know if I’m at that level, but I just try and go out there and play my game,” Hart said.

Mets’ Kodai Senga to pitch in first rehab game since inflamed spine injury

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Kodai Senga is scheduled to pitch Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, his first minor league rehab appearance since the team placed him on the injured list

WASHINGTON — Kodai Senga’s rehab is moving to the game phase.

The Mets right-hander is scheduled to pitch Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, his first minor league rehab appearance since the team placed him on the injured list April 27 with lumbar spine inflammation.

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Senga, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, will throw 50-60 pitches, a maximum of four innings. It’s still too early, Mendoza said, to know if Senga will need the full 30-day rehab window.

It’s been a rough start to the season for Senga, who owns a 9.00 ERA in five starts. Senga’s lumbar inflammation was diagnosed after a third straight subpar outing in April.

He is one of two pitchers who began the season in the Mets rotation now on the IL (Clay Holmes, with a fractured right fibula, is the other).

Another starting pitcher, Sean Manaea, has been relegated to mop-up duty in the bullpen.

Kodai Senga is scheduled to pitch Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, his first minor league rehab appearance since the team placed him on the injured list. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

The Mets have received mixed results from reinforcements from Syracuse. Christian Scott has pitched to a 4.12 ERA in five starts.

Zach Thornton debuted for the team on Wednesday and allowed four earned runs over 4 ¹/₃ innings.


Mark Vientos made a highlight-reel play at first base with a diving stop in the fifth inning that retired CJ Abrams for the final out and prevented the tying run from scoring in the Mets’ 2-1 victory over the Nationals.



“You have to give him a lot of credit because he continues to work every day with the coaching staff and he’s gotten so much better,” Mendoza said. “He’s comfortable. That wasn’t an easy play. It was a bullet and then he got a good first step on it. Overall, the awareness on bunt plays, there’s a lot that he is doing right.”


A.J. Minter’s potential last rehab appearance is scheduled for Saturday with Syracuse.

The lefty reliever, who had hip discomfort after rehabbing from lat surgery, hasn’t pitched for the Mets since April 2025.


Tobias Myers will start Friday’s game in Miami, the team announced. 

Canadiens pounce on Hurricanes early in 6-2 win to open Eastern Conference Final

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Montreal Canadiens never flinched in winning two Game 7s on the road to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Opening on the road again was no different, even against a well-rested top seed that had yet to lose in the postseason.

The Canadiens pounced for four first-period goals on slow-starting Carolina — coming off the longest postseason break in more than a century — and beat the Hurricanes 6-2 on Thursday night.

“We knew we could come in here and try to get off to a good start to the series,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said after a three-assist night. “We’re happy with the result, but they’re definitely going to be better than what they were tonight.”

Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the opening four minutes, Alexandre Texier followed four minutes later, and Ivan Demidov finished a breakaway for a shocking 4-1 lead midway through the opening period. That came against a team that hadn’t allowed more than two goals in an 8-0 playoff start.

Juraj Slafkovksy scored twice in the third period for Montreal, the second on a late empty-netter, while Jakub Dobes had 24 saves.

Game 2 is Saturday night.

The Hurricanes were the first team to sweep their first two playoff rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in 1987. But that led to a lengthy break of 11 days, the longest rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at least 1920, while waiting on the Canadiens to battle their way past Tampa Bay and Buffalo.

That led to the rest-versus-rust discussion about the Hurricanes, along with how well the Canadiens would pivot from those to-the-limit wins.

And outside of Seth Jarvis beating Dobes just 33 seconds in, the Canadiens answered that question resoundingly in those opening minutes to extend Carolina’s misery in this round.

“I didn’t think we were very sharp, to put it bluntly,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”

Much of Carolina’s success comes from pressuring opponents in the offensive zone and minimizing chances going the other way. But Montreal effectively moved the puck out of danger against Carolina’s aggressive pressure early, setting up clean breakouts, open-ice space and multiple breakaway chances at Frederik Andersen.

“The execution was there right off the bat,” Canadiens center Jake Evans said.

Danault’s goal was a full-speed breakaway right up the middle off a feed from Alexandre Carrier, while Demidov went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Andersen for the 4-1 lead with 8:28 left in the first.

Andersen was leading the postseason in goals-against average (1.12) and save percentage (.950), but finished with just 16 saves.

Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, which is in the Eastern final for the third time in four years and fourth time in the current eight-season playoff run under Rod Brind’Amour. But the Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.

Carolina’s loss meant the two Stanley Cup favorites both lost the opener of the conference finals. Colorado lost at home to Vegas on Wednesday night.

Utah Jazz Mock Draft Roundup

LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 31: Forward AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars controls the ball as he is defended by guard Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 31, 2026 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The NBA Draft is getting closer, and the mixed signals are flying right and left, and it’s hard to know for sure what the Utah Jazz might do at #2. Everything obviously depends on what the Washington Wizards do at #1. The odds makers at FanDuel have the Wizards at -320 to take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick, +280 to pick Darryn Peterson with the second pick, and Cameron Boozer at +1200. If you believe those odds, then it’s clear that the Wizards are looking to take Dybantsa, but do the latest mocks have him going there? And who will the Jazz take if AJ Dybantsa isn’t on the board?

We’ve seen a lot of intel that the Jazz are high on Darryn Peterson, but we’ve also seen reports that they’re considering Cam Boozer as well. With so many different reports out there, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s posturing from the different GMs. Let’s take a look at the most prominent mock drafts and who they have the Jazz taking.

MockPick #1 – Washington WizardsPick #2 – Utah JazzPick #3 – Memphis GrizzliesPick #4 – Chicago Bulls
SB NationAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
AthleticAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
ESPNAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
YahooAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
The RingerAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
CBS SportsAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson

It appears that there is a little bit of a consensus on the top-4 picks. Normally, it seems like there’s at least some sort of deviation, but not here, not this season. This is probably what happens on draft night, but you never know when one GM makes some sort of surprise move. Maybe an individual workout goes badly, or maybe an unforeseen problem arises during a team interview. Barring anything crazy like that, it looks like Darryn Peterson is going to be on the Utah Jazz come June.

It’s an incredible win for the Utah Jazz to come out of this draft with a tier-1 prospect like Darryn Peterson. He’s considered by many to be the most talented prospect in the draft, and somehow he’s going to the Jazz at #2. In most drafts, getting the second pick can be a devastating thing. It can be the first loser of the draft type of feeling. For Utah, not this time. Darryn Peterson has the talent to be the type of offensive talent that can lead a team all the way to the Championship. On top of that, he’s joining a team that was already good enough to make the playoffs next season. It has taken time for Jazz prospects to join the starting lineup, but Peterson is so talented that it’ll be hard to justify not starting him.

It’s time to get excited, Jazz fans. This has literally never happened before, and the upcoming season looks like the beginning of a chapter with real championship potential.

Jalen Brunson makes life easier for Knicks with playoff career-high 14 assists in Game 2 win

After the monster game Jalen Brunson had in the Knicks' improbable comeback win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers knew they had to change their game plan. 

Instead of letting Brunson do his thing and shutting down the other scorers, Cleveland focused their energy and defense on stopping the Knicks captain. That, however, also didn't work as Brunson dished a playoff career-high 14 assists in the Knicks' 109-93 Game 2 victory on Thursday night. 

"That’s what great players do. They read the game and the game dictated that," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters after the game. "Obviously, we were loaded up more toward him and he found other guys. We gotta find that balance. But 14 assists, credit to him. [We] took away some of the scoring options, blitzed him, gave him different looks. He made the right reads, right plays."

"As an MVP candidate, Jalen Brunson's job is to make the game easier for his teammates," Mike Brown said. "That's what he did."

Brunson scored two points on just 1 of 3 shooting in the first quarter, deferring to Karl-Anthony Towns (seven points) in the opening frame. The second quarter was more of the same, dishing three assists as Josh Hart and OG Anunoby scored a combined 15 points while Brunson went scoreless in the quarter on 0-for-3 shooting.

While Brunson's scoring increased in the second half (17 points on 6 of 10 shooting), he made nine assists in the third and fourth quarters.

"They were presenting two to the ball and I was able to find my teammates and they were knocking shots down," Brunson said after the game. "Just trying to create an advantage by putting two on the ball and trusting them and having them make the play."

And Brunson's teammates rewarded that trust. Hart went for a team-high, and playoff career-high, 26 points, while Towns (18), Anunoby (14) and Mikal Bridges (19) all scored in double-figures to help give the Knicks a 2-0 series lead. 

"He had a huge offensive game the last game, so we knew they would come in with a different game plan," Hart said of Brunson's game. "That shows the confidence he has in us and the depth of team we have… We can win a game with him scoring 10, 12 points but having 14 assists, getting guys involved. Shows the character of the team, character of him. Shows we can win games in different ways."

"Just shows that he plays the right way. If you’re not going to send the double team, it’s an advantage for him. If you send the double team, he will read and react and find the open guy," Bridges said. "He plays the right way. Ever since I known him, he plays the right way… If you’re going to keep helping off, he’s going to make you pay and that’s what makes him great."

Game 2 gave another example of how this Knicks team has been able to adapt to any team and any scenario. It feels like forever ago that the Knicks were down 2-1 in their first-round series with the Hawks before the team started running the offense through Towns. That continued during the four-game sweep of the 76ers, and after that strategy didn't work on Cleveland in Game 1, Brunson took over to steal the victory.

And now, Brunson was the facilitator.

"It’s an advantage for us. Learning how to play differently," Brunson said of the Knicks' ability to be versatile. "There will be times where one game plan will be different from the next. Being able to adjust and adjust on the fly is something we need to continue to get better at. We just have to continue to be open to figure out how we can win the next game."

What will the Knicks do in Game 3? Whatever it is, the Cavaliers will have their hands full trying to prepare for multiple looks from Brunson and the Knicks.

Calder Cup Playoffs: Springfield Staves Off Elimination, Forces Game 5 Against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had a chance to eliminate Springfield in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Final on Thursday night, but it wasn't meant to be.

It looked like WBS took the lead in the first period with a goal by Harrison Brunicke but it was disallowed due to goalie interference. The officials felt that Gabe Klassen made contact with Springfield goaltender Georgii Romanov and took the goal away.

However, Inside AHL Hockey's Tony Androckitis noticed via replay that it was Romanov who swept Klassen's leg at the top of the crease. 

Take a look:

WBS lost all the momentum after that disallowed goal and couldn't get back to its game. Springfield eventually opened the scoring in the second period, thanks to Dillon DUbe. He scored a power play goal with less than four minutes left in the middle frame.

The Thunderbirds took that one-goal lead into the third period before making it 2-0 with 13:12 left. 

The Penguins couldn't get anything going for the rest of the game and ultimately lost by that same score. The series is now even at two games all, meaning there will be a winner-take-all Game 5 back in WBS on Saturday.

Whoever wins Saturday's game will advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.


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'Knicks in 4' a real possibility of Cavaliers can't flip the script

NEW YORK — The Cleveland Cavaliers have a Jalen Brunson problem. As well as a James Harden problem. Plus a shooting problem. And a bench problem.

Problems like those, no matter how much coaches can sugarcoat it, can’t exactly be solved overnight, and Cleveland heads home to the shores of Lake Erie down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals, and they are two more dreadful performances from enjoying the early vacation spot south of the border reserved for teams that don’t meet their season’s goals.

Thursday night’s performance at Madison Square Garden, a 109-93 loss, was much more than a Game 1 hangover. With the rabid crowd screaming “Knicks in 4” as the fourth-quarter seconds wound down, New York is just two victories away from its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, when they lost in five games to the San Antonio Spurs. The Knicks' most recent championship banner is from 1973, and breaking that five-decade drought is more realistic than ever, barring a total collapse in the next week.

New York has now won nine straight playoff games. When the Boston Celtics won the 2024 title, they won 10 consecutive postseason games.

After blowing a 22-point lead in Game 1 and inexplicably using no timeouts as his team was getting blitzed to the tune of a 44-11 run over the first 12 minutes of regulation and overtime, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was criticized for keeping timeouts for no reason, but this time in Game 2, whether he used them or not, there was nothing he could have done that would have stopped New York. 

Brunson put together a 38-point masterclass in Game 1, bringing the Knicks back from the brink of an embarrassing performance. His Game 2 performance was much more subtle but no less effective, with 19 points and 14 assists.

From the outset, it was clear that Cleveland’s defensive strategy was to clamp down on Brunson and force him into getting the ball out of his hands early in the shot clock. Instead, the three-time All-Star flipped the script, dishing off to open teammates who rewarded him with their sharpshooting, and the team shot 52 percent for the night.

The beneficiaries of Brunson’s playing calm, controlled floor general instead of deadly clutch assassin were Josh Hart — who led five Knicks starters in double figures, scoring a playoff career-high 26 points and hitting five three-pointers — and Karl-Anthony Towns — with a strong 18-point, 13-rebound performance. Hart was not a factor in Game 1 and was on the bench for the most part as New York made their epic comeback.

"I don't have an ego, that got burned out of my heart a long time ago,” Hart said after the game.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown didn’t argue with that assessment.

“It's just who Josh is. He's a gamer,” Brown said. “He knew what he had to do in terms of the adjustments he needed to make in order to be effective, not just for him but for the team."

Cleveland couldn’t take advantage of several opportunities to make the game tilt in their favor. Brunson only scored two points in the first half, but Cleveland was down four going into halftime.

But the Knicks essentially put the game away with an 18-0 run in the third, led by Brunson, who started the quarter with a 3-pointer, a driving turnaround 10-foot jumper, and another layup around a flat-footed Harden.

The Cavaliers got no closer than seven points the rest of the game, and even when the Knicks went the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter without scoring and were in the foul bonus with nine minutes left, the shooting woes continued, and when a 3-pointer by OG Anunoby, who had 14 points, found nothing but nylon to break the scoring drought the deflated Cavaliers all but waved the white flag.

The New York Knicks' Josh Hart and Cleveland Cavaliers' Max Strus get tangled under the basket during Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on May 21, 2026.

The Cavaliers shot 38.5%, including 9-35 from three, and were outscored in the paint by 18 points.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” an astute Atkinson said after the game. “I thought we had a lot of good looks from three. I thought our process was good. At the end of the day, you have to put the ball in the hole.”

At this point, you can pick a reason why the Cavaliers’ problems are amplified since the 7:52 mark in the fourth quarter of Game 1, where they had a 93-71 lead. Harden’s disappearing act is the most notable. He had 12 points in the first half, six in the second, and for the most part seemed uninterested in keeping any Knicks ball handler in front of him. Donovan Mitchell, who scored 26 points in the loss, can only do so much, and Cleveland’s basic four-man bench rotation went 5 for 24 from the field, not making a dent in the scoreboard during their time on the floor.

Evan Mobley got off to a hot start, scoring 14 points in the first half, including 10 in the first quarter. But that was it for his night on the offensive end, as he didn’t attempt a single shot in the second half.  

With their season teetering on the brink of elimination, Cleveland needs to put together a complete Game 3 performance on Saturday, or it will be more of the same disappointing results.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cavaliers have problems to solves to avoid playoff disappointment

Yankees send Spencer Jones to Triple-A in telling Anthony Volpe sign

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees’ Spencer Jones (78) hits a single in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Bronx, NY, Image 2 shows New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) strikes out swinging during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays
yankees move

José Caballero is returning from the injured list Friday, but Anthony Volpe is sticking around. 

The Yankees optioned Spencer Jones to Triple-A following Thursday’s 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays, opening a spot for Caballero but keeping Volpe on the roster — albeit in an uncertain role. 

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Aaron Boone had indicated that the plan is for Caballero to reclaim his starting shortstop job after missing just the minimum 10 days on the IL with a fracture in his right middle finger. That would relegate Volpe to a bench role, without any defensive versatility to play elsewhere, though evidently he showed the Yankees enough while filling in for Caballero to at least extend his stay. 

“[Volpe] is doing great,” Caballero said Thursday afternoon. “It definitely means a lot to me [Boone giving a vote of confidence]. But I just want to be in there and help the team as much as I can.” 

Whether the Yankees start to work Volpe out at different positions remains to be seen, though that likely would be easier to accomplish at Triple-A. Caballero has the ability to play the super-utility role, but his defense at shortstop was the best in the majors as of Thursday by Defensive Runs Saved. 

Instead, Jones was the odd man out after his first two weeks in the big leagues in which the outfielder hit just 4-for-24 (.167) with 12 strikeouts and a .426 OPS. His demotion is further indication that Trent Grisham could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday after he missed Thursday’s game with left knee discomfort — though an MRI earlier in the day showed no structural damage. 

“It’s a relief,” Grisham said. “Anytime you get something in your knee, I guess you’re a little worried. I was pretty optimistic with how I was feeling that there would be no structural damage. But still good to get the news.” 

New York Yankees’ Spencer Jones (78) hits a single in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Grisham indicated that the imaging did show some inflammation in his knee, but said it was unrelated to Thursday’s issue. He said he has banged it multiple times this season, creating some bruising on the top of his kneecap, though Thursday he felt the discomfort on the inside of his knee. 

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) strikes out swinging during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“I think there’s a chance he’s in there [Friday],” Boone said before Jones was sent down. “Today went pretty well, he did a number of things. We’ll move him around some more [Friday] and potentially be an option for us tomorrow.” 

Without Jones, the Yankees’ fourth outfielder is now Max Schuemann or Amed Rosario, with Caballero also having played there in the past. 

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Yovanny Cruz, who pitched a second straight night Thursday after not pitching back-to-back days at all with Triple-A prior to his call-up, was also optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game to make room on the roster for Gerrit Cole’s debut Friday.

Cruz was less effective Thursday, giving up a double and hitting a batter in one-third of an inning.

Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.

Join us live on Sunday morning for the show where we’ll recap the Pistons’ series with the Cavaliers and look back at the season as a whole. What needed to change for the Pistons to win Game 7? How different are you expecting the team to look next season? Who is locked down as a part of the core for the long haul?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:

When: Sunday May 24 at 10:30 a.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

  • Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
  • Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
  • Twitter: @detroitbadboys@blakesilverman or @therealwesd3
  • YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

How Kylie Jenner enjoyed Knicks’ Game 2 win apart from Timothée Chalamet

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Kylie Janner shows off her tank top before tip-off, Image 2 shows Timothee Chalamet cheers on the Knicks during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals at MSG

Kylie Jenner decided to take in the Knicks’ Game 2 109-93 win over the Cavaliers on Thursday night in a bit of a different way than her superfan beau, Timothée Chalamet. 

While the “Marty Supreme” star was courtside at Madison Square Garden, Jenner watched from the comfort of home with some chips, a bottle of wine and caviar. 

“GAME NIGHT!” Jenner wrote in an Instagram Story showing off the way she was watching Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers. 

Kylie Janner shows off her tank top before tip-off. KylieJanner/Instagram

While Jenner, a California native, has not joined Chalamet at MSG for this round, she has made plenty of appearances at The World’s Most Famous Arena with her Knicks-fan boyfriend at various times during the postseason. 

She had sat courtside with Chalamet during Game 5 of the first-round series against the Hawks and was back at MSG for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers — both victories.

While Jenner hadn’t made her way to 4 Pennsylvania Plaza yet this round, she made headlines after Game 1, responding to a TikTok post by Page Six showing Chalamet walking out to his courtside seat. 

Timothee Chalamet cheers on the Knicks during their Game 2 win
over the Cavaliers NBAE via Getty Images

“daddy,” Jenner commented on the post. 

Chalamet joined a slew of celebrities at Madison Square Garden for Game 2, though the “Dune” star seemed to receive one of the loudest cheers from the crowd when he was shown on the video board. 

Fellow superfans Ben Stiller, Spike Lee and Tracy Morgan were also in attendance for the game. 

Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman and Chris Rock were spotted courtside as well. 

Kylie Jenner’s meal during Game 2. KylieJemmer/Instagram

Chalamet made sure to share some of his experience from Game 2 on his Instagram Story, including the view from his seat, a video of a bucket from Jalen Brunson and the stat line shown on the MSG video board. 

Jenner and Chalamet have been dating since 2023.

No, Governor, Nets aren’t coming back to New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill speaks during the The Center for American Progress (CAP) IDEAS Conference in Washington, DC on May 19, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Three weeks ago, at the end of a discussion of her first 100 days as governor of New Jersey at Newark’s Performing Arts Center, Mikie Sherill faced a series of rapid-fire questions from NJ.com political editor Brent Johnson. The subjects ranged from personal issues to state policy. But then a little more than an hour into the video, she faced an odd inquiry about the Brooklyn nee New Jersey Nets, long gone from Newark’s Prudential Center and before that the Byrne/Continental/IZOD Center.

Would she be interested in bringing the Nets back from Brooklyn where the team moved in 2012 after 35 years in N.J.? Yes, indeed, she told Johnson.

“I mean, would I support it? I ask about it all the time,” Sherrill said. “I love the idea. So, I have been pressing for that. I haven’t made a lot of headway yet; you know, maybe in my second 100 days.

“But I do think there is some work being done for some — I don’t know if I’m allowed to say too much about it — but some people are working on some different sports coming into the Rock.”

For some New Jersey fans, that would be a dream come true. No more commuting across two rivers! New York Knicks fans would like it too, having been tweeting for years that the city is too big for two teams.

To say that’s realistic, however, is wrong. The Nets are comfortably ensconced in the borough, about to play their 14th season at Barclays Center, the billion dollar arena that is now in the third year of a five-year, $140 million renovation. So has the governor and the Nets been in touch? Nope, according to the Nets.

“There have been no conversations with ownership or leadership and the governor or her administration and we have no plans to bring the Brooklyn Nets back to New Jersey,” a league insider told ND in what amounts to a blanket denial.

Why did the governor who’s still celebrating her political honeymoon make a commitment about what is decidedly not a big issue other than for a small minority of basketball fans? No idea, said the insider, calling the comments “very odd … “They’re perfectly happy in Brooklyn.”

What about the Long Island Nets, not so comfortably ensconced in Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum? Nope, no talks about them relocating either.

Canadiens use quick start to steal Game 1 from rusty Hurricanes in Eastern Conference Final

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Cole Caulfield celebrates after scoring a first-period goal on Frederik Anderson during the Canadiens' 6-2 Game 1 win over the Hurricanes in Raleigh, Image 2 shows Juraj Slafkovský scores past Frederik Andersen during the third period of the Canadiens' Game 1 win over the Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Montreal Canadiens never flinched in winning two Game 7s on the road to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Opening on the road again was no different, even against a well-rested top seed that had yet to lose in the postseason.

The Canadiens pounced for four first-period goals on slow-starting Carolina — coming off the longest postseason break in more than a century — and beat the Hurricanes 6-2 on Thursday night.

“We knew we could come in here and try to get off to a good start to the series,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said after a three-assist night. “We’re happy with the result, but they’re definitely going to be better than what they were tonight.”

Cole Caulfield celebrates after scoring a first-period goal on Frederik Anderson during the Canadiens’ 6-2 Game 1 win over the Hurricanes in Raleigh on May 21, 2026. Getty Images

Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the opening four minutes, Alexandre Texier followed four minutes later, and Ivan Demidov finished a breakaway for a shocking 4-1 lead midway through the opening period. That came against a team that hadn’t allowed more than two goals in an 8-0 playoff start.

Juraj Slafkovksy scored twice in the third period for Montreal, the second on a late empty-netter, while Jakub Dobes had 24 saves.

Game 2 is Saturday night.

The Hurricanes were the first team to sweep their first two playoff rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in 1987. But that led to a lengthy break of 11 days, the longest rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at least 1920, while waiting on the Canadiens to battle their way past Tampa Bay and Buffalo.

That led to the rest-versus-rust discussion about the Hurricanes, along with how well the Canadiens would pivot from those to-the-limit wins.

And outside of Seth Jarvis beating Dobes just 33 seconds in, the Canadiens answered that question resoundingly in those opening minutes to extend Carolina’s misery in this round.

Juraj Slafkovský scores past Frederik Andersen during the third period of the Canadiens’ Game 1 win over the Hurricanes. AP

“I didn’t think we were very sharp, to put it bluntly,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”

Much of Carolina’s success comes from pressuring opponents in the offensive zone and minimizing chances going the other way. But Montreal effectively moved the puck out of danger against Carolina’s aggressive pressure early, setting up clean breakouts, open-ice space and multiple breakaway chances at Frederik Andersen.

“The execution was there right off the bat,” Canadiens center Jake Evans said.

Danault’s goal was a full-speed breakaway right up the middle off a feed from Alexandre Carrier, while Demidov went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Andersen for the 4-1 lead with 8:28 left in the first.

Andersen was leading the postseason in goals-against average (1.12) and save percentage (.950), but finished with just 16 saves.

Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, which is in the Eastern final for the third time in four years and fourth time in the current eight-season playoff run under Rod Brind’Amour. But the Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.

Carolina’s loss meant the two Stanley Cup favorites both lost the opener of the conference finals. Colorado lost at home to Vegas on Wednesday night.

Player Grades: Cavs vs Knicks Game 2 – Backcourt hasn’t been good enough

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Donovan Mitchell #45, James Harden #1 ,Max Strus #2 and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the game against the New York Knicks during Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost Game 2 to the New York Knicks 109-93.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

26 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 turnover

Mitchell doesn’t look right. Or left, when he has the ball. He only looks up towards the rim.

Jokes aside, Mitchell genuinely doesn’t look right physically. He’s as limited as I’ve ever seen him, hardly getting any burst or upward lift on his drives. That’s made it near impossible for him to get to his spots against a rangy Knicks defense.

Outside of that, decision-making remains a blemish. Mitchell ended the night with only 1 assist, something that just isn’t good enough at this stage of the game.

Grade: D

James Harden

18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 0 turnovers

Harden is unplayable defensively. The Knicks can get anything they want when he’s out there. I wrote more about that here.

This is something Harden has somewhat made up for with his offense in years past. But that’s fallen apart in this series. He only had 2 assists tonight as the Knicks made an effort to take away the paint and force Harden to create plays. He couldn’t.

Grade: F

Evan Mobley

14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks

Mobley had 10 points in the first quarter. He scored 4 points the rest of the way and only attempted 8 shots on the night.

Everyone deserves blame.

We can acknowledge that New York made it a point of emphasis to take Mobley away from the ball. They clogged passing lanes and did everything they could to avoid letting him catch it on the roll. That puts a limit on what Mobley can do.

However, it’s an indictment on everyone that Mobley wasn’t involved in other ways. Inverted screens, operating at the elbow. Literally anything. This type of stuff can’t happen, yet it continues to plague them.

Grade: B-

Jarrett Allen

13 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Similar to Game 1, Allen was holding his end of the deal by winning the physicality battle and eating on the offensive glass.

The Cavs won the offensive rebounding battle 13-5. Allen had as many offensive boards as the Knicks. It didn’t matter.

Cleveland hasn’t been able to feed Allen consistently. He’s been spaced out, hiding in the dunker’s spot while his guards dribble, dribble, and dribble the game away.

Grade: B

Dean Wade

3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Wade looks more ready to shoot than he did at any point in the Raptors or Pistons series. That didn’t help them much tonight as he went 1-3 from downtown. But it’s better than pumpfaking air and stopping the entire offense.

Grade: C-

Max Strus

5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Strus hasn’t had his moment in this series. He struggled to score in Game 1 and shot just 1-7 from the floor tonight (1-4 from deep). I expect him to find his range at some point, but for now, the Cavs are sorely missing his shooting.

Grade: D+

Dennis Schroder

4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Schroder and Jaylon Tyson were the only Cavaliers to play 10+ minutes and avoid a negative plus/minus. They both ended as zeros.

I think Schroder helps the Cavs in spots where the backcourt is struggling to make reads. But that’s a problem in and of itself.

Grade: D+

Sam Merrill

4 points

This was a brutal game for Merrill. He went 0-7 from deep, and it wasn’t like he was taking difficult shots. Most of them were clean looks.

Grade: F

Jaylon Tyson

4 points, 3 rebounds

Tyson got his first chance in this series and didn’t do much with it. He had a brief moment in the second half, where his hustle and off-ball activity provided a boost. But that moment was fleeting.

There’s room for Tyson to assert himself in this series if he can take advantage of his minutes. Going 0-3 from the corner isn’t going to cut it.

Grade: D+

Knicks pull away in third, get 26 points from Josh Hart, comfortably win 109-93, take 2-0 series lead

New York didn't save its heroics for the final minutes of the game on Thursday — it got its work out of the way in the third.

The Knicks took charge of the game — and the Eastern Conference Finals — with an 18-0 run in the third quarter, where Cleveland went scoreless for 5:30 of game time. Meanwhile, Josh Hart turned around his struggles in Game 1 to knock down five 3-pointers and score a playoff career-high 26 on Thursday night.

New York led 85-70 after three quarters, and the only question left was whether the Cavaliers had a Knicks-like comeback in them.

They didn't. Cleveland did make a little run, but Mike Brown called a timeout to reset his team — something Kenny Atkinson did not do in Game 1 — and New York took control again.

In the end it was a 109-93 New York win that puts it up 2-0 in the series and puts pressure on Cleveland to hold serve on their home court.

Game 3 is in Cleveland on Saturday.

With Hart hitting everything, the much-maligned Knicks starting five — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns — played heavy minutes and had a +27.7 net rating for the game.

Brunson scored just two points in the first half but took charge and started to manufacture points in the third, including a pull-up 3-pointer over Dean Wade, then soon after hit a runner over Wade, plus had a steal that became a Bridges dunk in transition. Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists on the night.

Bridges added 19 points and Towns scored 18.

Cleveland struggled on offense all night. Donovan Mitchell was playing through some pain and shot 8-of-18 on his way to 26 points, and James Harden didn't pick him up (18 points on 6-of-15 shooting). Evan Mobley had 14 points in the first half but was scoreless in the second.

Like Game 1, the Cavaliers raced out to an early lead, getting up by six midway through the first quarter, in part because they started 4-of-7 from 3-point range while the Knicks were 1-of-6. At the end of one quarter, it was a 27-24 Cleveland lead, as the Knicks' offense once again looked stuck in the mud.

That changed in the second quarter because New York became really aggressive on drives as evidenced by its 30 points in the paint. Towns led that charge with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting because he got downhill, and Josh Hart was aggressive and had 12 first-half points.

Then came the Knicks' run in the third, and that was the game.

New York picked apart Cleveland's defense on its way to a 123.9 offensive rating for the meaningful part of the game, with a 59.4 eFG%. When Cleveland started throwing double-teams at Brunson, he picked them apart with his passing, and Hart and Towns finished the plays.

Cleveland needs to find its energy from the first half of Game 1 — or, better yet, Game 7 against Detroit last series — or this Eastern Conference Finals could end quickly.

Heroes, zeros from Knicks’ Game 2 win over Cavaliers: Evan Mobley disappears after fast start

Evan Mobley, who struggled after a quick start, drives on Mitchell Robinson during the Knicks' 109-93 Game 2 blowout win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden.
Evan Mobley, who struggled after a quick start, drives on Mitchell Robinson during the Knicks' 109-93 Game 2 blowout win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden.

Heroes and zeros from the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden:  

Hero

The Cavaliers dared Josh Hart to beat them, and he obliged. After getting benched at the end of Game 1, and starting cold in Game 2, the gritty Hart found his shot.

He made five 3-pointers and scored a team-high 26 points, along with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Zero

At halftime, Evan Mobley was on his way to a monster game, tallying 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting.



Then he vanished, going scoreless over the final 24 minutes as the Knicks ran away and hid from his Cavaliers.

Somehow, Mobley didn’t take a single shot over the final two quarters. He was getting in plenty of cardio.

Evan Mobley, who struggled after a quick start, drives on Mitchell Robinson during the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden. AP

Unsung hero

Jalen Brunson doesn’t have to pile up points to make a difference.

The Cavaliers took away the Knicks’ top offensive weapon, so he served the role of playmaker to a tee, dishing out a career playoff-high 14 assists. Brunson also scored 19 points.

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Key stats

221 — The Knicks’ positive point differential, the highest of any team through the first 12 games of a postseason.

Quote

“He’s the perfect example for any basketball player who wants to learn how to truly impact the winning of a team, and he does that at the highest level.”

– Karl Anthony Towns on Josh Hart.