Tyler Buchner began his college career as a quarterback at Notre Dame and Alabama before becoming a lacrosse player for the Irish. Here's more.
FA Cup final buildup to Crystal Palace v Manchester City – matchday live
- All the buildup to the FA Cup final, 4.30pm kick-off
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Chat over. Will Hughes strolls across the car park to get some photographs taken. As it happens, the man emerging from the gym at that very moment is the Crystal Palace midfield partner whose praises Hughes has just been lavishly exalting.
“Just added about £20m to your fee in that interview,” Hughes shouts at Adam Wharton as they pass. “You can have half,” Wharton retorts. All delivered with a knowing smile, for this is the Palace of Oliver Glasner, where – as Hughes puts it – “there’s egos, but good egos”. No arrogance, none of the blame culture he sees elsewhere. “You watch other teams and hands are in the air, there’s moaning,” he says. “But I honestly don’t see any of that here.”
Continue reading...The Knicks’ transition from laughing stock to title contenders is complete
On Friday night in New York City, more than 19,000 Knicks fans poured out of Madison Square Garden and onto Seventh Avenue, celebrating their team’s improbable 4-2 series victory over the Boston Celtics. The NBA’s social media peanut gallery had previously taken issue with Knicks fans for their overly exuberant early-round victory celebrations, but after landing in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in a quarter-century, this party was as legit as the Knicks newfound title hopes.
New York had beaten their rivals by a franchise playoff-record margin of 38 points, ending Boston’s reign as NBA champs. If you watched the way they suffocated the Celtics, you know it wasn’t even that close. The way this series ended was as stunning as how it began, with consecutive historic Celtic meltdowns at TD Garden, when the home team surrendered 20-point second-half leads not once but twice. Then New York were moments from wrapping up another improbable victory in Game 4 when Boston cornerstone Jayson Tatum went down with an achilles injury. Back in Boston, down three games to one, with their season on the brink and their all-NBA player in the hospital recovering from season-ending surgery, Boston powered through Game 5 on pure adrenaline. That wave of raw energy had crashed by the start of Game 6, and the Celtics finally tapped out. The Garden crowd let out 25 years of shpilkes as they watched their team bounce the champs.
Related: Rampant Knicks blow out Celtics to advance to first East finals since 2000
And so after a season of trying to figure out who they are and what their identity is, the Knicks have finally found a label: Eastern Conference finalists. Up until the clock struck zero in Game 6, accurate adjectives to describe New York’s on-court personality were quite limited, but “resilient” and “inconsistent” probably summed them up best.
Injuries, trades and roster turnover meant that the lunch-pail defense-first teams that had marked the Tom Thibodeau-coached Knicks prior to this season were no more. The loss of their beastly, rim protecting, offensive rebounding big men – Isaiah Hartenstein to free agency and Mitchell Robinson to an ankle injury until late February – were glaring. That weakness in the paint meant newly acquired defensive stalwart Mikal Bridges, and defensive Swiss army knife OG Anunoby were hopeless against perimeter shooting for most of the season.
That said, Karl-Anthony Towns, who came to New York in a late preseason blockbuster deal, jumped out of the gate early, looking like the alpha dog Minnesota rarely got to see, setting a career high for rebounds while combining with Jalen Brunson to average more than 50 points a game. Knicks fans were being treated to blistering ball movement and some of the most explosive offensive play the franchise has ever produced, but as the games piled up, the warts began to show.
Around mid-season, the excitement that had followed the team since their 2021 playoff appearance seemed to crest, with doubts creeping in about the team’s ceiling. The team was haunted by a stat that followed them around for all 82 games: since 2003, among teams that have won 50 games or more, the Knicks had the worst winning percentage against teams .500 or better. They were whipped by the Celtics, the Cavs and the Thunder. New York winning their first title since 1973? This team couldn’t even beat the pre-Luka Lakers at home. Fans braced themselves for another playoff letdown.
Such negativity has context: the New York Knickerbockers, despite their stature as a pillar of the NBA, are mostly a losing franchise that have had just three extended runs of success in their history, one of which was during the NBA’s prehistoric early-1950s. Under the ownership of James Dolan, their fans’ fandom has repeatedly been tested by a leadership that’s provided two of the most inept, perplexing and sometimes dastardly decades a professional sports team has ever known.
Then suddenly, Dolan hired Leon Rose as team president and finally got out of the way. Knicks fans expected the former prominent player agent to attract sparkly free agents such as Kevin Durant. It didn’t happen, but a meticulous rebuild did, and in the span of five seasons, the team transitioned from NBA laughing stock to legitimate title contenders.
These Knicks are arguably one of the most oddly constructed basketball teams in recent memory, and that’s because the Knicks have consistently been one of the worst drafting franchises in NBA history. In an era where teams have tanked to rebuild their franchises, New York’s renaissance hasn’t been buoyed by a homegrown star, or stars, such as the Celtics’ Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but rather a delicate series of trades and under-the-radar free-agent signings made by their under-the-radar president. Rose has not held a single press conference since being hired in March 2020, which is wild in a town of quote-thirsty tabloids.
The result is a starting five that’s arguably unmatched in the NBA, and now that Mitchell Robinson has worked his way back into impacting games with his menacing paint presence and timely offensive rebounds, Knicks fans are starting to see the full complement of what Rose had in mind when he went all-in on pairing Towns with Brunson, and what he saw in Bridges when he gambled a stack of draft picks on the league’s iron man. They figured out a way to get past the NBA’s new junkyard dogs in Detroit, then ousted the champs in six. When it’s all working, Brunson is pushing the ball and finishing with his footwork, Bridges is sticking mid-range jumpers and ripping the ball from his opponents, Anunoby is stifling opponents’ most prolific players, Robinson’s active hands are flummoxing offenses, Towns is involved early, sticking threes and working the post, Hart’s engine is wearing teams out and bench players like Deuce McBride and Cam Payne are making meaningful contributions.
Now they meet Indiana, who beat them in the Eastern Conference semi-finals last season. A year ago the Knicks’ roster was eviscerated by injuries, allowing the Pacers to sneak past New York over seven games. Now the Knicks are a completely different team, a healthy group that’s figuring it all out at just the right time. Meanwhile the Pacers are also much improved, having played some of the best basketball in the league over the past several months. We don’t know who will emerge in what is sure to be a grueling Eastern Conference finals, but we do know the Knicks are taking nothing for granted. I feel like we have a long way to go,” said Brunson after Friday night’s win. “Just the confidence we have in each other and everything. Just knowing who we are. We have to be unsatisfied.”
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Justin Martinez progressing towards return, Ryan Walker on the hot seat
In this week's Closer Report, Jeff Hoffman and Ryan Walker are among the closers struggling to keep runs off the board. Who's most at risk of losing the closer role? In New York, Luke Weaver is holding things down in the ninth inning. And the Diamondbacks could be getting Justin Martinez back soon.
Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: At the Top
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Mason Miller - Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Muñoz surrendered an unearned run against the Yankees on Tuesday in the ninth inning and was charged with a blown save. Still, he’s 13-for-15 in save chances with a spotless 0.00 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 26/8 K/BB ratio across 19 innings.
After not pitching for four days, Miller got an opportunity to convert a five-out save against the Yankees last Saturday. He gave up one run in the ninth and struck out four batters to get the job done for his 11th save. A spectacular 30/6 K/BB ratio across 15 1/3 innings keeps him near the top of the rankings with full trust as one of the game's top closers.
Hader locked down his tenth save of the season in a win over the Royals on Wednesday, walking around one walk and striking out one batter. The 31-year-old left-hander holds an excellent 1.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 27/5 K/BB ratio across 19 innings of work.
Tier 2: The Elite
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Suarez had his first bad outing of the season, giving up five runs on four walks and one hit against the Angels on Monday to blow the save chance. He bounced back against the Angels on Wednesday, striking out two in a clean inning of work in a non-save situation.
Scott is on a roll on the mound, with just one run allowed over his last 16 outings since April 1. He picked up his ninth save on May 9 against the Diamondbacks, the last save situation for the Dodgers.
Duran has been outstanding and a valuable part of Minnesota's winning streak in May. The 27-year-old right-hander has converted six saves and earned a win this month after recording just two saves through April. Duran holds an incredible 0.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 25/9 K/BB ratio across 21 1/3 innings.
Bautista's last save also came on May 9 in a perfect inning of work with two strikeouts against the Angels. He then gave up a run on a solo homer in a non-save situation two days later. It was his first run allowed since March 31. The 29-year-old right-hander gave up another run Friday, taking the loss against the Nationals. Still, he holds an excellent 2.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 15/8 K/BB ratio across 13 innings.
Díaz is up to seven straight scoreless outings. He picked up his ninth save of the season Tuesday against the Pirates, striking out a batter in a scoreless effort.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Luke Weaver - New York Yankees
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Jose Alvarado/Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Will Vest - Detroit Tigers
Clase tossed a clean inning with two strikeouts on Tuesday against the Brewers for his ninth save. The 27-year-old right-hander is gaining some trust back with no earned runs over his last five appearances. All of the underlying metrics suggest we should continue to see Clase chip away and improve his 4.91 ERA on the season.
With two strikeouts in a clean inning against the Phillies on Sunday for his eighth save, it was Helsley's first outing without a hit or walk allowed since April 1. While he's done a good job suppressing runs, it's given him a bloated 1.53 WHIP and a 16/10 K/BB ratio across 15 innings.
A day after striking out three batters over two perfect innings in a non-save situation, Weaver struck out the side against the Mariners on Wednesday for his fourth save, then recorded the final out Friday against the Mets for his fifth. The 31-year-old right-hander has been incredibly effective, posting a 0.44 ERA, 0.59 WHIP, and a 22/6 K/BB ratio across 20 1/3 innings. Devin Williams has made four scoreless appearances since giving up three runs against the Padres on May 5, but continues to operate in a setup role.
Another reliever working through a rough stretch, Hoffman took his second blown save after giving up five runs and recording one out against the Rays on Tuesday. That's now 11 runs allowed over his last five outings. The underlying skills suggest Hoffman should be able to get back on track. He'll be given every opportunity to do so in Toronto.
Fairbanks hasn't seen a save chance since May 4. He did fall in line for a win with a scoreless inning against the Brewers last Sunday before giving up two runs in a non-save situation Tuesday against the Blue Jays.
Iglesias hit a bit of a snag with four runs allowed over three outings before recovering with a save in a scoreless inning against the Nationals on Thursday. He then gave up a run Friday against the Red Sox, but held on to secure his eighth save. A home run issue has given the 31-year-old right-hander a 5.89 ERA over 18 1/3 innings.
Romano has worked his way back into the saves mix with the Phillies with seven straight scoreless outings. He picked up two of the last three saves for the team with five strikeouts over two perfect innings. Alvarado stepped in to record the final two outs with the bases loaded Friday against the Pirates for his seventh save and remains the preferred reliever to roster for saves in Philadelphia.
Megill picked up just his fifth save of the season last Sunday against the Rays. The save chances just haven't come for the Brewers. Still, the 31-year-old right-hander has been solid, posting a 2.92 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 15/7 K/BB ratio across 12 1/3 innings.
Chapman picked up his sixth save with a scoreless inning against the Royals last Sunday. He then took the loss with one run allowed against the Tigers on Wednesday. The 37-year-old left-hander has been excellent, recording a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 22/6 K/BB ratio across 16 innings.
Vest has tossed seven scoreless innings since giving up three runs on April 29. He's been the most effective reliever in the Detroit bullpen with the most prototypical closer stuff. The 29-year-old right-hander has posted a 1.80 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 23/7 K/BB ratio across 20 innings. Meanwhile, Tommy Kahnle's last six outings have come in the eighth inning. While A.J. Hinch can still play the matchups on occasion, the path seems clear for Vest to operate as the primary closer through the rest of the season.
Tier 4: Here for the Saves
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Shelby Miller/Kevin Ginkel - Arizona Diamondbacks
David Bednar/Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Porter Hodge/Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs
Finnegan locked down saves on Wednesday and Friday with a pair of scoreless innings. The 33-year-old right-hander is up to 14 saves with a 2.70 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and a 17/7 K/BB ratio across 16 2/3 innings.
Walker's inconsistencies continue. He took the blown save and the loss against the Twins on Sunday, then worked around two walks in a scoreless inning against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday in a non-save situation. While Bob Melvin keeps going to the 29-year-old right-hander in the ninth inning, it's hard to imagine he's not on the hot seat with Camilo Doval holding a strong 1.31 ERA over 19 2/3 innings.
Pagan gave up three runs against the White Sox on Tuesday, then bounced back with a clean inning against the Guardians on Friday for his tenth save. While Tony Santillan has been outstanding in a setup role, there's no one challenging Pagan for saves in Cincinnati.
Jansen gave up two runs without recording an out and took the loss against the Padres on Tuesday. There's going to be some inconsistencies with the 37-year-old veteran. He bounced back with a scoreless outing in a non-save situation against the Dodgers on Friday.
Estévez has made three scoreless appearances over the last week. He picked up his 12th save with a scoreless inning against the Astros on Monday with one strikeout. The 32-year-old right-hander has a 2.29 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and an 18/10 K/BB ratio across 19 2/3 innings.
Miller has the last two saves for the Diamondbacks. After tossing a clean inning with one strikeout against the Giants on Monday, he gave up one run before holding on for his third save of the season Wednesday in San Francisco. Miller has helped fill the ninth-inning role with Justin Martinez and AJ Puk on the injured list. While Puk's injury is more long-term, Martinez is set to pitch in a minor league rehab game in the Arizona Complex League on Saturday and could be ready to return sometime in the next week if all goes well.
The Pirates' situation has not been a very fruitful one, regardless of who's pitching the ninth inning. Santana has the team's only save in May as the team has utilized a matchup-based approach to the late innings. While Santana has the better surface stats to date, Bednar has flashed the better skills and strikeout upside.
Jackson was hit on the hand back a comebacker on the first pitch he threw on Monday. X-rays showed no fracture, and the 33-year-old right-hander will avoid the injured list after sitting out a few days. Chris Martin was also sidelined by an elbow injury this week, but he should be available in the coming days after receiving a clean MRI. Shawn Armstrong recorded two saves this week, filling in for Jackson and Martin.
After giving up eight runs against the Giants on May 6, Pressly's last three appearances have come in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. He tossed the eighth on Friday with a seven-run lead over the White Sox. Hodge could get the chance to take the closer role, but has battled some inconsistencies himself. He gave up three runs and took the loss Sunday against the Mets, then struck out two in a scoreless inning against the Marlins on Wednesday.
Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel
Jesus Tinoco - Miami Marlins
Zach Agnos - Colorado Rockies
Steven Wilson/Cam Booser - Chicago White Sox
Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates
Toronto's Brendon Little has been outstanding in high-leverage situations for the Blue Jays. The 28-year-old left-hander leads the team with eight holds while recording a 1.77 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 31/10 K/BB ratio across 20 1/3 innings. Despite not having the highest velocity, with a 93mph fastball, Little has been elite at missing bats, leading all relievers in swinging-strike rate behind a devastating Knuckle Curve. While he makes for an excellent addition in holds and points leagues, Little could be a name to watch if Jeff Hoffman's struggles continue, considering he isn't the only left-handed reliever in the bullpen. In Seattle, Matt Brash was once thought to be one of the best up-and-coming future closers before missing the 2024 season with Tommy John surgery. Four appearances into his return, he's working his way into a setup role behind Andrés Muñoz, recording a hold with two strikeouts in the eighth inning against the Yankees on Tuesday.
Skid marks, swear jars and an early night: welcome to sport’s nanny state | Simon Burnton
The big names are getting younger at the same time the infantilisation of sport grows apace
A 14-year-old has been taking the Indian Premier League by storm. A 17-year-old may win this year’s Ballon d’Or. Last month another 17-year-old became the youngest winner of a Formula Two race. In darts the last world champion was 17, a 14-year-old just became the youngest winner of a World Darts Federation event and this week the promoter Barry Hearn described watching a prodigy who “had a 106 average and checked out 140 and 154”. He was only 10. The 14‑year‑old Polish snooker player Michal Szubarczyk is about to become the sport’s youngest ever professional. In this context it is a little hard to complain about the infantilisation of sport. And yet.
For all its recent Netflix-promoted virality, motor racing has always seemed an unusually grown-up pastime. For 75 years Formula One has given us strength, skill, drama and occasional scandal, heroes and villains, bravery and tragedy. A global survey in 2021 found the average age of the sport’s fanbase was 32, but in 2022 84% of the people who watched the British Grand Prix on Channel 4 (and 68% of those watching on Sky) were aged 35 or over. Which made it only more jarring when its administrators started to obsess over schoolyard distractions such as swearing and underpants.
Continue reading...Will Steve Borthwick give untested England youth a chance in Argentina? | Gerard Meagher
With England’s Lions away in Australia, selecting a callow squad would bring pitfalls as well as opportunities
When Warren Gatland named his British & Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand in 2017 he included 16 England players. Stalwarts such as Dylan Hartley, Chris Robshaw, Joe Launchbury and George Ford were still notable absentees but England had won the previous two Six Nations titles, 17 of Eddie Jones’s first 18 matches and, accordingly, their contingent was substantial.
The very next day Jones named his England squad for a tour of Argentina. He refused to engage in the merits of the selected Lions touring party but at the time you sensed Jones did not particularly like Gatland hogging the spotlight. England might have lost their most recent match, against Ireland in Dublin, denying them another grand slam, but the Australian was still basking in an extended honeymoon period and all eyes were on his old adversary. Jones proceeded to make a statement with his squad selection and it did not feel like coincidence that he was doing so 24 hours after Gatland.
Continue reading...Knicks crush Celtics to reach Conference Finals
The New York Knicks eliminated defending NBA champions Boston Celtics from the play-offs with a 119-81 victory to reach their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years.
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby led the way with 23 points apiece as the Knicks completed a 4-2 series victory to set up a showdown against fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers for a place in the NBA finals.
The Knicks will open the seven-game series at home at 01:00 BST on Thursday.
Six Knicks players finished in double figures with the 38-point success the largest winning play-off margin in franchise history.
Mikal Bridges had four three-pointers in his 22 points while Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 and Josh Hart finished with a triple-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
The Celtics, who lost star forward Jayson Tatum to a ruptured right Achilles tendon in game four, which is likely to keep him out for around nine months, had given themselves hope after winning game five.
But in front of a Madison Square Garden home crowd, which included celebrities Timothee Chalamet, Lenny Kravitz, Ben Stiller and Spike Lee, the Knicks were in a ruthless mood.
They led 26-20 after the first quarter but did most of the damage in the second, outscoring their opponents 38-17 to take a 64-37 lead into the break to all but end the Boston challenge.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 20 points, with Al Horford adding 10 points and Payton Pritchard finishing with 11.
Derrick White, who scored 34 points in game five, was kept quiet with just eight points.
Brunson is following in a family tradition in the play-offs, with his father Rick a member of the New York team that last played in the Eastern Conference finals in 2000.
"This is great," he said. "I mean, the fact that we haven't been here since my dad was on the team - he's not gonna like that - but it means a lot to this organisation and this city.
"In game five Boston got the best of us and we responded tonight. We just found a way to keep making plays on the defensive side, the offence was just rolling."
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau felt his team had delivered a complete performance against the reigning champions.
"I thought from start to finish we were terrific," he said.
"The Celtics are a terrific team on both sides of the ball. They play their style no matter what, and so they're not going to hand you anything. You have to earn it. And I felt we did that.
"But we can't get carried away. Obviously it's a great win and we advance. But you also understand that you have to get ready for the next series. We know that Indiana is a terrific team and we're going to have to be ready."
Despite the defeat, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised his team.
"At the end of the day, we set a goal out and we didn't achieve that goal," he said.
"But that shouldn't take away from the mindset and effort that the players put in - the approach, the process, you can't ask for anymore from the guys. I thought they gave everything they had throughout the season."
Knicks reach one of Jalen Brunson's preseason goals but remain 'unsatisfied' entering Eastern Conference Finals with Pacers
In August, Jalen Brunson was at MSG for a ceremony to celebrate his team captaincy.
Bruson spoke that day about the influence of his parents, Rick and Sandra. He talked about the team-friendly extension that he’d signed a few weeks earlier. He also touched on his goals for the coming season.
One of them?
“How we can get past the second round,” he said.
For most of the 2024-25 season, it seemed like the Knicks had no chance to advance beyond Round 2 of the Eastern Conference playoffs. They’d be facing either the Cavs or the Celtics -- two teams that beat them soundly in the regular season.
So logic told you that the Knicks’ 2024-25 season would end in the same way the previous two had: a loss in the second round.
Obviously, that logic flew out the window over the past two weeks.
The Knicks reached Brunson’s preseason goal by overcoming 20-point deficits to win Games 1 and 2 on the road. They closed the series on Friday night thanks, in part, to stout team defense.
They are now headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.
Knicks fans were celebrating outside of The Garden -- cell phones capturing every moment for social media -- after the win.
Inside the building, the Knicks weren’t interested in toasting their success.
“I feel like we have a long way to go,” Brunson said. “Just the confidence we have in each other and everything. Just knowing who we are. We tend to be unsatisfied.”
FILM STUDY
The Knicks certainly weren’t satisfied with how things unfolded in Boston on Wednesday. They had a chance to put the Celtics away in Game 5 and fumbled it away with an unfocused effort.
“The whole day of Game 5, it just wasn’t us,” Brunson said. “And we knew that, we reflected on it, and we came back and we said, ‘We need to be ready, we need to be better.’”
Several players mentioned the film sessions and a meeting between Games 5 and 6 as catalysts for what you saw on Friday.
“We had to talk it out, (figure out) how to communicate better,” Miles McBride said of the message from the meeting. “And I feel like we just went out there with a different type of energy.”
SPARK FROM TOWNS
The energy started with an early lift from Karl-Anthony Towns. After a quiet night in Game 5, Towns was aggressive early against Boston. He and the Knicks took advantage of Boston’s decision to put a smaller defender on Towns. They found Towns in transition and found success in five-out lineups.
“That helped set the tone for the game,” said Tom Thibodeau. “… He got established (offensively), and then the rebounding and his pick-and-roll defense was outstanding. We were able to play off that.”
New York got contributions from all over the roster on Friday. Josh Hart had a triple-double. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby both had 20-plus points and helped stifle Boston all night. Brunson had 23 points and six assists. New York was plus-seven on the offensive boards and kept Boston in check on the perimeter (the Celtics were 8-for-30 on threes in the first three quarters).
“The way we prepared, the way we talked out there, the way we made it an emphasis to have each other’s back and to continue to cover for each other (was important),” Brunson said. “It’s focused on the defensive side of the ball, and when we’re doing that and offense, we’re flowing.”
They hope to keep flowing into Game 1 of the ECF on Wednesday. The Knicks will have a few days to prepare for the Pacers. Maybe they’ll even take some time to celebrate the win over Boston. But the focus will quickly turn to Indiana.
“There’s more to do,” Bridges said. “We’re not done. We came out there tonight to play hard and handle business, but our season’s not over. We’ve got so much more to do.”
Josh Hart records first Knicks playoff triple-double in over 50 years to help eliminate Celtics in Game 6
Friday night saw the Knicks slay a number of metaphorical dragons during this playoff run. Game 6 was the first series-clinching win at home in 25 years, which was also the amount of time it's taken for the Knicks to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
But Josh Hart also accomplished a feat not seen in a Knicks uniform in over 50 years.
Hart scored 10 points, came down with 11 rebounds and dished 11 assists all with a black eye suffered by an errant elbow in Game 5. It's Hart's 10th triple-double this season (including playoffs), but it's his first career triple-double in the postseason. In fact, it's the Knicks' first playoff triple-double since Walt Frazier in 1972 -- fitting considering how Hart eclipsed Frazier's franchise mark for triple-doubles in a season this year.
"He's the heart of the team," Frazier said on the MSG broadcast. "The black eye, he was undaunted by that. The good rebounding. he grows on you. You just watch him, he does whatever it takes to win the game. He doesn't worry about the points....he's the heart of the team."
"He impacts the game in a lot of different ways and people get stuck on ‘well, he didn’t shoot the ball or he didn’t do this.’ Josh, what he is is he’s a basketball player," coach Tom Thibodeau said of Hart after the game. "It’s transition, it’s the pace, playing out of the pocket, making corner threes. Dribble handoff, hustle plays, offensive rebounds and defensively just being everywhere and coming up with big rebounds.
"When you play with that kind of effort, it’s inspiring to a team."
Hart's inspiring play was on full display in Game 6. Whether it was crashing to the hoop before kicking out to an open man beyond the arc, or taking it to the basket himself for an and-one. The third-year Knick brought the effort, and it was infectious.
Effort -- or the lack thereof -- was a big talking point after Game 5's loss. Jalen Brunson, Hart, and others criticized how they played in that game, especially letting a nine-point lead in the second quarter devolve into a 25-point loss. The Knicks were determined not to let that happen again.
So, what worked for the Knicks on Friday night? Communication.
"We have to end quarters right, and that’s something that we did and we were able to pick it up in the second, get stops, run and play Knick basketball," Hart explained. "Everyone played well, everyone talked, everyone communicated. Made plays offensively and defensively. That’s something we preach all the time is ending quarters strong."
They'll have to keep that communication and effort when they take on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers eliminated the Knicks in the second round last season after seven games. But this Knicks team has another streak to break in mind. Going to their first NBA Finals in 25 years.
Angels defeat Shohei Ohtani and rival Dodgers, but they aspire for much more
The Dodgers entered the weekend with the best record in the National League. The Angels are last in the American League West.
The Dodgers are the reigning World Series champions. The Angels have made the playoffs just once since 2010.
Clearly there’s more than 30 miles of freeway separating the two teams. So you’d think the Angels would look at this weekend’s Freeway Series as a chance to measure themselves against the best.
But Angels manager Ron Washington was having none of it.
Read more:'A lot of gratitude and gratefulness to get back.' Clayton Kershaw reflects on 2025 return
“I don't think like that,” he said testily. “We all know to get to that level, that's when you become a championship team. So I'm not going to stick it to my players by saying that, ‘you know, we need to be at the level’.
“We don't have what they’ve got over there. It's easy for them to stay at that level. We have to compete at the level of talent that we have and grow from there.”
In that case, Washington’s team did a lot of competing and growing Friday when right-hander Jack Kochanowicz pitched the Angels to a 6-2 win over the Dodgers in the first regular-season meeting of the season between the Southern California rivals.
The night before the Dodgers (29-16) had scored 19 runs. Against the Angels they had just seven hits — while hitting into five double plays, matching a franchise record.
“That’s baseball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said with a shrug.
As Washington spoke from his seat in the Angels dugout before the series opener, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, who have four MVPs awards between them, took batting practice. Only two players in Washington’s lineup had even made an All-Star team.
So if the Angels (18-25) aren’t at that level, what level are they at?
“We should be at least fighting for a chance in the middle of the pack,” Washington said. “But the injuries and the people that we lost and the things that's been happening with our youth, just got us where we are.
“The day will come,” he added. “that we can get to that level where I feel like we can compete for a championship.”
The Dodgers are already at that level, of course. They lead the majors in hitting (.271), slugging (.479), OPS (.825) and runs (259). Ohtani hit his MLB-leading 16th home run Friday.
And the team, Roberts said, isn’t even complete yet. Clayton Kershaw returns from the injured list Saturday, but they’re still missing starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, outfielder Teoscar Hernández and infielder Tommy Edman.
“There's some reinforcements coming that we intended to have,” Roberts said. “It's going to get better here in the next couple of weeks.”
That will force Roberts to make some difficult decisions. With Edman expected to rejoin the team Sunday, the Dodgers will have to decide what to do with rookie Hyeseong Kim, who had his third straight multi-hit game and is hitting .452 in Edman’s absence.
Kim said he can’t worry about that.
"I'm just going to play baseball. When I'm on the field I'm just going to play my baseball, try to get on base,” he said through an interpreter. “It's hard to speculate, hard to predict what's going to happen in the future.”
"It's been fun,” he added. “It's not an easy opportunity to have, so I'm really having fun right now."
Kershaw’s return will bolster a rotation missing three starters to injury, especially with Dustin May struggling. The right-hander, winless in his last five outings, gave up six hits and four runs over five innings.
“I definitely wish I could contribute a little bit better than I'm contributing right now,” said May, who had a season-high eight strikeouts. “Hopefully it turns around. I’m definitely not doing what I expected.”
The Angels rotation, meanwhile, is giving Washington more than he might have expected. Kochanowicz (3-5), who allowed just one run on five hits over season-long 6 2/3 innings, has won his last two games. Angels starters have held opponents to three or fewer runs in 16 of the last 17 games.
“We're not going to stop competing,” Washington said. “I don't think they take one day into the next. I haven't seen them take one day into the next.”
Yoán Moncada's first-inning homer, his third of the season, gave the Angels the early lead and they never looked back, despite striking out 15 times.
Read more:Hernández: Hyeseong Kim has arrived, and the Dodgers need to make sure he's here to stay
The Dodgers threatened to make it interesting in the eighth when Ohtani belted a long homer — his fourth in three games — into the batter’s eye beyond the center-field wall off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. But the Angels answered with a two-run single by Nolan Schanuel in the ninth.
Notes: The Dodgers summoned right-hander Ryan Loutos from triple-A Oklahoma City to give them a fresh arm after left-hander Justin Wrobleski threw four scoreless innings to earn the win in Thursday’s rout of the A’s. Loutos made his Dodger debut in the ninth inning, giving up two runs. ... Hernández, out since May 6 with a groin strain, is expected to make a rehab assignment with single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday and could be reactivated Monday.
Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who went on the injured list May 2 with a left knee injury, did some throwing Friday and is continuing to progress in his rehab, but Washington said the team has no date for his return.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kristaps Porzingis showers 'unbelievable' Knicks fans with praise after Celtics' Game 6 loss
Knicks fans have a complicated relationship with Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis.
On one hand, they are upset with his unfulfilled potential and not being "the guy" to bring the franchise to the next level after they drafted him in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. Of course, injuries and inept front office folks had a part to play in that, but after some time had passed, whenever Porzingis would come to MSG, whether as a Dallas Maverick or Washington Wizard, he was looked upon fondly by Knicks fans.
And now, as the Celtics' season ended after a 119-81 defeat in Game 6 on Friday night, Porzingis had some interesting comments about the fans and the city.
"Honestly, the support from the Knicks' fans was through the roof tonight and all throughout the playoffs," Porzingis said. "Unbelievable fans, unbelievable city. There's a side of me that's very, very happy for them. I wish them nothing but the best. They're class players we played against and they've done great things, and I wish them nothing but success."
Porzingis finished with four points, five rebounds and one block in 11 minutes of playing time on Friday night. It was the last of a sad slate of games from Porzingis, who has been battling an illness that he has not been able to kick. It affected his play so much that Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis couldn't breathe during Game 5's win on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old said he will take the offseason to get better, let his "immune system even itself out" and come back stronger for the next season. However, who he plays for next year is in question.
Although Porzingis has one more year on his contract with the Celtics, Boston could be looking to retool. Salary cap limitations and the fact that Jayson Tatum will likely not play next season could change Boston's plans. With a title with the Celtics under his belt, Porzingis could see himself back in New York -- he's said so in the past.
But that's speculation for another time.
Porzingis finished his second season in Boston, averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game across 42 contests. And while Knicks fans celebrate their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, Porzingis' future is unknown. Porzingis was asked if he's thought about how next season's team could look very different, and he wanted to focus on tonight.
"I haven't thought about that too much. we've been locked in on the playoffs," he said. "We'll see what the future holds. Right now we're just digesting this loss."
"The support from the Knicks fans was through the roof tonight and all throughout the playoffs. Unbelievable fans, unbelievable city and there's a side of me that's very very happy for them"
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 17, 2025
- Kristaps Porzingis pic.twitter.com/x3zPbEVcUb
'Losing to the Knicks feels like death': reigning champion Celtics react to season-ending Game 6 loss
The Knicks were 0-4 against the Boston Celtics in the regular season but went 4-2 when it mattered. Their lop-sided 119-81 win in Game 6 on Friday night at Madison Square Garden propelled them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, and sent the reigning champs home after an emphatic end to the series.
"To me, it's not about our guys -- they did everything they could," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "You've got to tip your hat off to the Knicks. They played a great series. They've been great all year. [Tom Thibodeau] is a great coach, so you've got to tip your hat off to them."
The Celtics lost leading scorer Jayson Tatum to a torn right Achilles in Game 4, leaving Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to shoulder the load. White scored a game-high 34 points in Boston's 127-102 Game 5 win, but finished Game 6 with only eight on 3-of-11 shooting.
"Losing to the Knicks feels like death, but I was always taught that there's life after death," said Brown, who dropped a team-high 20 points on 8-of-20 shooting in Game 6 before fouling out in the third quarter. "We'll get ready for whatever's next -- whatever's next in the journey, I'll be ready for."
After a battle-tested Eastern Conference semifinals, the Knicks now turn the page to hosting Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers, scheduled for next Wednesday at 8 p.m.
"We knew we would have to play 48 minutes against them," Thibodeau said. "They're terrific on both sides of the ball. They play their style no matter what. They're not going to hand you anything. You have to earn it. I thought we did that."
Carlos Rodón keeps avoiding ruinous inning, resembling another ace Yankees need
There was a crossroads moment for Yankees starter Carlos Rodón on Friday night when he buckled slightly in the fourth inning with a comfortable lead against the crosstown rival Mets in the opener of a super-charged Subway Series at Yankee Stadium.
Rodón opened the frame by walking Juan Soto and, judging by the southpaw's body language, he appeared to disagree with some of the ball-strike calls in that particular at-bat.
He then managed to strikeout Pete Alonso, but gave up consecutive singles that yielded one run. One out later, the veteran left-hander walked Francisco Alvarez on a full count to load the bases.
At times during his tenure in pinstripes, Rodón has come undone in moments like these, as one foul inning has grown into a game-ruining blotch. This time, however, he threw a 95 mph fastball to get Luisangel Acuña to fly out to right field, ending the inning. Crisis averted and the Yankees went on to beat the Mets, 6-2, in large part because of Rodón’s performance.
If this is the kind of grit Rodón can show all year, the Yankees may have another ace-level lefty they need for a deep postseason run. The stuff is clearly there -- he's exceptionally hard to hit.
After giving up one run and two hits in five innings against the Mets, Rodón (5-3) has allowed four hits or fewer in nine of his 10 starts this season. That’s the most such starts in MLB. In six of those starts, he’s allowed three hits or fewer. Opposing hitters are batting just .167 against him, the best mark in the majors.
“Good stuff again,” is how Yankees manager Aaron Boone described Rodon’s outing. “They made him work for it, really drove [his pitch count] up there. … All in all, five strong innings of one-run on a night when they pressured him, made him work, and he made some really big pitches when he needed to.”
Rodón induced 15 swings and misses on the night -- the Mets swung at 11 sliders and missed seven times. He also got some help when first baseman Paul Goldschmidt sprinted in the outfield to snare a pop fly hit by Tyrone Taylor to open the fifth inning. It was a sparkling play that helped Rodón get through his final inning, which he finished with a second strikeout of Alonso.
“That was a lot of range for, I think, a 37, 38-year-old,” a smiling Rodón said of Goldschmidt, who is in fact 37. “That's a heck of a play.”
In six starts since April 18, Rodón is 4-0 with a 1.72 ERA. During this span, he’s allowed just 21 hits and 12 walks while striking out 44.
“I thought Carlos was really good,” said teammate Cody Bellinger, who went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. “He’s mixing it really well and lately he’s been pounding the zone. He’s got a bunch of really good pitches, so it’s just kind of difficult to hit him if he’s on.”
Rodón likely would’ve pitched deeper into the game, but his pitch count soared as the Mets took careful at-bats. He came out after the fifth having thrown 102 pitches (60 for strikes). Rodón also walked his former teammate Soto three times.
“I was trying to get him to swing and miss every time,” Rodón said. “And he was, as he always is, real patient. He knows his zone. I wanted to get him.”
Of the Mets overall, he said, “They drove up the pitch count and had some good at-bats, but we got out of there with a win.”
And with a prime example of Rodón squashing that one moment of trouble that once might have bedeviled him, that’s huge for a Yankees squad with lofty goals.
SEE IT: Fans, basketball world react to Knicks advancing to Eastern Conference Finals
The Knicks dominated the defending champion Boston Celtics en route to a 119-81 win in Game 6 on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
New York hasn't seen their Knicks clinch a playoff series at home since 1999, which is coincidentally the last time they went to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks slayed both marks on Friday night and did so in convincing fashion. They allowed just 37 first-half points and proceeded to give the Celtics the most lopsided loss in an elimination game by a defending champion in NBA history (38 points).
After the Game 6 win, Knicks fans, celebrities and the basketball world shared their reactions online:
The scenes outside Madison Square Garden as the Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference Finals pic.twitter.com/h4d3N4QdVQ
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 17, 2025
ORANGE AND BLUE SKIES 🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/fMsnKh8vys
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 17, 2025
This is way better than beating a team a bunch of times in the regular season.
— Jerry Ferrara (@jerryferrara) May 17, 2025
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) May 17, 2025
🧡💙
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) May 17, 2025
Goodnight pic.twitter.com/TzpNjbmJ7m
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) May 17, 2025
Mets' Tylor Megill plagued by walks in shortest outing of season: 'That ain't gonna cut it'
There's just something about the return of warmer weather that seems to always give Tylor Megill the chills.
The month of May simply hasn't been too kind to the right-hander throughout his career, and his late spring woes continued in the Mets' 6-2 loss to the crosstown rival Yankees on Friday night in the Bronx. Megill lasted only 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with a season-worst five walks.
While the 2025 season is still relatively young, Megill has already seen the peaks and valleys. After producing a laudable 1.09 ERA across his first five starts, he's allowed 15 runs over his last four outings (18.2 innings), bumping his ERA to 3.74.
But back to the warmer weather conundrum -- Megill now owns a career 6.41 ERA between the May and June stretch. This mark is in stark contrast with his career ERA between the March and April window, which sits at 2.45.
"Four walks in an inning, that ain't gonna cut it. I mean, that's bascially what happened tonight," Megill said after the loss. "I got into a tough situation, tried to make some pitches for chase, keep the score close. Ended up walking quite a few that inning. I feel like I made some good quality off-speed pitches, trying to implement some chase. But the fastball was kind of all over today."
Megill's mess was created in the third inning, as the Yankees brought 10 batters to the plate and produced four runs with help from some weak contact and defensive blunders.
The most frustrating moment came on a grounder up the middle from Paul Goldschmidt with the bases loaded and one out. Francisco Lindor snagged the hard chopper, but short-hopped the throw to Pete Alonso that bounced high off his glove at first and landed near the lip of the grass in right field. The infield single broke the scoreless tie and the throwing error allowed a second run to reach home.
But four of Megill's five free passes came in the same frame, and that traffic on the bases forced Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to pull the plug much earlier than expected. Of the 72 pitches thrown by Megill, only 37 were for strikes. That's an inadequate ratio.
"He lost the strike zone. He didn't throw enough strikes," Mendoza said of Megill. "When you're doing that against an offense like these guys, they're going to make you pay. It just comes down to executing. He kept going to that slider in that inning and couldn't throw it for a strike. It's as easy as filling the zone with quality pitches, and we didn't do that today. ... He'll get through it. The stuff is there."
Megill will look to rebound next Wednesday in a tricky road matchup against the Red Sox.