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How Steph avoids frustration over his foul call ‘reality'

How Steph avoids frustration over his foul call ‘reality' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Even after an incredible night for Steph Curry in which he had 52 points and 12 3-pointers, it’s hard not to argue he deserved more in the Warriors’ 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at FedExForum.

The discourse over Curry’s lack of foul calls isn’t new, but it resurfaced during a physical game in Memphis, which featured some debatable non-calls involving the Golden State star.

On “Warriors Postgame Live,” Curry explained how he avoids becoming frustrated over questionable officiating — and still manages to put up all-time performances in the meantime.

“It’s my reality. I’ve been in this situation for a long time,” Curry told Warriors broadcasters Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike. “It’s like a playoff game. You have to adjust to how the game’s being called.

“You can have a reaction, but you don’t want to let it distract you from what the task is. So I think trying to stay as even-keeled as possible — that doesn’t mean you’re passive or giving into it — you’re kind of fighting through it and not looking to get bailed out even though you feel like it’s not going your way.”

Curry went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line on Tuesday night, but as Azubuike noted, he arguably could have earned a few more trips to the charity stripe.

Nonetheless, the two-time MVP persisted with, arguably, his best game of the 2024-25 NBA season, adding 10 rebounds, eight assists and five steals on top of his absurd shooting performance.

If there’s a bright side to the eternal Curry foul debate, it’s that the addition of forward Jimmy Butler has significantly helped Curry’s free-throw opportunities. Before Butler joined the Warriors on Feb. 8, Curry averaged only 3.4 free-throw attempts per game, per StatMuse.

But since then, that number has nearly doubled, as the veteran has earned six attempts at the line on average in his last 21 games. That mark would be a career-best for Curry over an entire season.

Of course, while it is positive progress, it probably is safe to say Curry (and Dub Nation) would like a few more calls to go his way, especially amid a tense playoff race.

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Nashville Predators Pummeled in 8-4 Loss to Columbus Blue Jackets

The Nashville Predators (27-40-8, 62 points) suffered their fourth consecutive loss – an 8-4 rout at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets (34-30-9, 77 points) – Tuesday at Nationwide Arena.

Kirill Marchenko scored three goals and an assist for Columbus, while Adam Fantili and Sean Monahan added two goals apiece. Filip Forsberg, Michael Bunting, Justin Barron and Jordan Oesterle each tallied a goal for the Predators, and Luke Evangelista led all Nashville skaters with two assists.

The loss marks the sixth time that Nashville has allowed six or more goals in a single game this season, with eight goals against representing a new season high. 

Predators goaltender Juuse Saros allowed seven goals on 26 shots for a .731 save percentage before pulled from the game after the second period. Justus Annunen made 10 saves on 11 shots in relief.

Marc Del Gaizo, Nashville Predators

How the Predators Lined Up vs. Columbus

Forsberg-O'Reilly-Stamkos
Bunting-Svechkov-Evangelista
Smith-McCarron-L'Heureux
Bellows-Vrana

Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Barron
Englund-Stastney
Oesterle

Saros
Annunen

Extra: Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body), Marchessault (day-to-day, lower-body), Wood
IR: Josi, Wilsby, Lauzon

While navigating multiple injuries to their forward group, including Colton Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body) and Jonathan Marchessault (day-to-day, lower-body), the Predators went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the second night in a row.

Matthew Wood, who signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators on Saturday, has yet to make his NHL debut.

Predators at Blue Jackets: Live Updates

First Period (NSH 1, CBJ 3)

It took Columbus just over a minute to open the scoring in this one, with Zach Werenski capitalizing on a Predators turnover and finding Kirill Marchenko alone in front of the net for the score at the 1:15 mark of the first period.

The Blue Jackets struck again at the 16:34 mark, when Denton Mateychuk's slick cross-zone pass found Fantilli for a one-timer from the right circle to extend the lead to 2-0.

It took less than two minutes for that lead to become 3-0, when an Andreas Englund holding penalty gave the Blue Jackets their first power-play opportunity of the game. Sean Monahan capitalized on that opportunity, receiving a feed from Kent Johnson and sending a one-timer far side under Saros' blocker at the 18:10 mark.

Filip Forsberg managed to get Nashville on the board with a top shelf wrist shot in the final minutes of the period, cutting the deficit to 3-1 heading into the first intermission.

Second Period (NSH 3, CBJ 7)

Columbus quickly regained the three-goal lead in the second period, when Marchenko fired a wrist shot past Saros in transition at the 4:12 mark to make it 4-1. The goal was Marchenko's 30th of the season, making him the first Blue Jackets player to score 30 goals in a season since Cam Atkinson scored 41 in 2018-19.

Michael Bunting had a quick response for Nashville, firing a puck into traffic that found its way to the back of the net at the 5:43 mark to cut Columbus' lead to 4-2.

It took just 43 seconds for Justin Barron to make it a one-goal game with a clapper that beat Merzlikins from the right circle at the 6:26 mark.

Fantilli squashed the Predators' momentum with his second goal of the night when he capitalized on another costly Nashville turnover and blew up the ice, past Fedor Svechkov, and fired home a wrist shot to restore the two-goal lead for Columbus at the 12:00 mark.

Monahan scored his second goal of the night – both on the power play – when he scooped up the rebound of a Marchenko shot and tucked it around a sprawling Saros at the 16:47 mark of the second period to put Nashville in a three-goal deficit for a third time.

Former Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro gave the Blue Jackets their first four-goal lead of the game with 18 seconds left the second period. Fabbro, whom Columbus claimed off waivers from Nashville in November, fired a shot from the point that beat Saros and extended the Blue Jackets' lead to 7-3 heading into the second intermission.

Third Period (NSH 4, CBJ 8)

After Nashville allowed a season-high seven goals against through the first 40 minutes, Justus Annunen came in to replace Saros for the final 20.

Marchenko completed the hat trick at the 5:32 mark of the third period with a one-timer from the left circle that gave Columbus an 8-3 lead.

Jordan Oesterle cut it to 8-4 when he one-timed a pass from Cole Smith to beat Merzlikins far side at 9:02 for his first goal as a member of the Predators.

Annunen and the Predators managed to hold Columbus off the board for the remainder of the period, and 8-4 stood as the final score. Nashville will wrap up a three-game road trip Thursday in Dallas.

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Steph likes leading with Butler, believes they're ‘great' Warriors duo

Steph likes leading with Butler, believes they're ‘great' Warriors duo originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s nearly impossible to argue that the Warriors’ Steph Curry–Jimmy Butler duo hasn’t worked.

With the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference on the line, the star guard and wing erupted for a combined 79 points in Golden State’s crucial 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday at FedExForum. 

Immediately after the win, Curry explained to Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike on “Warriors Postgame Live” why he enjoys forming a tandem with the six-time NBA All-Star, who was acquired by Golden State from the Miami Heat at the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

“That’s why the trade makes so much sense for us and why the results have been there ever since,” Curry said. “It’s a great tandem in terms of what you said [are] two different styles.” 

Over the past two months, coach Steve Kerr and Co. have benefited from Curry and Butler’s contrasting yet compatible skill sets. 

As the Chef erupted for a whopping 52 points and made 12 3-pointers, Butler leveraged his two-way force, registering 27 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Butler didn’t forget his craftiness to draw fouls either, ending 12 of 12 on free throws.

“When we’re locked in and have good spacing, he demands a lot of attention,” Curry added. “He always makes the right play. Like you said, he can get to the line because he’s such a presence.

“He knocks them down, and, even on the defensive end, the steal he had on Ja [Morant] down the stretch was high-IQ basketball.”

In what was a playoff-like atmosphere, Curry, very much in line with his standard, delivered an instant-classic performance against a sturdy Memphis defense. 

But as the 37-year-old star echoed, crunchtime basketball is that much easier with a co-general like Butler by his side.

“We love playing meaningful games,” Curry concluded. “Coach said it before the game: this is a meaningful game. 

“The rest of them down the season are going to be like this. So for us to be able to step up the way we did [which was] a total team effort. But I like me and Jimmy leading it.”

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Steph likes leading with Butler, believes they're ‘great' Warriors duo

Steph likes leading with Butler, believes they're ‘great' Warriors duo originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s nearly impossible to argue that the Warriors’ Steph Curry–Jimmy Butler duo hasn’t worked.

With the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference on the line, the star guard and wing erupted for a combined 79 points in Golden State’s crucial 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday at FedExForum. 

Immediately after the win, Curry explained to Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike on “Warriors Postgame Live” why he enjoys forming a tandem with the six-time NBA All-Star, who was acquired by Golden State from the Miami Heat at the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

“That’s why the trade makes so much sense for us and why the results have been there ever since,” Curry said. “It’s a great tandem in terms of what you said [are] two different styles.” 

Over the past two months, coach Steve Kerr and Co. have benefited from Curry and Butler’s contrasting yet compatible skill sets. 

As the Chef erupted for a whopping 52 points and made 12 3-pointers, Butler leveraged his two-way force, registering 27 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Butler didn’t forget his craftiness to draw fouls either, ending 12 of 12 on free throws.

“When we’re locked in and have good spacing, he demands a lot of attention,” Curry added. “He always makes the right play. Like you said, he can get to the line because he’s such a presence.

“He knocks them down, and, even on the defensive end, the steal he had on Ja down the stretch was high-IQ basketball.”

In what was a playoff-like atmosphere, Curry, very much in line with his standard, delivered an instant-classic performance against a sturdy Memphis defense. 

But as the 37-year-old star echoed, crunchtime basketball is that much easier with a co-general like Butler by his side.

“We love playing meaningful games,” Curry concluded. “Coach said it before the game: this is a meaningful game. 

“The rest of them down the season are going to be like this. So for us to be able to step up the way we did [which was] a total team effort. But I like me and Jimmy leading it.”

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MPs deliver warning over DCMS chase to recoup tens of millions in Covid loans

  • Loans scrutinised by public accounts committee
  • ‘Gap in oversight’ over £123.8m paid to rugby teams

There remains a “high degree of uncertainty” over whether tens of millions of pounds paid to rugby union clubs and other sports teams during the Covid-19 pandemic will ever be repaid, the House of Commons’ public accounts committee has warned.

In a report published on Wednesday, the committee also criticised the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for being “overly optimistic” in believing it will recover most of the £474m it paid out to 120 organisations in the sport and culture sectors to help them survive the impact of the pandemic.

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Ottawa Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk Out… But With An Entirely New Injury

The Buffalo Sabres, currently in last place in the Eastern Conference, are set to extend their NHL record playoff drought to 14 seasons. So when they face the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, the Senators would prefer the Sabres didn’t skewer them for a fourth straight loss.

Buffalo has won all three games so far by a combined score of 12-3, and as they try to avoid a season sweep, the Senators won't have their captain on board.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

With Ottawa now holding a comfortable seven-point lead in the Wild Card race, Tkachuk’s absence isn’t unexpected. It's a fine strategy to rest key players like Tkachuk, who've been dealing with lingering injuries.

However, Senators head coach Travis Green told the media on Tuesday morning that Tkachuk’s injury is something new. It’s an upper-body issue, completely unrelated to the nagging injury he’s been playing through over the past few weeks.

Tkachuk's new injury happened in Pittsburgh on Sunday when he skated into Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves in the neutral zone. Simply put, while changing direction, Tkachuk wasn’t looking where he was going. After going down in pain, he skated off the ice and into the dressing room, but returned to play in the third period, likely fueled only by adrenaline.

Unfortunately, things obviously worsened after the game, and he won’t be available for Tuesday’s contest against the Sabres.

“Yeah, it’s not what you want, that’s for sure,” Green told the media. “But that’s part of the NHL. You’re going to lose guys, and hopefully he’s only out for a game.”

Last month, Tkachuk was emotional when the Senators traded his close friend, Josh Norris, to the Sabres. This game might’ve been their reunion, but with both players sidelined by injuries, that’s on hold until next season. Norris will miss his 10th consecutive game on Tuesday and didn’t travel to Ottawa. Neither did Tkachuk’s former Boston University teammate, Jordan Greenway, who's also injured.

Tkachuk’s spot on the roster will be filled by Angus Crookshank, who’s been shuffled between Belleville and Ottawa in recent games. Crookshank, a UFA this summer, gets a good opportunity, and Green says he's excited to see him in action.

“I thought last time up, he played some good hockey for us,” Green said. “He’s a feisty player, he's got good hands, and is strong on his skates. Excited for him to get into the lineup.”

Crookshank will skate on the fourth line, taking the spot of Michael Amadio, who’s been playing phenomenal two-way hockey of late. Amadio moves up to the third line while Claude Giroux takes Tkachuk's spot on Tim Stützle’s left side.

Aside from Tkachuk’s absence, which is concerning, and Linus Ullmark starting in net, Green’s lineup will remain the same as it was in the 1-0 OT loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. James Reimer is expected to start again for Buffalo.

Senators Projected Lineup:

Claude Giroux - Tim Stützle - Fabian Zetterlund
David Perron - Dylan Cozens - Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio
Matthew Highmore - Adam Gaudette - Angus Crookshank

Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot - Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven - Nikolas Matinpalo

Linus Ullmark
Anton Forsberg

Scratched: Dennis Gilbert, Travis Hamonic
Injured: Nick Cousins (knee), Brady Tkachuk (upper body)

Sabres Projected Lineup:

Zach Benson - Jiri Kulich - Tage Thompson
JJ Peterka - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Jason Zucker - Peyton Krebs - Alex Tuch
Beck Malenstyn - Tyson Kozak - Sam Lafferty

Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Jacob Bernard-Docker
Bowen Byram - Connor Clifton

James Reimer
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Scratched: Jacob Bryson, Isak Rosen
Injured: Jordan Greenway (lower body), Josh Norris (middle body)

Faceoff is at 7pm (TSN5 and RDS2) at Canadian Tire Centre.

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In Warriors' time of need, Steph dons cape for crucial win

In Warriors' time of need, Steph dons cape for crucial win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

For all that Jimmy Butler III brings to the Warriors, and his impact is immeasurable, they were reminded Tuesday night that the duration of their NBA playoff run will be dictated mostly by Stephen Curry.

Butler was superb in a 134-125 win over the always plucky Memphis Grizzlies. In playoff environment at FedExForum, he delivered an efficient 27 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He was plus-6 over a team-high 38 minutes.

Butler was, to be clear, a fantastic co-pilot.

Curry, however, was at his cosmic best in Golden State’s most consequential game against an opponent battling them for playoff positioning. When the final buzzer sounded, Curry submitted a 52-point performance that surely was heard around the NBA.

“The guy is 37 years old,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game. “It’s incredible. Fifty-two points, with people draped all over him, all game long. The conditioning, the skill, the audacity, the belief. It’s just incredible to watch Steph at work. I can’t believe he’s still doing this at this age, but he’s put the work in, and he’s still got it.”

Curry moved past the late, great Jerry West into 25th place on the career scoring list. His 19 first-quarter points ensured a strong start for Golden State. His 12 3-pointers fractured the Memphis defense for his teammates. His eight assists kept them alert and active. His five steals were a pointed message to his team and to the Grizzlies. His 10 rebounds were a presentation of heart.

“You’ve got to remember to play the game when you’re sitting there watching him do stuff like that,” Moses Moody said. “He’s coming off those screens, finding any inch of space, pulling and knocking it down. That’s a special performance from a special player.”

The Warriors approached this game with the proper mentality, treating it as a playoff game – because it was in a significant way. They were, at tipoff, in sixth place in the Western Conference, right behind Memphis. The victory flipped their positions.

Curry understood the assignment. He scored only two points, shooting 0-of-7 from the field, the last time he was in his building on Dec. 19. The circumstances for this game required a profoundly different performance from the man who has been Golden State’s leader since 2012.

“I’ll be honest: I actually forgot that fact,” said Curry, who posted his first career 50-point, 10-rebound double-double. “I was more focused on how big this game was for us.

“The intentionality that we came out with in the first quarter was just a great game plan. To understand how they guard us.  I thought about their style; they try to junk up the game on defense with top-locks and try to send me into paint traffic and all that. We had a counter for that to start the game. But other than that, it was just trying to win a big game and embracing the moment.”

When Curry made his first six shots, four of which were 3-pointers, it was apparent this could be a special night.

Draymond Green, who posted his first triple-double of the 2024-25 NBA season (13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds), could only marvel at the spectacle of his longtime teammate.

“Incredible,” Green said. “What a performance. He’s locked in, though. He had a great shootaround this morning. He was locked in. You can always see a look in his eyes when he’s focused. He wanted this one bad, and he played like it.

“It was beautiful to see. We needed it for sure.”

Curry’s 52 points came on 16-of-31 shooting from the field, including 12 of 20 from beyond the arc. His first three quarters were particularly searing, with 45 points coming on 14-of-23 and 11-of-15 shooting. Aside from Butler, Curry wasn’t getting much offensive help. Indeed, Warriors not named Curry or Butler combined for 14-of-44 shooting (31.8 percent) through three quarters.

Seeing so many shots bounce off the rim was kind of a cue for Curry. For them to be successful, he pretty much had to go into hero mode. He has gone there many times before, and he’ll need to go there many more times before taking his sneakers off for the last time.

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Three Takeaways From Avalanche's 3-2 Loss To The Calgary Flames

 Samuel Girard (left); Roope Hintz (right) -- Isaiah J. Downing, USA TODAY Images

The Colorado Avalanche suffered their second straight loss Monday, falling to the Calgary Flames by a 3-2 score in a shootout. Here are three key takeaways from the Avs' loss, which dropped Colorado's season record to 45-26-4:

1. Avs Blow Two-Goal Lead, Squander Opportunity To Gain Ground In Central Divsion Playoff Race

For the first two periods of Monday's tilt against the Flames, Colorado looked like it was going to get back on track and stop a two-game losing skid from happening. The Avalanche out-shot Calgary 21-12 through 40 minutes and took a two-goal lead into the third frame, but they were out-shot 11-5 in the third period and blew a chance to win the game in regulation time.

The Avs' loss -- even with the 'loser point' -- failed to make up much ground in the Central race, as Colorado is now eight standings points behind second-place Dallas, and the Stars have a game in hand on the Avalanche. It was still going to be diffcult to overtake Dallas for second spot in the Central, but this loss pretty much assures the Avs of a third-place finish in the division.

2. MacKinnon, Makar Continue To Dominate, Even In Losing Effort

Avalanche superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had another strong game Monday, collaborating on Colorado's opening goal against the Flames. Makar scored his 28th goal of the season Monday, while MacKinnon had the primary assist -- his 80th of the season -- on Makar's goal.

MacKinnon's assist keeps him as the league leader in helpers this season, while Makar's goal extends his lead as the NHL's top-scoring defenseman. Together, Makar and MacKinnon give the Avalanche a chance to win each and every night, and even on nights where the Avs don't get the 'W', MacKinnon and Makar stand out in a positive way.

3. With Wild's Loss, Avalanche Is All But Assured Of Finishing In Third Place In Central 

The Avalanche's defeat opened the door for the fourth-place-in-the-Central Minnesota Wild to gain ground on the Avs. However, the Wild fell 3-2 in a shootout to the New Jersey Devils -- and that means Minnesota remains six standings points behind Colorado, with both the Wild and Avs each having seven regular-season games left to play.

Barring some collapse by the Avalanche, Minnesota is going to stay a wild card team in the Western Conference, while the Avs are more or less locked into a first-round series against the Stars. There's still a chance the first-place Winnipeg Jets fall below Dallas into second place in the Central, but that's also highly-unlikey.

Ultimately, Colorado and Dallas are headed for a first-round showdown, and the Avalanche are going to be facing a Stars team with an imposing 27-7-2 home record this season. The Avs have a relatively-disappointing 20-15-1 road mark this season, so they'll have to be much better away from home if they're to make it to the second round and beyond. But falling to the Flames Monday all but assures Colorado of what could be the toughest first-round matchup of any first-round series this spring.

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Philadelphia hopes to re-sign Quentin Grimes, if they can afford to

You have to look hard for bright spots in this Philadelphia 76ers season, but Quentin Grimes is one of them. Since being traded to Philadelphia from Dallas as part of the Caleb Martin deal, Grimes has averaged 21.8 points a game while shooting 39.2% from 3, plus adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists a night.

Grimes is a restricted free agent this offseason and the 76ers hope to re-sign him, reports Marc Stein in his weekly newsletter.

The challenge is how much Grimes could make and if Philadelphia can afford it.

Grimes' market is tough to predict. Keith Smith at Spotac projects a four-year, $100 million contract, while I think that sounds high, something close to $20 million a season is a fair bet on the potential of the 24-year-old who has shown he is more than a 3&D guy. That said, only Brooklyn has the cap space to max Grimes out, and that's not the direction the Nets are looking, and it's hard to see another team coming in with an offer that Philadelphia would not match.

That said, the 76ers have their own challenges. Philadelphia is on the hook for $149.1 million next season for just their big three of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, plus Jared McCain. That leaves the Sixers about $5 million below the salary cap number with at least 10 roster spots to fill. The real numbers to watch are the luxury-tax line (an estimated $187.9 million) and the second tax apron ($207.8 million).

Things add up quickly. The 76ers have tanked of late in hopes of retaining their first-round draft pick (they owe it to Oklahoma City, top-six protected). If Philly lands in the top six, that rookie will cost at least $8 million and up to as much as $13 million next season. Also, Grimes is not the only player the 76ers want to bring back. There is Kelly Oubre, who is expected to opt out of his $8.4 million and become a free agent, as well as unrestricted free agent Guerschon Yabusele.

The reality: Philly is likely only going to be able to bring back two of Grimes, Oubre, and Yabusele. Maybe things shake out differently, but with a top-heavy roster, it will be difficult for Daryl Morey to fill out the roster with quality players and stay below the aprons.

Whatever the 76ers choose, expect some team to step up and pay Grimes this season. The trade from Dallas to Philly could not have worked out much better for him.

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3 observations after Sixers set NBA starting lineups record in defeat to Knicks

3 observations after Sixers set NBA starting lineups record in defeat to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Sixers tied their season-high losing streak and dipped to 30 games under .500 Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Their ninth consecutive loss was a 105-91 decision to the Knicks.

Quentin Grimes had 26 points, five assists and three steals for the 23-53 Sixers.

The 48-27 Knicks’ top scorer was OG Anunoby with 27 points.

Eight Sixers were out with injuries. Tyrese Maxey (right finger sprain) hasn’t played since March 3.

“He did practice (Friday). It went just medium,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame of Maxey. “It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, that was great’ … but he’s still working out today. He’ll work out tomorrow. And again, we’re hoping he feels a little bit better.

“He got a splint put on there and kind of liked it, but then it was bothering him post-practice a little bit. But again, we’re working him out and trying to get him back on the court.” 

The Knicks’ sidelined players included Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) and Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee soreness). 

The Sixers will return home and face the Bucks on Thursday night. Here are observations on their loss to the Knicks: 

Record-breaking night

The Sixers set a new NBA record before the game even tipped off. 

Through 76 games, the injury-cursed Sixers have used an unprecedented 52 starting lineups. Tuesday’s first unit was Grimes, Lonnie Walker IV, Justin Edwards, Ricky Council IV and Adem Bona. 

Lineup No. 52 was certainly not the Sixers’ best. Grimes turned the ball over on the game’s first possession and Mitchell Robinson threw down a put-back dunk on the other end. An Anunoby three-pointer gave the Knicks a 9-1 edge. 

There’s many, many factors that have contributed to the Sixers’ woefully disappointing season. The simplest one is perhaps most important: Their team health has been historically poor. 

Lowry back at it 

Kyle Lowry got his first action since Feb. 9, checking in with Jared Butler at the 5:19 mark of the first quarter.

The 39-year-old guard has struggled with a right hip injury this year, but he didn’t plan to end it on the bench. 

“He’s been dealing with this hip issue for most of the season,” Nurse said. “He’s been working hard to try to get back and it took some time. Recently, he’s been feeling better, and he wants to play.”

The Sixers made a 7-0 run late in the first quarter and Lowry had a solid stretch. He tossed a high-low assist to Bona and nabbed a steal when he ripped the ball out of Anunoby’s hands. Nurse had forecast short stints for Lowry, but he played nearly nine minutes before subbing out.

Lowry ended up logging 16 total minutes Tuesday. He had zero points on 0-for-1 shooting, two assists, two steals, a block and a rebound.

Lottery odds outlook

The Sixers only mustered 16 points in the second quarter.

They started 3 for 18 as a team from three-point range and committed 13 first-half turnovers. Giveaways by Edwards and Marcus Bagley late in the second quarter led to two straight New York fast-break dunks. The Sixers trailed by 17 points at halftime.

To the Sixers’ credit, they played a strong third quarter. Two Walker layups cut the Sixers’ deficit down to 67-62.

The Knicks restored a comfortable lead by early in the fourth quarter. Former Sixer Landry Shamet sunk wide-open jumpers, Anunoby slammed in a big and-one dunk on Walker, and New York cruised to victory.

For the Sixers, it’s yet another positive step in terms of NBA draft lottery odds. After Tuesday, here’s how things stand:

  • Fourth-best odds: Pelicans (21-54)
  • Fifth-best: Sixers (23-53)
  • Sixth-best: Nets (25-51)
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Mets prospect Jett Williams 100 percent healthy, expected to receive more reps in CF

Here’s the latest from some of the Mets’ top prospects at Double-A media day…

Jett the Met is 100 percent

Last season didn’t quite go as planned forJett Williams. 

The No. 2 ranked prospect on SNY’s Top 30 list had his development slowed down a bit as he was limited to just 33 games after undergoing a wrist procedure that kept him sidelined for a little over four months.

Williams was able to make his way back down the stretch and then participated in both the Arizona Fall League and big-league spring training -- so now he’s feeling 100 percent heading into the Double-A season. 

The versatile youngster will continue receiving reps at all three positions up the middle -- but he told reporters on Tuesday at Binghamton Media Day that the team is planning on giving him more time in center field this year.

“It doesn't matter to me, as long as I’m on the field whether that’s at short, second, center. They told me I was going to be getting more reps in center, but at the end of the day, it’s just going out there, and just being on the field and staying healthy.” 

Williams has appeared in 33 games in center to this point in his career -- but if he can master the position and regain his dominant form at the plate while staying healthy, he just might be able to continue cruising his way through the system. 

Clifford looking to be more consistent, will play some OF 

Ryan Clifford is another one of the Mets’ top prospects who will start the year on a loaded Binghamton squad. 

The young slugger had gotten off to a slow start last year in the pitcher-friendly confines of Single-A Brooklyn -- but after receiving a promotion to Double-A, he returned to his power-hitting form and finished the season on a high note.

He popped 18 homers, 21 doubles, and recorded a .359 on-base percentage in 99 games. 

After working on some things this offseason and being around some of the Mets’ top sluggers throughout big-league camp, Clifford is looking to add more consistency to his game this year in Binghamton. 

"If I can do my best to put the bat on the ball, good things happen," he said.

Defensively, the plan is for him to spend the majority of his time at first base for the first month of the season and then to get some reps in the outfield in an effort to continue increasing his versatility. 

Clifford played 60 of his 130 games in the outfield last season. 

Morabito ready for opportunity 

Nick Morabito is one of the newcomers for this Double-A squad.  

The second-round pick is making the leap up from Brooklyn after putting together a tremendous campaign in which he took home the Mets' Minor League Player of the Year award after leading the organization in batting average (.312), on-base percentage (.403), stolen bases (59), and hits (142).

The jump from Single-A to Double-A is usually a big one, but he feels ready for the promotion. 

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity to be here in Binghamton,” he said. “I’m ready for the opportunity and ready to take it on -- I'm going to embrace it, and I just want to be on the field as much as possible and allow my game to play itself.”

For those of you not familiar with his game -- SNY’s Joe DeMayo notes that Morabito has an above-average hit tool, above-average plate discipline, and is a plus athlete in center with tremendous speed. 

He only appeared in one spring training game because of a wrist issue but is 100 percent heading into the season.

Morabito is the 14th-ranked prospect in the organization according to DeMayo, and he could improve upon his floor of a fourth outfielder profile if he can become more of a gap-to-gap line drive hitter.