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The New York Knicks have more than 24 hours to rebound from a devastating Game 1. Tyrese Haliburton trolled the Knicks in sending the game into overtime, and New York eventually fell 138-135. The climactic NBA Playoffs game also witnessed Jalen Brunson carry the load — which got a former Knicks player to send out a warning to Tom Thibodeau.
Iman Shumpert pointed out a flaw on New York’s side. Which he delivered via ESPN.
“The Knicks are right now putting on way too much pressure on Jalen Brunson to be effective at the end of a game,” Shumpert said. “I think they did a great job for a little bit there with their 8-0 or 10-0 run when Brunson was getting rest.”
Shumpert, who started his career with the Knicks in 2011, believes the Knicks complicate things when Brunson earns extra minutes.
“When he does get back in, I feel like things sometimes get stacked. He’s attracting a lot of attention. But when he does gets those buckets, even in tough situations, he’s working way too hard for them,” Shumpert said.
Ex-Knicks player reveals edge Pacers have over Jalen Brunson, Tom Thibodeau
Shumpert dove further into why the Knicks struggled in the end. He revealed the edge Indiana brought that closed the gap and erased the 14-point deficit inside Madison Square Garden.
“When you look at the Indiana side of things, they get those easy shots,” Shumpert said. “They get guys coming off in rhythm, guys just one-two-step and one into the shot. There’s offensive rebounds, tap outs, inside/out threes — everything they seem to do is easy.”
But it’s the opposite for Brunson and Thibodeau from what Shumpert observed.
“Everything the Knicks do at the end with Jalen Brunson seems to be really, really hard. And it’s a lot of dribbles. I hate that for them,” Shumpert said.
The 2016 NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers offered this suggestion to “Thibs” and the Knicks.
“I think they need to make things easier for him down the stretch. They need to bring a lot of the Brunson and KAT (Karl Anthony-Towns) two-man game into the picture just to take pressure off down the stretch,” Shumpert said.
Brunson surprisingly earned the fewest minutes among the Knicks starters at 38. Mikal Bridges played a team-high 46 minutes while Josh Hart added 44. Brunson still shot the most tries at 25 from field goal range.
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Knicks Primed to Land Former All-Star in Free Agency as Potential Buyout Looms
Who doesn't love playing in a big market like New York, Los Angeles, and some of the other prime destinations that the NBA has to offer? Kevin Love certainly doesn't mind them. In fact, the former All-Star prefers them. Jake Fischer recently offered insight into where the aging big man may end up as his next destination. The NBA insider reaffirmed previous reports that stated Love prefers a big market. Fischer said, "So with Kevin Love, to my understanding, he really only wants to be in the big glamour markets. I do think it would mostly be something along the lines of Kevin Love going to a New York or a Los Angeles type of situation. So, we'll see if that can materialize for him." With the New York Knicks still in the market for a boost to their depth, Love could be a natural connection for the team to explore. The recently-traded big man will await his buyout from the Utah Jazz. If or when those terms are settled, the Knicks could add the former champion to a spot on the bench. Veteran presence of Kevin Love not without value for New York Love is certainly long past his days as a double-double machine, like he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The floor-spacing big man is not even what he used to be with the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, writing him off entirely would be unwise. If there is not key thing Love can still offer to any team, it is undoubtedly his 3-point shooting. The 36-year-old shot 35.8 percent from beyond the arc last season for the Miami Heat. No one is saying to offer Love a prominent bench role, or anything of the sort. However, when the situation calls for an offensive lift and a spaced out floor, the former top five pick can still fit the bill in that scenario.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
Former Eagles champion announces retirement from NFL
One veteran NFL defender is ready to trade the football field for the golf course. Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks announced in a post to social media on Friday that he is retiring from the NFL. Hicks is calling it quits after 10 career seasons with four different teams. “I walk away with peace knowing I gave football all I had, and that the best is yet to come,” Hicks wrote in his post. You can see the post in full here. Now 33 years old, Hicks was a third-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2015. He spent the first four seasons of his career with them and was a member of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning team in the 2018 campaign. Hicks later went on to play for the Arizona Cardinals, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Cleveland Browns as well. The former University of Texas star Hicks was one of the more versatile linebackers of his era, capable of playing all three positions (inside, middle, and outside). He tied for third in the NFL with five interceptions during the 2016 season and also later ranked third in the NFL with 150 combined tackles during the 2019 season. Hicks made 12 appearances in 2024 for the Browns but is now content with walking away from the game. He also dealt with a dangerous physical condition that required hospitalization a couple years ago and has thus decided to move onto his next chapter.
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