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The New York Knicks are in serious trouble after losing their second straight game at Madison Square Garden. Now, with the team down 0-2 heading to Indiana, chances are stacked against the Knicks to make a comeback, but Karl-Anthony Towns believes his team can beat the odds.
"What I told y'all about with the word history? I'm not here to repeat it, we're here to make it," said Towns. "If I've learned anything, especially last year, as quick as you win two games is as quick as you can lose two games."
It was a bitter loss on Friday night for the Knicks (114-109), who allowed the Indiana Pacers to shoot 51.8% from the field. Meanwhile, Indiana was on fire, and their defense was much improved after Game 1. In NBA history, 430 out of 465 series were won by the team that took a 2-0 lead to start the series. As the higher seed, the Knicks were at home in the losses, meaning they now have to face the prospect of two must-win games in hostile territory.
The mood was understandably somber in the locker room, and Knicks fans were completely depressed, knowing their season was in grave jeopardy. Fortunately, Karl-Anthony Towns was level-headed after the defeat, and he even mentioned learning from experience.
What Towns was referring to is last year's NBA playoffs, back when he was with the Timberwolves alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. He helped take them to the Western Conference Finals in an impressive show of dominance, but the Mavericks humbled them in the series after winning the first three games.
Towns learned in that ordeal just how fragile momentum and control are during a 7-game series, and things can flip on a dime for the team that loses focus or makes any kind of mistake.
The Knicks learned this lesson themselves in last year's series against the Pacers. They won the first two games at home before losing the next two on the road. The Knicks would lose the series after failing to win a single road game, and it prompted the series of changes that assembled their final roster today.
This year, with Towns and OG Anunoby as Knicks, most experts favored them in the Conference Finals, but the Pacers are giving them some fierce resistance. Thanks to hot shooting, hero ball from Pascal Siakam, and clutch shot-making from Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers have taken a commanding lead in the series and are now just two wins away from the NBA Finals.
The Knicks will have two days to adjust, but it remains to be seen if they can find a formula to slow the Pacers down. So far, nothing has worked to stop the bleeding, but Towns will not allow his team to stop trying, and he will take charge if he feels it's necessary.
With his season on the line, Towns is refusing to abandon faith because he has seen firsthand how teams can bounce back and win a series after a concerning loss or two. In this case, the Knicks still have time to turn things around, but if they don't win Game 3, then the series is effectively over and the season can get marked as yet another failure for New York.
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NBA Insider Reveals Why Bradley Beal Spurned Lakers for Clippers
The Los Angeles Lakers have been looking to improve their roster this offseason after falling to get out of the first round of the playoffs. They were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in just five games. Los Angeles was trying to sign Bradley Beal once he was waived by the Phoenix Suns, but he spurned them for the crosstown rivals. He ended up signing with the Clippers instead. The two LA teams weren't the only teams who were pursuing Beal, but those two may have been the frontrunners. One NBA insider revealed why he chose the Clippers instead of the Lakers. More news: Former Lakers Star Shaquille O’Neal on NBA All-Star: ‘I F---ing Hate’ Him According to Brett Sigel of ClutchPoints, Beal didn't have much interest in the Lakers once they revealed that they wanted him to be their sixth man and come off the bench. The primary reason why Beal signed with the Clippers is because of the fact that he has a chance to start for them. Beal clearly believes that he is still a starting-caliber player. This past season, the Suns demoted Beal to the bench after a stretch of poor play and a lot of missed games due to injuries. He's looking to have a better year with the Clippers. Los Angeles wasn't going to demote Austin Reaves to the bench after he set career-highs in almost every statistical category. He has certainly earned his starting spot. Luka Doncic is the other starting guard, and he's certainly not going to be coming off the bench. Beal thinks he's got a better shot to start with the Clippers, so that's why he's there. More news: 3 Players Lakers Should Have Signed to BAE Instead of Marcus Smart Los Angeles decided to pivot and sign Marcus Smart instead. He should help them with the perimeter defense off the bench, which is what they need the most at the moment. Smart is a much better defender than Beal is, if he can stay healthy. Both Smart and Beal have had issues staying healthy and staying on the court. The Lakers are betting that Smart's health will be better. This past season with the Suns, Beal averaged 17 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. More news: Lakers Receive Massive Jarred Vanderbilt Update Ahead of Upcoming Season For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
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