Skip to main content

Knicks Raise Banner & Get Rings, While LeBron & Sixers Spoil the Fun

 The New York Knicks celebrated the success of last season that culminated in the franchise's first NBA Championship in 53 years just 3-1/2 months ago when they took down the San Antonio Spurs in five games. 

Players, coaches and staff received their championship rings before watching a blue Championship banner get raised to the rafters to join the 1970 and 1973 champions for all eternity. Fans, some of whom had to pay upwards of more than $1,900 just to secure a seat in the nosebleed section, witnessed something that many thought was not possible. 

The ceremony itself was a thing of beauty. Knicks television play-by-play man Mike Breen, who called the Knicks NBA Finals series nationally for ABC MC'd the event, while Knicks and NBA Hall of Famer Walt Clyde Fraizer handed the rings to all the players. It was emotional, and gave the sold out crowd at MSG a collegial feel. 


 

Then reality set in, and the Knicks, who for decades have always been the hunter, were now in an unfamiliar place: the hunted. 

And the first one up to try to take the Champs down a rung was the King himself, LeBron James, and the Philadelphia 76ers, who beat the Knicks 106-100 to open the '26-'27 season.

While James, 41, may not be the offensive force he once was in his prime, he still became the focal point of the Sixers victory. 14 points, 9 boards and 7 assists. He was a huge difference maker for Philadelphia, adding both physicality and swagger that was not present when the Knicks swept away the Sixers in the East Semis last May.  


 

Hey, the man is one of the greatest players in NBA history for a reason.  

Add 19 points by fellow Sixers newcomer Jaylen Brown (trade via Boston), and spirited efforts by Tyreese Maxy, who led the way with 28 points, and Anfernee Simons, who drained three huge three-pointers, the Sixers were too much for New York. 

The game really flipped when Simons three ball gave Philly a 77-76 lead late in the third quarter. Brown then followed with a pair of three's of his own to give the Sixers an 83-76 lead going into the fourth quarter. 

Despite big shots by Karl Anthony Towns, Jose Alvarado, and OG Anunoby, the Knicks couldn't make up the deficit. For his part, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 21 points, but was 6-of-19 from the field, including two huge shots down the stretch.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jets, Dolphins and Patriots Playoff Breakdown

Here are the formuli that could get the Jets into and out of the playoff party this season: 1) If the Jets win against Seattle and Miami, they win the AFC East based on a better conference record (8-4) than the New England Patriots, even if New England wins out as well. 2) If the Patriots win out and the Dolphins win out and finish at 11-5, the Jets would be 10-6, or 9-7, and probably out of the playoffs. Both New England and Miami would make the playoffs, with the Dolphins as a divison winner and the Patriots as a wild card. The Patriots make the postseason if Baltimore loses one of its final two games. 3) If the Patriots win out and the Dolphins and Jets split, then the Patriots win the AFC East. The Jets will have to hope that they beat Miami to win that tie-breaker and, further, hope that they have a better conference record than the Baltimore Ravens in order to clinch the sixth seed. 4) If the Patriots and Ravens win out and the Dolphins and Jets split their final two games, then ...
8 comments
Read more

Is Aaron Glenn in Danger of Getting Fired?

 According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio there is a "chance"   that Jets head coach Aaron Glenn could be fired at seasons end.  While Florio doesn't site any sources, the rumor has caught fire the last two days. The question is would it make sense? Let's examine this for a second?  Why it Makes Sense:  Glenn has not been great in his first year as Head Coach of this team. The talent has taken a major step backwards, granted two of those talented players were traded away in Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis and Quinnen Williams to Dallas.  The decision he and GM Darren Mougey made to give Justin Fields a two year deal proved to be a horrible mistake, and Glenn stuck with Fields for far too long before pulling the plug following the Jets loss to the Patriots on a Thursday night in mid November.  Glenn gave now former Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks too much power to run the defense, and the players couldn't stand Wilks. Reports indicated this week af...
Post a Comment
Read more

Same Ol' Jets! Gang Green Dropped by Ravens

 RAVENS 24 - JETS 9  In short the opener to the 2022 season for the New York Jets was a complete and utter disaster.  A team that came into the season with the promise of better days ahead, a team that had taken on so many kudos in the off-season for what so many in the media had claimed was an impeccable off-season and draft, came out flat as a pancake when it mattered the most.  If this was a debut of what is to come for the Jets in 2022, you better start preparing your 2023 draft boards.  Sunday's 24-9 loss wasn't just a defeat at the hands of a better team, it was a total indictment of the Jets current predicament.  The Jets offensive line, which has been battered and beaten this summer with the losses of Meckhi Becton and Duane Brown looked like a sieve on Sunday. Joe Flacco, who is not exactly fleet of foot, was under siege all afternoon. The fact he came out of Sunday's game having been sacked only three times was a miracle in itself.  George Fa...
Post a Comment
Read more