Knicks end their Bucks futility with dominant Christmas performance
NY Post
Tom Thibodeau and his players don’t need any Christmas presents this year.
They gave themselves and their fans the best gift of all Monday.
A victory over the title-contending Bucks.
The Knicks saved their finest performance of the season for this holiday showcase, snapping their nine-game losing streak to Milwaukee at a sold-out Garden.
Two days after Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks torched the Knicks at MSG, the home team returned the favor in an impressive 129-122 victory in which the big four of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were all at the top of their game and the Knicks’ defense limited one of the league’s premier offenses.
“We played with extra energy, extra effort, obviously we made a lot more shots than we did last game. I did,” said Barrett, who had 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting after just 13 points on 5 of 17 Saturday. “Just the energy and fight. We lost to them three times already, so to come in today on Christmas to get this one feels extra sweet.”
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
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Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.
It was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but for the Rangers, it’s been All About The Kids for months.
PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.