Timberwolves fan becomes unexpected part of Game 4 in crucial final moments: ‘Smart’
NY Post
This fan pulled the reverse Steve Bartman.
A likely Timberwolves fan sitting courtside Monday night caught a ball that went out of bounds to give the Timberwolves a chance at a final shot with 0.3 seconds remaining in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
It’s possible the game could have ended had the fan not pulled a Justin Jefferson and interjected himself with a nice catch, but it went for naught with the Timberwolves turning the ball over on the inbounds pass in the 128-126 loss to the Thunder that now has Minnesota in a 3-1 series hole.
Thunder star and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to call the fan “smart” for his actions in a video posted by ESPN.
It’s generally accepted that fans are going to do what they can on balls in the stands to help their teams, although those Yankees fans who tried to wrestle Mookie Betts clearly took it a little too far.
Bartman will forever be remembered for interfering with a foul ball that hurt the Cubs in their NLCS loss to the Marlins in 2003, though the team’s 2016 title has helped nullify that pain.
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.
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.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.