Tues AM BRB (5-4-21)
This Day in Music (5-4-1937)
Dick Dale, a pioneer and innovator of 60s surf guitar, is born in Boston.
Photo Credit: Brandon Dill / AP
With an emphatic 118-104 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the New York Knicks clinched a winning record for the first time in eight years. Led once again by MVP candidate (that’s right, people are saying it now) Julius Randle, the Knicks cruised to the team’s ninth win in the last 10 games, thanks in no small part to a game-high 28 points by Randle. The Knicks go-to man continued his assault from beyond the three-point line last night, hitting five of eight deep attempts and proving that his game is as well-rounded as it has ever been in his unique career. Speaking of interesting careers, Derrick Rose continues to contribute a shocking amount of legitimacy to the team posting one of his best efforts of the year. Rose recorded an absolutely silly 25 points in 27 minutes off the bench, lifted by a stone-cold 11-15 run from the field while knocking down three of five 3-pointers. Though the competition of the Grizzlies is not exactly comparable to that of the 76ers, Nets or Bucks, the Knicks continue to display a winning formula regardless of opponent. Though the team absolutely feeds off of a player like Randle, it doesn’t always have to be his show to run, with players like Rose, RJ Barrett, Reggie Bullock and Immanuel Quickley all capable of driving the team for stretches of time. The Knicks are very much a bunch that understands the team concept, and this hard-earned identity seems to be something of an equalizer when put up against more conventionally respected players and teams. Though I do roll my eyes a bit at the people pointing out the Knicks currently have the same record as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, I do think there’s something to be said for a team that grinds for every inch. Yes, the grind of the regular season can take its toll on a team, but pressure can also create diamonds, folks. In their own minds, the Knicks have been fighting for their playoff lives since the moment they stepped on the court. This is a team that certainly won’t need any type of mentality shift when the postseason begins.
While the Knicks have all-but locked up their ticket to the 2021 playoffs, last night delivered the ultimate and final guarantee that they would be the only tenant of Madison Square Garden hosting games deep into this month. With a Boston Bruins win last night, and an unsavory loss to the Washington Capitals to rub some salt in the wounds, the New York Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention. Though most fans saw the writing on the wall the second these divisions and silly “tough shit” playoff format was announced, it’s still a bitter pill to swallow considering the team’s run of performance over the past month. True, it’s hard to say this was a team that truly deserved it after the Islanders put their season in a body bag over the past week, but don’t let that distract from the tremendous hockey the Rangers were playing leading up to this somewhat inevitable disappointment. There have been plenty of opportunities for this young Rangers team to roll over and die thanks to a loaded East Division, a slow start from Mika Zibanejad, political foul-play against Artemi Panarin and the endless barrage of injuries all hockey teams face. Through it all, this Rangers team made no excuses for themselves and allowed few, if any, teams to take liberties with them. They thrilled whenever possible, and punched back when necessary. Despite last night’s conclusion leaving a bad taste in the mouth’s of the team and its fans, there’s no doubt this season has been a positive one for the Rangers. The team can now transition out of the era of rebuilding and buyouts to one of putting everything into making this group of Rangers a contender. This season has proved the foundational talent is very much in place.