Knicks being picked to finish second in East comes with unfamiliar expectations
NY Post
The Knicks will navigate much higher expectations than what the franchise is accustomed to.
Most of the major sportsbooks project Tom Thibodeau’s squad to finish second in the East with its best record in over a decade. BetMGM and Fanduel, for instance, peg New York’s over/under win total at 53.5, behind the Celtics (58.5) and Thunder (56.5) in the NBA.
To put that in perspective, the Knicks have only once exceeded 53 wins in a season since 1997.
They haven’t reached a conference final since 2000 — the third-longest drought in the East after the lowly Hornets and Wizards.
The gambling world’s enthusiasm for the Knicks arrived after they added Mikal Bridges to a roster that won 50 games last season and reached Game 7 of the second round.
Another key addition is Julius Randle, the three-time All-Star who missed the final three months of last season with a dislocated shoulder.
The Jets were quiet on Day 2 of free agency after adding a new quarterback Monday.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Brett Berard has displayed both a fiery passion and an admirable patience in the last six months of his hockey career, which reached the NHL level for the first time at the end of November.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The baseball calendar says the Mets have about two weeks until Opening Day, but Francisco Lindor’s mind is on another timetable as these dog days of spring training pass.
The man with the best nickname on the team is one of the few Knicks who has made it this far relatively unscathed in the court of public opinion.
For a guy who seemingly is always headed out the door, Darius Slayton has a way of never leaving.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Rangers stood by their defensive structure in the immediate aftermath of their Weekend of Missed Opportunities, in which they had two chances to capture the top wild-card spot in the East and failed to do so in such disappointing fashion.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Torrens helped inject life into the Mets’ season last year but now faces even larger responsibilities with the team.
The Jets are having a Fields Day.
SACRAMENTO — P.J. Tucker understands his reputation as a hard-nosed player who is willing to vocalize displeasure.
The Yankees have insurance on Gerrit Cole, which is a positive thing in a very worrisome situation.
Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve, oh, the Rangers might’ve had a weekend if they had only buckled down after taking a 3-1 lead into the final 10 minutes in Ottawa on Saturday.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers’ last two steps to a championship were eliminating the New York teams last October, and it is hard to miss how much of a better February and March Los Angeles is having as well.
The Jets kicked off free agency by keeping one of their own.