We’d like to keep flirting with it,” D’Antoni, the Knicks’ coach, said Friday night.
The Knicks had won two straight games and were headed toward mediocrity, if not quite closing in on it. As has happened so often this season, they did not handle even modest good fortune very well.
Two nights after scoring 128 points to beat the Washington Wizards in New York, the Knicks lost their tempo, their scoring touch and their momentum and absorbed a 96-89 loss to the Wizards at the Verizon Center.
The defeat denied them what would have been their first three-game winning streak since early November, and left their record at 15-23, still far short of the .500 mark.
The Knicks missed nine straight field-goal attempts down the stretch before Nate Robinson hit a meaningless shot after the Wizards had put the game away. It was their only basket in the final 4 minutes 36 seconds.
A 3-pointer by Robinson gave the Knicks an 83-74 lead early in the fourth quarter. They led by 6 points with about four minutes to go and by 4 points with less than three minutes left. They got worse as the game grew tighter.
Washington’s Mike James hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 87-86 with two minutes left, and the Wizards took the lead when Nick Young — who had just blocked Chris Duhon’s layup try — raced downcourt for a pull-up jumper from 21 feet. James made another 3-pointer to give the Wizards a 91-87 lead, and the Knicks just kept misfiring.
Once again, the Knicks spent much of the game feeding off the two-man offense of Duhon (13 points, 8 assists) and David Lee (15 points, 21 rebounds). Wilson Chandler (16 points) carried them through the third quarter. Al Harrington, still trying to gain traction after a prolonged slump, added 18 points off the bench.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Buccaneers Fire Gruden After a Late Collapse
On Friday, Gruden and General Manager Bruce Allen were fired, an outcome that was shocking mostly for its timing. The announcement came almost three weeks after the regular season, after Gruden had made staff moves and after several teams had already hired some of the hottest coaching candidates.
The Bucs now join the scrum — the Jets, the Rams, the Raiders and perhaps the Chiefs — in looking for a coach.
“We will be forever grateful to Jon for bringing us the Super Bowl title, and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise,” Joel Glazer, the Buccaneers’ co-chairman, said in a statement. “However, after careful consideration, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward.”
Gruden was 57-55 and was a favorite of television cameras, which captured his outsize facial expressions and made him a star with the nickname Chucky after the horror movie doll. But his recent playoff failures almost certainly figured heavily in the decision by the Glazer family, who famously fired Tony Dungy even though he took the Bucs to the playoffs four out of his last five seasons in Tampa.
When Dungy failed to win a Super Bowl, Gruden was brought in and promptly won with a team that was largely Dungy’s creation.
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The Bucs now join the scrum — the Jets, the Rams, the Raiders and perhaps the Chiefs — in looking for a coach.
“We will be forever grateful to Jon for bringing us the Super Bowl title, and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise,” Joel Glazer, the Buccaneers’ co-chairman, said in a statement. “However, after careful consideration, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward.”
Gruden was 57-55 and was a favorite of television cameras, which captured his outsize facial expressions and made him a star with the nickname Chucky after the horror movie doll. But his recent playoff failures almost certainly figured heavily in the decision by the Glazer family, who famously fired Tony Dungy even though he took the Bucs to the playoffs four out of his last five seasons in Tampa.
When Dungy failed to win a Super Bowl, Gruden was brought in and promptly won with a team that was largely Dungy’s creation.
Read Article The New York Time
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Steelers, Eagles picked to win conference championships
When the New York Giants and New England Patriots squared off for the Lombardi Trophy last year, it was the most-watched Super Bowl in history -- 97.5 million viewers.
This year, the audience could be even bigger.
Just think: All those people, just to watch a state championship.
OK, so the upstart Arizona Cardinals and rookie-led Baltimore Ravens could make it to Tampa. But there's a good chance it will be a showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, franchises that once briefly merged during World War II to form the "Steagles."
Heading into Sunday's conference championship games, both Pennsylvania teams are favored, and -- despite facing red-hot opponents -- have a good chance to make it to the Super Bowl.
On to the picks:
Philadelphia at Arizona -- The Cardinals are on a dream run, and their defense had a spectacular game at Carolina. They have an experienced hand in Kurt Warner and the best receiver in football in Larry Fitzgerald. Still, this is a team Philadelphia beat with ease during the regular season, and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson usually game-plans even better the second time around. Pick: Philadelphia.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh -- To beat the Ravens, the Steelers have to beat the law of averages. After all, it entails knocking off a very familiar opponent three times in the same season. Both teams have phenomenal defenses. The difference will be the quarterbacks. Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger -- playing before the home crowd -- will outshine Baltimore's Joe Flacco, even though Flacco hasn't looked like a rookie for most of the season. Pick: Pittsburgh.
Read Article LA Times
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This year, the audience could be even bigger.
Just think: All those people, just to watch a state championship.
OK, so the upstart Arizona Cardinals and rookie-led Baltimore Ravens could make it to Tampa. But there's a good chance it will be a showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, franchises that once briefly merged during World War II to form the "Steagles."
Heading into Sunday's conference championship games, both Pennsylvania teams are favored, and -- despite facing red-hot opponents -- have a good chance to make it to the Super Bowl.
On to the picks:
Philadelphia at Arizona -- The Cardinals are on a dream run, and their defense had a spectacular game at Carolina. They have an experienced hand in Kurt Warner and the best receiver in football in Larry Fitzgerald. Still, this is a team Philadelphia beat with ease during the regular season, and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson usually game-plans even better the second time around. Pick: Philadelphia.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh -- To beat the Ravens, the Steelers have to beat the law of averages. After all, it entails knocking off a very familiar opponent three times in the same season. Both teams have phenomenal defenses. The difference will be the quarterbacks. Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger -- playing before the home crowd -- will outshine Baltimore's Joe Flacco, even though Flacco hasn't looked like a rookie for most of the season. Pick: Pittsburgh.
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Crosby to miss game against Ducks
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby did not play in Friday's 3-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks due to a lower body injury.
Crosby confirmed the decision to sit out following Friday's morning skate.
"I don't feel comfortable enough to play," the fourth-year centerman was quoted as saying on the team's website. "It didn't feel good. That was the first time I skated since it happened. No go."
Crosby suffered the injury after colliding with Washington's David Steckel along the boards during Wednesday's 6-3 loss. He remains listed as day-to-day.
A native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, the 21-year-old Crosby has 17 goals and 42 assists in 45 games this season, good for second overall in the league behind teammate Evgeni Malkin.
Crosby, the first overall pick in 2005 and the 2007 Hart Trophy recipient as league MVP, has 116 goals and 237 assists in 258 contests with the Penguins.
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Crosby confirmed the decision to sit out following Friday's morning skate.
"I don't feel comfortable enough to play," the fourth-year centerman was quoted as saying on the team's website. "It didn't feel good. That was the first time I skated since it happened. No go."
Crosby suffered the injury after colliding with Washington's David Steckel along the boards during Wednesday's 6-3 loss. He remains listed as day-to-day.
A native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, the 21-year-old Crosby has 17 goals and 42 assists in 45 games this season, good for second overall in the league behind teammate Evgeni Malkin.
Crosby, the first overall pick in 2005 and the 2007 Hart Trophy recipient as league MVP, has 116 goals and 237 assists in 258 contests with the Penguins.
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The Live Report, Round 2: Sony Open in Hawaii
The Sony Open in Hawaii is the first full-field event of the 2009 PGA TOUR season. PGATOUR.COM is on the scene in Honolulu. We'll provide updates all day long, so check back often. (All timestamps listed for Eastern Time.)
TRACKING TAD (10:54 p.m.): The likeable Tad Fujikawa just made the first cut of his young professional career. And he almost did it the same way he did last time he was around for the weekend, only this time he didn't need an eagle.
The 18-year-old Hawaiian, who turned pro last year, only birdied the par-5 ninth Friday, but that was good enough for him to secure a spot on the weekend.
You might recall Fujikawa made the cut here two years ago as an amateur. This time, he'll get to cash his first check and get to do so in front of what will be a decidedly partisan crowd in his home state. -- Brian Wacker
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TRACKING TAD (10:54 p.m.): The likeable Tad Fujikawa just made the first cut of his young professional career. And he almost did it the same way he did last time he was around for the weekend, only this time he didn't need an eagle.
The 18-year-old Hawaiian, who turned pro last year, only birdied the par-5 ninth Friday, but that was good enough for him to secure a spot on the weekend.
You might recall Fujikawa made the cut here two years ago as an amateur. This time, he'll get to cash his first check and get to do so in front of what will be a decidedly partisan crowd in his home state. -- Brian Wacker
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Red Sox lock up Youkilis through 2012
Six weeks after second baseman and reigning American League Most Valuable Player Dustin Pedroia was locked up to a six-year deal, first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who finished third in the MVP voting, committed to be a member of the Red Sox until at least 2012.
After passing his physical, Youkilis' four-year, $41.25 million contract, with a team option for a fifth season, was formalized on Friday, making Youkilis part of the potent Boston lineup for years to come.
"It's exciting," said manager Terry Francona during Friday's news conference, held at Fenway Park. "Tying up young players in theory sounds good, but they also have to be good enough to handle giving your ballclub a chance to win every year, and that's not easy.
"And now, on the right side of our infield, you have a guy that won the MVP [and] a guy that came in third. Both guys are Gold Glove-caliber players, they both love to win, and we've seen them both come through our Minor League system, so that certainly provides us a huge comfort zone."
Youkilis, an eighth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2001, had his breakout season in his fifth year in the Major Leagues in 2008. The righty hit a career-high .312, with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs.
More importantly, he was a significant cog at the cleanup spot once the club traded slugger Manny Ramirez right before the Trade Deadline. While hitting fourth for the Red Sox, Youkilis batted .299, with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 48 games.
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After passing his physical, Youkilis' four-year, $41.25 million contract, with a team option for a fifth season, was formalized on Friday, making Youkilis part of the potent Boston lineup for years to come.
"It's exciting," said manager Terry Francona during Friday's news conference, held at Fenway Park. "Tying up young players in theory sounds good, but they also have to be good enough to handle giving your ballclub a chance to win every year, and that's not easy.
"And now, on the right side of our infield, you have a guy that won the MVP [and] a guy that came in third. Both guys are Gold Glove-caliber players, they both love to win, and we've seen them both come through our Minor League system, so that certainly provides us a huge comfort zone."
Youkilis, an eighth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2001, had his breakout season in his fifth year in the Major Leagues in 2008. The righty hit a career-high .312, with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs.
More importantly, he was a significant cog at the cleanup spot once the club traded slugger Manny Ramirez right before the Trade Deadline. While hitting fourth for the Red Sox, Youkilis batted .299, with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in 48 games.
Read Article MLB.com
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