I wish there were better news for those of you just waking up from the Jets’ dream run that came up short in Indianapolis yesterday.
The Jets’ success at least kept some from focusing on the flailing Knicks and the inconsistent Rangers. Unfortunately this was the worst time for the Jets to lose, because the New York sports fan is waking up to a nightmare.
KNICKS
The Knicks are coming off the worst loss in the history of Madison Square Garden — a 128-78 beating administered by the Mavericks. They were going against a Dallas team playing without two of its starters Jason Kidd and Erick Dampier. The Knicks didn’t hustle, didn’t shoot, didn’t defend and generally seemed disinterested while getting embarrassed in front of a Garden crowd that finally ran out of patience and showered their team with well-deserved boos.
Any optimism that came from sticking with the Lakers for three quarters, before losing 115-105, on Friday night is forgotten.
Ironically, hours before the Jets clinched a playoff spot with a Sunday night win over the Bengals, the Knicks ripped the Pacers by 43 in the middle of a three-game winning streak. They are 2-6 since and those victories have come over the 76ers and Pistons.
The Knicks are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, 3 ½ games behind the Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot.
NETS
They are 3-40 and one loss away from the worst start in NBA history. The good news: They are playing the Clippers at home. The bad news: They are much, much worse than the Clippers.
RANGERS
Only the Rangers can start a week by outscoring two opponents 14-4 and end the week leaving their fans disgusted and discouraged.
That’s because after the scoring outburst earlier in the week, the Rangers got blanked in consecutive losses to the Flyers and Canadiens. The Philadelphia defeat was worsened by the Rangers watching as their best player, Marian Gaborik, got pummeled by Flyers’ enforcer Daniel Carcillo. And the 6-0 loss in Montreal didn’t need anything to make it worse.
The Rangers have enough talent where they will likely make the playoffs, but unless they can find a way to score consistently they will be one-and-done when they get there.
ISLANDERS
There is reason for optimism out on Long Island with this young group showing signs of making a playoff push.
Still a year or two away from being contenders, they will be in the playoff race until the end and would not be a surprise to see them with a No. 7 or 8 seed.
DEVILS
Even the steady-as-they-go Devils have hit a little bit of rough patch losing four of their past six games. That included a lifeless performance against the Islanders when they were blanked 4-0 last Monday. They did bounce back with a 4-2 win at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night.
If the Devils want to raise the Stanley Cup, they need to add a couple of pieces before the trade deadline: a scoring forward to bolster their power play and a defenseman, with the Ducks’ Scott Niedermayer mentioned prominently to join brother Rob in Newark.