3 Up, 3 Down: Who's Hot And Who's Not In New York Sports
By Daniel Friedman
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Let's take a look at this week's best and worst stories in the N.Y.-N.J. sports landscape:
THREE UP:
1. John Tavares
He didn't take home any hardware from the NHL Awards show on Wednesday night, but Tavares was an MVP nominee for the second time in three years. He was also featured in a satirical interview with Rob Riggle, in case you were wondering whether the league wanted to market this guy as one of its premier players.
2. Ivan Nova
Talk about a great first start since having Tommy John surgery. He pitched nearly seven scoreless innings and helped the Yankees beat Philadelphia, 10-2.
3. Phil Jackson, Knicks
We laughed at them for losing the draft lottery, but the Knicks still have a No. 4 pick in their arsenal, which can either be used to select a good player or traded for assets that could help them going forward. It's a rare advantageous spot for the struggling franchise.
THREE DOWN:
1. Mets
Guess who's back under .500? The Mets have lost seven consecutive games, on top of the fact they've lost Travis d'Arnaud to the DL... again. On the bright side, the last time they had a losing record, they proceeded to rattle off 11 straight victories. Something tells me that act was a one-hit wonder. Oh, and good news: The Mets have said that Terry Collins's job is safe, so not to worry.
2. Rangers & Islanders At The Upcoming NHL Draft
Neither team has a first-round pick in what is expected to be one of the deepest drafts in a long time. Now, both teams are in good places as far as their potential and roster makeups are concerned, but they'll have to be creative to have successful draft weekends.
3. Phil Jackson, Knicks
Jackson had some harsh criticism for LeBron James, which was probably a bad PR move on his part. The Knicks also don't have a player in the same stratosphere as LeBron, nor are they close to becoming a winning team. Best to keep quiet until then.
