New York Yankees: Domingo German releases statement

February 22, 2021 by Andres Chavez

After new details of Domingo German’s 2019 domestic violence case came to light, New York Yankees‘ fans and the media covering the team are wondering if they will ever get an explanation from the pitcher about what happened.

By now, we knew that in an event organized by former Yankees’ teammate CC Sabathia in September 2019, German slapped his girlfriend. However, as Lindsey Adler reported in a recent story, there was more.

The Athletic’s writer said that German was intoxicated, “and became physically violent toward his girlfriend until she hid in a locked room. The victim is said to have contacted the wife of another Yankees player, and the couple drove to Germán’s home late at night. The victim remained with the teammate’s wife, while the player attempted to calm down Germán, who is said to have been angry and belligerent.”

The Yankees’ pitcher wants to talk to his teammates

Now, German is reportedly looking to make amends, but that may be an uphill battle. He released a statement over the weekend:

“It is important to me that I have the opportunity to speak directly with my teammates, both individually and collectively, and address them face-to-face before I speak to the media and our fans,” Germán said. “This process has begun, but more time is needed, especially since half our team has yet to report to Spring Training. I recognize that speaking publicly will be an important step for me and I will do so in the upcoming days.”

The Yankees’ righty was supposed to talk to the press on Saturdayvia Zoom, in which would have been his first public statement after the suspension that cost him the entire 2020 season. Instead, he opted to postpone his appearance in light of the new revelations reported by The Athletic.

German, before the article, was the favorite to win the fifth starter job in the New York Yankees. Now, his future got a lot murkier.

New York Mets: Pillar One-Year Deal Official, Heredia DFA’d

February 22, 2021 by Daniel Marcillo

On Sunday, the New York Mets officially signed Kevin Pillar to a one-year, $5 million deal as he becomes their final outfield depth piece. Guillermo Heredia was designated for assignment to make room for Pillar on the 40-man roster.

Can't wait to see Kevin Pillar doing this in Citi Field pic.twitter.com/nHjRQnKUHy

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 16, 2021

Pillar’s great defensive years in center field are behind him, but he is still valuable in the corners. Over the last two seasons, center field is the only spot where his DRS is negative. Pillar joins an outfield crew that already features Dominic Smith, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, and Albert Almora Jr.

Pillar vs. Almora

The combination of Pillar and Almora is very beneficial to the roster. Heredia and Almora are very similar players, and one of them needed to be upgraded from being the “latest version of Juan Lagares.” As defensive subs, Pillar would go to left field while Almora will play center field. Pillar has 79 games in left while Almora only has 11.

While Almora adds defensive value, he brings nothing offensively and is not a speed threat. Pillar is coming off his two best offensive seasons and was a major threat against left-handed pitching in 2020. He slashed .342/.390/.579 and has always produced better against lefties in his career. Pillar also averages 16 stolen bases per season and is in the 73rd percentile for sprint speed.

Heredia will likely remain with the Mets unless other teams are pressing for another depth outfielder. In 2020, he batted .212 with two home runs and five runs batted in over 15 games.

New York Giants: 3 pass rushers to consider in free agency

February 22, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Giants suffered significant injuries at the OLB position in 2020. Both starters Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines suffered season-ending injuries, as Carter tore his Achilles against the Dallas Cowboys and Ximines suffered a shoulder injury which kept him out for a majority of the season. Coordinator Patrick Graham was forced to utilize reserve options, including late-round draft pick Carter Coughlin and practice squad pass rusher Jabaal Sheard.

While the Giants’ pass rush still managed to produce 40+ sacks, they lacked an elite presence on the outside to give more support to their interior defense. This off-season presents a solid opportunity for them to acquire a quality OLB they will upgrade the unit, especially with two of their starters coming off serious injuries.

However, with the lack of cap space, it will be difficult for them to allocate money toward the position, but let’s take a look at several options that could fit the bill anyway.

Three pass rushers the New York Giants should consider in FA:

1.) Haason Reddick

One solid option is Haason Reddick of the Arizona Cardinals. Reddick made the transition to inside linebacker after spending his college career as a primary pass rusher at Temple. That experiment failed with Arizona, so they switched him back to OLB, where he picked up 12.5 sacks, and 16 QB hits this past season. In fact, he recorded five sacks against the Giants, setting a franchise record for Arizona.

Reddick is a quality player at just 26 years old and would present an immediate upgrade at OLB for the defense. He might be a bit more pricey than some lower-tier options, but coming off of a stellar season, he still wouldn’t command premium money.

2.) Leonard Floyd

Another intriguing pass rusher is Leonard Floyd, who spent last year with the Los Angeles Rams after spending his first four seasons with the Chicago Bears. He’s played all 16 games in the last three seasons, earning 10.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, and 11 tackles for a loss last year.

He finally emerged as the pass rusher Chicago expected him to be when they drafted him back in 2016, but his elevation this past season with LA means he’s just hitting his prime. Floyd likely won’t earn premium money either, so the Giants could probably land him for somewhere in the $12 million range per season.

3.) Jordan Jenkins

This is a more cost-efficient option with upside. Jenkins is 6’3” and 259 OLB, who’s just 26 years old and coming off a down season with the New York Jets.

In 2019, he collected 8.0 sacks, and 13 QB hits, but given how suspect the Jets defense was in 2020, Jenkins’ production fell off because of it. This is a player I feel is vastly underrated and could prove to be a stellar acquisition for the Giants, considering how good their coaching staff is. With his upside and cost-efficient contract, this is a player I would seriously consider if I were GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge.

Jenkins only earned $3.75 million last year, so the Giants could likely sign them for a similar price on a short-term deal.

One Yankees prospect is raising eyebrows early on in spring training

February 22, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

Only pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training thus far, but the New York Yankees are already underway with their progress toward the start of the 2021 season. With some luck, the upcoming campaign won’t be significantly influenced by COVID-19, and after a 2020 season where the league implement new protocols and establish some ground rules, things should be smooth sailing from here on out.

Last season didn’t go as planned for the Yankees, who had World Series aspirations but fell short. The injection of youth and injuries that plastered the roster created problems, but this upcoming season has a bit more optimism around it. The Yankees upgraded their starting pitching rotation and added a few more players to help boost their chances.

One new face is impressing for the Yankees early on:

The start of spring training has gone well, and one young player has impressed early on. This past summer, the Yankees selected catcher Austin Wells out of the University of Arizona. Wells is an intriguing prospect that projects as a quality hitter at the MLB level but had some issues defensively behind the plate. Nonetheless, he is confident he can make a career catching, but it’s his bat that will likely take him to new heights.

“He can hit,” Boone said regarding Austin Wells.

“I really like his swing,’’ Boone said. “One of the things that stands out to me, that I didn’t necessarily know, is how strong he is. He’s as strong as anyone in camp, especially when you test him.”

Offensively, Wells hit .357 with an OPS of 1.035 over two seasons with Arizona. Over 15 games, he posted two homers and 14 RBIs, which is nothing to write home about, indicating he is more of a contact hitter with some hidden power. As a lefty batter, he adds a bit of diversity to the Yankees prospect list, and at 21 years old, he has plenty of time to develop in the coming years.

“Talking with [assistant hitting coach] P.J. Pilittere the other day about some of the conversations he’s having are pretty advanced, as far as from a hitting standpoint,’’ Boone said. “He’s a guy who loves hitting and understands it a little bit.”

New York Yankees News/Rumors: Mr. October hangs it up, Yankees’ outfield and more

February 22, 2021February 22, 2021 by William Parlee

Long before the New York Yankee’s Mr. November, long before Deter Jeter earned that moniker, there was a Mr. October, that being Reggie Jackson. Jackson had an outstanding baseball career, one that earned him a Hall of Fame enshrinement in 1993. In his long distinguished career, he played for the Yankees and helped the Yankees win a championship in 1978 and spent a total of five seasons playing (1977-81) in the pinstripes.

In 1993 former Yankees owner George M. Steinbrenner appointed Jackson as a special advisor to the Yankees. Since then, Jackson has been at every spring training in Tampa, Florida, mentoring the young Yankees. Now, after all those seasons he is stepping back, he will no longer serve as a special adviser for the Yankees, the 74-year-old announced on Sunday.

“I would say I’ve stepped back a little bit, taken my retirement, really,” Jackson said. “I just think it’s time.”

Jackson was the MVP of the 1977 World Series, where he hit three home runs in the clinching game to draw the moniker “Mr. October,” Jackson, 74 now, has worked in an advisory role for the Yankees since George Steinbrenner hired him. Jackson said it’s time to step back; it’s time to move on. He didn’t rule out working for another team closer to his home in California. Maybe he will have time to savor a “Reggie bar.”

Yankee outfield named number one in AL East

The Yankees have the strongest group of studs at an already loaded position across the division. The Yankees have the strongest group of studs at an already loaded position across the division as noted by SB Nation’s Cooper Halpren.

He suggests the Boston Red Sox are at the bottom of the barrel, followed by the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays, and coming in second, the Toronto Blue Jays, with the New York Yankee’s outfield at the top of the heap. Although each team has an All-Star-worthy outfielder, the Yankees have three potential nods. Clint Frazier, after being nominated for a Gold Glove in 2020, Aaron hicks and Aaron Judge, who has been an All-Star two of his four years of eligibility.

With Brett Gardner now hired for a 14th season, the Yankees have a minimum of starter-level outfielders without factoring in the backups. Gardner’s a plus-platoon guy. Aaron Hicks walks better than almost anyone. In 2020, his walk rate ranked in the 99^th percentile of the majors. His eye makes him a valuable contributor as long as he is healthy. Finally, Clint Frazier is going to be a starting outfielder for the New York Yankees. After years of injury setbacks, poorly timed slumps, and general overcrowding, the time has come for Frazier to cement himself as one of the franchise’s cornerstones. An then there is Aaron Judge, a no-brainer MVP candidate if he is healthy. The Yankees have too much talent and enough insurance to enter the season with the AL East’s best outfield corps. Everything depends on the health of the outfield.

Austin Wells impresses in spring training

The 2021 spring training is in the earliest days, but the Yankee’s new catcher Austin Wells is already impressing. The 21-year-old is making up for that lost time after no minor league games last season. He is showing flashes of why the organization selected him 28th overall. Wells is a left-hand bat with pop. He stared at the Univerity of Arizona while in college and is now among the Yankee’s prospects trying to make a name for himself ins spring camp.

“It’s definitely a great opportunity, a great experience,” Wells said. “It’s been great so far in the first couple of days. I’m looking forward to facing all of the pitchers, honestly. I’ve been out for over a year, doing remote training and everything, so any at-bat against a pitcher that I get is going to be beneficial to me.”

New York Yankee manager Aaron Boone has noticed that Wells seems to have an advanced hitting mindset, peppering coaches with mechanical questions about his swing and the proper approaches to take in the batter’s box. His coach Kevin Reese, the Yankees’ senior director of player development, said, “He smoked a couple of balls in the first live BP today. So far, he’s been imposing. I can’t imagine being a player during this time, but especially a first-round pick who has to wait a year to get into a game.”

Buffalo Bills offseason preview 2021: Quarterbacks

February 22, 2021 by Geoff Magliocchetti

The Buffalo Bills finally have an answer in their franchise quarterback role, but adjustments may be coming to their backup situation.

The Position: Quarterback
On the Roster: Josh Allen, Jake Fromm
Free Agents: Matt Barkley
Reserve/Future: Davis Webb

It took 24 years, 18 AFC East titles for the New England Patriots, and countless false prophets…but the Buffalo Bills have finally found the answer to Jim Kelly.

Any doubts about Josh Allen’s NFL future were more or less eliminated with a historic season that likely occupies its own chapter in the Buffalo record books. Allen’s 2020 evolution turned the Bills into bona fide championship contenders, ones that fell just a game short of the Super Bowl. It’s safe to say that the Bills envision Allen riding out the decade with a streaking buffalo on his helmet…and maybe partake in a little of the next one as well. In fact, it may not be too early to start thinking about an extension to ensure he stays in blue and red.

But if any franchise knows that NFL prosperity can be yanked away in the blink of an eye…it’s the Buffalo Bills.

No one in their right football mind is going to deny that Allen has a role to play in the future of not only Western New York but the national gridiron scene as a whole. But the Bills must think about the names behind Allen, just in case the medically unthinkable happens. Allen has started the last 42 Bills games under center, but he did miss four games during his rookie year (2018) with an elbow injury. During that time, Buffalo worked with the backup hydra of Nathan Peterman, Derek Anderson, and Matt Barkley, the latter securing the long-term backup job by earning the lone win in that bunch.

Obviously, Allen is the toast of The Queen City until further notice. But no one in the NFL has ever prepared for an injury, especially one of the season-ending variety that can sink Super Bowl runs entirely. Barkley has proven somewhat reliable when called upon (his 2020-21 ledger consisted of Week 17 mop-up duty in a blowout win over Miami), but the Bills might have plans for rookie Jake Fromm to assume the role. Chosen in the fifth round of last year’s draft, Fromm’s rookie season was an unusual situation where he was kept in relative isolation in case COVID-19-related protocols rendered Allen, Barkley, and practice squad arm Davis Webb inactive.

It may seem irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but backup quarterback remains one of the most underrated positions in any of the four major sports. The wrong name behind Allen, likely one the Bills hope they never have to see in the weekly box score, could save or derail a championship effort the Bills have steadily built.

Free Agents-to-be

Matt Barkley

Barkley’s football career has never truly recovered since he fell to the fourth round of the 2013 draft and a six-game stint as a starter yielded little in Chicago. But he managed to create some stability in Buffalo after guiding the Bills to a one-sided win over the Jets during the aforementioned 2018 season, having been Allen’s backup ever since. Barkley’s given little reason for the Bills to move on, but it’s possible they could move on to a younger name like Fromm to serve as Allen’s understudy.

Will They Draft?

Very, very, very unlikely. The Bills just used a draft pick on a quarterback in Fromm, and if they bring in another camp arm. It’ll likely be one of the veteran free agent variety. Longshot options on day three include Ian Book of Notre Dame and Dustin Crum out of Kent State.

Veteran Possibilities

Tyrod Taylor, LA Chargers

One of the most reliable pre-Allen options as Buffalo quarterback was Taylor, who helped the Bills end a playoff drought that nearly became old enough to enjoy a Labatt Blue legally. Since Allen’s takeover, Taylor has been the opening act for rookie sensations in Cleveland and Los Angeles. If Allen were to go down, Taylor would serve as a reliable replacement because he has likewise been a multi-threat; some of the records Allen broke this season, namely the quarterback rushing marks, previously belonged to Taylor.

Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis

It’s unfortunate that Brissett likely won’t get an opportunity to win his starting job back in Indianapolis, as he performed admirably when Andrew Luck abruptly retired in 2018. Brissett is another mobile threat who would help Buffalo quickly pick up the pieces if the unthinkable happened to Allen. Despite backing up Phillip Rivers this season, the Colts had Brissett come for quarterback sneak situations on crucial short-yardage situations (scoring three touchdowns last season).

Colt McCoy to Alfred Morris for a Giants TD!!! pic.twitter.com/FnM6SBabAB

— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) December 6, 2020

Colt McCoy, NY Giants

If Barkley leaves and the Bills go looking for a more traditional veteran option to compete with Fromm, they could go with McCoy, who was relatively decent in two starts with the Giants, even helping the team earn a win in Seattle.

Outlook

Quarterback remains very low on the Bills’ offseason priority list. If they lose Barkley, it’s likely they’ll attempt to groom Fromm into the backup role, though a competition will ensue if they want someone with more experience behind Allen.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

NASCAR: Michael McDowell follows up win with strong comeback

February 22, 2021 by Geoff Magliocchetti

McDowell’s Daytona defense got off to a brutal start, but he recovered to set a new landmark in his NASCAR Cup Series career.

The phrase “what have you done for me lately” makes the professional sports world go round. The greatest achievements can be quickly disregarded with poor follow-ups.

NASCAR’s Daytona 500 seems to situate its winner in a compromising position. Eternal motorsports glory accompanies the Harley J. Earl Trophy, but the race’s status as the opener to the NASCAR season put pressure on the winner to keep the good vibes going. Some winners never regain that swagger. A decade ago, for example, Trevor Bayne became the youngest winner of the event at 20 years and a day…he never visited victory lane again and last ran a full Cup Series season in 2017.

Michael McDowell is the latest winner of the prestigious race, executing a last-lap pass for the lead as a fiery pile-up erupted behind him in the wee hours of last Monday morning. The victory likely propelled his mid-budget Front Row Motorsports team into a playoff spot and McDowell spent the past week on a victory tour, appearing on nationally-aired talk shows like Fox & Friends and Live with Kelly and Ryan.

There quietly seemed to be a foreboding sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop for McDowell and the No. 34 Ford. After all, McDowell had been winless in the 357 races prior to last week’s win. Only Michael Waltrip, the winner of the star-crossed Daytona opener in 2001, had raced longer before visiting victory lane for the first time. His FRM equipment has never been able to consistently run with the circuit’s larger names. Save for a brief playoff appearance by Chris Buescher in the 2016 playoffs (earned through a rain-shortened win at Pocono), McDowell’s 23rd-place posting in 2020 was the best standings finish for an FRM vehicle.

Sure enough, McDowell’s day appeared to be headed south right from the get-go when NASCAR returned to Daytona on Sunday to the Cup Series’ O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 on the facility’s road course. Living up to his team name, McDowell’s performance from last weekend on the oval afforded him a starting position in the front row next to defending circuit champion Chase Elliott. But issues during the pace laps cost McDowell his steering, causing chaos in the first turn of the race that ate at his tires. The tire later fell off of the No. 34 entirely, bringing out the first caution flag of the day.

“We had a flat tire there coming to the green. I knew something was wrong,” McDowell said in recalling the incident, per quotes provided by Ford Racing Performance. “I should have just pitted, so I screwed that up and that hurt us a little bit.”

But, over the course of the 70-lap event, McDowell would go on to live up to the name many of his respectful competitors bestowed upon him after his Daytona victory: a grinder.

After all, McDowell has maintained consistent work in the Cup Series despite working with less-than-stellar equipment throughout his career. It’s led to some dubious history, including the record for the most last-place finishes in Cup Series history. But McDowell, a man of strong faith, continued to work with the hands dealt to him. It paid off over two events at Daytona.

“He’s been grinding his whole career and he finally won one and it’s the biggest race ever,” Joey Logan, a fellow Ford driver and road course race runner-up said of McDowell. “I’m ecstatic for him and he should be over the moon (about the win).”

Over the rest of the road course race, McDowell avoided trouble and used some strong strategy in conjunction with crew chief Drew Blickensderfer to create something out of nothing. As several contenders faded, McDowell worked his way back into the top ten and eventually brought the No. 34 Ford home in eighth-place. It marks the first time that McDowell has earned consecutive top ten finishes in his Cup career, which began with Waltrip’s race team in 2008.

McDowell’s name also appears alongside some elite company, and not just through his victory last week. He is one of three drivers to earn top ten finishes in each of the first two 2021 races (joining Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Preece) and is one of only three to finish in the top ten at each of the two races held at Daytona’s road course (Hamlin and Logano).

“Pretty much everything that could go wrong went wrong today, but this is what our team is all about. Front Row Motorsports, we grind it out and we fought hard,” McDowell said. “We just kept the fight in it and ended up with another top 10, so it’s pretty crazy how that all went down.”

“It was another great run. I’m really excited to keep this momentum going. We’ve got to clean it up a little bit, but not a bad night altogether.”

McDowell and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series returns to action next Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Why other rookies are doing well when the New Rangers Alexis Lafreniere has not

February 22, 2021 by Jim Bay

Even after scoring his second goal on Saturday, New York Ranger’s rookie Alexis Lafreniere still sits way down the list of NHL rookies in scoring. Going into Sunday, Lafreniere was tied for 36th among all rookies, somewhat unexpected for the overall number one draft pick. While COVID-19 and the effects that it has had on the NHL season, there are a couple of other factors why other rookies have gotten off to better starts.

Lack of top-level experience has hampered the New York Ranger’s rookie

Sitting atop of the rookie point leaders is the Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov. The first stat to note about Kaprizov is that he is 23 years old. So in addition to being able to legally buy a drink in the states, Kaprizov has a higher level of experience than Lafreniere.

Kaprizov has been playing regularly in the KHL since the 2016-17 season. During his final season with CSKA Moscow in 2019–20, Kaprizov set career highs marks with 33 goals, 29 assists, and 62 points. He tied his career-best in games played with 57. His 33 goals led the KHL for the second straight season and his 62 points ranked third in scoring.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Kaprizov was the youngest player on the Russian team He scored the game-winning goal in overtime that won the Russians. the Gold Medal.

With all due respect to Canada and their junior leagues, the QMJHL is not the KHL. Kaprizov has been playing in a league for a few years that is just a notch below the NHL. Time will tell whether Lafreniere produces at the same level as others but will need some playing time in the NHL to make up for the lack of experience.

The New York Ranger’s Alexis Lafreniere had not played a game since last March

The Chicago Blackhawks Pius Suter sits just a point behind Kaprizov in rookie points. Like Kaprizov, the 24-year-old Suter has had the advantage of playing pro hockey for a few years in the Swiss League. In fact, Suter finished the 2019–20 season as the league’s top scorer with 53 points, including 30 goals, in 50 regular-season games. He was also named MVP of the regular season.

Suter also had the advantage of playing some hockey in the fall whether many other players did not. After signing with the Blackhawks last summer, Suter remained in Switzerland and was loaned by the Blackhawks to return to ZSC Lions’ affiliate, the GCK Lions. Then in early November, with the NHL future still uncertain, Suter officially returned to the ZSC Lions. After making six appearances with the Lions, Suter was recalled from loan by the Blackhawks in late December to joining the team for training camp.

Many have stated that Lafreniere should have played for Team Canada in the most recent World Juniors Championships. However, it was the same Blackhawks who lost their top prospect for most of the season with a wrist injury in that same tournament.

Maybe the best thing to remember is that Lafreniere is only 19-years-old. So really all that has happened here was that due to COVID-19, others were given a big head start for a race and a career that is a marathon, and not a sprint.

Twist of Fate: Knicks gift Thibodeau victory over his former team, Timberwolves fire Saunders

February 22, 2021February 22, 2021 by Alder Almo

Tom Thibodeau dodged a bullet against the league’s worst team and the last team he coached. But Ryan Saunders, the man who replaced him on the Minnesota bench, didn’t survive the night.

Thibodeau guided the New York Knicks to a narrow 103-99 victory in his first meeting against the Minnesota Timberwolves since his unceremonious exit in 2019. Then moments later, the Timberwolves announced the firing of Saunders.

The Knicks blew a 21-point lead but regained their composure just in time to avoid what could have been a disastrous loss before they welcome back fans, albeit only roughly 2,000, in The Garden on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.

Thibodeau lamented their lackadaisical effort to close the end of the third quarter that spilled over to the start of the fourth quarter.

“The way [Minnesota] can score the ball, they can make up ground quickly. We’re striving to be a 48-minute team. We’ve got a long way to go. Hopefully, we learn from this,” Thibodeau said.

After the Knicks erected their largest lead, 86-65, the Timberwolves went on a 31-9 run capped off by a Karl-Anthony Towns’ hook shot.

Thibodeau went to his veterans in crunchtime to save the game.

Julius Randle and Alec Burks came through with clutch free throws while Taj Gibson, who was with Thibodeau in Minnesota, made a key defensive stop against the red-hot Towns.

The Timberwolves franchise center, who resented Thibodeau’s coaching style in Minnesota, pumped in 15 points and hauled down nine rebounds in the fourth quarter while sending Knicks center Nerlens Noel to the foul limit.

He was an unstoppable force until Gibson came in to replace Noel. Gibson, who played backup to Towns in Minnesota, knew exactly how to neutralize him.

Gibson forced Towns to miss a tough turnaround shot with 23.8 seconds left and the game on the line.

Burks then iced the win with four consecutive free throws.

“First off, just understanding the pace of the game. Understanding when Noel’s last foul was called, just being mentally ready for my teammates, just trying to inspire and do what I had to do. Just not let KAT get into the middle. I’ve been around him for a good amount of time and know that he wants to go to the middle of the lane and try to shoot the running hook or a floater. I just got lucky tonight and I just tried to kind of use my body. Just fight,” Gibson said about his late-game defensive gem.

Randle put up another strong effort with only two days left before the NBA All-Star reserves announcement on Tuesday. He scored 25 points, including the go-ahead free throws in the last 32 seconds, to pace the Knicks while adding 14 rebounds and four assists.

Randle chose to stick to the positives rather than dwell on their near meltdown.

“A lot of times when you lose a lead like that and momentum shifts in such a big way — the opposite way — it’s easy to crumble and cave in and let the game go. We just kept fighting, kept battling and got stops, and made plays down the stretch when we needed to. I’m proud of our team for that,” Randle said in his postgame chat with Knicks courtside reporter Rebeca Haarlow. “Obviously not the way we wanted to do it in the end, but we got it done and that’s all that matters.”

RJ Barrett also had a strong performance after seeing his minutes dropped to mid-20s in the previous four games that included fourth-quarter benching. This time, the sophomore swingman closed the game and delivered with 21 points on 10-for-20 shooting in 34 minutes. His last basket — a tough drive — gave the Knicks a 97-96 lead with under two minutes to go.

Towns, who struggled against the Knicks’ defense in the first three quarters, finished with 27 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Timberwolves. His enormous effort was not enough to keep them from their 24th loss in 31 games, the league’s worst record.

It was the last straw for the Timberwolves who informed Saunders about his fate after the loss. According to multiple reports, the Timberwolves are set to hire Toronto Raptors assistant coach Chris Finch, who previously worked with team president Gersson Rosas in Houston.

Saunders, who was championed by Towns for his coaching style that he said suits the younger players, compiled a 43-94 record in his two-plus seasons.

However, Saunders only coached Towns and D’Angelo Russell together for only five games since the trade with Andrew Wiggins in February of 2019.

Thibodeau has since moved on and found redemption in New York. A young Knicks team has bought into his hard-nosed coaching style that catapulted them into a top-three defense in the league and continued to exceed expectations with their 15-16 record, currently seventh seed in the East.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo