SU watched the Knicks’ game last night and clearly, Mike Brown screwed up with the lineups in the 4th quarter. He has the analytics to know that the Knicks are better with either KAT or Brunson on the court. Sitting both of them at the same time was not ideal and the lead that they had built after 3 quarters quickly evaporated.

Contrary to the NBC broadcast, they did not have a timeout at the end of the game and Bridges did well to advance the ball up the court but should have driven to the basket to get the foul call. But SU says you never blame a player for the game if he misses the last shot. Should not have come down to that – do not hate on Bridges.

But here is the issue for SU. In both game 1 and this game, they built a nice lead playing more or less a team style offense. However, in both games, they resorted to the hero ball, slow down offense with Brunson dribbling, dribbling, dribbling and then forcing up some high degree of difficulty shot as the 24-second clock ran down. They blew a big lead on Saturday doing that and same thing this game. Atlanta, to their credit, started to double him late in the shot clock and forced up difficult shots.

I know Brunson is “Captain Clutch” and all of that. He is a great crunch time player but mix it up please. Others are open and can play. There are stretches with the 2nd unit where the ball really moves and they are running. Atlanta certainly wants the fast pace.

This is the Knicks year to get to the finals. It won’t be easy as Boston in the 2nd round will be tough. Atlanta clearly has confidence now and they have some athletic, young talent. CJ McCollum has been good but SU says he can also put up a 5 for 24 game in game 3 – he has done that his whole career. Runs hot and cold. He has been killing Brunson and the Knicks have some good defenders – make the change there.

A long way to go but Knick fans still have PTSD from the Pacers loss in game 1 last year. Buckle up.

And speaking of bad, how about those Mets? Losing 11 in a row is pretty uncommon these days for any team. SU is sure they will right the ship and of course, we are still in April. Mendoza is a good manager and they should not think he is the reason they are losing here.

Finally, Ben Rice is the man. Surely Aaron Boone will see that and keep him in the lineup every game instead of overthinking the matchups with lefties. Of course, SU is not so sure. Yankees’ bullpen is not good but you have to figure Cashman was planning to move some starters into the pen once Cole and Rodon came back. Or maybe he just screwed up. The good news is that it’s always easy to pick up relievers at the trade deadline. The Yankees are not world beaters but the AL is medicore and no excuses this year.

SU is basking in the glow from Michigan’s NCAA Tournament championship last night over UConn. Danny Hurley put a very good game plan together to muck up the game, slow it down and play physically. This was not one for the time capsule but Michigan prevailed. SU has a lot of thoughts about this season:

1. Basketball seasons are a journey. Michigan played 40 games and SU watched about 35 of them and followed the others on the internet. At the start of the season, there were a ton of turnovers and a couple of close games (see Wake Forest on a neutral court). But Dusty May has a process and he sticks with the process. We saw the same thing last season with the early season turnovers (even the late season turnovers last season). The turnovers started to decrease (although believe me, there are plenty of dumb ones every game) and the scoring went up. They lost LJ Cason to injury and the offense went backwards for several games. However, May retooled things for the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAAs, and then had to overcome the injury to Yaxel. Credit to May for still blowing teams out until the finals in every round. Impressive.
2. This team played the right way. SU was raised on the late 1960s/early 1970s NY Knicks. Frazier, Bill Bradley, Willis Reed, Red Holzman: “see the ball.” That team, like this Michigan team, played so unselfishly. It was all about winning – not “getting mine.” I hate to see players revel in their 40- or 50-point games in the NBA. There is no glory in taking 30 or 40 shots. There is glory in 30-assists for a team. Move without the ball, make plays for others. That is what real teams do.
3. The transfer portal and NIL money have created a free agent world in college hoops. SU is not a fan as I have always enjoyed watching freshmen improve each year and contribute more. That was the John Beilein years at Michigan, and those were fun teams to watch. So enjoyable. Dusty May takes a similar approach but he lets his players freelance. They don’t have many plays and yes, some games there are some awful passes and turnovers. But May always talks about the process and preparation, and he is convinced what he does in October will pay off in April. He is a student of the game – a rare coach. And, by the way, his style does not translate to the NBA. At all. He would be smart to remain in college as the level of selfishness in the pros is well above what you see in college.
4. Much is made of the transfers on this Michigan team. But other than Yaxel, none of the other players were stars with their prior teams. Mara was underutilized at UCLA playing for a screamer type coach, Johnson is just a sophomore, Cadeau was a turnover machine at North Carolina who couldn’t shoot. Burnett transferred years ago from Alabama and is a role player at best. Now, Mara and Johnson would be well served to stay one more year, get paid nice NIL money and then hone their games for a higher draft position next season. Johnson, in particular, can get a lot better offensively. But history says guys take the NBA money and will go. Of the starters, SU only sees Yaxel as being a real NBA player. Mara may hang around a couple of years but he will be Europe bound at some point. Johnson, if he goes too early, will be in the G-League. Yaxel can play and is a fun personality. He is a guy SU will follow on the NBA Season Pass on television.
5. Duke gets the best players every year. Look at this NBA season: Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are neck and neck for NBA Rookie of the Year honors. And Duke still did not win it all last season. Yes, Dusty May had a good nucleus of players, but to be able to meld them to play together from the start (see Las Vegas blowouts early in the year) is impressive. Great coach, knows how to motivate players and help them see the value of sharing the ball.
6. Yaxel Lendeborg gets it. Believe me, not many star players with an NBA future would have come back into the game on Saturday or played last night. He took a risk. The reality is that this will likely be his most enjoyable season playing basketball in his career. If he is a role player in the NBA, it will be very different, and he will have to adjust. It just won’t be as much fun. Credit to him for battling through the pain last night. He was a bit of a liability on the boards but SU was glad he was on the court for that many minutes.

As we get older, we know these moments may not happen again. The Yankees had the glory years from 1996 – 2000, but boy it’s very hard to get another championship. And Michigan may not win another one for many years. It is really hard to thread the needle. For SU, even if Michigan had lost last night, I would have been fine with this season. So much fun, so many great moments and periods of games where the ball is zipping around and shots are going in. Remember: the Big Ten was the best conference this year and Michigan was undefeated on the road in that conference. We may never see that again.

SU will enjoy the moment and now wait to see who stays, who goes and who is coming in the portal. It is officially open and Dusty May and his staff do not get any time off. So it goes.

I can’t say that I was a fan of MLB starting its season in late March, but the weather has cooperated enough that it looks like it was the right move. For those fans who are already pissed off at their teams (looking at you Met fans booing Bo Bichette in his first series at home), remember it’s a long season and SU’s maxim applies here: “You are never as good as you look when you are winning, and you are never as bad as you look when you are losing.”

Many players take a while to adapt to the colder weather up north and often struggle the first few weeks of April. And you can be hitting .130, go 3 for 4, and all of a sudden you are close to .300. One has to be patient.

Having said that, SU is excited about the Yankees 5 – 1 start to the season. And I noted the speech that Judge, Stanton and Goldschmidt gave to the players at the start of the season to bring the focus and energy each and every game. What a concept! The Yankees have played long stretches of mediocre ball the last few seasons that hurts them for seeding in the playoffs in October. Who knows if this works but SU likes the leadership for this year’s team. Remember, there is likely going to be a lockout after this season and who knows if we have baseball in 2027?

So, do we like the ABS system to challenge umpires on pitch calls? SU says yes! It’s done quickly and finally incorporates technology into baseball. Does it embarrass the umpire? I would say only on the calls where they were way off. If it’s a millimeter here or there, come on – no big deal. It’s really the obvious calls where it is such a help. You have to be impressed at how well hitters know the strike zone and know when a pitch just missed. SU is a fan.

Ben Rice is the man. Favorite player on the Yankees, and Aaron Boone needs to make sure he is in the lineup most games. Stanton is batting .500 and is red hot. Of course, Boone opted to rest him on Wednesday with a travel day Thursday as a DH. I don’t know: maybe you play guys every game while they are red hot? Now, true, Goldschmidt hit a home run in that game and we know Stanton only plays 40% of regular season games due to injury. But I did not follow that one.

A few random thoughts this Good Friday:

1. Great men’s Final Four tomororw night. You can make the case for any of these four teams winning it all. Illinois only wants international players on the roster – and they have to be big. Arizona dares the refs to calls the fouls and lives at the foul line. Michigan plays big and may have some karma at play this year. And UConn is here on a prayer and courtesy of another Duke meltdown late in the game. Of course, SU is all in on Michigan. Go Blue! A great season for them no matter the outcome. They play the game the right way – very unselfish with a deep rotation. SU watched a lot of Big Ten games this year and that is the deepest and best conference. Glad to see they showed out in the NCAAs this year.
2. Lots of talk of the top coaches lining up to be considered for the vacant North Carolina job but SU says the ACC is a far cry from what it used to be. Sure, there is Duke but this is no longer a powerhouse conference.
3. Keep an eye on the women’s Final Four starting tonight. UConn is going for a repeat but similar to the men, Texas, South Carolina and UCLA are all even bets to win it all. SU notes that the NCAA has royally screwed up the women’s NCAA tournament by having 2 regionals play in one site. That limits practice time for the teams. They also brought in backboards and rims that were way too tight and overinflated basketballs. Come on – do better here.
4. Sad to see the demise of Tiger Woods in yet another car accident. Given the number of prescription drugs he has to take, and his wealth, can we get him a driver before he kills himself or someone else? He is only 50 but looks so much older now.
5. Men’s tennis is going through a very odd period now as pretty much every tournament is won by Alcaraz or Sinner. Not good for the sport but it’s hard to see who is going to join them as a threat to win a tournament. They are both generational talents but you need more contenders to make things interesting.
6. Finally, hoping the Knicks can show some interest and energy and make a serious run for the NBA championship this year. Detroit and Boston will both be hard to overcome for sure in the East. You have to assume this is the last year that ownership will keep this unit together if they fall short. Need to at least make the finals to call the season a success.

First things first: long-time subscriber, J. Rosen, avid Islanders, Mets and Jets fan, and one of the more frequent SU commenters, nailed it on the score prediction front for the Super Bowl. He bested hundreds of predictions received from around the world (OK inflating the number just a tad) with his prediction of Seattle winning 28 – 13. Of course, the final score was 29 – 13! Very impressive. Hopefully, he went on Kalshi before the game or some other betting/predictive market site and can cash in! We will place his order for the SU water bottle (there may be a delay!).

If you like defense, well, that was a great game – really by both teams but especially the Seahawks. SU thought New England should have run Drake Maye a lot more on some planned scrambles but apparently he had a sore shoulder and it’s possible Josh McDaniel did not want to risk more injury. Seattle is the deserving champion – a no doubter.

Lots of talk about adding another regular season game to the NFL season. Honestly, given how violent football is and the injury rate, how is that a good idea for the players – and even the fans? Watching games with so many players on the IL is not ideal. SU says pass on that one.

Spring training is starting but for SU, time to turn your eyes to NCAA basketball and the run up to March Madness. Lots of interesting games on tap. Michigan, Kansas, Arizona, Duke, Illinois and Houston are leading the charge but the Big Ten is bunched up at the top and lots of meaningful games to be played. Michigan has been an enjoyable watch this year with a totally unselfish team that comes along once every 10 – 15 years. Yes, would love to see them in the Final Four but like the UConn women’s team, this has been an enjoyable season and as always, SU values the journey vs. the absolute final result.

SU has historically ignored all of the Super Bowl hype and the lead-up to the game. Just not that interested. SU is impressed by the defensive squads of both teams – they are clearly elite and will likely keep the score down a bit. Drake Maye had a huge regular season but has been bailed out by his defense in all of the playoff games for the Patriots. Now, there was some weather involved there and playing in the Bay Area should help him on Sunday. In contrast, Sam Darnold has been better in the playoffs than in the regular seaon for Seattle but he is definitely prone to the bad turnover at any moment. I think it’s in his DNA (could be the Jets’ upbringing – not sure).

Seattle is favored but they are a bit thin at running back with Charbonnet out for the season. If anything happens to Kenneth Walker III injury-wise, that will be a big drop-off for the Seahawks. SU sees a close game this year – a bit on the lower scoring side. My fearless prediction is New England in an upset 24 – 21 as TreyVeon Henderson breaks out of a quiet last few games and is the MVP. Seattle will be hurt by a late game interception by Darnold.

Feel free to comment with your Super Bowl picks as the closest score can win you the SU logo’d water bottle this year.

Some other random thoughts this chilly morning:

1. Keep an eye on Tom Izzo at Michigan State. He just turned 71 and seems to be totally unraveling. Now, watching him on the sideline would not be the tell as he is always screaming at the refs and somehow avoiding a technical but earning a lot of minutes on every broadcast from the cameras. But his star player, Jeremiah Fears, is a flopper and more importantly, an incredibly dirty player tripping opponents, kicking them in the nuts and throwing elbows under the basket. Izzo has basically ignored it all year but in the last week, it’s gotten a lot of attention in nationally broadcast games and Dusty May at Michigan actually called him out on it. SU has always respected Izzo as I think he gets a lot out of less than stellar talent (role players for the most part). But Fears is a bad, bad dude and it will be interesting to see how Izzo deals with this.
2. SU caught the latter part of the Novak Djokovic match vs. Sinner at the Australian Open. At 38 years old, it was a master class performance. True, he was fortunate to even get to the semis with the walkover and then having Musetti retire. While he lost to Alcaraz in the finals (no shame in that and he played well until he tired a bit and had some hip issues surface), SU believes his win over Sinner felt like a finals for him. I also think it will accelerate his retirement plans, and he may look to call it a day at the end of this year or perhaps at next year’s Australian Open. SU knows there are many haters out there but if you listen to his post-match remarks or how gracious he is always is with his opponents (win or lose), he is a great ambassador for the game and he will be missed once he hangs it up. I also predict that he will angle to be the first ever Tennis Commissioner – a role John McEnroe has always relished.
3. The Knicks have turned it around of late but tonight’s match-up with Detroit will be a good barometer of where they are. The Pistons have the best record in the East and the Knicks are still dealing with nagging injuries. They basically stood pat at the trade deadline aside from a couple of minor deals for role players. They don’t have to win tonight but they do need to be competitive.
4. SU has no idea of how NBA teams alternate between tanking and trying to win games. Some of these trades for players like Porzingis or Anthony Davis are perplexing as they can barely stay on the court for a third of the season.
5. Spring training is just around the corner. Looking forward to getting into the rhythm of the long baseball season and complaining about the Yankees on a weekly basis. And remember, if there is a lockout this winter, you may not be seeing baseball in 2027. And we can all get ready to hate the Dodgers.
6. Finally, keep an eye on the World Cup this Summer in North America with all of the travel bans and ICE activity. SU will be curious if there is any impact on the sale of tickets and fans from other countries being comfortable coming here to watch the games. Something to watch.

It is very interesting to watch the off season moves by the MLB Clubs. The small market teams are always operating on the fringes with trades of role players and trying to manage to microscopic payrolls compared to the big players in baseball. The Dodgers do whatever they want and don’t worry about the cost. And then you have those next tier Clubs like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Blue Jays, Phillies (at least these days) and perhaps the Giants here and there.

The Yankees are more than happy to run it back from 2025 where they scored a lot of runs (although not in the playoffs) and will bank on a slew of starting pitchers returning to form from major surgeries (we all know how that usually goes – not well). Meanwhile, Steve Cohen instructed his President of Baseball Operations to to retool the roster – and fast. The Mets made a number of moves via free agent signings and then pulled off the trade for Peralta on the Brewers last night to really bolster their rotation in 2026. His contract expires after this year and he will make a ton more in free agency assuming there is even a season in 2027.

Cohen is rolling the dice for 2026 with a totally revamped lineup and of course, former Yankee relievers in the bullpen (hmm… good luck with that). SU says Met fans have to be happy with that as Cohen is not standing pat after an underachieving 2025 season. It may or may not work but at least he is going for it.

SU believes that the Bellinger signing by Cashman which was finally achieved yesterday was supposed to then potentially trigger a trade for Peralta. But the Mets got in first and that is a huge loss for the Yankees. The Yankees will head into this season with 6 left-handed hitters in the starting lineup and that assumes Stanton will be a regular contributor for the whole season which we all know is a physical impossiblity (anxiously awaiting the news on the first day of Spring Training to see which body part fell apart in the off season, e.g., tennis elbow, calf, hamstring). Rodon and Cole will be coming back from surgeries and you are banking on Schlittler being the real deal.

The Knicks finally showed some effort last night after a players’ only meeting and some soul searching. SU says coach Mike Brown is on the clock and it remains to be seen if he will survive the rest of the season. So many trade rumors for Giannis on the Bucks but the Knicks don’t have the draft picks that Milwaukee would even want in that type of deal. It does not seem like the Knicks can get to the next level with KAT (defensive liabilty and struggling for points this season) and SU has always felt that Bridges, while a nice player, is not that nice of a player. Could have done better in that spot. No doubt they will make some move at the trade deadline but only for a role player. The reality may be that their best shot was last season. We shall see.

Props to Indiana for running the table and winning it all this year as the Big Ten counts national championships for 3 years in a row. No doubt the SEC is increasingly pissed off about that. Cignetti is a great coach but a better judge of talent given his transfer portal moves. SU is sure he is very skilled with his NIL money as well.

So, Met fans: are you energized for 2026? I know Yankee fans are not. Oh how the tables have turned…

Full disclosure: the SU research staff has not done the usual in-depth statistical analysis on Kyle Tucker. I mean, there are only so many hours in a day. But for SU, at first blush, the 4-year, $240 million deal for Tucker with the deferred cash (OK, it’s only $57 million a year in present value terms) and the two opt outs makes SU think that he will play 1 and a half years for the Dodgers in the end.

Sure, they overpaid to get him for 2026 when they are going for the 3-peat. There will be a lockout in 2027 as the owners push for a salary cap, and SU estimates at best we have a half season of baseball. Tucker can, I believe, opt out after year #2 and you know he will as he wants the 8 – 10 year deal.

SU views Tucker as a solid player but not someone who carries the franchise like a Judge or a Soto. He doesn’t crave the limelight and will fit in nicely with the Dodgers who are loaded with global superstars. Does he put them over the top for 2026? Maybe but they may have already been over the top for this coming season with their current roster. SU says the Dodgers were smart to overpay for the shorter term contract. That is always the right strategy.

The bigger concern for SU is Bellinger and whether the Yankees have a chance to re-sign him now. The Mets were willing to give Tucker $50 million: does Steve Cohen now look to steal another star from Hal a year after he backed up the truck for Soto? He could also do a shorter term, over paid contract along the lines of Tucker. Or does Hal now have to add another year to give Bellinger a 6-year deal? And is Toronto still in the mix as they were also willing to give Tucker big dollars?

SU is worried that Cashman is putting too much faith in Jasson Dominguez, the latest in the Yankees’ line of overhyped prospects. Very good left-handed hitter who really can’t hit right handed and is somehow a terrible outfielder (I mean, how do you not teach these guys to catch the ball in the minor leagues? He has been in their system since he was 16). He is still very young and perhaps will show some good progress this year but the absence of moves this off season is worrying to Yankee fans. SU will put its faith in Cashman that he actually has a game plan now and will execute on that. But I am telling you: do not expect Trent Grisham to ever have a season like 2025 again.

Yankee fans are a spoiled group – no doubt about it. It comes from being in New York where the fans really care about wins and losses every game, and where there are high expectations to justify the ridiculous ticket and food prices. Plus this might be the last season we have baseball for a while.

We will soon see if Tucker is worth $60 million a year. The rich are getting richer in LA but Yankee fans can’t complain as there were many years where the Steinbrenner family did the exact same thing. Get over it and get to work Hal.

There is a new sherriff in town in New York and he does not live in the Bronx. One year after grabbing Juan Soto, Steve Cohen at the Mets has, reportedly, put an offer together for Kyle Tucker of $50 million a year according to espn.com. Whoa. That is $10 million a year more than Judge.

Supposedly, Toronto is also in the mix for Tucker. Wonder if this will boost the deal for Bellinger then?

Yankee fans, your days of being the big spenders are clearly over. Dodgers, Mets and Blue Jays are all ready to invest more than Hal Steinbrenner.

What is next for Mike Tomlin? Do a year on TV yukking it up in one of the pre- and post-game shows where you laugh and talk over each other? Hey, it’s a living. Or does someone grab him for one of the 9 openings for NFL head coaches?

Ian O’Connor thinks the Giants have a slight lead to land John Harbaugh although Tennessee has a ton of cap space and a young QB making them very attractive. Does Tomlin change the equation now?

Enough is enough. SU has been reading that the Yankees have offered Cody Bellinger 5 years for $155 – 160 million with no deferrals. Alex Bregman just signed with the Chicago Cubs for 5 years and $175 million with deferrals. Rumor has it that Bellinger wants a 7-year deal.

Bellinger is 30 years old. His track record over the past number of years has been up and down. He was great for the Yankees in 2025, and SU hopes they can get him to return. He hits left-handed pitchers well, and can play all of the outfield positions and 1st base. But 5 years is more than fair, and Yankee fans have lived through its share of aging player contracts over the years (see Giancarlo Stanton now who averages about 80 games a year).

If Hal Steinbrenner actually cares about winning a World Series (unclear), he knows that last year’s roster is not going to get them there. The bullpen needs additions and the team is still not that athletic. There is talk of dealing Jazz Chisholm for a pitcher; SU would not do that. OK, he can be a bit of a knucklehead sometimes but he steals bases, is a good fielder and hits home runs. He needs to stay. Lots of talk about dealing Jasson Dominguez for Freddy Peralta on the Brewers. SU is good with that one as he appears to be the latest in a long line of over hyped Yankee prospects.

It feels like the market is waiting for Kyle Tucker to land somewhere and see what that price tag is. The Blue Jays are in the mix for him, and all of a sudden, the Yankees are acting like a small market team. Spring training is right around the corner. SU says the next week is going to see a lot of activity but unclear where the Yankees stand in that. Bo Bichette? No thank you. The Yankees have enough offense to not need a bad fielding shortstop. Corey Seager? Sure, happy to consider him as the answer at short.

Bottom line: do not run it back with basically the same lineup in 2026.

Great NFL playoffs weekend. It’s wide open this year. SU is feeling a Buffalo – Seattle Super Bowl but clearly, all of the remaining teams are contenders at this point. It felt good to see the Eagles go away. So much drama all year around an under-achieving offense. Move on.

John Harbaugh? Apparently, it’s up to him to pick his team. The Giants are hot on him. He would bring stability but he would also have to bring along some top assistants. Keep an eye on Jesse Minter, the Chargers’ defensive coordinator. He will be a head coach this coming year and SU likes him.

The college football transfer portal is open for business, and virtually everyone is on the market. For SU, you read about a player leaving a great program and you ask why but then you quickly realize it’s for NIL money. And you can’t fault someone for leaving for more money even if it hurts their chances for a college football championship. Their goal is the NFL and if they get paid now and will still be a high draft pick, then why not? Unless they really wanted to take that Economics class with that professor senior year and therefore stayed one more year :).

Miami vs. Indiana should be an interesting finals. Indiana has locked in their coach with a long-term deal but no doubt the NFL will be sniffing around this off season. SU says stay in school. Same money plus he is golden now at Indiana. Quite the story.

SU does not normally pay any attention to what NBA coaches say, or really what any coach or manager says, after games. Phil Jackson was always the master of trying to influence the refs come playoff time – and usually very effectively. Often times, it’s just coach speak and you move on.

Given that the Knicks’ chances of making the NBA finals will run through Detroit this year, SU noted what JJ Redick said last night after the Lakers lost to the Pistons in a late December regular season game:

“I think there’s probably a level of frustration when you’re turning the ball over and you’re feeling like you’re getting fouled,” Redick said. “There’s frustration there, for sure. But I mean, again, I said it even here, we said it this morning: They’re going to foul every possession. It’s just, you got to play through it… ”

“They’re going to foul on every possession, probably three or four times,” Redick said during his pregame remarks to reporters. “And that’s not a knock, I’m not saying it in a negative way, but they’re going to foul three or four times on every possession. [And the officials are] not going to call a foul on every possession.”

If you watched the NBA playoffs last Spring when the Knicks played the Pistons, this is what was going on. The Pistons foul on every possession and it’s up to the refs to make the calls. And it’s exhausting – do you want games to slow down to a crawl with foul shots? No, and so they stop making the calls. Remember Brunson getting bumped just trying to bring the ball up the court? Who wants to watch that?

The ball is in the NBA League Office’s court now to monitor this and it’s up to the refs to start calling the fouls. It will be bad for the fans and the style of play. For the Knicks, it puts a lot of pressure on the team to have the best record in the East as the foul calling is even worse for the playoff games that will be played in Detroit come May. You need to have home court for that series as the refs are influenced by the crowd as we all know.

SU is not knocking the refs who have such a challenging job in the NBA given the athleticism of the players and the pace of the game. But we see it every playoffs where the defense ratchets up. Props to Redick for calling it out now. No doubt he has an eye on June for the finals.

The irony is that the Pistons are legitimately good and have the players to win it all. Sure, play hard on defense but stop the constant fouling. And if they foul, call it.