Mickey Togs

Forget the six-game win streak or even the seven wins in nine road games. The Knicks have played 16 games, and won 10 of them. Three of the losses, to quality teams in the Trail Blazers, Bucks and Grizzlies, could’ve gone either way. 

Tom Thibodeau’s team is hitting its stride. The most recent example came Friday night, in a 114-91 shellacking of the talented, but underperforming Bulls, the Knicks shaking off an uneven first quarter by out-scoring Chicago by 26 points over the final three quarters. 

Prior to the game, Thibodeau warned his players of how hard it would be to complete the sweep in this rare two-games-in-three-days set on the road, comparing it to a postseason series. 

“When you look at playoffs, it’s the intensity of playing the same team over and over,” he said before the game. “You know exactly what they’re trying to do. So then it’s how hard you compete, it’s imposing your will.” 

“I think guys are building chemistry with each other,” Thibodeau said. “That chemistry is on both sides of the ball.”

The New York Giants took home a victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night but it appeared cornerback Darnay Holmes may have gotten away with a penalty toward the end.

Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke dropped back to pass on fourth down. He narrowly missed a sack and fired a pass toward wide receiver Curtis Samuel who was trying to get open with Holmes draped on top of him. The cornerback somehow avoided a penalty.

The Commanders turned the ball over and the Giants would just take a knee to seal the 20-12 win.

After the game, NBC’s rules analyst Terry McAulay told broadcasters Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth that the officials missed a foul on Washington’s final play.

“It’s clearly a foul,” McAulay said. “He grabs his arm. He plays through the back. It’s clearly before the ball gets there. This is defensive pass interference and it really should be called whether it’s the end of the game, beginning of the game. Doesn’t matter. It’s always a foul and should’ve been called.” 

Gerard Gallant appreciates the way which Jacob Trouba bounces back from his mistakes.

Left unsaid, though, is the amount of times that the Rangers captain has had the opportunity to rebound after making a costly turnover.

Trouba had two more in Monday’s game against the Devils, but the Rangers were able to overcome them in a 4-3 overtime victory for their fourth straight win.

“He’s fine,” Gallant said on Wednesday after practice. “He’s battling hard, he’s competing hard, he’s a big part of our group. He makes mistakes like every other player in the league. Cost us one goal last game, but that happens. That’s part of the game.”  

Trouba rebounds from that real well. That’s what you like about veteran players and a guy like him. He’s not going to let a mistake affect him. If you caused a goal, well move on and get ready for the next shift. That’s what you like about pros like that.”

Trouba’s struggles have been noticed, but there are signs of improvement lately, and big things from here are expected shortly.