Good morning, New York/New Jersey sports fans! Best put a little extra sweetener in your java this morning, because it's a bitter one.
↵NBA: The New York Knicks suffered a second straight crushing last-second defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs Tuesday night. Once again the Knicks led late, but Boston executed down the stretch and made big shots while the Knicks looked disorganized. I was critical of Carmelo Anthony after Game 1, but I certainly have to give him props after Tuesday's 42-point, 17-rebound effort. With Chauncey Billups missing the game and Amare Stoudemire sidelined by back spasms in the second half 'Melo was all the Knicks had, and he was brilliant. Unfortunately for the Knicks, when the Celtics doubled Anthony late no one else could deliver a big basket.
↵NFL: The league announced its 2011 schedule on Tuesday. What it did not announce is an end to the labor strife that is threatening to to wipe out part, or all, of the schedule the league just released. If there is a season, the New York Jets and New York Giants will meet on Christmas Eve. The Giants will be in Washington to play the Redskins on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, which is the first Sunday of the NFL season.
↵MLB: The New York Yankees don't go through this often, but they lost a game Tuesday night after handing Mariano Rivera a 5-3 lead entering the ninth inning. Toronto won, 6-5, in 10 innings. The New York Mets are becoming very familiar with losing, and it happened again Tuesday as they fell to the Houston Astros, 6-1.
↵NHL: The New York Rangers try to even their NHL playoff series with the Washington Capitals tonight at Madison Square Garden.
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