First off, congrats to the Bruins for having a really terrific series and outplaying Washington. I am asking you, imploring you to beat the Pens/Islanders winner. Thank you. I’ll cosign this for Rangers fans everywhere.

Next, the Knicks. Now, admittedly, I am a Celtics fan, and normally, the Knicks losing would bring me a level of joy, but, my venom, hate and rage has shifted to a different borough, Brooklyn. I hate the Brooklyn Nets….anyways, that’s a battle for another day and blog. Back to the Knicks.

First, tough loss, at home, the venue, the crowd, I get it. It’ll sting till Wednesday. But, the loss could have been prevented. You guys were leading in the fourth quarter and you let it slip. A bunch of good, young players, that have never been in that moment before, and your first option, Julius Randle, great story, but he was awful last night.

And that last position…oy. How can you let Trae Young just dribble by you and get a shot off, let alone the game winner?

Situationally, and again, I’m just a fan watching from a comfy chair, playing catch with our dog, but, in my head I’m screaming foul! Foul him! You make him earn it from the free throw line. Fouling does two things : 1) Again, you make him earn it. Young’s a great free throw shooter, but he could miss. Plus, he’s a rookie, keyed up, big moment, he could miss on adrenaline alone, and 2) Fouling gives you time. Time to catch your breath, time for one last play and shot. How unglued would The Garden have become if RJ Barrett, or better yet, Julius Randle, hit a jumper to tie it and end regulation?

The one thing you cannot do is, let the clock wind down, then let their young star beat you with a floater, where he went untouched in the lane. But, that’s exactly what happened. The Knicks are down 1-0, in a huge game 2 at home on Wednesday, which brings me to my last point.

The Knicks need to get angry. Trae Young ‘quieting’ the crowd, he made the shot, and the showboating at the end was extra salt in a fresh wound. I hate that about sports today in general, we root for teams, but it’s becoming an’ ‘I’ thing, guys take credit for doing things they are paid millions for an supposed to do.

I miss the days of the Knicks of the early 90s, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason. I guarantee you, if Young drove last night, and Oakley or Mason was there, he would have gotten clobbered. That’s what the these Knicks need to do, play with a fire and intensity that hasn’t been seen in these parts for quite some time.

Wednesday will be interesting.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a hockey recap, some words on the Celtics’ game 2 and maybe some Mets talk. Enjoy your Monday and be good to yourselves and one another.