New York Post - 28 April 2024

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 101 THROW A FIT: Jeff McNeil tosses his bat after striking out in the Mets’ 7-4 loss to the Cardinals on Saturday as he went 0-for-4. USA Today Sports UP NEXT MONDAY: vs. Cubs, 7:10 p.m., SNY, WCBS RHP Luis Severino vs. TBD TUESDAY: vs. Cubs, 7:10 p.m., SNY, WCBS LHP Sean Manaea vs. TBD 2024 stats: 1-2, 4.21 ERA Career vs. STL: 6-4, 4.29 ERA Last start: Mon, at SF; 5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER LHP Jose Quintana PITCH BREAKDOWN 35% Sinker 23% Fastball 21% Curve 2024 stats: 1-0, 2.81 ERA Career vs. NYM: 3-3, 2.33 ERA Last start: Mon., vs. ARI; 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER RHP Lance Lynn PITCH BREAKDOWN 35% Fastball 23% Cutter 21% Sinker INJURY REPORT n Drew Smith hit the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation. n Tylor Megill began a rehab assignment with Class-A Brooklyn on Saturday, throwing two shutout innings. n Kodai Senga is scheduled to throw live batting practice Monday for the first time since suffering a strained shoulder in spring training. He is out until May 27 at the earliest. vs. Cardinals Sunday, 1:40 p.m., SNY, WCBS (880 AM) ON DECK By DAN MARTIN Three days ago, Francisco Lindor carried the Mets to a much-needed, road-trip-closing victory with a pair of home runs. On Saturday, he struck out four times and popped up with the bases loaded to end a second straight dismal home defeat. It’s been that kind of start to the season for the star shortstop: one step forward, two steps back. “It’s one of those that I had a couple of opportunities I could’ve helped the team, whether it was scoring runs or saving runs,” Lindor said after the Mets fell to the Cardinals, 7-4, at Citi Field, losing their second straight series. “It’s one of those, you try to look back, you try to go play by play, and you’re not happy with it.” He added: “I’ve got to put the ball in play, that’s the bottom line. It’s an uphill fight for me. I have to stay the course, keep climbing. Just have to have better at-bats.” The notoriously slow-starting Lindor struck out in his first four trips to the plate, but he had a chance to atone in the ninth. Trailing 6-0 at one point, the Mets loaded the bases with two outs and sent Lindor up as the potential game-winning run. He swung at the first pitch he saw from closer Ryan Helsley, but failed to get on top of the 101 mph fastball, popping up to shortstop Masyn Winn. “When you have four strikeouts, you swing,” he joked when asked what his approach was in that instance. “I thought it was a good pitch for me to hit. It was a pitch right there. I just missed it.” After going 0-for-5, Lindor is back on the interstate, hitting .198 along with a .626 OPS. He swung at six pitches out of the strike zone Saturday and, after chasing a fastball in the dirt in the eighth, he let his emotions get the best of him. Lindor sprinted to first base on the wild pitch, but while he beat the off-target throw, he ran out of the baseline, running too far onto the grass. Lindor had to be restrained. Later, he admitted the correct call was made. “They got it right,” he said. “Bottom line, they got it right. So hats off to them. I was definitely too much in the grass.” It was part of a forgettable day for the Mets’ shortstop — one of many so far for him in this young season. Lindor’s 4K day ends with painful pop-up By DAN MARTIN Pete Alonso hit another milestone Saturday, slamming his 200th career homer — and he became the fourth-fastest player to get to the mark. “It was a really special moment,’’ Alonso said after the 7-4 loss to St. Louis at Citi Field. He called getting to 200 homers so quickly “mind-boggling.” Only Ryan Howard (658 games), Aaron Judge (671 games) and Ralph Kiner (706 games) got there faster, according to Elias. “That’s a special group and that’s who he is,’’ Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s a special hitter.” Alonso became just the fourth Met to reach the milestone, joining Darryl Strawberry, David Wright and Mike Piazza. Mendoza noted that the blast was a shot out to right-center and that right fielder Lars Nootbar didn’t move on the play. “You don’t see too many reactions like that from a right fielder,’’ the manager said. “He knew it was gone.” Alonso is expected to be one of the key beneficiaries in J.D. Martinez’s arrival, with Martinez’s big bat directly behind him in the batting order. He hopes Martinez can help, although he’s not worried about how opposing pitchers might alter their approach to him with Martinez in the ondeck circle. “For me, the biggest thing is to not focus on that and fall into that trap because nothing is guaranteed,’’ Alonso said. “My whole goal is always to capitalize on mistakes. Whenever they make mistakes in the zone, I want to hit it hard between the lines.” The theory, then, would be that Alonso is more likely to get more mistakes — and pitches to hit — because pitchers are wary of facing Martinez with another runner on base. “I don’t know if that’s gonna happen,’’ said Alonso, who went hitless in four at-bats on Friday in his first game with Martinez behind him. “We’ll see. Hopefully.” Regardless, Alonso said he won’t be focused on that. “No matter what is going on around me, the plan is always for my focus to be on executing on what’s in front of me,’’ Alonso said. “If I’m not getting much to hit, my job is to take walks and have good at-bats. And then put a good swing on it if they throw it over the good part of the plate and hit it hard between the lines.” That’s what Martinez did in his first game with the Mets on Friday after just three rehab games following the back tightness that shut him down earlier this month. Martinez is trying to spark an offense that has seen several players, including Brett Baty, Brandon Nimmo, Harrison Bader and DJ Stewart, all enter mini slumps. Now, there’s Alonso and Martinez in the middle of the lineup. Alonso marveled at Martinez’s looking so good at the plate despite the lack of playing time leading into his debut. “It’s funny, I remember his first day in camp, he was facing some pretty good arms and prospects and he had three or four doubles,” Alonso said. “The dude just rakes. J.D. just flat-out rakes. He’s shown that his entire career and that’s a skill that’s incredibly difficult to polish over the years and he’s done it. He’s one of the best.” Alonso finally gets his 200th home run 200 CLUBBED: Pete Alonso watches the 200th home run of his career as he became just the fourth Met to reach the mark, and the fourth-fastest player to 200, launching them in just 710 games. Bill Kostroun Mets notes / Page 97

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 102 NICK Cassano was bored out of his skull. We all were. Remember? Remember the very middle of the pandemic: no place to go, nothing to do, an endless blur of binge-watching TV shows and staring out the window? It was mind-numbing for a lot of us. Nick Cassano figured he’d had enough. “I could only sulk in the negative for so long,” Cassano says. “I needed to find something to do.” For years, two of the biggest parts of his life had been simple ones: baseball (at the time COVID hit, the Nyack High graduate was playing baseball at Montclair State). And making his friends and family laugh. “I say this humbly,” he says, “but I was always kind of the funny guy.” Nick’s father, Eric, remembers when Nick was a kid, he was a little quiet, a little small, and suddenly one day was doing drop-dead impressions of his uncle. “He went from not speaking for days at a time,” Eric says, “to talking like a 25-year-old.” So Nick decided to make a brief video of a bit that had been percolating in his head and making him laugh, about Italian fathers and nonItalian fathers when their kid wants to go out. He taped it. Edited it. Posted it. And the next morning, he woke up, looked at his phone. “A million people had viewed it,” Nick says. So he responded exactly as you might expect. “He told me he deleted the app,” Eric says. “It freaked him out a little.” But the father knew the son was on to something. At a time when people were desperate to find the funny in life again, Nick had managed to capture exactly that. He reloaded the app and made a few more videos — a lot of them sports themed, such as the beer-bellied high school coach getting exasperated trying to get his players to listen to him. There’s a regular series of nonsports characters — the pizza guy twirling “pizza dough” that’s really a bathroom towel, the bagel-shop guy, and an endless series of homages to relatives and friends whose quirks translate to some awfully entertaining stuff. Some are riotously funny. Some just make you smile. All do what they are supposed to do: bring a snippet of laughter into what can sometimes be a decidedly unfunny world. And he’s a hit. He has 1.5 million followers on TikTok (@nicky.cass1) and 1.4 million on Instagram (@nicky.cass). He works on the vignettes from about 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, produces about five new ones a week, and has enough in his catalogue that each week there’s 40 or 50 that he reposts. And the way these things work, people notice. A year ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers both invited him to spring training to talk to their teams. When he showed up at the D’backs camp in Scottsdale, manager Torey Lovullo asked Nick what he intended to say. “I’m gonna make ’em laugh,” Nick said. And then he did. He told the pitching staff he was a mental-performance therapist, walked them through a meditation, said, “imagine your best baseball memory, and now imagine you’re covered in pink feathers like a flamingo.” Soon the entire staff of the future National League champs were flapping their wings. Nick isn’t especially obsessed with where this goes for him. He talks of living an entrepreneur’s life, saying, “I just want to be the best possible version of myself because a rising tide raises all ships. If I can be at my best, I’ll bring out the best in the people I care about most.” He laughs. “If I can walk into a store and be able to buy all the organic chicken and steak I can,” he says, “that’s all I want.” He’s a huge fan of the “Boomer and Gio” show on WFAN and a considerable sports fan, though he tends to root for individual players — Christian McCaffrey, Adam Fox, Logan O’Hoppe — more than teams and says, “I’m not throwing stuff at the TV.” His father interjects: “Well, unless the Giants are on.” Eric is bigger fan of New York sports, a die-hard Mets fan, and he laughs when it’s pointed out that since the Rangers and Diamondbacks both made it to the World Series last year, maybe the Mets might want to latch onto the good-luck charm. “Hey,” Nick says, “the Mets could use a couple of laughs.” Joe Gregorio: Is DJ LeMahieu the new Jacoby Ellsbury or Aaron Hicks for the Yankees with the never-healing injury? Vac: When he’s right, there are few Yankees I enjoy watching more than him, so I sure hope not. Joe Benigno: You know I love ya, bro, but you can’t leave Game 5 of the ’70 Finals off your list of best MSG finishes. Knicks came back against Wilt and the Lakers without Willis Reed. Best Knicks game I ever saw. Vac: I defer to the gentleman from New Jersey and ask for a do-over. @LGBrandon93: Had to mention one away win that we were reminded by the “Brunson Bounce” — the 1999 Allan Houston 1 over 8 bounce in Miami over the Heat. You always remember the good bounces. You forget the finger rolls! Vac: And that, in a nutshell, fairly summarizes sports. Walter Farley: Someone needs to tell the crowd that one can’t chant F-Embid at a game kids are attending. That’s a new low in taste. Vac: The Garden has a lot of wonderful traditions. This is not one of them, and it started with Trae Young a few years ago. We’re better than this. EVERY SUNDAY MIKE VACCARO RESPONDS TO READERS’ QUESTIONS AT [email protected] AND @MIKEVACC ON X Mike Vaccaro [email protected] OPEN MIKE FUN & GAMES HERE is a terrific hoops read for you, coming out this week: “Pipeline to the Pros: How D-3, Small-College Nobodies Rose to Rule the NBA” by Ben Kaplan and Danny Parkins. Trust me. ➤ Five weeks after he suffered a severe heart attack, Darryl Strawberry has received medical clearance to travel again, and he went back on the road this week to continue his ministry work. “I will take it easy though,” he says. “I need to be ready for my big day.” The Mets will retire his No. 18 on June 1. ➤ As happy as you were at any point this week, you couldn’t have been any happier than Patrick Mahomes the moment the Chiefs picked Xavier Worthy. ➤ I see some Philly folks trying to equate Joel Embiid’s takedown of Mitch Robinson with a similar move by Donte DiVincenzo against Kelly Oubre Jr. in a mini-brawl last month at the Garden. That’s like the deep thinkers who posted videos of David Wright sliding hard into Chase Utley the day after Utley almost murdered Ruben Tejada with a filthy take-out. SCREEN MACHINE: Boredom during COVID motivated Nick Cassano to start making funny videos. He became a social media sensation, even getting invited to the Diamondbacks camp (inset). Photos courtesy of Cassano Family; Arizona Diamondbacks

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 103 By ETHAN SEARS This series was waiting for Mathew Barzal to insert himself into the proceedings after three games in which the Islanders’ superstar produced just one point. Consider it done after a Game 4 in which Barzal scored a pair of goals, including the doubleovertime winner, changed the arc of the game and drove play all night on a first line that had its best game so far. “It’s tight out there. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a series where the checking is this tight on both sides, really,” Barzal said after the 3-2 victory pushed the series at least a couple of more days. “Every shift out there, our D, everyone, the checking, it’s on another level right now.” Barzal, who operates best in space, said he did not actively approach things differently in Game 4. But, thinking out loud, said that perhaps being down 3-0 created a different approach unto itself. “You almost can play a little more free because just the overall being down 3-0,” he said. This was on display with Barzal’s first goal when he unleashed a shot after entering the zone and cutting back along the right wall. That cutback is something Barzal does multiple times a game. Shooting it off the cutback is something he almost never does. “We were on him for that,” Anders Lee said. That goal, 10:10 into the second period, tied the game at 1-1 and opened things up for the Islanders, who had produced next to nothing through the opening 30 minutes. “I think he was attacking,” Lee said. “He can control the puck as well as anyone in this league, but when he takes it to the net or takes it around the corner or brings the puck in, he brings it to another level. Love to see him get rewarded for that, but also give himself a chance by putting some on the net tonight.” That is the sort of adjustment — just shooting the puck instead of playing for the perfect pass — the Islanders have wanted Barzal to make forever. It came Saturday, just in time. ➤ Matt Martin was out with a lower-body injury and called day-to-day. Ruslan Iskhakov drew into the lineup, playing 5:58 in his playoff debut and second NHL game as Roy went to the young Russian over the likes of Simon Holmstrom or Oliver Wahlstrom. “He did OK,” Roy said. “It was not easy coming in like this. For the bit he played, he gave us what we thought he was going to and I was very pleased with what I saw.” Right time to get off the Mat TWO-RIFFIC! Mathew Barzal’s winner in the second overtime was his second goal of Game 4 after a slow start to the series. Getty Images CAROLINA HURRICANES NEW YORK ISLANDERS ISLES NOTES

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 104 MATHEW BARZAL The individual effort on Barzal’s first goal — after he’d put together a quiet series to that point — was of the highest level. Then he doubled it by scoring the game-winner. H1 SEMYON VARLAMOV It was never a question that Varlamov would get the net in Game 4, but another outstanding effort from the netminder helped keep the Islanders in this one throughout as Varlamov stopped 42 shots. H2 JEAN-GABRIEL PAGEAU Pageau had yet to make his presence felt in the series after returning from injury in Game 2, but did so in the best possible way Saturday, scoring to make it 2-1 early in the third and going 19-for-23 at the dots. H3 POWER PLAYS By Ethan Sears THREE STARS KEY MOMENT Barzal’s goal midway through the second period saved this from being a quiet end to the Islanders’ season and got them enough momentum to extend the series to Game 5. EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND Game 1: Hurricanes 3, Islanders 1 Game 2: Hurricanes 5, Islanders 3 Game 3: Hurricanes 3, Islanders 2 Game 4: Islanders 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) Hurricanes lead series, 3-1 Tuesday: at Hurricanes, 7:30, TBS/Max Thursday*: at Hurricanes, TBD Saturday*: at’Hurricanes, TBD * if necessary THE SERIES USA Today Sports QUOTE OF THE DAY “You have no idea how proud I am of this group.” — Patrick Roy By ETHAN SEARS To see how much the Islanders still believe in themselves, and to understand how much extending the season means to a group that has been through everything together, look no further than the mob scene that coalesced at the blue line at 5:40 p.m. Saturday. The Islanders, every one of them, spilled off the bench and surrounded Robert Bortuzzo, whose shot from the blue line was tipped in by Mathew Barzal 1:24 into the second overtime period to keep the season alive with a 3-2 victory. One giant group hug to propel them back to Raleigh, N.C., for Game 5 on Tuesday night. Only four other teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, but this 81:24 ulcer-inducing marathon of a hockey game has the Islanders believing, even if nobody else does. “You have no idea how proud I am of this group,” coach Patrick Roy said. He later added: “It never really crossed my mind that’d be the end of our season.” “Great shot by Bobby, trying to find it at an area where there are some bodies,” Barzal said following a starring two-goal performance. “Lucky bounce.” “It’s hard to explain, really,” Anders Lee said. “Season’s on the line. And we laid it all out there.” Stefan Noesen tied the game for Carolina on a power-play goal with just under six minutes left in regulation to send the game to overtime and it felt like you could write the script of heartbreak from there. But the Islanders delivered their fans a core memory instead. Both teams retreated into conservatism during a high-tension first extra period, playing dumpand-chase hockey with defensemen hanging back to avoid getting caught out. Semyon Varlamov and Frederik Andersen both stood up to what pressure came, with Andersen turning aside Lee’s twoon-one chance and Kyle Palmieri’s wraparound attempt and Varlamov stopping Andrei Svechnikov’s deflection late in the period. Finally, in double overtime, Barzal ended it. Barzal brought the building alive 10:10 into the second period with an individual effort to produce a goal and tie the game at 1-1 out of nowhere — cutting back along the right wall and ripping a shot from above the circle. Suddenly, the Islanders were defending with desperation and energy and with the crowd behind them. After a series of calls went against them late in the second, the Islanders finally got one at the period’s expiration as Sebastian Aho tripped Alexander Romanov. They took advantage in short order, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau jumping on Noah Dobson’s rebound 1:48 into the period for the Islanders’ first lead since Game 2, but handed it right back after Bortuzzo tripped Jaccob Slavin to set up Noesen’s tying goal. The 35-year-old Bortuzzo, a former Cup winner with the Blues, redeemed himself with a blast from the blue line that caught Barzal’s stick. “That line was flying all night, pushing their D back, so if you can support them, sometimes they over-backcheck,” Bortuzzo said. “That puck squirted out. Got some good wood on it. Obviously, got a fortunate bounce.” [email protected] NOT OVER YET MAT’S ALL, FOLKS: An exuberant Mathew Barzal celebrates after he tips in the puck for the game-winning goal in double-overtime Saturday afternoon to beat the Hurricanes. Michelle Farsi CAROLINA HURRICANES NEW YORK ISLANDERS ISLANDERS 3 HURRICANES 2 2OT, Sum., P. 91 By ETHAN SEARS The Islanders were one bad game from a goaltender away from a full-on crisis that might have even overshadowed the end of their season. But even as Ilya Sorokin’s struggles have relegated him to backup duties for the rest of the postseason, as long as it may go, Semyon Varlamov has not wavered one bit. Varlamov put together another strong and winning performance Saturday, stopping 42 of 44 shots on his birthday to help save the season in a 3-2 double-overtime victory over the Hurricanes to force Game 5 of the series Tuesday night. “He got himself a pretty nice birthday gift playing the way he played,” coach Patrick Roy said. “What I love about Varly right now, everything seems easy. He’s not over-moving. He’s square, he’s big in the net, he’s tough. To beat him, you need a good shot, you need a good play.” The only two times the Hurricanes beat Varlamov on Saturday came on power-play chances that were classified as high-danger by Natural Stat Trick. At even strength, despite 40 shots and seven high-danger chances, they couldn’t solve a netminder who was steady all afternoon, leaving no rebounds out for the picking. Even late in the first overtime period when the Hurricanes produced a pair of grade-A chances with Andrei Svechnikov deflecting a shot and Dmitry Orlov getting another in the ensuing scramble, Varlamov was nonplussed. “They’ve been playing the same way,” he said. “Aggressive team, very offensive team, playing fast. They play a lot on the power play. But gotta give our team a lot of credit today, battling all game and never giving up.” Semyon raises the Var’ with 42 saves

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 105 Blossom Ball 2024 FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2024 - 7PM- 11PM GOTHAM HALL, NEW YORK CITY Blossom Award BINDI IRWIN Wildlife conservationist and CEO of the Australia Zoo HONORING FOUNDERS MADELEINE K. RUDIN AYESHA SHAND PADMA LAKSHMI TAMER SECKIN, MD BENEFIT CHAIRS QR code to tickets Join us at the Blossom Ball to raise funds and awareness for endometriosis, a condition affecting 1 in 10 women in the U.S. and 200 million globally. Your attendance supports EndoFound's advocacy, education, and research efforts towards finding a cure. Enjoy an elegant evening with a cocktail hour, dinner, awards, auctions, and an after-party. Industry Award FEINSTEIN INSTITUTE ROSE STUDY Innovation Award NEXTGEN JANE Harry Reich Award PHILIPPE KONINCKX, MD, PHD JÖRG KECKSTEIN, MD ADVANCING THE SCIENCE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS 2024

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 106 WASHINGTON CAPITALS NEW YORK RANGERS Ending series early will be big help later By MOLLIE WALKER WASHINGTON — The Rangers have an opportunity to help themselves out on what they hope to be a long playoff run. Entering Game 4 of the first round against the Capitals on Sunday night at Capital One Arena, the Blueshirts will look to close out the series in as few games as possible for the first time since they defeated the Atlanta Thrashers in four in 2007. One more win separates the Rangers and a few days off to recuperate while the Hurricanes and Islanders finish their series, which is still ongoing after the latter staved off elimination with a 3-2 double-overtime victory in Game 4 on Saturday afternoon. “Any time the series goes later, it’s obviously more games, more stress, more on the body, so you always want to, I guess, close out as fast as you can,” captain Jacob Trouba said after an optional practice at Capital One Arena on Saturday. “That’s something that’s obviously not a given. They’re just going to come out and play like their lives are on the line. But yeah, the quicker we can try to get that fourth win, I think, is obviously better for the longevity of our bodies or how we’re feeling, get a little extra rest. “Two years ago, the seven-game series will pile up on you, so, yeah, obviously that’s a big factor, I think, to keep as fresh as we can, try to close out the series as fast as you can.” Running out of gas is what doomed the Rangers’ 2022 playoff run, when they had to fight through back-to-back seven-game series against the Penguins and the Hurricanes to qualify for an Eastern Conference final matchup with the Lightning. Tampa Bay had swept the Panthers in four and had over a week to rest as the Rangers finished up their series against Carolina. The Lightning were actually away from game action for so long that the Rangers went up 2-0 in the series and 2-0 in Game 3 before Tampa Bay flipped a switch and won out. ➤Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who was knocked out of Game 3 after absorbing a hard hit from Matt Rempe, didn’t skate Saturday and has already been ruled out for Game 4. Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen, the two Washington blueliners who have been sidelined with injuries through this series, participated in an optional Capitals practice Saturday in regular jerseys. They are expected to be game-time decisions again. Vincent Iorio, who Alexis Lafreniere bodied in Game 1 and couldn’t play in the next two games, skated in a non-contact jersey. RANGERS NOTES WASHINGTON — The NHL’s Public Enemy No. 1 took a seat in his stall in the back corner of the room following his team’s optional practice Saturday and drew chuckles from the assembled audience by spinning a tale about being killed 68 times in Halo by Chris Kreider following the previous night’s Game 3. The Rempe Police probably would have been horrified by the scene. The vigilant constables want this 6-foot-8¹/2 menace in cuffs. They think he is too big. They think he hits too hard. They think the Rangers should not be allowed to have a player like this who does not assume the position just because that’s the way it’s always kind of been done. It’s unfortunate that Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an injury on the hit he took from Rempe that was called interference midway through the first period, but the blow in fact was probably legal — and hardly venal. It happens all the time with a player taking a hit a half-second after releasing the puck, but it’s not routine for that hit to be delivered by a player of that size and who skates with that force. That hit, in fact, is The Rempe and doing The Rempe has the Rangers up 3-0 in their first-round series seeking to complete the sweep over the Caps and move on to Round 2. The series has been less a demonstration of sheer skill than focused will for the Presidents’ Trophy winners, who have maintained their attention through a 180- minute taffy pull in which time and space has expectedly been at a premium. Remember when it appeared it might be too risky for head coach Peter Laviolette to have Rempe in the lineup for the playoffs if No. 73 were picking up undisciplined penalties and couldn’t be trusted on the ice? The Rangers have won their last 12 games with Rempe in the lineup. The Rangers are 17-2-1 overall with Rempe in the lineup since he made his debut in the outdoor game Feb. 18. There is value there and it is palpable and the Rangers are riding his wave. “If you’ve watched him from when he first got here to now, even when he practices with us, it’s just completely different,” Laviolette said. “There’s lots of things he brings to the table so we need to make sure he’s on the ice as well. “He’s been a really effective player for us. He’s elevating his game. He’s done it on through his physicality, he’s done it with fighting when he’s had to. There are a lot of conversations that go with Matt. He’s a great young kid, a great young player at the beginning of his career. “We’re constantly talking to him and staying with him, communicating with him. I think he can continue to develop.” Rempe said he watches all of his hits. The 21-year-old emphasized the importance of remaining compact and keeping his elbow tucked. He broke down the check on van Riemsdyk and called it “clean, went through his body,” while expressing regret for the injury, saying, “Obviously, I don’t want to see anyone get hurt, that’s terrible. “I want to be very physical. It’s a staple of my game,” he said. “I can skate good and get in there on the forecheck and make those checks. That’s what I’ve got to do.” Rempe fought three times in his first four NHL games, five in his first seven after having been invited to dance by some of the league’s most notorious throwers of haymakers. There was Matt Martin, there was Nicolas Deslauriers, there was Ryan Reaves. The Rangers freshman was going through a rite of passage. But the need for that from Rempe has kind of passed and he knows it. He has fought only once in his last 13 contests, that the April 3 appointment bout with Kurtis MacDermid that became part of a line brawl. The young man no longer accepts all invitations. He turned away from Dylan McIlrath toward the end of Game 1 when the defenseman challenged Rempe. He incensed (the always level-headed) Tom Wilson when he wouldn’t drop the gloves with No. 43 after the blow sent van Riemsdyk to the room. Wah! “I think it’s a learning process,” Rempe said, “because now I’m trying to pick my spots, trying to gain momentum. ‘Are we up, what’s the series like, is that needed there?’ It’s that type of thing. “It’s hard to say no sometimes if that makes sense, but I’m learning. I’ve got to pick my spots. Our job as a team is to win and I’ve got to make sure I do right by the team, always.” Rempe is aware of the noise he has created across the continent. He is good with the good, he is good with the bad. He is Content Rempe living the life. He is the kind of force who always wound up playing for the Broad Street Bullies or the Big Bad Bruins but has somehow landed on Broadway. No one, but no one, in New York feels the slightest need to apologize for it. [email protected] Larry Brooks Rempe may be a villain elsewhere — but not NY

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 107 WASHINGTON CAPITALS NEW YORK RANGERS By MOLLIE WALKER WASHINGTON — Jacob Trouba, standing at the podium with the Stanley Cup playoffs logo as a backdrop behind him, painted a picture of this Rangers team. A real-life picture, if you will, of how the Blueshirts have operated all season long under a glaring spotlight that followed them from their firstround exit in last year’s playoffs and through their Presidents’ Trophy-winning 2023-24 campaign. “All the noise outside doesn’t always come in,” the Rangers captain said. “I think [after Game 3] we were at the hotel just hanging out talking, no one’s really talking about [Matt Rempe’s hit] or hockey or anything that really goes into that. It’s just friends hanging out being together, and a lot of the outside noise, I guess, just stays outside. “You can see it as much as you want, but don’t go on social media, don’t read a bunch. Just go about your business playing your game and maybe try to keep the tight-knit team together hanging out and not really letting that stuff creep in.” The Rangers will go for the Capitals’ jugular Sunday night, when they will have their first opportunity to close out the first round and complete their first four-game sweep in 17 years. Everyone and their mothers have had an opinion on the Rangers this season. Were they really the best team in the NHL? Are they just a product of their goaltending and special teams? How do they really stack up against the league’s upperechelon of teams? Well, the Rangers have certainly reaffirmed their position through their first three games of the postseason, outscoring the Capitals 11-5 and maintaining a high compete level that has prevented Washington from threatening in this series. None of it would be possible without a certain attitude, a certain perception of themselves as a team, and what it will take to get to where they want to go. So when word is that they’re playing a bad Capitals team that may or may not deserve to be in the playoffs, the Rangers can’t hear it. And with half the hockey world up in arms over the way Rempe bashed Trevor van Riemsdyk into the boards, knocking the Capitals defenseman out for the remainder of Game 3 and now Game 4, while the other half celebrated the 6-foot-8 ½ forward, the Rangers aren’t listening. “I try to stay off social media,” Rempe said. “I was playing ‘Halo’ with [Chris Kreider] and them last night. First time I ever played that. I got killed 68 times. It was a bad performance. Very, very bad performance.” Rempe knows his job is to finish hits, and the Rangers as a whole know their job is to win games. If there were ever a regular-season mindset to carry over, it was the Rangers’ this season. It’s worked for seven months, dating back to Day 1 of training camp. The Rangers have a job to finish now, and they have their heads in the right space to do it. “I think we just stay focused on the game,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “I think we’ve done a good job of that down the stretch in the regular season and the playoffs. We just stay current in the day, and whatever is going to happen is going to happen when it’s going to happen. “Just worry about tomorrow, take care of tomorrow, do the work tomorrow and get ready for tomorrow.” [email protected] EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND Game 1: Rangers 4, Capitals 1 Game 2: Rangers 4, Capitals 3 Game 3: Rangers 3, Capitals 1 Rangers lead series, 3-0 Sunday: at Capitals, 8:00, MSG, TBS, TruTV, Max Wednesday*: at Rangers, TBD Friday*: at Capitals, TBD May 5*: at Rangers, TBD * if necessary Rangers vs. Caps PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Matt Rempe, all smiles at Saturday’s optional practice, leveled Washington’s Trevor van Riemsdyk (top left) with a brutal hit in Friday’s Rangers victory that moved his team one win away from sweeping the Capitals out of the first round. Jason Szenes (2) Rangers keep eyes on prize Blueshirts are focused on sweep, not outside noise

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 108 I N 2024, I VERY much want to do what’s right by society and humanity. If only I had a copy of the plan, the instructions manual. As our nation continues to plummet into a conflagration of senseless divisiveness, our most authoritative leaders feed the dissent with a pile of hypocritical, pandering, and often gutless decisions and messages that best serve blind wishfulness. And there’s no greater misdirected, faux populist, transparent frightened fool than the NFL’s $70 million-plus a year flip-flopper Roger Goodell. Thursday, the NFL draft opened with a now common Goodell additive: two national anthems, the unofficial “black national anthem,” a pretty song that has no nationalistic or patriotic content, followed by the official U.S. national anthem, which from its start celebrates the second survival of the nascent United States from tyrannical British rule. So how can one possibly not conclude that Goodell supports racial segregation in the form of two, distinct national anthems — one for black Americans, the other for mostly white Americans. How does that, as Goodell’s conspicuous annual end zone messages declare, “End Racism”? It only divides our races, a return to water fountains designating race among the thirsty and “separate but equal” legislation that furthered segregation. It only serves to put a fresh coat of pain on a house divided. In-stadium or out, Goodell should at least provide some practical guidance as to how the two national anthems are designed to be heard and observed — at least before the drunken brawls and excessive on-field brutality begins. For example, should white folks stand for the black national anthem? Or would they be accused of appropriating a song now specifically assigned to be sung and respected by blacks? But then would it be disrespectful for whites to not stand for the black version. Help all of us on this, Roger. This is where you have placed us. And what of the opening verse of the War of 1812 version, the one once presumed to belong and be sung by us all? Is that now for whites only? If blacks stand during it, let alone sing it, do they risk being called Uncle Toms or supporters of Jim Crow laws? Guide us on this, Roger. Seriously. Do I remove my cap for both? You are allowing it to be sustained. And for how long? Which one is whose national anthem? For protesters, which knee should whites take, which should blacks take? Or are all knees created equal? Put it this way, Rog, the day is coming when I’ll be at a game or event and have to figure out what to do, how to act to not hurt the feelings of anyone. Maybe I’ll just float around in the corridors until the anthem or anthems are over. THERE may be no money to pay the profs, heat the dorms or buy a mop to clean the classroom floors, but there’s always a pile of dough for sports — even those that don’t produce revenue. Watching the Kentucky-South Carolina SEC men’s tennis championships on ESPN on Saturday, I was drawn to the teams’ rosters in search of rooting interests, perhaps a local player. Among South Carolina’s crew was one each from Brazil, Australia, England, Wales and Scotland. Kentucky had three recruits from Montreal, one from Ontario, one from New Zealand and one from Scotland. The venue in Baton Rouge, La., was mostly empty. ➤How long before Juan Soto’s self-affectionate, home-plate posing — the kind annually indulged and even excused by Aaron Boone — will cost the Yankees a game or two. “He thought it was out” is now a legitimate defense. ➤I’ve wondered how Nike execs feel when everyone from “Death to America!” demonstrators to illegal migrants to murder suspects in perp walks are seen with Nike swooshes across their chests. Why do I feel that based on their marketing campaigns — and unless the garb are knock-offs — they’re quietly thrilled. ➤If you ever need to kill some time, tune to MLB Network and watch the daily scroll of freshly disabled pitchers. ➤Texas defensive end T’Vondre Sweat, projected by some to be an early draft pick, was arrested this month for DWI. Timing is everything. ➤A quick shot on goal during Thursday’s Hurricanes-Islanders on ESPN2 was completely hidden behind one of those absurd power-play name plates that ESPN has mindlessly added. In other words, what normally would have been tough to see became impossible to see. But that’s ESPN! ➤Given that Trevor Immelman has added almost nothing to CBS’ golf coverage, one wonders if he’d have been hired had he not had a South African accent to replace Nike Faldo’s British accent. ➤So recently departed Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made good on this promise to have a 15-0 tattoo burned into his arm if the Wolverines finished 15-0. Reader Vinny Mooney: “I guess, ‘Three years probation’ wouldn’t fit.” [email protected] College tennis has global flavor HAVING been told by ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network that Giants first-round pick, LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, was an across-theboard A-plus selection, I hardly expected any of those drum-bangers to mention Nabers’ arrest at age 19 for carrying a gun in his waistband as he walked Bourbon Street. The charge was dropped on the condition that the gun not be returned to Nabers — gee, that’s a harsh penalty! — and according to the Orleans Parish DA’s office, “based on the lack of a previous criminal background and the individual currently being enrolled in college.” And as we all know, LSU football is a no-nonsense, academics-first program, no need to even know why a star receiver was carrying a gun in his waistband. Last year another 19- year-old LSU footballer, running back Treyvion Antwan Holly, was charged with attempted second-degree murder after the shooting of two people on a public roadway. He was indicted for the lesser charge of felony possession of weapons. He claims total innocence and is currently suspended from the team. Regardless, LSU football annually donates more than its fair share to NCAA arrest totals. Smooth sailing, Malik Nabers. I wish you well with the Giants. But I don’t like chasing stories that already come with a warning. ➤There is a new New York Lottery commercial airing that features all the fun stuff that can be witnessed when traveling the NYC subway system. It begins with a shadylooking dude on a subway throwing and kicking karate moves, followed by a bunch of freaky freaks. Clever, eh? It’s supposed to appear comical, even clever, but one is left to ask whether the producers of this ad know what the hell’s going on here. ➤ With the 76ers down two games to zip in the playoffs Thursday night, why did Sixers star Joel Embiid, start to finish, appear so eager to be ejected for rotten conduct? His behavior would have been mind-blowing if it were not unexpected in big NBA and NFL games. EQUAL TIME Phil Mushnick Giants arm themselves with LSU wide receiver SAY, CAN YOU SING? Fans at the NFL draft in Detroit on Thursday stand during one of the two national anthems that play at NFL events under the watch of commissioner Roger Goodell (left) — the original “StarSpangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the unofficial black national anthem. USA TODAY Sports (2)

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 109 Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu was selected with the No. 11-overall pick by the Jets to firm up the O-line. The new addition blocked out some time for a Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: Did you watch opening night last year when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon? A: I didn’t watch it live, but I saw clips of it. Q: What did you think when you watched it? A: I was just like, “Dang.” ... I feel like as a football player in general, working your tail off all offseason, OTAs and training camp, and to go out there like early in the game and for yourself to sustain an injury like that after working your tail off all summer, I mean, you just gotta feel for the guy. Q: You haven’t spoke to him have you? A: He actually did reach out to me [by text Thursday] night. Q: What was his message? A: Just super-excited to see me, and just can’t wait to get to work. Q: What is that feeling like when you’re able to impose your will on another man? A: It’s definitely like a rush of adrenaline. It’s the Joe Moore quote: “There’s no greater feeling than moving a man from Point A to Point B against his will.” That’s all what offensive line play is about, just like you said, imposing your will on another man against their will, so to get opportunities like that, that’s why I love the game of football. Q: Why is Giants tackle Andrew Thomas such a big favorite of yours? A: I love the way he plays. He’s very explosive, gets off the ball really quick. But most importantly, I think why I like watching his film so much just because his story as an offensive lineman and an incoming rookie is like very motivational. Andrew Thomas, one of the best tackles in the game right now, but coming into the league, he didn’t have the best rookie year, and he faced a lot of criticism from that, and I just find it really impressive how he was able to channel all that criticism in focusing on his game and developing. Now he’s learned from it, and now he’s one of the best players in the league. As an offensive lineman, it’s definitely motivational to see that. Q: Might you reach out to him about to how handle the New York market? A: It’d probably be a good resource to, so yeah, I could see myself doing that. Q: Do you know who D’Brickashaw Ferguson is? A: Yes sir. ... He’s in the Jets’ Ring of Honor (chuckle). Q: You remind me of him a little bit. A: I appreciate it. That’s definitely a compliment (laugh). Q: Have you ever watched film of him? A: Very, very little. Honestly, I’ve heard of him growing up, but then I was reminded of him during my top-30 visit, so after my top-30 visits, I was trying to find some clips of him, so I was able to watch a little bit of film. Q: Who are some offensive tackles who remind you of you? A: I would say definitely Tyron Smith. First off, just build-wise. Very long and lean, taller, long arms, and just the way he plays, the way he uses his hands in the passing game, and in the run game with his hand placement, I feel like it’s very similar to myself. In terms of just hand placement, also Rashawn Slater on the Chargers, I feel like we have a couple of the same techniques. Q: What was Caleb Williams like in the huddle at Gonzaga College High in D.C.? A: During our championship game in my junior year, it was already a crazy game, we were down 20-0 in the first quarter, then we came back. We got the lead in the last minute of the fourth quarter, and we thought we were gonna win. Then in the last 15 seconds, the other team returned a kickoff for a touchdown to take back the lead. We were all devastated, a couple of guys in the huddle were crying. I was just silent, I was like “Dang.” Like we’re gonna lose the game. Then Caleb came in, he’s like, “All right fellas, we got like 10 seconds left, let’s see what we can do.” He can make something of nothing. It was a regular kickoff, probably had the ball at the 25-yard line, he threw an out route to our running back to get us on the minus-40. Then in the last seconds of the game, he threw a Hail Mary and one of our receivers caught the ball as time expired, and we won the championship. Q: What criticism has bothered you? A: In all honesty, I don’t like to read articles about myself, good or bad, just because, for me, in football, I heavily value the opinions of the people I work with — coaches, staff and most importantly teammates. I don’t really know what the media has to say about me (chuckle). Q: People were talking about your hand size. A: It’s something I can’t really control, I think I just have smaller hands for an offensive lineman. Although people might criticize me for that, I don’t think that’s affected my play at all, just because the way I think about it, just because my hands are smaller doesn’t mean that my target is any smaller. If anything, it might be harder for D-linemen to try to swipe my hands. It’s never been a detriment in my game. Q: How much do holding penalties tick you off ? A: (Smile) A lot. Thankfully I haven’t had too many. But the ones I’ve gotten I’ve felt that they were a little bit unfair, but it’s kind of just how the game is. Q: What adjectives would you use to describe yourself off the field? A: I would say introverted. When I need to talk I’ll talk, but I like to keep my mouth shut. Just chill out. ... I don’t know you’d use a good listener as an adjective. Q: Five U.S. former presidents were once offensive linemen. Why do you think that is? A: Well, as an offensive lineman, I feel like there are a lot of characteristics that would be beneficial as a leader. No. 1, you have to be smart, you have to be very aware of everything in your surroundings and you have to be thoughtful and caring, and I feel like naturally as offensive linemen we have all of those qualities, so it really doesn’t surprise me that there have been five presidents in the past who have also been offensive linemen. Q: If you could go back in NFL history to test your skills against any pass rusher, who would it be? A: I’d keep it current right now, probably between Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons. Q: What about Lawrence Taylor? A: Yeah, I mean definitely Lawrence Taylor too. But I feel like — and obviously no disrespect to Lawrence Taylor — the game has evolved so much where like guys like Micah and Myles Garrett (chuckle), they’re just the product of the evolution of the game to have guys that big, be that fast and strong. Q: How proud of your Nigerian heritage are you? A: Extremely proud. Words can’t describe, because I feel like our culture, and the way that I was brought up and the way my sister was brought up, really helped us be as successful as we are. Q: Three dinner guests? A: LeBron James ... basketball idol growing up watching him dominate, win multiple rings, he’s always been the pinnacle of basketball for me, and growing up I played basketball; “The Rock” [Dwayne Johnson] and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. I know that I’d be entertained having dinner with The Rock and Steve Austin (smile). Q: Favorite movie? A: I actually just got a new one, “Dune [Part] 2.” Q: Favorite rapper? A: Gunna. Q: Favorite meal? A: Medium rare ribeye with roasted potatoes with garlic butter drizzled all over it all. Q: Personal goals? A: In all honesty, I’m not the most tangible person, so I think for me the biggest thing is that I just help this team win. And, I feel like, at the stage this team is in right now, it’s a very like win-now mentality, and I’m gonna do anything in my power to help this team win, help this team win games, help the team make the playoffs, win the division and all that, and I feel that once you achieve the team goals and team accolades, then eventually individual awards and accolades will fall after that. FASHANUOlu SERBY’S SUNDAY Q&A WITH ... Bill Kostroun

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 110 So, the Eagles, Chiefs and Ravens drafted well again. What else is new? Actually, a lot is new with the 2024 NFL Draft. A team that only made five picks and used one on a punter aced the draft. A couple teams usually found at the bottom of the draft rankings and the season standings came away with impressive hauls. And the Rams — who usually are an afterthought during the first round of the draft — set an early tone for a strong class. Here are The Post’s immediate 2024 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams, with a curve instituted for the first-, secondand third-round picks, and an emphasis on quality and value: BUFFALO BILLS Key Picks: Keon Coleman (WR, Florida State), Cole Bishop (S, Utah), DeWayne Carter (DT, Duke), Ray Davis (RB, Kentucky) Analysis: Not only did the Bills trade out of the first round, they allowed the rival Chiefs to land speedy WR Xavier Worthy. Better hope Coleman — the first pick of the second round — can step into Stefon Diggs’ shoes and Bishop can step into Jordan Poyer’s. MIAMI DOLPHINS Key Picks: Chop Robinson (EDGE, Penn State), Patrick Paul (OT, Houston), Jaylen Wright (RB, Tennessee) Analysis: Of course, the blazing fast Wright went to the speed-obsessed Dolphins. Add some more 40-yard touchdowns. Paul thought he was going to be a first-rounder — few agreed, so that could leave a chip on his shoulder. The athletic Robinson gets pressures, not sacks. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Key Picks: Drake Maye (QB, North Carolina), Ja’Lynn Polk (WR, Washington), Caedan Wallace (OT, Penn State), Javon Baker (WR, UCF) Analysis: With a solid defense in place for new defensive-minded head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots used their first five picks on offense, following the rookie QB blueprint with pass catchers and blockers. Maye needs some mechanical refining but has a high ceiling. NEW YORK JETS Key Picks: Olu Fashanu (OT, Penn State, Malachi Corley (WR, Western Kentucky), Braelon Allen (RB, Wisconsin), Jordan Travis (QB, Florida State) Analysis: Protection for Aaron Rodgers, playmaker for Aaron Rodgers. Why not? Fashanu (right) is muchneeded insurance after the Jets used 16 offensive linemen last season. Corley, a yards-aftercatch machine, could be a Deebo Samuel light. They added a 2025 third-rounder but dealt starting DL John Franklin-Myers. C C+ BB+ BALTIMORE RAVENS Key Picks: Nate Wiggins (CB, Clemson), Adisa Isaac (EDGE, Penn State), Roger Rosengarten (OT, Washington), T.J. Tampa (CB, Iowa State) Analysis: Tampa fits the Baltimore Way — physicality and toughness — more than Wiggins. But Wiggins is a ballhawk who vowed to be the best cornerback in the first round after slipping to No. 30. Rosengarten helps after three-fifths of last year’s starting offensive line departed. CINCINNATI BENGALS Key Picks: Amarius Mims (OT, Georgia), Kris Jenkins (DT, Michigan), Jermaine Burton (WR, Alabama), McKinnley Jackson (DT, Texas A&M) Analysis: Mims (seven career starts) and Jenkins (29 consecutive starts) are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Bengals can allow Mims to develop behind Trent Brown while their other high picks contribute right away. Burton adds vertical speed to a dynamic passing attack. CLEVELAND BROWNS Key Picks: Michael Hall Jr. (DT, Ohio State), Zak Zinter (G, Michigan) Analysis: With only two picks in the first four rounds, it seems risky to use one on a reach (Hall) and one on a first-round talent (Zinter) who broke his tibia and fibula in November. The Browns like young draft picks, and Hall is only 20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS Key Picks: Troy Fautanu (OL, Washington), Zach Frazier (C, West Virginia), Roman Wilson (WR, Michigan), Payton Wilson (LB, North Carolina State), Mason McCormick (G, South Dakota State) Analysis: For the first time since 1976, the Steelers used three of their first five picks on the offensive line to protect sackprone QB Russell Wilson. Both Wilsons in their draft class went later than expected. Payton Wilson was voted the nation’s defensive player of the year. ABD+ A HOUSTON TEXANS Key Picks: Calen Bullock (S, USC), Kamari Lassiter (CB, Georgia), Blake Fisher (OT, Notre Dame) Analysis: The Texans made their big splash trading a first-round pick to the Vikings and flipping a second-round pick for WR Stefon Diggs. The first- and second-round double whammy in the secondary. Put Lassiter in the slot and Bullock in center field. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Key Picks: Laiatu Latu (EDGE, UCLA), Adonai Mitchell (WR, Texas), Matt Goncalves (OT, Pittsburgh) Analysis: GM Chris Ballard’s rant trashing anonymous sources knocking players was good TV. But can he explain why Mitchell slipped to No. 52 if those assessments about his attitude were wrong? Latu had 23.5 sacks in 25 games after a brief medical retirement (neck) that has to be a concern. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Key Picks: Brian Thomas Jr. (WR, LSU), Maason Smith (DT, LSU), Jarrian Jones (CB, Florida State) Analysis: The Calvin Ridley-less Jaguars failed to trade up for a top-three receiver, so they traded down and made Thomas WR4 in the first round. Smith is a firstround talent who was beset by injuries and a suspension. Maybe their scouts only saw LSU play? TENNESSEE TITANS Key Picks: JC Latham (OT, Alabama), T’Vondre Sweat (DT, Texas), Cedric Gray (LB, North Carolina) Analysis: A boom-or-bust class right from the top. Was Latham (right) a panic move after the Chargers surprisingly stayed at No. 5 and took Joe Alt? Sweat might have been available a round or two later because of character concerns. Bringing a known partygoer to Nashville is risky. CB C D+ DENVER BRONCOS Key Picks: Bo Nix (QB, Oregon), Jonah Elliss (EDGE, Utah), Troy Franklin (WR, Oregon) Analysis: Head coach Sean Payton’s overthe-top praise for Nix sounds like he is convincing himself that drafting the sixthrated quarterback on most teams’ boards at No. 12 was smart. No doubt pairing Nix with his favorite college receiver — after Franklin inexplicably fell to No. 102 — was smart. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Key Picks: Xavier Worthy (WR, Texas), Kingsley Suamataia (OT, BYU), Jaden Hicks (S, Washington State) Analysis: Worthy (right), the fastest player in NFL combine history, will be catching deep balls from Patrick Mahomes in short order. Suamataia was a polarizing prospect for scouts. There was chatter about Hicks going in the top 60 — and he fell to No. 133. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS Key Picks: Brock Bowers (TE, Georgia), Jackson Powers-Johnson (C, Oregon), Delmar Glaze (OT, Maryland) Analysis: It’s regrettable that the Raiders didn’t get one of the top six quarterbacks by staying at No. 13. The mistake is somewhat lessened by landing Bowers — positional value is overrated when it comes to potential greatness — and a potential long-term answer at center. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS Key Picks: Joe Alt (OT, Notre Dame), Ladd McConkey (WR, Georgia), Junior Colson (LB, Michigan), Tarheeb Still (CB, Maryland) Analysis: Thought Jim Harbaugh was going to load up on Michigan men? Well, he also loaded up on Michigan opponents. It’s a surprise that the Chargers didn’t trade down in the first round. Who is catching Justin Herbert’s passes without Keenan Allen and Mike Williams? CAB B+ AFC EAST AFC NORTH AFC SOUTH AFC WEST WHOMADE C+ A NFL DRAFT REPORT CARD By RYAN DUNLEAVY

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 111 DALLAS COWBOYS Key Picks: Tyler Guyton (OT, Oklahoma), Marshawn Kneeland (EDGE, Western Kentucky) Analysis: Trading down from No. 24 to No. 29 might have cost the Cowboys’ their preferred pick. Then owner Jerry Jones accidentally revealed his love for RB Jonathon Brooks, who the Panthers took. Kneeland was a Senior Bowl standout. NEW YORK GIANTS Key Picks: Malik Nabers (WR, LSU), Tyler Nubin (S, Minnesota), Andru Phillips (CB, Kentucky), Theo Johnson (TE, Penn State) Analysis: The five-year-long search for a game-breaking receiver is over. But Nabers comes at the cost of securing a new franchise quarterback after the Giants failed to trade into the top three. Both Nubin (13 career interceptions) and Phillips could be Week 1 starters. Johnson is a projection after minimal stats. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Key Picks: Quinyon Mitchell (CB, Toledo), Cooper DeJean (CB, Iowa), Jalyx Hunt (EDGE, Texas Christian), Will Shipley (RB, Clemson), Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (LB, Clemson) Analysis: This is called attacking a weakness. DeJean could’ve been the Eagles’ pick at No. 22. Instead, Mitchell — the first cornerback selected — slipped to No. 22 and the Eagles doubled down. DeJean and Shipley are both electric returners. Trotter’s father was an Eagles great. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS Key Picks: Jayden Daniels (QB, LSU), Jer’Zhan Newton (DT, Illinois), Mike Sainristil (CB, Michigan), Ben Sinnott (TE, Kansas State), Luke McCaffrey (WR, Rice) Analysis: The Commanders chose the Heisman-winning Daniels over Drake Maye at No. 2 overall. A failed effort to trade up for a first-rounder worked out: Newton is a firstround talent and Sainristil (only 5-foot-9) and Sinnott (fullback versatile) were two of many analysts’ favorite players. C+ BA A CHICAGO BEARS Key Picks: Caleb Williams (QB, USC), Rome Odunze (WR, Washington), Kiran Amegadjie (OT, Yale), Tory Taylor (P, Iowa) Analysis: Who needs quantity when you have quality? Odunze, Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore might be the NFL’s best receiver trio. And the off-script play-making, eccentric Williams should — should! — be the franchise quarterback the Bears have sought for 75 years. DETROIT LIONS Key Picks: Terrion Arnold (CB, Alabama), Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (CB, Missouri), Sione Vaki (RB/S, Utah) Analysis: One year after acing their draft with unconventional picks, the Lions focused on higher-value positions, including a trade up to steal Arnold, who was pushed down by the 14 straight offensive players at the start. Can Vaki continue playing two ways in the NFL? GREEN BAY PACKERS Key Picks: Jordan Morgan (OL, Arizona), Edgerrin Cooper (LB, Texas A&M), Javon Bullard (S, Georgia), Marshawn Lloyd (RB, USC), Ty’Ron Hopper (LB, Missouri) Analysis: The Packers rarely address offense in the first round, but Morgan still felt like a reach given concerns about his ability to handle power. Taking the first player at a position — as Cooper was — usually is a good idea. MINNESOTA VIKINGS Key Picks: J.J. McCarthy (QB, Michigan), Dallas Turner (EDGE, Alabama) Analysis: GM Kwesi AdofoMensah’s trade offer to get up to No. 3 was rejected. He played it patiently for McCarthy (right) — who steps into a great offensive situation — at No. 10 and traded up for maybe the draft’s best defensive player at No. 17. The lack of Day 2 picks hurts. A B B ATLANTA FALCONS Key Picks: Michael Penix Jr. (QB, Washington), DT Ruke Orhorhoro (DT, Clemson), Bralen Trice (EDGE, Washington) Analysis: What the heck? After luring Kirk Cousins in free agency, the Falcons picked Penix at No. 8. He will be 26 before he is really an option to start. Orhorhoro was overdrafted in the top 40. At least Trice addressed a weak pass rush for a team with playoff hopes. CAROLINA PANTHERS Key Picks: Xavier Legette (WR, South Carolina), Trevin Wallace (LB, Kentucky), Jonathon Brooks (RB, Texas), Ja’Tavion Sanders (TE, Texas) Analysis: The Panthers salvaged what they could after a March 2023 trade cost them the No. 1-overall pick. The primary goal had to be to surround QB Bryce Young with better playmakers after his disappointing rookie season. Mission accomplished. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Key Picks: Taliese Fuaga (OT, Oregon State), Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB, Alabama), Spencer Rattler (QB, South Carolina) Analysis: Maybe no team had a bigger need than the Saints had at offensive tackle. The nasty Fuaga (right) steps right in. McKinstry slipped because of a Jones fracture in his foot but was a preseason top-12 draft talent. Rattler was the first post-first-round QB (at No. 150 overall). TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Key Picks: Graham Barton (OL, Duke), Chris Braswell (EDGE, Alabama), Tykee Smith (S, Georgia), Jalen McMillan (WR, Washington), Bucky Irving (RB, Oregon) Analysis: After three years at left tackle, Barton will be asked to move back to his freshman position of center. Braswell made just two career college starts but had an eight-sack season in 2023. McMillan outperformed No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze in 2022. D C B+ C+ ARIZONA CARDINALS Key Picks: Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR, Ohio State), Darius Robinson (EDGE, Missouri), Max Melton (CB, Rutgers), Trey Benson (RB, Florida State), Isaiah Adams (G, Illinois), Tip Reiman (TE, Illinois), Elijah Jones (CB, Boston College) Analysis: The first team to make seven of the first 90 picks since the Cowboys in their transformative 1991 class. Harrison (right) was the consensus best nonquarterback prospect in the class. Robinson and the late-riser Melton should compete for immediate starting jobs. LOS ANGELES RAMS Key Picks: Jared Verse (DE, Florida State), Braden Fiske (DT, Florida State), Blake Corum (RB, Michigan), Kamren Kinchens (S, Miami) Analysis: In the post-Aaron Donald world, the Rams must’ve spent a lot of time on Florida State tape. Verse — the Rams’ first first-round pick since 2016 — is an explosive pass rusher. Fiske put on an athletic display at the NFL combine. It’s a high-energy combination. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Key Picks: Ricky Pearsall (WR, Florida), Renardo Green (CB, Florida State), Dominick Puni (OL, Kansas) Analysis: WR Brandon Aiyuk remains a 49er — and remains in a contract standoff. He and Pearsall are former college teammates. Green’s 2023 move from safety to cornerback really boosted his stock. Puni could be a five-position backup — not enough attention paid to the line. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Key Picks: Byron Murphy (DT, Texas), Christian Haynes (G, Connecticut) Analysis: The Seahawks traded their second-round pick in October for DT Leonard Williams (re-signed in free agency) and then added more interior pass rush with Murphy. Haynes (more than 3,300 career snaps) brought scouts out to watch a dreadful UConn program. A AC+ C B+ NFC EAST NFC NORTH NFC SOUTH NFC WEST THE GRADE? D AEG A AP (6); USA Today Sports (2)

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 112 BRAELON ALLEN Pick: Fourth round, No. 134 overall Position: RB | School: Wisconsin Height: 6-1 | Weight: 235 Skinny: The Jets landed a running back to complement Breece Hall. Allen rushed for 35 touchdowns in three years as a starter for the Badgers and is a big back who did not always run as physically as his size would indicate. JORDAN TRAVIS Pick: Fifth round, No. 171 overall School: Florida State Position: QB Height: 6-1 | Weight: 200 Skinny: A four-year starter at Florida State, Travis set the school record with 10,665 total yards and 99 total touchdowns. Travis was having a tremendous 2023 season (20 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) before he broke his left ankle, ending his season. ISAIAH DAVIS Pick: Fifth round, No. 173 overall School: South Dakota State Position: RB Height: 6-0 | Weight: 218 Skinny: The Jets added their second running back of the draft with Davis, who rushed for 1,578 yards and 18 touchdowns last year for the FCS national champion Jackrabbits. He should be an immediate contributor on special teams. QWAN’TEZ STIGGERS Pick: Fifth round, No. 176 overall Team: CFL Toronto Argonauts Position: CB Height: 5-11 | Weight: 204 Skinny: Stiggers walked away from football in 2020 after his father died. He played semi-pro ball in Fan Controlled Football in 2022 then went to the Canadian Football League in 2023, where he had five interceptions. An intriguing, raw prospect. JAYLEN KEY Pick: Seventh Round, Pick No. 257 School: Alabama | Position: S Height: 6-foot | Weight: 208 Skinny: Key becomes the latest “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last pick in the draft. Key played one season at Alabama after beginning his career at UAB. He had four interceptions in college and should be a special teams contributor early on for the Jets. — Brian Costello Meet the Jets AP By BRIAN COSTELLO On the third day of the draft, the Jets took a swing on a quarterback. The team selected Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis with pick No. 171 after making a trade with the Eagles to move up. Travis is an intriguing developmental player for the Jets. He was a fouryear starter for the Seminoles before his career ended with a broken leg last season. “It’s a freaking dream come true,” an emotional Travis said. “It still hasn’t hit me yet. My emotions are kind of everywhere right now. Just to see the joy on my family’s face, man. It’s been such a journey and to get where we are today is just such a blessing. I’m looking forward to getting ready to work, learn from those guys ahead of me and meet my teammates. That’s the most important thing first.” Travis is No. 1 in FSU history in total offense (10,665 yards) and total touchdowns (99). He is a dualthreat quarterback who can make plays with his legs as well as his arm. The Jets are not looking for a quarterback to play immediately. Travis will be able to sit and watch behind veterans Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor and the Jets can hope he develops down the line. “I can’t wait to meet Aaron and Tyrod and just pick their brains every single day, see how they treat their teammates, how they carry themselves off the field, on the field and just learn. I freaking can’t wait,” Travis said. The Jets traded picks 185 and 190 in the sixth round to move up to pick 171 and take Travis. “Jordan’s a dynamic player,” Jets general manager Joe Douglas said. “It was obviously a tough injury for him and the team last year. Dynamic player, he came on a 30 visit and just getting a chance to spend time with him, getting to know him as a person, he’s a special guy. You can see why teammates gravitate toward him and why he’s one of the more respected guys when you talk to other players at Florida State.” This is the first time the Jets have selected a quarterback since taking Zach Wilson with the No. 2-overall pick in 2021. The selection of Travis was the highlight of a Day 3 that featured four trades of draft picks by Douglas and another trade of a player — defensive end John FranklinMyers. In all, Douglas made seven trades during this draft. The Jets drafted five straight offensive players to begin this draft before ending it with two defensive players. Douglas opened the day by trading down three times before taking Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen. The Jets began the day with three fourth-round picks. They traded pick No. 111 to the Packers in exchange for picks No. 126 (fourth round) and No. 190 (sixth round). Douglas then sent pick No. 126 to the Lions in exchange SHATTERED DREAMS: Florida State’s championship aspirations came to a halt after Jordan Travis broke his left leg against North Alabama on Nov. 18. Travis — selected by the Jets with the No. 171 pick on Saturday — is No. 1 in FSU history in total offense (10,665 yards) and total touchdowns (99). Getty Images; AP

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 113 for a 2025 third-round pick. He then traded pick No. 129 to the 49ers in exchange for two fifthround picks this year (picks No. 173 and No. 176). Douglas later traded up to get Travis. The quarterback was having a monster season for the Seminoles, with 20 touchdowns and two interceptions, before breaking his leg in November. “It’s been a grind but I love it,” Travis said of rehabbing the injury. “I love this type of stuff. I love having to wake up every single day and make a decision, make a choice who I’m going to be every single day. I just love the work and I love seeing improvement every single day.” Travis said he is not sure exactly when he will be back on the field, but he described the player the Jets are getting. “A playmaker,” he said. “I’d say that’s the main thing. I make plays when everything breaks down. I’m just a baller. I’m a competitor. Every single time I get on the field I want to dominate the guy across from me. And a winner. That’s the main thing for me. Throughout my career, I fell in love with winning so much. I hate losing, so I’ll do everything in my power to win.” The Jets also drafted South Dakota State running back Isaiah Davis and cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers, both in the fifth round. They drafted Alabama safety Jayden Key with the final pick of the draft in the seventh round. [email protected] Stiggers takes roundabout route to NFL By BRIAN COSTELLO The Jets drafted one of the best stories of the 2024 NFL Draft in the fifth round Saturday. The team selected cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers with pick No. 176, the last of three fifthround picks they made. Stiggers did not play college football. He comes to the NFL after one season in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts and four years after he walked away from football. Stiggers is the third player taken in the common draft era who did not attend college. He is the first player drafted from the CFL without attending college. After graduating from B.E.S.T. Academy in Atlanta, Stiggers planned on playing at Lane College in Tennessee. COVID hit in 2020 and canceled the season. Then, in September 2020, his father, Rayves Harrison, died after being in a coma for seven months following a car accident. Stiggers decided to stop playing football. “When I decided to put a pause on football, it was to focus on my mental health,” Stiggers said. “I feel like mental health was part of my journey of how I got here. It’s just believing in those who believe in you.” He worked several jobs before his mother, Kwanna Stiggers, saw something about a 7-on-7 semipro league called Fan Controlled Football. Qwan’Tez was convinced to try it and that led to a season with the Argonauts in the CFL. He had five interceptions and was named Most Outstanding Rookie. “I was just looking for an opportunity,” Stiggers said. “It ended up being more than an opportunity. It ended up being a life-changing year for me where I could chase my dreams to go to the NFL.” His CFL season put him on the NFL radar and he participated in the East-West Game and then teams began to look at him seriously. The Jets were one of those teams. By BRIAN COSTELLO The Jets to Denver pipeline is flowing. Gang Green traded John Franklin-Myers to the Broncos on Saturday in exchange for a 2026 sixthround pick. The trade comes less than a week after the Jets traded quarterback Zach Wilson to the Broncos. Franklin-Myers, 27, had been with the Jets since 2019 when the team claimed him off waivers from the Rams. He started 52 games over the past four seasons. He had 3 ½ sacks last season and 33 tackles. He has a combined 17 ½ sacks over the past four years. This was a financial decision for the Jets. Franklin-Myers was set to make $13.3 million in base salary in 2024 and carry a salary cap number of $16.4 million. By trading him, the Jets cleared $7.3 million in cap space and they save the cash that he was due this season. He leaves behind a dead money charge of $9 million. After the team traded for Haason Reddick and his $15 million salary cap number, the Jets felt they had to move on from Franklin-Myers. They gave Franklin-Myers and his agent permission to seek a trade several weeks ago and it came to fruition Saturday. “That was a difficult one,” Douglas said. “When we made the trade for Haason, we knew it was going to be next to impossible to keep JFM at his salary.” ESPN reported that Franklin-Myers agreed to a new two-year, $15 million contract with the Broncos that includes $10 million guaranteed. Douglas said the gap was too wide for the Jets to renegotiate his deal. “Denver got a hell of a player,” Douglas said. Jets coach Robert Saleh cited the loss of Franklin-Myers’ leadership as tough for the defense to deal with. “It’s going to be tough,” Saleh said. “We love the guys that we have in our room. Obviously, JFM with his leadership and all that stuff, it’s going to be sorely missed.” The departure of Franklin-Myers could lead to more playing time for Will McDonald, the team’s first-round pick from a year ago. ➤The Jets traded away one 2021 first-round pick this week, but they made a move to keep another around longer. The team has decided to exercise the fifth-year option on guard Alijah Vera-Tucker’s contract, Douglas announced Saturday. Vera-Tucker was drafted No. 14 overall in 2021. He has been a high-level player when healthy but has suffered season-ending injuries in back-to-back years in October. That was the only reason picking up the option was even a question. Vera-Tucker is recovering from surgery to repair his Achilles tendon but is expected to be ready for the season. After moving around the offensive line in the last two years, the plan is for him to only play right guard this season. END OF THE LINE: Former Jets defensive end John Franklin-Myers (91) was traded to the Broncos on Saturday. The Jets received a 2026 sixthround pick in return. Robert Sabo Franklin-Myers dealt to Denver for 2026 pick

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 114 Meet the Giants THEO JOHNSON Pick: Fourth round, No. 107 overall Position: TE | School: Penn State Height: 6-6 | Weight: 259 Skinny: Big-time athletic specimen with great height and heft. He can also run fast for such a big guy — 4.47 in the 40-yard dash. Can also block, but did not show he could be much of a down-the-field threat in college. He did catch seven touchdown passes in 2023 and should be an effective red-zone and end-zone target, based on his size. He is the replacement on the roster if Darren Waller retires. TYRONE TRACY JR. (above) Pick: Fifth round, No. 166 overall Position: RB | School: Purdue Height: 5-11 | Weight: 209 Skinny: At 24, an older-than-usual rookie after spending six years in college, the first four as a wide receiver at Iowa and the past two converted to running back at Purdue. Figures to be given a long look as a kick returner, based on his experience and ability with the ball in his hands. Catching passes out of the backfield is a strong suit and could be used on gadget plays. DARIUS MUASAU Pick: Sixth round, No. 183 overall Position: LB | School: UCLA Height: 6-0 | Weight: 225 Skinny: Remarkably durable, with 62 college games on his résumé. Spent three years at Hawaii and put together back-to-back seasons with more than 100 tackles. Two-year starter at UCLA. Has five career interceptions. Will see plenty of practice snaps on special teams. — Paul Schwartz Getty Images By PAUL SCHWARTZ Theo Johnson, the new towering tight end for the Giants, believes after he puts the work in, he will be a nightmare for opponents to deal with. “I think I give defenses a real problem because I have the speed and also the sheer size and power and when you have both of those as a tight end, it makes it really hard to defend,’’ Johnson said Saturday. “Because I can get up in your body and create separation or use my speed or use both. That’s gonna give a lot of people challenges when it comes to defending me.’’ The Giants hope the rookie’s words become prescient. What was not a need turned into one because of an unsettled situation. The status of Darren Waller’s return is very much up in the air, so the Giants used their fourth-round pick in the NFL draft — No. 107 overall — to take Johnson, out of Penn State. Waller is contemplating retirement — it sure seems as if he is leaning that way — and the Giants are giving the veteran time and space to make the decision. That does not mean, though, that they were willing to sit back and wait and leave the position unattended. “We had to take [Waller’s status] into account, for sure,” general manager Joe Schoen said. Johnson, from Windsor, Ontario, is a physically-imposing athlete, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 259 pounds. “He’s a guy who [Friday night] when we left, he was sticking out for us,’’ Schoen said. “You’re always thinking when you come in the next morning he’s going to go sooner and may not be there. We were excited to get Theo.’’ His production at Penn State was nothing special — 77 receptions in four years, for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns. He did have seven touchdown catches in 2023 in a subpar Nittany Lions passing attack. He is so big, fast enough and possessing an expansive catch radius that he could develop into a legitimate target for Daniel Jones, or whoever else is throwing the ball and playing quarterback for the Giants. Johnson thought he would get taken on Day 2 of the draft but going to the Giants was not a stunner for him. He hit it off with Shea Tierney, the Giants quarterback coach, at the Senior Bowl, with Tierney serving as a head coach for one of the teams in Mobile, Ala. At Penn State, he worked with Christian Daboll — son of Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Christian Daboll is now a Giants offensive assistant. “It was clear this was definitely a potential landing spot for me,’’ Johnson said. The 31-year-old Waller, acquired prior to last season in a trade with the Raiders, did not contribute as expected in 2023, which likely will be his only year with the Giants. In 12 games — he missed time with a hamstring injury that plagued him with the Raiders — he had 52 receptions for 552 yards and only one touchdown. Waller, recently divorced from his wife of only one year, WNBA star Kelsey Plum, has said he does not know if he can give the commitment necessary to continuing his NFL career. Waller has been outspoken about his mental health and substance-abuse issues. Johnson, of course, is not privy to any details as to what is going on with Waller. Will they ever play together? “He’s someone who has really established himself in the league and I’m really looking forward to being in the same room as him and just hearing his wisdom from what he’s been through, not only in his career but his life,’’ Johnson said. “I’m really looking forward to being his teammate.’’ Johnson joins a tight end room that has plenty of bodies but no one player who is considered to be a difference-maker. Daniel Bellinger returns for his third year with the team and Lawrence Cager and Tyree Jackson are also on the roster. The Giants in free agency signed Chris Manhertz and Jack Stoll, but they are more stopgap options. Johnson is not reticent about extolling his virtues. He described his game as “gritty, explosive and powerful.’’ Growing up, he said he attracted comparisons to Tony Gonzalez, the Hall of Fame tight end, and singled out George Kittle of the 49ers as a player he wants to emulate. “He’s one of the last of the true tight ends that can do everything you need,’’ Johnson said. It sounds as if Johnson believes he can follow in those footsteps. “I think I’m definitely capable of being a tight end you can’t take off the field,’’ he said, “with all the attributes I have and I’m going to work for that.’’ [email protected]

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 115 NEXT IN LINE: Penn St. tight end Theo Johnson was drafted with the 107th pick by the Giants as insurance in case current tight end Darren Waller (inset), who has battled mental health and substance-abuse issues, decides to retire. USA Today Sports; N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg By PAUL SCHWARTZ The Giants made six picks in this NFL draft and none of them was a quarterback. It was not for a lack of effort. It is no secret they tried to trade up from No. 6 overall to No. 3 to obtain the Patriots’ pick in order to select Drake Maye. The Giants made a serious offer — believed to be this year’s second-round pick and their 2025 first round pick — but the Patriots did not trade out and took Maye for themselves. That leaves the Giants with Daniel Jones, again, as their starter. “For me, I said it in January after the season ended, our expectation was Daniel would be our starter and we brought Drew Lock in to be his backup and Tommy [DeVito] has been the backup,’’ general manager Joe Schoen said Saturday after the Giants were finally off the clock. “That’s where we are and that’s where we’re going to move forward into the season. Daniel’s still on contract for three more years. So, as it sits today, that’s where we are.’’ ➤It was no surprise that the Giants were interested in taking a running back on Day 3 of the draft. It might have been a bit surprising, though, that they waited until the fifth round to jump in, taking Tyrone Tracy Jr. from Purdue. One year ago, the Giants selected a running back in the fifth round but Eric Gray did not do much of anything as a rookie in 2023. The Giants hope Tracy can be more productive in his first year. This, of course, cannot be viewed as the replacement for Saquon Barkley, who, after six years with the Giants, could not come to an agreement on a new deal and ended up signing with the rival Eagles. Tracy is a converted wide receiver, having played that position for four years at Iowa. He transferred to Purdue and became a running back in his two remaining years in college. After six years in school, Tracy, 24, is an older prospect. He turns 25 on Nov. 23. The upside to this is because he spent so much time as a receiver he does not have much wear and tear on his body. Tracy in 2023 ran for 716 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt — leading the Big Ten. His 23.1 percent explosive run rate is the best in this year’s draft class, according to Pro Football Focus, and in the 97th percentile among all prospects since 2018. He averaged 4.44 yards after contact, tops among running backs in the draft. He also averaged 25.5 yards on 16 kickoff returns. Given the NFL rule change put in place to promote more returns, special teams could be a pathway for Tracy to see the field. The Giants after Barkley’s departure signed veteran Devin Singletary to move in as a starter. They have Gray, Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin on the roster at running back. Now Tracy is added to the mix. ➤In the sixth round, the Giants took linebacker Darius Muasau from UCLA. He played three years at Hawaii, where his special teams coordinator was Michael Ghobrial, who is entering his first year running the special teams for the Giants. “He’s my guy,’’ Muasau said. ➤TE Theo Johnson, the Giants fourth-round pick from Penn State, said not long after hearing his name called, he received a text from Barkley, one former Nittany Lion congratulating another. “It would have been really cool to play with him if he was still around but we’ll see how things shake out in the future,’’ Johnson said of Barkley, now with the Eagles. “I think I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.’’ Home sweet Jones Despite best efforts, Big Blue move forward with Daniel under center GIANTS NOTES IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT: Daniel Jones will continue as the Giants’ QB after Big Blue failed to acquire the No. 3 pick from the Patriots to draft Drake Maye. Robert Sabo

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 116 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS NEW YORK KNICKS Thibs won’t rule out Robinson for Game 4 By STEFAN BONDY PHILADELPHIA — Mitchell Robinson didn’t participate in practice Saturday after re-injuring his surgically-repaired ankle, although Tom Thibodeau wasn’t ready to rule the center out of Sunday’s Game 4. “The reality is, he’ll warm up tomorrow and see where he is,” the coach said of his center, who is officially listed as questionable. Robinson, who missed 50 games in the regular season after fracturing his left ankle, left Thursday’s loss in a walking boot after apparently being hurt while guarding Joel Embiid. It’s unclear when exactly Robinson was hurt, but there were multiple dirty plays from Embiid — including his dragging down Robinson from the ground, kicking Robinson in the groin after a jumper and falling on Robinson’s leg after a borderline flop. If Robinson can’t play, the Knicks can use a two-center rotation of Isaiah Hartenstein and Precious Achiuwa — although the latter is undersized compared to Embiid. Thibodeau also floated Jericho Sims as a possibility. Sims has played just two games since March 27. “That was one of the great things about our team all year long. Every time one guy went out, another guy came in,” Thibodeau said. “So Precious played well for us. Jericho played well for us.” With Robinson ruled out of the second half of Thursday’s loss, Achiuwa played well in 10 minutes but also picked up three quick fouls. “Of course, you want everyone to be healthy, and [Robinson] fighting back, just having his injury come up again, it’s obviously sad,” Jalen Brunson said. “But I think the most important part of what happens is going forward, how can we stick together? It can’t be a pity party for anyone, no matter what’s going on, because no one’s going to care. How are you going to respond? How are we going to move on? How are we going to be better?” Nick Nurse, who coached Achiuwa in Toronto, said he’s not sleeping on the potential replacement. “I thought Precious came in after not playing at all in the series, and was really good,” the Sixers coach said. “He brought a fresh set of legs, he’s very athletic and he really rolled in there and pounded a couple of plays on the glass. … Precious played really well for them all through the regular season, I thought, when Robinson was out. So they’ve got a guy there ready to go.” ➤Donte DiVincenzo revealed what he told Joel Embiid after the Sixers center dragged Robinson to the court in Game 3. “I didn’t get in his face,” DiVincenzo said. “I just asked, ‘What are we doing?’ ” DiVincenzo was the first Knick to approach Embiid, who was overheard yelling to DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby, “What are you going to do? What are you going to do?” KNICKS NOTES By PETER BOTTE PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Brunson enjoyed — well, if you know anything about the Knicks’ best player, he didn’t enjoy it at all — a breakout offensive game after two uncharacteristically poor shooting nights to start the first round of the playoffs. Brunson’s 39 points went for naught in a Game 3 loss to the Sixers after the Knicks had won twice in New York despite their All-Star point guard shooting a combined 29.1 percent from the floor. “Ball went in the hole. I was able to make plays, not just for myself, but for others. But for all that being good, we lost, so it doesn’t really matter,” Brunson said after practice Saturday at Wells Fargo Center. “[It’s about] being together and reading each other on both offense and defense. And just being a step quicker to everything, but most importantly sticking together.” Brunson missed 39 of 55 shot attempts in the first two games of the series. But the Knicks won Game 1 due largely to huge pick-me-up performances by Josh Hart, Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson, and they used a frantic 8-0 comeback in the final 27 seconds — including 3-pointers by Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo — to steal Game 2. The 6-foot-2 Brunson largely has been guarded by taller opponents Kelly Oubre Jr. (6-7) and Nicolas Batum (6-8) through three games. He hit nearly half of his shot attempts (13-for-27) overall in Game 3, including 3-for-7 from 3-point range plus a 10-for-12 night from the free-throw line. “I’m not gonna say anything too crazy, but he has the ball in his hands for 20 seconds out of a 24-second shot clock,” Oubre said Saturday. “He passes the ball and gets it right back. He puts up probably the most shots on his team, as he should. “But at the end of the day, he’s being used a lot. He’s being used to play 48 minutes and have 40 points. He has to. But it’s my job to just stay in front of him and stay disciplined and not go for his fakes. He has amazing footwork. ... He’s very crafty and he shoots the ball every time. We gotta continue to chase him.” Added Batum: “With guys like that, you know they’re gonna get their shot up anyway, and go to their spot anyway, no matter what you do. You just have to make them work, that’s it. They’re gonna get 25 shots, no matter what you do. That’s why they’re that good, that’s why they’re who they are. All we have to do is make them work for each one of them.” [email protected] NICE GAME, WRONG OUTCOME: Jalen Brunson had his best offensive performance in Game 3 against the 76ers — 39 points — but he’d much rather have had the victory. Corey Sipkin

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 117 



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New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 118 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS NEW YORK KNICKS By STEFAN BONDY PHILADELPHIA — As a Sixers player accused the Knicks of crying, Tom Thibodeau said his team embraces physical basketball but again took digs at the lack of consistency in officiating. “I’m not a journalist but if I were a journalist I’d write a couple things,” Thibodeau said. “I think the consistency — look at that play and then look at the Josh Hart play in Chicago. That’s my thing.” Thibodeau was referencing Hart getting a Flagrant-2 ejection for kicking Bulls player Javonte Green at the end of the regular season, which contrasted Joel Embiid only being issued a Flagrant-1 penalty after purposefully dragging down Mitchell Robinson in Thursday’s Game 3. It was part of an antic-laden first half filled with borderline dirty plays from the Sixers, which transitioned to a dominant second half from Embiid — a second half that wouldn’t have been possible if he were ejected. “The No. 1 job of the official is to control and manage the game,” Thibodeau said. “So when there’s stuff like that going on, that’s their job. “But we don’t mind physical.” The Knicks indeed built an identity around playing hard and rebounding, but the Sixers won the battle of the rebounds in Game 3, 36-32, and beat New York in Philly for the first time this season. Then the players watched Friday’s playoff NBA contests, which included three ejections — including a Flagrant 2 on Phoenix’s Josh Okogie for a foul that appeared less intentional than Embiid’s Flagrant 1. “There’s a difference between, I think, playoff basketball and physicality, and then crossing that line. And I think multiple times, that line was a little bit blurred,” said Donte DiVincenzo, who was slapped by Philadelphia’s Kyle Lowry in Game 3. “You saw it across the league [Friday]. A couple guys got ejected. Refs are trying to put a stop to that. We know it was gonna be a physical battle. We know it’s gonna be another one [Sunday]. We’re not a dirty team. We’re here to play ball. And our identity is playing physical, but we’re not here to be dirty or do anything like that. We’re here to play ball and get a win.” Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. indicated Saturday the Knicks are just whining and They’re going to hit, then we hit back, and then they cry and vice versa or whatever the case may be. — Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (right)

New York Post, Sunday, April 28, 2024 nypost.com 119 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS NEW YORK KNICKS EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104 Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101 Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114 Knicks lead series, 2-1 Sun.: at 76ers, 1:00, ABC Tue.: at Knicks, 7:00, MSG/TNT Thur.*: at 76ers, TBD, MSG Sat.*: at Knicks, TBD, MSG/TNT * if necessary Knicks vs. 76ers easy to ignore. The roles were reversed on the officiating complaints after Game 2, when the Sixers were listing grievances to the NBA mostly about the lack of calls. “They’re going to hit, then we hit back, and then they cry and vice versa or whatever the case may be,” Oubre said. “Let’s just hoop, let’s go out there and play hard. Nobody [is going to] fight. This ain’t the WWE, so at the end of the day, stand on the stuff that y’all say and we’ll see tomorrow how they react.” Campaigning through the media for a more favorable whistle — and, in some instances, just a fair whistle — is hardly new to playoff basketball. And on Saturday, Thibodeau pointed to the free-throw discrepancy in Game 3, which favored the Sixers, 33-19. He also said to look at the screens set by Philadelphia. Outside the lines, the series has become a war over the whistles. An NBA source said Embiid’s status as a superstar played a role in not ejecting him from a playoff game. But that also wouldn’t be a new phenomenon. The NBA is a business above all else. “If it’s tight, it has to be tight both ways,” Thibodeau said. “And so you can’t say one guy is drawing fouls and the other guy is not. And then you go through the tape and you say, ‘C’mon, c’mon.’ “It is what it is. That’s gone. Every game is different. Come out for this game and be ready to roll.” [email protected] SO MUCH FOR BROTHERLY LOVE: Joel Embiid’s antics in the 76ers’ Game 3 victory — which included a flagrant foul on Mitchell Robinson that was labeled “dirty” by Donte DiVincenzo — set the tone for a contentious showdown Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia. Coach Tom Thibodeau (bottom left), meanwhile, pointed to a 33-19 freethrow disparity in the Knicks’ loss Thursday. Corey Sipkin (2); USA Today Sports By PETER BOTTE PHILADELPHIA — Kelly Oubre Jr. initially stated he didn’t want to get into any “back-and-forth nonsense” with the Knicks, but he proceeded to do so ahead of Sunday’s Game 4. Oubre said Saturday he disagrees with charges by the Knicks that Joel Embiid’s flagrant foul on Mitchell Robinson the first quarter of Game 3 — grabbing at Robinson’s lower leg from the ground on a dunk attempt — was a “dirty” play. He also essentially told them not to “cry” about it. “I’ve seen that happen before, and I was on the other end of it, so at the end of the day, I don’t think it’s dirty, man. Joel has to protect himself,” Oubre said, before also saying this about the Knicks’ complaints: “I’m not gonna comment on what they’re commenting on. ... They’re going to hit, then we hit back, and then they cry and vice versa or whatever the case may be. “Let’s just hoop, let’s go out there and play hard. Nobody [is going to] fight. This ain’t the WWE. So at the end of the day, stand on the stuff that y’all say, and we’ll see tomorrow how they react.” The Sixers had been the ones complaining after Game 2 in New York, with the league confirming afterward that the referees missed multiple fouls committed against Tyrese Maxey and attempted timeouts by Nick Nurse ahead of Donte DiVincenzo’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 13.0 seconds remaining. After Thursday’s game, DiVincenzo labeled Embiid’s foul on Robinson as “dirty,” while Isaiah Hartenstein said it was “not a basketball play.” Tom Thibodeau also called out the referees after the Sixers held a 33-19 advantage in free-throw attempts, including 19-for-21 from the line by Embiid in a 50-point effort. “Listen, I think it’s a physical series, right?” Nurse said Saturday. “It’s historically a big series, from the fanbases to the players to the cities, to everything. I think there’s been all kinds of physical plays both ways. I think it’ll continue to be that way. I think it’s playoff basketball, I think that’s what it is.” The 6-foot-7 Oubre was one of the keys to the Sixers’ defensive effort against Jalen Brunson in the first two games, before the All-Star guard had a 39-point breakout in Game 3. Oubre added that he expects the Knicks to attempt to “impose their will” in Game 4 after the Sixers stepped up their physicality in their first win of the series. “Absolutely. They’ve been physical every game,” Oubre said. “We were physical, as well, last game, too. So now we’re too physical. ... They got the better of us in New York. It’s only right that we come home and we do the same thing they did to us and just compete. “I just think that all the backand-forth nonsense is just people trying to grab storylines. But at the end of the day, we’re two teams who play physical and play hard, and we grit it out. I expect nothing less at 1 p.m. [Sunday].” [email protected] Oubre throws some more gas on the fire PHILADELPHIA — The easy thing is to feed the beast. There is some rawness and some rancor in this series now. There are some hard feelings and some hurt egos. The Knicks are a team forged by ferocity, tempered by toughness, and now there is a silly sense in the air that if they don’t get even with Joel Embiid, Corleone-style, that maybe they aren’t as stolid as we thought. There is too much at stake to get dragged into this nonsense. There is the work of a season on the table right now, and if the Knicks are still in the better spot than the Sixers, up 2-1 and halfway to the second round, that can all go poof with 48 minutes of folly and foolishness Sunday. “You adjust to how the game is being called,” coach Tom Thibodeau said Saturday afternoon, 24 hours before the Knicks and the 76ers would meet for Game 4 of what is beckoning an increasingly heated and entertaining series. “It’s not an easy job, I understand that. I just want consistency. So if it’s good, hard competition, great.” That ought to be enough. In some precincts, it isn’t enough. In those precincts — the same ones where, in summer, there is routine demand for fastballs thrown at heads every time a batter is brushed back — they want more. They want Thibodeau to summon Jericho Sims, or some such member from the back of the Knicks’ reserves, and get even with Embiid for his borderline ejection-able (and undoubtedly objectionable) take-down of Mitchell Robinson on Friday night. Any method of payback is fine in those corridors of conspiracy — a tire iron to the back of Embiid’s knee, perhaps, or maybe a Louisville slugger. Maybe just skip the niceties and toss Embiid in the Schuylkill River, where he can sleep with the fishes. The Knicks, by reason and by reputation, are too smart to get caught up in this. It is here that we go back to the same theme, the same mantra that has carried them along all season long: They don’t dwell. They don’t linger on bad breaks and bad news. They almost never allow one bad loss to affect the next game. They don’t always win the next game — and if Embiid is going to make a habit of dropping half a hundred on them, they might not win this one — but it won’t be because they get caught up in the ancillary nonsense. In that sense they have a lot guys on the roster with the mentality of baseball closers: short memories, capable of flushing failures in a matter of seconds. Those of us who have seen their work all year have seen this. Others might fall for the clever word salads of people like Philly’s Kelly Oubre Jr. — who before the series started took a shot at the Knicks and their celebrity fans and how the Garden was no big deal, then watched at the close of both Game 1 and Game 2 as the Knicks and their 19,812 helpers turned his and his teammates knees to jelly in the fourth quarters of both games. This time, Oubre said, “I’m not gonna comment on what they’re commenting on, because at the end of the day, they’re going to hit, then we hit back, and then they cry and vice versa or whatever the case may be. Let’s just hoop let’s go out there and play hard. Nobody [is going to] fight. This ain’t the WWE. So at the end of the day, stand on the stuff that y’all say, and we’ll see tomorrow how they react.” This is all very funny for two reasons: 1. It was the worst no-comment in the long and colorful history of no-comments. 2. It presumes the Knicks themselves have actually been crying. Which is actually pretty funny because it was the Sixers who started weeping around the time Nick Nurse didn’t call an immediate timeout after the Jalen Brunson 3 at the end of Game 2 — which would’ve spared the Sixers the vagaries of the refs’ whistles — and really didn’t stop until Embiid stepped to Robinson with a move straight out of the WWE. The Knicks didn’t whine about that call afterward, by the way, not publicly. They didn’t file a grievance. That’s good. That means they have already cleared the decks in their minds and focused on the task at hand. It’s already going to be too hard to face Embiid, and there’s too much at stake Sunday, to get caught up in the silliness. The challenge at hand is more than enough. [email protected] Mike Vaccaro Best revenge will be on scoreboard, not settling old scores

APRIL 28, 2024 SUNDAYports Corey Sipkin YANKS SKEWER BREWERS Knicks defenders Josh Hart (left) and Isaiah Hartenstein (right) battle with 76ers big man Joel Embiid during Thursday’s feisty Game 3. Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (bottom right) said Saturday that when things get physical, the Knicks “cry.” That should make Sunday’s Game 4 even more interesting. PAGES 119-116 FOUL BAWL JOYCE P. 99-98 GAME 4 l 1 P.M. l ABC Knicks lead series, 2-1 KNICKS AT 76ERS ISLES STAY ALIVE! ESCAPE IN SECOND OT, SEND SERIES BACK TO CAROLINA / P. 104-103 Punky Philly accuses Knicks of crying as hostilities rise 3:30PM ET 7PM ET 9:30PM ET VS VS VS