newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Nets’ Jacque Vaughn vowing to communicate more with players

Jacque Vaughn ’ s first act as Nets interim head coach was to meet with each player individually .
After receiving separate phone calls Saturday morning from Kenny Atkinson and general manager Sean Marks , informing him the organization was going to move on from Atkinson and promote him , Vaughn said his first priority was getting on the same page with his players .
“ Overall we met as a group , ” said Vaughn , who has served as Atkinson ’ s assistant coach since the 2016-17 season .
“ Sean addressed the group and I had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then my point was to meet with each individual , spend time with them , hear their thoughts , basically listen .
I ’ ve been able to do that throughout the course of this morning.
” With a 28-34 record and positioned seventh in the Eastern Conference playoff race , Vaughn said the Nets see the final 20 games of the regular season as a great challenge and an opportunity to “ make some noise.
” When asked about Marks citing Atkinson ’ s voice “ not carrying enough weight in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his dismissal , Vaughn couldn ’ t — or wouldn ’ t — confirm or deny it was the veterans on the team who felt that way .
“ I don ’ t want to speak for those guys , ” he said .
“ What I will say is I initiated the offer of what can we do differently .
I ’ m not sure if that was expressed to Kenny from other guys .
“ What I will say is that in today ’ s game , you have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continue to communicate with guys.
” Vaughn mentioned his relationship with Kyrie Irving and noted he had a “ great conversation ” with the injured point guard Saturday .
When asked if his relationship with Irving played a role in his promotion to head coach , Vaughn said he wouldn ’ t “ speak to that part of it.
” “ I ’ ve always tried to put myself in a position that any player can come to me as an assistant coach , ” he said .
“ Whether that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , guys need that .
I think it ’ s a skill to be someone who can listen .
It ’ s a tough skill and truly listen , and I ’ ve tried to do that through my career.
” This is Vaughn ’ s second head-coaching gig .
He was hired by the Magic in 2012 and accumulated a 58-158 record before getting fired in February 2015 .
He then spent the 2015-16 season as a pro scout for the Spurs before finding a home with the Nets .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , ” Vaughn said of the possibility of remaining as head coach after the end of this season .
“ I ’ ve challenged the guys to make the most of this 20 games and , hopefully , it ’ s more than that .
What ’ s going to happen is going to happen .
I ’ m going to give you all I ’ ve got .
I ’ ll definitely do that .
”

Jacque Vaughn’s first act as Nets interim head coach was to meet with each player individually.
After receiving separate phone calls Saturday morning from Kenny Atkinson and general manager Sean Marks, informing him the organization was going to move on from Atkinson and promote him, Vaughn said his first priority was getting on the same page with his players.
“Overall we met as a group,” said Vaughn, who has served as Atkinson’s assistant coach since the 2016-17 season. “Sean addressed the group and I had a chance to quickly address the group. And then my point was to meet with each individual, spend time with them, hear their thoughts, basically listen. I’ve been able to do that throughout the course of this morning.”
With a 28-34 record and positioned seventh in the Eastern Conference playoff race, Vaughn said the Nets see the final 20 games of the regular season as a great challenge and an opportunity to “make some noise.”
When asked about Marks citing Atkinson’s voice “not carrying enough weight in the locker room” as the reason for his dismissal, Vaughn couldn’t — or wouldn’t — confirm or deny it was the veterans on the team who felt that way.
“I don’t want to speak for those guys,” he said. “What I will say is I initiated the offer of what can we do differently. I’m not sure if that was expressed to Kenny from other guys.
“What I will say is that in today’s game, you have to be able to continually reinforce your philosophy and continue to communicate with guys.”
Vaughn mentioned his relationship with Kyrie Irving and noted he had a “great conversation” with the injured point guard Saturday. When asked if his relationship with Irving played a role in his promotion to head coach, Vaughn said he wouldn’t “speak to that part of it.”
“I’ve always tried to put myself in a position that any player can come to me as an assistant coach,” he said. “Whether that was talking about on-the-court stuff or off-the-court stuff, guys need that. I think it’s a skill to be someone who can listen. It’s a tough skill and truly listen, and I’ve tried to do that through my career.”
This is Vaughn’s second head-coaching gig. He was hired by the Magic in 2012 and accumulated a 58-158 record before getting fired in February 2015. He then spent the 2015-16 season as a pro scout for the Spurs before finding a home with the Nets.
“I think I’m very realistic about it,” Vaughn said of the possibility of remaining as head coach after the end of this season. “I’ve challenged the guys to make the most of this 20 games and, hopefully, it’s more than that. What’s going to happen is going to happen. I’m going to give you all I’ve got. I’ll definitely do that.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Mets must not make this mistake when it comes to Dellin Betances

“ Whenever Dellin Betances is throwing 88 to 90 , everybody freaks out and panics.
’ ’ — Dellin Betances , March 8 , 2019 PORT ST. LUCIE — Guess who threw 88-90 mph on Saturday , in his Grapefruit League Mets debut ?
Who needed 24 pitches , 14 of them strikes , to get through four batters and retired just one ?
OK , so not everybody resides at DEFCON 2 when it comes to Betances ’ readiness for the regular season , no small matter for these Mets ’ hopes .
Both Betances and his new manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact at Clover Park , sounded calmer than “ Mad Men ” big boss Bertram Cooper when he learned that Don Draper is actually Dick Whitman .
Yet Rojas and his Mets superiors can take all of the air and anxiety out of this situation by uttering five simple words about their priciest addition of the offseason : “ Opening Day is not the goal.
” Given what Betances endured last season with the Yankees , given the 2020 Mets ’ high ambitions , shouldn ’ t the team emphasize the behemoth reliever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting it good ?
“ Our plan is to have him [ on ] Opening Day , ” Rojas said of Betances , “ so this is a big step today .
We spoke a little bit in the dugout after the outing .
He ’ s pleased with the performance today as far as going in there , ramping up the intensity , quickening up to the plate , throwing over and just doing different things from a competitive level .
“ We ’ ve just got to keep monitoring him with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spring .
See how he keeps moving up as we ’ re closing into the season.
” The problem lies in just how close we reside to the season ’ s start , March 26 at Citi Field against the very same Nationals — defending World Series champions , you might recall — who faced Betances on Saturday .
Does that provide Betances with enough time to significantly improve both his velocity and command ?
“ Obviously , I ’ m not where I need to be just yet , ” Betances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advanced him to second base with a wild pitch , walked Victor Robles , struck out old Yankees teammate Starlin Castro , saw Turner and Robles execute a double-steal and served up a two-run single , a grounder up the middle to Ryan Zimmerman .
Opined another team ’ s talent evaluator on the condition of anonymity : “ That was ugly.
” If you want to write off the walks , both with two strikes , as jitters after a long winter ’ s rehabilitation , go right ahead .
Yet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mild concern .
Consider that in Betances ’ last healthy season , 2018 , he averaged 98 mph in a pair of March regular-season outings ( thanks Brooks Baseball Pitch f/x ) .
The behemoth right-hander said Saturday his velocity resided at about this level in 2014 , his breakout season ; records show that he averaged 96 mph that April .
The greater worry traces back to last year at this time and Betances ’ words that lead this column .
At Yankees camp , he climbed up to 93 mph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wound up on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement … which somehow turned into a lat issue … which he overcame in time to pitch in one game , Sept. 15 in Toronto , only to partially tear his left Achilles that day .
Hence the Mets picked up this four-time All-Star for just a one-year , $ 10.5 million commitment on the open market in December .
Hence the anxieties linger .
Hence there should be no rush on this low-risk , high-reward endeavor .
“ The conversations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ How do you feel ?
Where [ are you ] ?
’ They say , ‘ Yeah , I ’ m exactly where I want to be.
’ You definitely have got to respect that from veteran guys , ” Rojas said .
“ We ’ ll see the progression as we keep moving forward.
” Betances received a nice ovation from the fans here when introduced for the first time as a Met .
Think of how great that ovation could be in Queens , in October .
The best path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , even if that means leaving Betances behind when camp breaks .

“Whenever Dellin Betances is throwing 88 to 90, everybody freaks out and panics.’’
— Dellin Betances, March 8, 2019
PORT ST. LUCIE — Guess who threw 88-90 mph on Saturday, in his Grapefruit League Mets debut? Who needed 24 pitches, 14 of them strikes, to get through four batters and retired just one?
Guess who’s freaking out and panicking?
OK, so not everybody resides at DEFCON 2 when it comes to Betances’ readiness for the regular season, no small matter for these Mets’ hopes. Both Betances and his new manager, Luis Rojas, speaking after the fact at Clover Park, sounded calmer than “Mad Men” big boss Bertram Cooper when he learned that Don Draper is actually Dick Whitman.
Yet Rojas and his Mets superiors can take all of the air and anxiety out of this situation by uttering five simple words about their priciest addition of the offseason:
“Opening Day is not the goal.”
Given what Betances endured last season with the Yankees, given the 2020 Mets’ high ambitions, shouldn’t the team emphasize the behemoth reliever finishing the season great, rather than starting it good?
“Our plan is to have him [on] Opening Day,” Rojas said of Betances, “so this is a big step today. We spoke a little bit in the dugout after the outing. He’s pleased with the performance today as far as going in there, ramping up the intensity, quickening up to the plate, throwing over and just doing different things from a competitive level.
“We’ve just got to keep monitoring him with all of the outings he has in the spring. See how he keeps moving up as we’re closing into the season.”
The problem lies in just how close we reside to the season’s start, March 26 at Citi Field against the very same Nationals — defending World Series champions, you might recall — who faced Betances on Saturday. Does that provide Betances with enough time to significantly improve both his velocity and command?
“Obviously, I’m not where I need to be just yet,” Betances acknowledged.
Betances walked Trea Turner, advanced him to second base with a wild pitch, walked Victor Robles, struck out old Yankees teammate Starlin Castro, saw Turner and Robles execute a double-steal and served up a two-run single, a grounder up the middle to Ryan Zimmerman. Opined another team’s talent evaluator on the condition of anonymity: “That was ugly.”
If you want to write off the walks, both with two strikes, as jitters after a long winter’s rehabilitation, go right ahead. Yet the velocity has to rank as at least a mild concern.
Consider that in Betances’ last healthy season, 2018, he averaged 98 mph in a pair of March regular-season outings (thanks Brooks Baseball Pitch f/x). The behemoth right-hander said Saturday his velocity resided at about this level in 2014, his breakout season; records show that he averaged 96 mph that April.
The greater worry traces back to last year at this time and Betances’ words that lead this column. At Yankees camp, he climbed up to 93 mph before falling back to 89-91, and he wound up on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement … which somehow turned into a lat issue … which he overcame in time to pitch in one game, Sept. 15 in Toronto, only to partially tear his left Achilles that day.
Hence the Mets picked up this four-time All-Star for just a one-year, $10.5 million commitment on the open market in December. Hence the anxieties linger. Hence there should be no rush on this low-risk, high-reward endeavor.
“The conversations that you have with them and say, ‘How do you feel? Where [are you]?’ They say, ‘Yeah, I’m exactly where I want to be.’ You definitely have got to respect that from veteran guys,” Rojas said. “We’ll see the progression as we keep moving forward.”
Betances received a nice ovation from the fans here when introduced for the first time as a Met. Think of how great that ovation could be in Queens, in October. The best path to get from here is the deliberate one, even if that means leaving Betances behind when camp breaks.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Elizabeth Warren meets Saturday Night Live doppelganger

In a very funny , surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live just two days after she ended her presidential campaign , Elizabeth Warren joked that she ’ s going to leave everyone hanging about which former rival she ’ ll now endorse — Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders .
“ Maybe I ’ ll just pull a New York Times , ” she quipped .
“ And endorse them both.
” That was a sly reference to the Times ’ widely derided January decision in to endorse both Warren , as a progressive candidate , and fellow contender Sen. Amy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since she dropped out of the race for the White House on Thursday , people have been calling her “ nonstop , ” Warren joked in the show ’ s cold open , “ Asking are you okay , what do you need , were you electable ?
” Warren and her SNL doppelganger , Kate McKinnon , also got to share a stage — and in matching , trademark-Warren jewel-toned , ladies suit jackets .
The Massachusetts senator joked about the viral video of her dog , Bailey , swiping someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign offices .
Asked which role she played in the video — dog or burrito — she jabbed an index finger at the camera and deadpanned , “ I was the dog.
” She took a swipe at former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg — “ Not only did I not accept money from billionaires , I got to swallow them live on TV , ” and left the stage on a high note .
And when McKinnon gushed , “ Thank you for all that you ’ ve done in your lifetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m not dead .
I ’ m just in the Senate.
” The appearance — and a clip of the mirror universes of Warren and McKinnon colliding — won quick praise from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who tweeted , “ ok this is legendary .
”

In a very funny, surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live just two days after she ended her presidential campaign, Elizabeth Warren joked that she’s going to leave everyone hanging about which former rival she’ll now endorse — Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders.
“Maybe I’ll just pull a New York Times,” she quipped. “And endorse them both.”
That was a sly reference to the Times’ widely derided January decision in to endorse both Warren, as a progressive candidate, and fellow contender Sen. Amy Klobuchar, as a more centrist Democrat.
Since she dropped out of the race for the White House on Thursday, people have been calling her “nonstop,” Warren joked in the show’s cold open, “Asking are you okay, what do you need, were you electable?”
Warren and her SNL doppelganger, Kate McKinnon, also got to share a stage — and in matching, trademark-Warren jewel-toned, ladies suit jackets.
The Massachusetts senator joked about the viral video of her dog, Bailey, swiping someone’s burrito at one of her campaign offices.
Asked which role she played in the video — dog or burrito — she jabbed an index finger at the camera and deadpanned, “I was the dog.”
She took a swipe at former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg — “Not only did I not accept money from billionaires, I got to swallow them live on TV,” and left the stage on a high note.
And when McKinnon gushed, “Thank you for all that you’ve done in your lifetime,” Warren had this response: “I’m not dead. I’m just in the Senate.”
The appearance — and a clip of the mirror universes of Warren and McKinnon colliding — won quick praise from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted, “ok this is legendary.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Dennis Smith Jr. nearing return to Knicks’ lineup — again

The Knicks point guard practiced for the first time Saturday since sustaining a concussion against the 76ers on Feb. 27 , which cost him the past four games .
He is questionable for Sunday ’ s game against the Pistons at the Garden , awaiting final clearance to get out of the concussion protocol .
“ He ’ ll have to go through the medical part now , ” interim coach Mike Miller said after practice .
Smith ’ s season has been stop-and-go .
He missed seven games early on to tend to the death of his stepmother .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ oblique strain .
In 34 games , he is averaging 5.5 points and 2.9 assists .
“ Whenever we can have a full roster and be at full strength , it obviously helps us in every way , ” Miller said .
Point guard Frank Ntilikina also appears to have shaken off the strained right ankle he suffered in Friday ’ s 126-103 loss to the Thunder .
The injury sent him to the locker room in the second quarter , but he returned to play four minutes in the fourth quarter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .
“ Frank practiced today , pretty much fully .
He was in and out , but did a lot of things , ” Miller said .
The Knicks went through a coaching change three months before the Nets did , and though their situations are much different , Miller said he had one mindset when he took over as interim coach .
“ The thing we were very conscious of , the players ’ window to play , their careers , go by so fast that none of us are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year go , ” Miller said .
Knicks guard Elfrid Payton was a rookie on the 2014-15 Magic team that was coached by new interim Nets coach Jacque Vaughn .
“ He ’ s a good coach , ” Payton said of Vaughn , who was fired midseason that year .
“ I ’ m really rooting for him .
Never hope nobody gets fired , but hoping Jacque does well.
” Miller said his approach is to take something from every game — a win or a lesson .
As for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Friday ’ s blowout loss to the Thunder ?
“ Flush it .
Flush it , ” Randle said .
“ No chance I ’ m thinking about that game .
Credit Chris Paul , he did a great job leading that team .
Flush it man , we just had a bad performance .
”

Dennis Smith Jr. is nearing a return — again.
The Knicks point guard practiced for the first time Saturday since sustaining a concussion against the 76ers on Feb. 27, which cost him the past four games. He is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Pistons at the Garden, awaiting final clearance to get out of the concussion protocol.
“He’ll have to go through the medical part now,” interim coach Mike Miller said after practice.
Smith’s season has been stop-and-go. He missed seven games early on to tend to the death of his stepmother. He later missed 13 games with an oblique strain. In 34 games, he is averaging 5.5 points and 2.9 assists.
“Whenever we can have a full roster and be at full strength, it obviously helps us in every way,” Miller said.
Point guard Frank Ntilikina also appears to have shaken off the strained right ankle he suffered in Friday’s 126-103 loss to the Thunder. The injury sent him to the locker room in the second quarter, but he returned to play four minutes in the fourth quarter.
Ntilikina practiced Saturday and is probable for Sunday.
“Frank practiced today, pretty much fully. He was in and out, but did a lot of things,” Miller said.
The Knicks went through a coaching change three months before the Nets did, and though their situations are much different, Miller said he had one mindset when he took over as interim coach.
“The thing we were very conscious of, the players’ window to play, their careers, go by so fast that none of us are in a position where we can just let a year go,” Miller said.
Knicks guard Elfrid Payton was a rookie on the 2014-15 Magic team that was coached by new interim Nets coach Jacque Vaughn.
“He’s a good coach,” Payton said of Vaughn, who was fired midseason that year. “I’m really rooting for him. Never hope nobody gets fired, but hoping Jacque does well.”
Miller said his approach is to take something from every game — a win or a lesson. As for Julius Randle’s way of dealing with Friday’s blowout loss to the Thunder?
“Flush it. Flush it,” Randle said. “No chance I’m thinking about that game. Credit Chris Paul, he did a great job leading that team. Flush it man, we just had a bad performance.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Mets’ Steven Matz delivers gem in battle for rotation spot

PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Rojas said it ’ s “ still too early ” to know how the Mets will construct their rotation , but so far this spring , his starters are giving the team plenty to think about .
That continued Saturday , when Steven Matz retired all nine batters he faced in a 5-0 loss to the Nationals at Clover Park .
Matz ’ s status remains uncertain thanks to the addition of free agents Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello , who have also pitched well this spring .
“ We haven ’ t put it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Rojas said .
“ We ’ ve talked to our starters about them being starters .
They ’ re all throwing so well.
” Matz helped his cause in his third start of the spring , featuring a terrific curveball that fooled hitters throughout his appearance , which came on extra rest .
“ I felt really good , especially with my offspeed [ stuff ] , ’ ’ Matz said .
“ To have that curveball so early in the spring , that ’ s something that normally comes at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , so I ’ m happy.
” Matz struck out Victor Robles looking and got Starlin Castro swinging in the first inning , both on curveballs .
He ’ s not sure , however , where he stands when it comes to nailing down a spot in the rotation .
“ I don ’ t know , ’ ’ Matz said .
“ I ’ m just pleased with where I ’ m at personally.
” Matz said he ’ s not placing too much stock on the numbers yet .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because you don ’ t throw all your stuff , ’ ’ Matz said .
“ You want to work on stuff , but when you do get results , you know the stuff you ’ re working on is able to get hitters out .
That ’ s a positive .
’ ’

PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Rojas said it’s “still too early” to know how the Mets will construct their rotation, but so far this spring, his starters are giving the team plenty to think about.
That continued Saturday, when Steven Matz retired all nine batters he faced in a 5-0 loss to the Nationals at Clover Park.
Matz’s status remains uncertain thanks to the addition of free agents Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello, who have also pitched well this spring.
“We haven’t put it out there as a competition,’’ Rojas said. “We’ve talked to our starters about them being starters. They’re all throwing so well.”
Matz helped his cause in his third start of the spring, featuring a terrific curveball that fooled hitters throughout his appearance, which came on extra rest.
“I felt really good, especially with my offspeed [stuff],’’ Matz said. “To have that curveball so early in the spring, that’s something that normally comes at the end. I feel really comfortable with it, so I’m happy.”
Matz struck out Victor Robles looking and got Starlin Castro swinging in the first inning, both on curveballs.
He’s not sure, however, where he stands when it comes to nailing down a spot in the rotation.
“I don’t know,’’ Matz said. “I’m just pleased with where I’m at personally.”
Matz said he’s not placing too much stock on the numbers yet.
“Spring training is not really about results because you don’t throw all your stuff,’’ Matz said. “You want to work on stuff, but when you do get results, you know the stuff you’re working on is able to get hitters out. That’s a positive.’’


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Rangers’ playoff dream hinges on rookie Igor Shesterkin

There were the chants , “ Henrik … Henrik !
” after the netminder had foiled Jack Hughes ’ breakaway backhand 51 seconds into the third period at the Garden on Saturday night , and there were the … But what about Igor Shesterkin ?
What about Shesterkin is that the Russian was pulled following the second period after surrendering five goals on 23 shots in his poorest performance as a Ranger .
This was also the poorest support he had gotten in his 11 starts in the NHL , the Blueshirts turning in a performance that simply was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of year .
It ended 6-4 for New Jersey following a flurry of goals over the final six minutes-plus that featured an empty-netter for the Devils , who on this night looked like the club fighting to make the postseason rather than one that had been an afterthought for months .
The Blueshirts , on the other hand , played as if they were taking a stroll around the park two nights after lapping up Mika Zibanejad ’ s five-goal night in the thrilling 6-5 victory over the Capitals .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still excited about what happened against Washington and Mika ’ s five goals , ” David Quinn said .
“ There was such euphoria about the game , the building was rocking , and all those things .
I don ’ t know whether we just didn ’ t get over it , but it ’ s disappointing.
” Zibanejad scored another one — his 15th in the past 11 games , 17th in the last 14 , 28th in the last 34 and 39th of the season — to give the Rangers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first period .
But it seemed as if the goal was a result of inertia , and once the puck beat Mackenzie Blackwood , the magic simply drained out of No .
93 , who was uncharacteristically out of sorts most of the way .
Zibanejad was not the only one .
Artemi Panarin , perhaps the most pinpoint passer in the league , not only couldn ’ t connect , he missed his target at times by 10 feet , looking more like Jets third-string quarterback Luke Falk than himself .
Adam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ryan Lindgren had a tough one .
There was next to nothing from Ryan Strome .
Indeed , Quinn was correct when he said , “ I don ’ t think one guy had a good night.
” That included Shesterkin , in action for the first time since sustaining a non-displaced broken rib in that automobile accident in Brooklyn on Feb. 23 .
The netminder seemed a tick slow and almost mechanical .
And the Devils ’ first goal that tied the contest 1-1 at 6:22 of the first period , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the slot came on Kyle Palmieri ’ s no-angle shot from the left corner that banked in off Shesterkin ’ s right skate .
Shesterkin , who practiced with the team for the first time on Friday after having taken shots in smaller workouts for the previous few days , said he felt no physical after-effects from the crash but that he was rusty .
The goaltender spoke through an interpreter in the press conference room after the team closed the locker room to the media in a coronavirus related decision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not able to help the team win , so I don ’ t feel good about that , ” said Shesterkin , whose record fell to 9-2 .
“ I felt good , but it was hard to get back into the game.
” There is no telling how much time Aaron Judge might miss with his rib issue , so you can second-guess Quinn ’ s decision to throw Shesterkin back so quickly .
But Alexandar Georgiev had struggled Thursday ( and hadn ’ t played his best game in Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Lundqvist had predictably looked off his game in last Sunday ’ s defeat to the Flyers .
Shesterkin is the No .
1 goaltender on the roster .
He ’ d have had to confront the effects of the layoff whenever he got back in .
Tuesday in Dallas on the first of a three-game trip that includes matches in Colorado and Arizona doesn ’ t seem as if it would have been a wiser choice .
The Rangers were going to need to bite the bullet some time with the goaltender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday against a Devils team that has gone 6-1-2 in the last nine and took great delight in so decisively outplaying and knocking off their neighbors in a game of this magnitude .
Following this lost day , there are 14 games to go with the Rangers three points out of the wild card .
They have had games like this before — too many — and have rebounded .
But remember this : The Rangers rarely win without getting superior goaltending .
They will need Shesterkin to be ready and able next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you won ’ t want to see Lundqvist making breakaway saves in the third period on Tuesday .

There were the chants, “Henrik … Henrik!” after the netminder had foiled Jack Hughes’ breakaway backhand 51 seconds into the third period at the Garden on Saturday night, and there were the …
Wait a second. Lundqvist?
But what about Igor Shesterkin?
What about Shesterkin is that the Russian was pulled following the second period after surrendering five goals on 23 shots in his poorest performance as a Ranger. This was also the poorest support he had gotten in his 11 starts in the NHL, the Blueshirts turning in a performance that simply was not worthy of a playoff contender at this time of year.
It ended 6-4 for New Jersey following a flurry of goals over the final six minutes-plus that featured an empty-netter for the Devils, who on this night looked like the club fighting to make the postseason rather than one that had been an afterthought for months.
The Blueshirts, on the other hand, played as if they were taking a stroll around the park two nights after lapping up Mika Zibanejad’s five-goal night in the thrilling 6-5 victory over the Capitals.
“I don’t know if we were still excited about what happened against Washington and Mika’s five goals,” David Quinn said. “There was such euphoria about the game, the building was rocking, and all those things. I don’t know whether we just didn’t get over it, but it’s disappointing.”
Zibanejad scored another one — his 15th in the past 11 games, 17th in the last 14, 28th in the last 34 and 39th of the season — to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 7:18 of the first period. But it seemed as if the goal was a result of inertia, and once the puck beat Mackenzie Blackwood, the magic simply drained out of No. 93, who was uncharacteristically out of sorts most of the way.
Zibanejad was not the only one. Artemi Panarin, perhaps the most pinpoint passer in the league, not only couldn’t connect, he missed his target at times by 10 feet, looking more like Jets third-string quarterback Luke Falk than himself. Adam Fox had one of his worst nights. Ryan Lindgren had a tough one. There was next to nothing from Ryan Strome.
Indeed, Quinn was correct when he said, “I don’t think one guy had a good night.”
That included Shesterkin, in action for the first time since sustaining a non-displaced broken rib in that automobile accident in Brooklyn on Feb. 23. The netminder seemed a tick slow and almost mechanical. And the Devils’ first goal that tied the contest 1-1 at 6:22 of the first period, only 48 second after Flip Chytil scored from the slot came on Kyle Palmieri’s no-angle shot from the left corner that banked in off Shesterkin’s right skate.
Shesterkin, who practiced with the team for the first time on Friday after having taken shots in smaller workouts for the previous few days, said he felt no physical after-effects from the crash but that he was rusty. The goaltender spoke through an interpreter in the press conference room after the team closed the locker room to the media in a coronavirus related decision.
“I felt good, but I was not able to help the team win, so I don’t feel good about that,” said Shesterkin, whose record fell to 9-2. “I felt good, but it was hard to get back into the game.”
There is no telling how much time Aaron Judge might miss with his rib issue, so you can second-guess Quinn’s decision to throw Shesterkin back so quickly. But Alexandar Georgiev had struggled Thursday (and hadn’t played his best game in Tuesday’s defeat to the Blues) and Lundqvist had predictably looked off his game in last Sunday’s defeat to the Flyers.
Shesterkin is the No. 1 goaltender on the roster. He’d have had to confront the effects of the layoff whenever he got back in. Tuesday in Dallas on the first of a three-game trip that includes matches in Colorado and Arizona doesn’t seem as if it would have been a wiser choice.
The Rangers were going to need to bite the bullet some time with the goaltender. It happened that the time was Saturday against a Devils team that has gone 6-1-2 in the last nine and took great delight in so decisively outplaying and knocking off their neighbors in a game of this magnitude.
Following this lost day, there are 14 games to go with the Rangers three points out of the wild card. They have had games like this before — too many — and have rebounded. But remember this: The Rangers rarely win without getting superior goaltending.
They will need Shesterkin to be ready and able next time around. In other words, you won’t want to see Lundqvist making breakaway saves in the third period on Tuesday.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Armed gunmen hold up Aqueduct Racetrack for ‘a lot of money’

Two guys cleaned up big at Aqueduct Saturday night — robbing the Queens racetrack at gunpoint and making off with as much as a quarter-million dollars .
The brazen bandits , who were being sought Sunday morning , pulled the heist at around 10 p.m. Saturday , some four hours after the tenth and last race of theday , swiping “ a lot of money , ” according to an Aqueduct employee .
A police spokeswoman told The Post that the two robbers wore surgical masks and that the robbery occurred at the racetrack , not at the adjacent Resorts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
“ I was working upstairs when it happened .
I didn ’ t see it , ” the employee told The Post .
“ But I heard he stole a lot of money.
” Cops were swarming at the track early Sunday , inside Aqueduct ’ s “ camera room , ” where they reviewed security footage and interviewed witnesses .
Meanwhile , panicked racetrack employees huddled out in the parking lot .
“ I just came into work and there are cops everywhere , ” said one security guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on here tonight than you can believe , I don ’ t know what the f–k is going on.
” Officers were also searching the trash bins at the racetrack entrance with flashlights , apparently looking for clues .
Police didn ’ t immediately detail how much cash was robbed , although police radio transmissions indicated cops believed the pair had stolen $ 250,000 .

Two guys cleaned up big at Aqueduct Saturday night — robbing the Queens racetrack at gunpoint and making off with as much as a quarter-million dollars.
The brazen bandits, who were being sought Sunday morning, pulled the heist at around 10 p.m. Saturday, some four hours after the tenth and last race of the day, swiping “a lot of money,” according to an Aqueduct employee.
A police spokeswoman told The Post that the two robbers wore surgical masks and that the robbery occurred at the racetrack, not at the adjacent Resorts World Casino, which was open at the time.
“I was working upstairs when it happened. I didn’t see it,” the employee told The Post. “But I heard he stole a lot of money.”
Cops were swarming at the track early Sunday, inside Aqueduct’s “camera room,” where they reviewed security footage and interviewed witnesses.
Meanwhile, panicked racetrack employees huddled out in the parking lot.
“I just came into work and there are cops everywhere,” said one security guard. “There’s more s–t going on here tonight than you can believe, I don’t know what the f–k is going on.”
Officers were also searching the trash bins at the racetrack entrance with flashlights, apparently looking for clues.
Police didn’t immediately detail how much cash was robbed, although police radio transmissions indicated cops believed the pair had stolen $250,000.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Patrick Reed willfully oblivious to the never-ending controversy

ORLANDO , Fla. — Somewhere in heaven on Saturday , Arnold Palmer ...

ORLANDO, Fla. — A familiar name was lurking near the top of the leaderboard entering the weekend in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Patrick Reed, to some “Captain America’’ and to others a man they love to hate and hate to love, but to almost all, the sport’s most polarizing player.
Reed entered Saturday’s third round at Bay Hill in position to win another golf tournament — just two weeks removed from winning the WGC-Mexico Championship — standing at 4-under, trailing the leaders by just three shots.
Then Reed fell victim to what most of the rest of the field did Saturday: The deceptively treacherous conditions that took over Bay Hill produced bloated scores from some of the world’s best players and threatened to make grown men cry.
Reed finished with a shocking 8-over 80 and tumbled out of contention, just one day after waxing poetic to The Post about how winning makes him hungrier to win again — unlike a lot of other players who become complacent after victories.
“I’ve always loved to have the ball in my court,’’ Reed said before Saturday’s round. “[Winning] makes me even more hungry to get back to that kind of situation where you have a chance to win a golf tournament late Sunday.
“A lot of guys win and it’s almost like … they come up for a breather and they kind of relax, think like, ‘Wow, I’ve done it.’ I’ve almost used winning as like a steppingstone. For me, it makes me work harder to try to get back to that point so I can get that feeling again.’’
Reed is too many strokes back to have those feelings back on Sunday for the final round. He’ll have to wait until next week at The Players Championship, or the World Match Play or the Masters, which he won a couple years ago.
Reed, however, is never too far away from controversy, something that follows him the way fascinated fans flock to Tiger Woods.
The dubious December incident in the Bahamas, where he was caught on camera improving his lie in the sand and the subsequent flimsy and flippant way in which he handled that publicly, has seemingly forever stained Reed the way Matt Kuchar short-arming and deep-pocketing that caddie in Mexico will forever be a part of his story.
Despite Reed insisting “the fans have been great” in the wake of his turbulent year with the cheating allegations, a tournament doesn’t go by now without Reed being heckled.
On Saturday, during his front nine, a spectator yelled, “I’ve got a rulebook in my back pocket, Patrick,’’ from outside the ropes while Reed walked down a fairway. The fan was removed by security.
Of course, there was the incident at the Presidents Cup in Australia, where Reed’s caddie and brother-in-law physically assaulted a fan who had been heckling Reed and was suspended by the PGA Tour for the final day of competition.
Through it all, Reed continues to amble about like Mr. Magoo, the old cartoon character who was utterly oblivious to the goings on around him.
“You’re always going to have that one, two or three people that say something,’’ Reed said. “As a whole, the fans have been very gracious and very respectful. They just want to see good golf.’’
Reed, more often than not, has provided the good golf.
Whether he’s done that while playing above the rules is another story.
Asked to describe the turbulent past year, Reed said, “I’m just playing golf. When I get inside the ropes, I’ve got a job to do and that’s to go out and play.’’
Oblivious, like Mr. Magoo. Whether it’s a defense mechanism or all he knows, this is a place Reed prefers to reside.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--The year New York coaches survived and the world didn’t end

The earth can be both round and flat .
Consider the ...

It wasn’t that 1966 was a woeful year in every way. The Beatles came up with “Revolver” in 1966. “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” was released in 1966. “Gunsmoke” and “The Ed Sullivan Show” were still going strong.
But if you were a New York sports fan in 1966, you were for the slog of your life.
We’ve referenced ’66 here a lot, because that was the gold standard (or was it the zinc standard?) for New York sports in a way even the town’s current title-free skid is hard to match. Now, luckily for New York (and its descendants), ’66 was quickly replaced by 1969, Dark Ages replaced in an eye blink by Golden Ages. As great as 1969 and 1970 were, though?
The year 1966 was brutal.
And yet a funny thing happened. Actually, six funny things happened:
The Giants went 1-12-1 and didn’t fire Allie Sherman.
The Jets went 6-6-2 (seventh straight non-winning season) and didn’t fire Weeb Ewbank.
The Yankees went 70-89, finished last for the first time in 54 years, and didn’t fire Ralph Houk.
The Mets went 66-95 and didn’t fire Wes Westrum.
The Knicks went 30-50 and didn’t fire Dick McGuire.
The Rangers went 18-41-11 and didn’t fire Emile Francis.
(Now, before we proceed onward, take a look at those teams and those records again and be grateful for things like last year’s ALCS and this year’s Rangers and all the small things that give us joy in sports. Because in 1966, most of the things that had made Fun City fun were no longer … well, fun. As Billy Joel once said: “The good old days weren’t always good.”)
We are here, of course, because the Nets fired Kenny Atkinson on Saturday, an absurdly dumb and short-sighted decision that I’ve addressed elsewhere in these pages and a move that means the longest-tenured manager or coach in New York City, as of right now, is ….
…. Aaron Boone, with all of two years on the job.
My Post colleague Peter Botte faithfully keeps meticulous count of the ever-shortening time of tenure among New York coaches and it has almost become a comical pastime, one that reads thus (unless something crazy has happened between my writing this and you reading this, and I wouldn’t put that by anybody):
Boone (December 2017), David Quinn (May ’18), Barry Trotz (June ’18), Chris Armas (July ’18), Adam Gase (January ’19), Alain Nasreddine (December ’19), Mike Miller (December ’19), Joe Judge (Jan. ’20), Luis Rojas (Jan ’20), Jacque Vaughn (March ’20).
And, gosh, by any measure that tells a tale of some abject failure. And also one about the times we now live in. We have had impatient owners with itchy trigger fingers before (never forget George Steinbrenner’s spinning-wheel managers office). But it’s hard to summon another time when all of our teams were so fire-happy.
Which isn’t to say they’re wrong, either: Almost every successful coach and manager followed a guy who was whacked with cause. That’s the law of the jungle, especially in the sporting wilderness of New York City.
The worst of that ’66 crew eventually found that there’s a limit of patience, too. Westrum begat Gil Hodges. McGuire begat Red Holzman. Francis became one of the great coaches in the city’s history. Everybody loved Weeb.
Time was, you could think about unpacking your bag around here before wondering where you would have to ship it next. Time was.
Vac’s Whacks
You ever wonder if the owner of the Rangers thinks about offering to have a heart-to-heart sit-down with the owner of the Knicks? I’m told they’re close.
All David Byrne did last week was remind the world why it was always so essential to the “Saturday Night Live” coolness quotient to always have a strong musical presence.
Four years after we lost her at 44, it’s important to remember that a crowded array of local colleges, high schools and junior high schools play ball daily on Shannon Dalton Forde Field in Little Ferry, N.J., a note-perfect tribute to the Mets’ former PR executive.
I’m sure even Larry David would agree: Carl wasn’t the Jets’ first victim.
Whack Back at Vac
Joe Nugent: Four vital pieces to the Yankees’ 2020 team are now injured and likely to miss some, most or all of the season. None actually played in a baseball game. These injuries were discovered by doctors after these “world-class” athletes reported for work but couldn’t work. Yankees fans have a right to be disgusted. If Judge, Stanton, Paxton and Severino were hurt, these injuries should have been taken care of before Halloween.
Vac: Once upon a time, such frustrations used to be the exclusive purview of Mets fans.
Tony Giametta: James Dolan is like the vicious dog who guards the house, in this case, The Garden. No one is safe: Marv Albert, Charles Oakley, Spike Lee, the fans, his security, the mailman. Free agents know to beware. Hopefully Leon Rose is allowed to be the second coming of Bob Gutkowski and fumigate the place.
Vac: The more the years pass, the more Gutkowski is remembered as a combination of Branch Rickey, Red Auerbach, Winston Churchill and Gandhi.
@KassyMeisel: I would say Mark Messier is tied or above Reggie in terms of stepping up to the situation and bringing it under as intense pressure.
Vac: I’d disagree only to the extent that the Yankees will always have a spotlight attached to them a thousand times brighter than the Rangers. But Messier is also a good standard.
Jeffrey Moritz: Alex Bregman being HBP is likely to become “dog bites man” news for MLB. James Dolan soiling Knicks brand by snubbing Marv Albert is certainly “dog bites man” for the Knicks. I hope Aaron Judge injury reports are not the next regular example of an ugly litany for Yanks.
Vac: You honestly can’t be a baseball fan and hope the same thing about Judge. This has to stop eventually.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--NFL and golf keep pushing gambling for increased revenue

With the message “ nothing about this is easy , ” the Leon ...

It’s all so hideously backward.
At a salary of roughly $42 million per year, Roger “PSLs Are Good Investments” Goodell should be held accountable for every claim he issues. Instead, his colossal contradictions are issued look-away passes.
As Steve Malanga in the City Journal wrote last week, in March 2009 Goodell wrote a strong, solemn, soulful, high-road letter to then-Delaware Gov. Jack Markell in protest of his state’s effort to renew its NFL betting lottery. Goodell:
“By legalizing sports betting it will be in Delaware’s interest to create ever larger numbers of new gamblers as the state attempts to maximize any revenue found in this promotion.
“The negative social impact of additional gambling cannot be minimized in a community.”
You know the rest. Goodell, with the moral conviction of a weather vane, was full of it.
Six years later, recognizing the potential for increased revenue that could be exacted from teaming up with “fantasy” gambling operations, Goodell was making the absurd claim that such money-wagering businesses are not gambling but games of skill.
And with the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling that sports gambling is a go, the NFL is fully immersed in the bet-on-our-games business.
Goodell, and the team owners who empower him, have traded their concern for gambling’s socially destructive consequences for their cut of stacked-odds gambling on NFL players and games.
Last week, the NFL took it even deeper, approving on-site, sportsbook-sponsored game-day betting “lounges” at NFL stadiums in the 14 states that have legalized sports gambling, including New Jersey.
Going to an NFL game? Stop by at one of the NFL’s online betting parlors! Hanging around an NFL betting lounge, stop by at the game!
And now the PGA, inevitably, wants its cut of the dough golf fans gamble and lose. It, too, has partnered with several companies that both provides gambling info and instructions on how to bet.
As PGA VP Norb Gambuzza proudly declared, “Golf is open for the business of betting.”
And don’t forget to lose early and often, to best pad the PGA’s cut.
Gambling on golf — more specifically on golfers — creates disturbing sooner-or-later scenarios. Even more gamblers, who already could bet via “fantasy sites,” can now stand just a few feet from those they bet on — or more significantly, bet against. On-course, incivility, already on the rise with the PGA’s reliance on alcohol sales, only can grow worse.
Just think of the patron, drunk or sober, who can win 10 grand if this guy misses a 6-footer on 18.
At last year’s Masters, Jason Day, among the betting favorites, withdrew during the first round after reinjuring his back. The direct vitriol he then received from “fans” on social media left him staggered. Think any of those hateful missives were from gamblers?
But now the PGA, in exchange for its cut, will beg for more.
What’s that? You don’t have a bet? You don’t bet. Well, you can come in, I guess, but stand in the back. And don’t block the door to the counting house!
Nice messages aren’t always sincere
The mass mailing new Knicks president Leon Rose sent to Knicks patrons last week was loaded with sunny platitudes but was a nice gesture, nonetheless.
It also reminded me of the story the late Harold Rosenthal told me. He covered the Brooklyn Dodgers for the Herald Tribune.
It was 1947 or ’48, and Rosenthal boarded the elegant New York Central train that would return him from Chicago after a Dodgers-Cubs series. In his sleeper, Rosenthal was aghast to be awakened by itching caused by bed bugs.
When he returned to his office, he fired off an angry letter to the head of the railroad. The next day, he received a special delivery reply graciously apologizing for his discomfort with an explanation that it was a rare occurrence and the promise that he’d never suffer such again.
As Rosenthal read the letter, he tapped the envelope lightly on his knee. A small piece of paper fell out. He picked it up. It read, “Marge, send this guy the bug letter.”
I’m lucky. Before wild-eyed, slobbering greed was invited to invade and to ignore kids, MLB allowed me to become a baseball fan. And so many of those prompts remain.
Last week Johnny Antonelli, a New York and San Francisco Giants pitcher who threw 102 complete games despite losing two seasons to the Korean War, died at 89 in his native Rochester.
Funny, how often Antonelli showed up in my packs of Topps cards in 1960. Seems every pack included the card showing Antonelli, hands overhead, at the top of his delivery.
And when I saw his photo in an obituary, so help me, I smelled that sweet, powdery bubble gum.
Harden is having hard time from 3
I realize that by ESPN’s points-scored totals, the Rockets’ James Harden is an NBA superstar. But I don’t see it. I see a player who does his best to keep both sides in it.
This week the Rockets lost three consecutive games with Harden shooting 5-for-32 from 3-point-range. The Rockets totaled 143 3-point attempts — just under half of their field-goal attempts.
Thursday in a home loss to the Clippers, Houston was 7-for-42, 16.7 percent, on 3s. The low post is now the foul line.
So how do we fix this? Add more replay reviews!
Jets defensive end Quinnen Williams, first-round pick last year out of Alabama, was arrested this week at LaGuardia for allegedly carrying a gun, a Glock 19.
It was reported he does have a concealed weapons permit but only for Alabama. Williams is 22. Shucks, most of us didn’t even apply for our concealed weapons permits until we were at least 25.
Call me crazy, but wherever Williams goes to necessitate carrying a gun, maybe he should stop going there. Then again, who hasn’t lost track of their Glock, now and then?
MLB and MLBPA are looking into a proposal to ban spring training. Too dangerous.
Most important addition for the Mets this season is a subtraction: Anthony Rendon left the Nationals for the Angels.
ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” on Tuesday included debate between Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser as to what’s more likely: LeBron James winning the MVP or Zion Williamson winning Rookie of the Year. That was followed by who’s more valuable: Kawhi Leonard or Chris Paul. Really, fellas? Leave such stuffed emptiness to Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman.
Isn’t it time NBC’s Gary Koch asks PGA players why they’d use a ball that “finds the water”?
With the coronavirus escalating, Tito’s vodka has urged consumers not to use its product as a hand sanitizer. No problem.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--‘Shark Tank’ investor Daymond John: coronavirus will ‘definitely’ lead to a baby boom

“ Shark Tank ” investor Daymond John says that quarantines , lockdowns and fear of public places will have one very good side effect : a coronavirus baby boom .
“ We definitely will see a baby boom , 100 percent , ” the Brooklyn-born FUBU founder told TMZ when asked about the possibility .
“ Yeah , we absolutely will .
It ’ s like when the blackout happened in New York and everybody stayed at home .
It ’ s a whole bunch of babies nine months later.
” John , 51 , also thinks Americans stuck working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus stand to benefit from the time shaved off their commutes .
“ What are [ Americans ] going to do when they stay home ?
You know , if Twitter ’ s going to close down and say , ‘ Hey , everybody ’ s got ta work from home , ’ and you save three hours every single day , ” he said .
“ Are you still educating yourself , getting a digital curriculum [ to see ] how you can better your family , or eat healthier , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus could even potentially boost manufacturing and give homebound entrepreneurs time to mull a new business idea .
“ The reality is , the problem is here , ” he went on .
“ How are you going to adjust it to yourself to get a solution for yourself ?

“Shark Tank” investor Daymond John says that quarantines, lockdowns and fear of public places will have one very good side effect: a coronavirus baby boom.
“We definitely will see a baby boom, 100 percent,” the Brooklyn-born FUBU founder told TMZ when asked about the possibility.
“Yeah, we absolutely will. It’s like when the blackout happened in New York and everybody stayed at home. It’s a whole bunch of babies nine months later.”
John, 51, also thinks Americans stuck working from home as they hide from the virus stand to benefit from the time shaved off their commutes.
“What are [Americans] going to do when they stay home? You know, if Twitter’s going to close down and say, ‘Hey, everybody’s gotta work from home,’ and you save three hours every single day,” he said.
“Are you still educating yourself, getting a digital curriculum [to see] how you can better your family, or eat healthier, or things like that?”
John said the spread of the virus could even potentially boost manufacturing and give homebound entrepreneurs time to mull a new business idea.
“The reality is, the problem is here,” he went on. “How are you going to adjust it to yourself to get a solution for yourself?


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Here’s how a Nebraska coronavirus patient was transported

A chilling photograph shows the extreme measures taken to safely transport Nebraska ’ s first coronavirus case — an Omaha woman who may have contracted the virus on a recent trip to the UK .
The woman , 36 , had been treated for mild symptoms at an Omaha hospital until Friday .
Then her infection took a turn for the worse , officials told Omaha.com .
She was transported for more specialized treatment to the University of Nebraska Medical Center , also in Omaha — secured inside what ’ s known as an “ isolation pod ” and handled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The woman is currently being treated for acute respiratory distress syndrome at UNMC ’ s Biocontainment Unit .
The world-renowned , 10-bed unit is designed to safely treat deadly infectious diseases while protecting its highly trained staff and the public from contamination .
The unit has only one other patient — a coronavirus patient from the Diamond Princess cruise line , officials said .
In 2015 , the unit successfully treated an Ebola patient , Rick Sacra , a doctor who was working in a maternity ward in Liberia during the height @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted this week had traveled with her father to England , where she began experiencing symptoms .
She returned from the nine-day trip on Feb. 27 and went to the emergency room at Omaha ’ s Methodist Hospital on Thursday .
She was tested for coronavirus on Friday , and moved Friday night , officials said .
Epidemiologists are now scrambling to trace with whom she may have come in contact , including basketball players at an area Special Olympics tourney , patrons at an Omaha VFW , and more than 30 health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have to take it seriously , ” Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert told Omaha.com .
“ But that does not mean the entire city will be shut down .
We just have to be smart about it .
”

A chilling photograph shows the extreme measures taken to safely transport Nebraska’s first coronavirus case — an Omaha woman who may have contracted the virus on a recent trip to the UK.
The woman, 36, had been treated for mild symptoms at an Omaha hospital until Friday. Then her infection took a turn for the worse, officials told Omaha.com.
She was transported for more specialized treatment to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, also in Omaha — secured inside what’s known as an “isolation pod” and handled only by “moon-suit” medical workers.
The woman is currently being treated for acute respiratory distress syndrome at UNMC’s Biocontainment Unit.
The world-renowned, 10-bed unit is designed to safely treat deadly infectious diseases while protecting its highly trained staff and the public from contamination.
The unit has only one other patient — a coronavirus patient from the Diamond Princess cruise line, officials said.
In 2015, the unit successfully treated an Ebola patient, Rick Sacra, a doctor who was working in a maternity ward in Liberia during the height of that epidemic.
The infected woman admitted this week had traveled with her father to England, where she began experiencing symptoms.
She returned from the nine-day trip on Feb. 27 and went to the emergency room at Omaha’s Methodist Hospital on Thursday.
She was tested for coronavirus on Friday, and moved Friday night, officials said.
Epidemiologists are now scrambling to trace with whom she may have come in contact, including basketball players at an area Special Olympics tourney, patrons at an Omaha VFW, and more than 30 health care workers at her first hospital.
“We have to take it seriously,” Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert told Omaha.com. “But that does not mean the entire city will be shut down. We just have to be smart about it.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Nevada mom kills husband, kids in murder-suicide: police

A Nevada mother wiped out her entire family — fatally shooting her husband and her teenage sons before killing herself @ @ @ @ @ horrific violence unfolded sometime before Wednesday when police found Joan Huber , 53 , and @ @ @ @ @ home on a quiet cul-de-sac after they had not been seen in days , NBC @ @ @ @ @ said Friday they believe Huber , an Irish national , killed her husband , Adam @ @ @ @ @ fire on their two sons , ages 16 and 17 .
Police arrived at the @ @ @ @ @ after family and friends reported not having seen the family for several days , according @ @ @ @ @ attended Damonte Ranch High School , where five students have died in unrelated incidents in @ @ @ @ @ local ABC affiliate reported .
The school on Thursday was staffed with additional counselors and @ @ @ @ @ cope , according to the report .

A Nevada mother wiped out her entire family — fatally shooting her husband and her teenage sons before killing herself, authorities allege.
The horrific violence unfolded sometime before Wednesday when police found Joan Huber, 53, and her family in their Reno home on a quiet cul-de-sac after they had not been seen in days, NBC News reported.
Reno officials said Friday they believe Huber, an Irish national, killed her husband, Adam, 50, before opening fire on their two sons, ages 16 and 17.
Police arrived at the home at 11 a.m. Wednesday after family and friends reported not having seen the family for several days, according to NBC.
The boys attended Damonte Ranch High School, where five students have died in unrelated incidents in a 35-day window, the local ABC affiliate reported.
The school on Thursday was staffed with additional counselors and therapy dogs to help students cope, according to the report.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--Fantasy baseball: Phillies’ Scott Kingery poised to break out

When something is undervalued , it is considered to be less ...

Drafting fantasy baseball players with multi-position eligibility has proven to be a worthwhile and winning strategy. The roster flexibility it offers eases the burden when dealing with injuries and it opens the player pool even wider when making waiver claims.
If looking to acquire players with both high-quality production and multi-position eligibility, look no further than third base. The hot corner is so flush with talent this season, you can wait until the middle rounds to fill your needs and still find high-level talent you can move around the diamond.
Take a nice, long look at Scott Kingery of the Phillies. He is your typical post-hype sleeper and someone you should be targeting this season. Kingery is an extremely talented player with 20-20 upside whose arrival was met with some high expectations. Unfortunately, his failure to deliver the offensive totals with consistency last season has pushed his ADP this year as far down as 182, which is somewhere in the 15th round of standard 12-team drafts. But in Year 3 of his fledgling career, Kingery is primed for a breakout.
Through his first two years, Kingery was victimized by an inexperienced manager in Gabe Kapler. The former platooner-turned-manager treated his players in similar fashion, and Kingery was continuously moved around between the infield and outfield. He was forced to focus so much on his defense at the different positions, it hindered his development at the plate. That has kept him off the radar for most this season, but it has also gifted Kingery with fantasy eligibility at both third base and the outfield.
According to reports from Phillies GM Matt Klentak and new manager Joe Girardi, Kingery will not be moved around the diamond this season. But he will also not be playing third. Kingery is slotted to play second base, with Jean Segura moving over to the hot corner. That becomes a huge win for fantasy as Kingery, after 10 games at second base this season, will then qualify virtually everywhere — second, third, corner and middle infield, as well as the outfield — and that is fantasy gold.
If you like that in-season eligibility change for Kingery, then you will also want to take a look at Miguel Sano. The former Twins third baseman will gain eligibility at first base soon enough, as the signing of Josh Donaldson pushes him across the diamond. Sano’s suspect defense at third will no longer be a factor, and manager Rocco Baldelli is working with him on pitch selection which could lower the strikeouts.
With his 131 ADP and new multi-position eligibility, you could even wait on first base and invest your early-round picks on shortstops or outfielders.
Neither Sano nor Kingery is going to cost you a high draft pick or big auction dollars, but the potential benefits could be huge. The ability to focus early picks elsewhere and still have such tremendous roster flexibility will make your in-season work much more efficient. And that, too, is fantasy gold.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays at 4 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy advice, MLB lineups and DFS weather updates.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--First coronavirus case confirmed in Washington, DC

The first coronavirus case had been reported in the nation ’ s capital .
A man in his 50s who lives in Washington , D.C. , tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday , Mayor Muriel Bowser said .
The patient began exhibiting symptoms in late February and was hospitalized locally on March 5 , she said .
The case is considered to be the result of community spread because the man did not appear to have a history of international travel or any close contact with another confirmed case .
“ With his test yielding a presumptive positive , D.C. Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC guidelines , ” Bowser said .
“ This investigation includes contact tracing and providing guidance on next steps for care.
” D.C ’ s first patient was announced shortly after it was revealed that an attendee of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference had tested positive for the new coronavirus after returning from the four-day event last week , The New York Times reported .
The conference was held just outside the capital and attended by both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence .
Organizers said the patient tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before attending the event and had no interaction with the president or VP , the Times reported Trump brushed off any concerns as the virus crept closer to the White House .
“ I ’ m not concerned at all , ” the president said Saturday .
When asked , Trump said he ’ d press on with rallies as the number of infected Americans continues to rise , with more than 400 cases documented by Saturday night .

The first coronavirus case had been reported in the nation’s capital.
A man in his 50s who lives in Washington, D.C., tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
The patient began exhibiting symptoms in late February and was hospitalized locally on March 5, she said.
The case is considered to be the result of community spread because the man did not appear to have a history of international travel or any close contact with another confirmed case.
“With his test yielding a presumptive positive, D.C. Health has started its investigation in keeping with CDC guidelines,” Bowser said. “This investigation includes contact tracing and providing guidance on next steps for care.”
D.C’s first patient was announced shortly after it was revealed that an attendee of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference had tested positive for the new coronavirus after returning from the four-day event last week.
The conference was held just outside the capital and attended by both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
Organizers said the patient tested positive Saturday and was exposed to the virus before attending the event and had no interaction with the president or VP.
“At this time there is no indication that either President Trump or Vice President Pence met with or were in close proximity to the attendee,” White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.
Trump brushed off any concerns as the virus crept closer to the White House.
“I’m not concerned at all,” the president said Saturday.
When asked, Trump said he’d press on with rallies as the number of infected Americans continues to rise, with more than 400 cases documented by Saturday night.
“We’ll hold tremendous rallies,” he added.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--Pennsylvania announces 2 new coronavirus cases, bringing state total to 4

Two new coronavirus cases were confirmed in southeastern Pennsylvania , Gov .
Tom Wolf announced Saturday , bringing the state ’ s total to four cases .
The new patients live in Montgomery County and are self-isolating at home while showing “ mild ” symptoms , Wolf said .
Both had traveled to areas of the United States where other COVID-19 cases have been confirmed .
“ Even with these new cases , I want to reassure Pennsylvanians that the commonwealth is prepared and responding appropriately and swiftly so that information and resources are available , ” Wolf said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinating with legislative leaders from both parties , and we have agreed to immediately work toward a package that would provide resources to ensure we are aggressively mitigating the spread of COVID-19 , ” he added .
The state ’ s first two patients were reported Friday — one adult in Delaware County and another in Wayne County — and they are also isolating themselves at home , according to the governor ’ s office .
The two new patients in Montgomery County residents are adults and in stable condition , the Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where they contracted a virus , we can reach out to everyone they were in contact with and start to stem the spread , ” April Hutcheson , communications director for the state Department of Health , told the outlet .
There are more than 105,000 documented coronavirus cases and more than 3,500 related deaths reported across the world , including more than 400 cases in the United States .

Two new coronavirus cases were confirmed in southeastern Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Saturday, bringing the state’s total to four cases.
The new patients live in Montgomery County and are self-isolating at home while showing “mild” symptoms, Wolf said. Both had traveled to areas of the United States where other COVID-19 cases have been confirmed.
“Even with these new cases, I want to reassure Pennsylvanians that the commonwealth is prepared and responding appropriately and swiftly so that information and resources are available,” Wolf said in a statement.
“I have been coordinating with legislative leaders from both parties, and we have agreed to immediately work toward a package that would provide resources to ensure we are aggressively mitigating the spread of COVID-19,” he added.
The state’s first two patients were reported Friday — one adult in Delaware County and another in Wayne County — and they are also isolating themselves at home, according to the governor’s office.
The two new patients in Montgomery County residents are adults and in stable condition, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
“When we know where they contracted a virus, we can reach out to everyone they were in contact with and start to stem the spread,” April Hutcheson, communications director for the state Department of Health, told the outlet.
There are more than 105,000 documented coronavirus cases and more than 3,500 related deaths reported across the world, including more than 400 cases in the United States.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--LeBron James, Anthony Davis go off as Lakers easily beat Clippers

LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis scored 30 points , LeBron James added 28 and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Clippers 112-103 on Sunday , snapping their Staples Center co-tenant ’ s six-game winning streak .
Avery Bradley added 24 points to help the Lakers won their fourth in a row and 11th in 12 games .
They pulled away in the second half after the Clippers ’ smothering defense helped them lead most of the first two quarters .
The Lakers recently clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2013 , and it ’ s possible they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The crowd made it feel like a playoff atmosphere , with a strong contingent of raucous Lakers fans on hand for what was a Clippers ’ home game .
They chanted “ MVP !
MVP !
” when James completed a 3-point play that tied the Lakers ’ largest lead of 12 points with 40 seconds to play .
Paul George scored 31 points , Kawhi Leonard added 27 and Montrezl Harrell had 20 for the Clippers .
They lost to the Lakers for the first time in three games this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points , James hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth .
His 3-point play and a basket by Davis capped a 14-6 run that pushed it to 99-87 , their first double-digit lead of the game .
George and Leonard combined to score 12 straight points during a stretch in the fourth , but they could never get a sustained run going .
Bradley hit four of his season-high six 3-pointers in the third , helping the Lakers take their first lead since the opening quarter after trailing by nine

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James closed out a weekend to remember. First, he outdueled Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in a match-up of NBA conference leaders. Then he kept the Los Angeles Lakers rolling with a victory over the streaking Clippers.
James had 28 points, seven rebounds and nine assists Sunday in 112-103 victory that ended the Clippers’ six-game winning streak. He put up 37 points, eight rebounds and seven assists Friday against the Bucks.
“His best weekend in a Lakers uniform I’m assuming,” first-year coach Frank Vogel said. “I wasn’t here last year but, in my mind, this was the best two-game stretch. Really just dominated both games and helped close them out.”
The Lakers won their fourth in a row and 11th in 12 games. Anthony Davis scored 30 points and Avery Bradley added 24.
“It’s a really good weekend for us, playing against two of the best teams, the top two teams in the league with us as far as record-wise,” James said. “I just think we kept our composure throughout the whole game.”
The Lakers recently clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2013, and it’s possible they could meet the Clippers in the postseason. The crowd made it feel like a playoff atmosphere, with a strong contingent of raucous Lakers fans on hand for what was a Clippers’ home game. They chanted “MVP! MVP!” when James completed a 3-point play that tied the Lakers’ largest lead of 12 points with 40 seconds to play.
The Clippers led 53-49 at halftime with their largest lead of nine coming in the second quarter.
“Just trying to come out in the second half and not let the game get away from us,” Davis said. “We wanted to make sure we come out with a little bit more offensive intensity and aggression.”
Paul George scored 31 points, Kawhi Leonard added 27 and Montrezl Harrell had 20 for the Clippers. They lost to the Lakers for the first time in three games this season.
With the Lakers up by four points, James hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth. His 3-point play and a basket by Davis capped a 14-6 run that pushed it to 99-87, their first double-digit lead of the game.
“The first time we played Milwaukee and the previous two times we played the Clippers we beat ourselves,” Davis said. “When we don’t do that — get a shot on goal every time and don’t turn the ball over — then we’re a tough team to beat.”
The Clippers had more turnovers (15) than assists (12).
“When you don’t move the ball on top of that you can’t win the game,” Rivers said.
George and Leonard combined to score 12 straight points during a stretch in the fourth, but they could never get a sustained run going.
“They were the team that really wanted it and they went and got it,” George said. “It’s hard to beat any team three times in a row in this league. It doesn’t set us back.”
Bradley hit four of his season-high six 3-pointers in the third, helping the Lakers take their first lead since the opening quarter.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Noah Syndergaard’s Mets technology praise includes dig at ‘cheating’ Astros

PORT ST. LUCIE — It ’ s been more than a decade ...

PORT ST. LUCIE — A day after cameras focused on Noah Syndergaard throwing — shirtless again — with wires and sensors attached to him, the right-hander tossed three solid innings Sunday in his third start of the Grapefruit League season.
He and the Mets are hoping the advanced technology employed by the organization and new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner can help Syndergaard — and the rest of the staff — be more effective.
Whether it’s motion-capture technology, TrackMan or Rapsodo, Syndergaard believes he can become a more well-rounded pitcher — once he figures out what it all means.
“It’s great,” Syndergaard said of the new information he’s receiving. “I think where baseball is going is access to the data and technology we have and using it, not in a cheating way. I think it’s great.”
That was a not-so-subtle dig at the Astros, whom Syndergaard limited to one run over three innings in a 3-1 win at Clover Park.
Syndergaard added he “didn’t even notice” the boos that flooded down from the stands when most of the Astros’ regulars came to the plate.
For Syndergaard, it was more important that he continued to get results — and he was especially pleased with the results he got with his slider.
“It was pretty good,” Syndergaard said.
His new manager, Luis Rojas, has liked what he has seen from Syndergaard and thinks the 6-foot-6 pitcher can deliver even more.
“The more you learn yourself, the more adjustments you can make,’’ Rojas said. “He’s getting his slider to translate from bullpen to games. The feedback he’s getting and the research and work he’s doing with Hefner helps him understand what his pitches are doing and how they are moving. It tells you how you get swings, ground balls, and make pitches play. Right now, it’s paid off.”
The real test comes in the regular season, and Syndergaard said he’s just in the initial stages of being able to use the information being gathered.
“I’m not really sure [how to use the information],” Syndergaard said. “We’re just really scratching the surface on what it’s really capable of.”
Saturday served as something of a trial run to help determine baselines for different pitchers so they could compare the results for starts down the road.
Last month, Hefner told The Post’s Ken Davidoff that while new technology has changed the way pitching coaches deal with their staffs, he’s not completely altering how things are done.
“I don’t like the ‘old-school, new-school’ terms,” Hefner said. “Being able to have a relationship with the player, that will never go away. TrackMan’s great. Rapsodo is good. Edgertronic is great. Motion-capture technology is incredibly helpful. They all serve a purpose just like any tool.”
Like Syndergaard’s slider.
“I saw it from my angle in the third-base dugout, the depth and difference of velocity,” Rojas said. “You saw a lot of swing and misses with the slider. He can throw it for a strike. He threw it for chasing down and away to righties.”
And the pitch will only make Syndergaard more dangerous.
“It expands his repertoire,” Rojas said. “He’s always been known as a power pitcher. I know he’s had a curve that separates his velocity, but this is more of an action pitch for him. It contrasts more with his velocity from his fastball. And getting the break, it’s a really important pitch for him. … The last two outings are probably the best I’ve seen him.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Bail reform was ‘height of arrogance’ by state lawmakers, says Ray Kelly

Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly blasted state bail reform Sunday , saying the legislature “ shoved ” the reform law “ down the public ’ s throat.
” “ The passage of this bail reform act really was the height of arrogance on the part of the New York State Legislature , ” Kelly told host John Catsimatidis on AM 970 ’ s The Cats Roundtable .
“ They had no public discussions when the legislation was being put together .
They had no consultations with district attorneys , with police executives , with judges .
They just did it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing the ramifications of it , ” Kelly said , referring to the recent increase in reported crimes .
The ex-commissioner admitted that bail reform was working in some parts of the country , citing New Jersey specifically , but noted that “ they have a component that the New York state legislation does not have , and that is judicial discretion .
“ That means judges can look at a person and determine where he or she is going to present danger to the public and keep that person in jail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with a recidivist population , ” Kelly said , adding that studies show criminals don ’ t commit one crime , they commit multiple crimes and are only arrested for a few of them .
“ It ’ s only logical , what happened , crime went up because people had the opportunity , criminals have the opportunity to commit more crime , ” he said .
A total 16,343 major crimes were reported in the first two months of 2020 — up 2,965 from the same period in 2019 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 percent — were committed by bail-reform beneficiaries , NYPD statistics show .

Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly blasted state bail reform Sunday, saying the legislature “shoved” the reform law “down the public’s throat.”
“The passage of this bail reform act really was the height of arrogance on the part of the New York State Legislature,” Kelly told host John Catsimatidis on AM 970’s The Cats Roundtable.
“They had no public discussions when the legislation was being put together. They had no consultations with district attorneys, with police executives, with judges. They just did it because they could. Now we are seeing the ramifications of it,” Kelly said, referring to the recent increase in reported crimes.
The ex-commissioner admitted that bail reform was working in some parts of the country, citing New Jersey specifically, but noted that “they have a component that the New York state legislation does not have, and that is judicial discretion.
“That means judges can look at a person and determine where he or she is going to present danger to the public and keep that person in jail,” he said.
“We are dealing with a recidivist population,” Kelly said, adding that studies show criminals don’t commit one crime, they commit multiple crimes and are only arrested for a few of them.
“It’s only logical, what happened, crime went up because people had the opportunity, criminals have the opportunity to commit more crime,” he said.
A total 16,343 major crimes were reported in the first two months of 2020 — up 2,965 from the same period in 2019. But only 299 of those major crimes — 10 percent — were committed by bail-reform beneficiaries, NYPD statistics show.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Yankees get encouraging Giancarlo Stanton injury news

TAMPA — Giancarlo Stanton is in the feeling-out process when it comes to his strained right calf .
“ Just continue to progress and see what we got , ’ ’ Stanton said Sunday in the Yankees ’ clubhouse during a 1-0 win over the Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field .
“ Whenever I am ready I will be out there.
” Stanton , who played in only 18 regular-season games a year ago due to several injuries , suffered a Grade 1 strain of his calf during fielding drills on Feb. 25 and isn ’ t expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Yankees open the season against the Orioles at Camden Yards .
Stanton hit in the cage and worked on a treadmill Sunday and said he didn ’ t feel any issues in his calf .
“ With the stuff we are doing , no , ” Stanton said .
Aaron Boone said he was encouraged that Stanton ran at 85 percent on the treadmill .
“ That will be the biggest thing , the final thing , is really being able to run full bore , obviously , ” Boone said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ really good [ Sunday ] .
I know he feels really good with all the baseball-activities stuff already .
Getting him to the point where he can sprint and really get after it .
And get after his defensive work and stuff .
When that is , I am not so sure , but baseball stuff we have been really encouraged so far .
”

TAMPA — Giancarlo Stanton is in the feeling-out process when it comes to his strained right calf.
“Just continue to progress and see what we got,’’ Stanton said Sunday in the Yankees’ clubhouse during a 1-0 win over the Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “Whenever I am ready I will be out there.”
Stanton, who played in only 18 regular-season games a year ago due to several injuries, suffered a Grade 1 strain of his calf during fielding drills on Feb. 25 and isn’t expected to be ready by March 26, when the Yankees open the season against the Orioles at Camden Yards.
Stanton hit in the cage and worked on a treadmill Sunday and said he didn’t feel any issues in his calf.
“With the stuff we are doing, no,” Stanton said.
Aaron Boone said he was encouraged that Stanton ran at 85 percent on the treadmill.
“That will be the biggest thing, the final thing, is really being able to run full bore, obviously,” Boone said. “I know his cage work was really good [Sunday]. I know he feels really good with all the baseball-activities stuff already. Getting him to the point where he can sprint and really get after it. And get after his defensive work and stuff. When that is, I am not so sure, but baseball stuff we have been really encouraged so far.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Nets win ugly in first game since firing Kenny Atkinson

The Nets say they “ mutually parted ways ” with Kenny Atkinson ... .

The Jacque Vaughn era began with a win.
The Nets new interim coach may not want to watch it back too often, though.
Less than 48 hours removed from Kenny Atkinson getting fired after four seasons at the helm, the Nets had a game to play with Vaughn manning the sideline.
It was hardly a Picasso, but the Nets escaped with a 110-107 win over the lowly Bulls on Sunday afternoon at Barclays Center.
“It definitely was a little different, but I feel like [Vaughn] did a great job filling in for him,” said Caris LeVert, who poured in 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. “It was pretty smooth. It was a very smooth transition, to be honest with you.”
The Nets (29-34) led by 10 points with less than three minutes left, but the Bulls (21-43) pulled within 105-102 with 34.2 seconds to go and 107-104 with 15.3 seconds left. The Bulls forced another turnover — the Nets’ season-high 29th of the game — and nearly tied it on Coby White’s 3 that went in and out.
Spencer Dinwiddie then made one of two free throws with 3.6 seconds left, just enough to avoid disaster when Otto Porter Jr. nailed a fadeaway 3 that made it 108-107 with 0.4 seconds on the clock. Dinwiddie followed up by sinking two more free throws to end it.
The Nets won for the third time in four games after four straight losses as they hung onto seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, all while still digesting Saturday’s stunning news.
“I’m just glad for the guys that they were able to get back on the floor, get back to what they enjoy doing, love doing — competing and playing the game of basketball,” Vaughn said. “At the end of the day, that was the best part of getting together and competing today.”
The Nets pulled out the win despite committing a season-high 29 turnovers — off of which the Bulls scored 24 points — against a team that entered the game having lost 12 of 14. Nine of the turnovers came in the first quarter as they got off to a sloppy start.
Vaughn said the officials changed the basketball early on after both the Nets and Bulls complained it was too slippery. It did little to cut down on the Nets’ carelessness, though.
“I think that was the first seven [turnovers],” Vaughn said of the slippery ball. “The other [22], we’ll have to look at [Monday].”
Three of Atkinson’s best player-development stories — Dinwiddie (24 points, six assists), Joe Harris (23 points) and LeVert — combined for 70 points to lead the way offensively.
The Nets used a 22-6 run to take the lead for good in the second quarter. They stretched it to as much as 13 points in the third quarter before the Bulls began to come back late. The Nets had blown their share of big leads under Atkinson, but were able to barely hang on and survive in Vaughn’s first game in charge. They made a season-high 35 free throws (on a season-high 41 attempts) and needed every last one to avoid another letdown.
As the shock of Atkinson no longer being on the sideline began to wear off, the Nets tried to get back to setting their sights on what they can still accomplish this season.
“Any time you can get a win, especially this time of the year, it’s huge for us,” Harris said. “We have playoff implications and aspirations, and regardless of what’s gone on, we’re all professionals in this room. The aspirations stay the same.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--British teen kisses Meghan Markle, says ‘She really is beautiful’

A British teen couldn ’ t hide his joy at getting a hug and kiss from Meghan Markle — telling his roaring classmates , “ She really is beautiful , innit.
” Aker Okoye , 16 , had bounded up to his school stage when the Duchess of Sussex asked for a “ brave young man ” to volunteer to discuss the importance of International Women ’ s Day during her surprise visit at Robert Clack School in east London .
The applause Okoye got as he headed to the stage soon turned to screams and cheers as he leaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheek , according to video of the event .
The response left the duchess laughing and smiling , and the teen blushing as he waited for the cheers to finally subside , getting a pat on the back from his royal crush .
“ She really is beautiful , innit , ” he finally said — leaving his classmates erupting once more and the duchess doubling over in laughter before wagging her finger at him in mock outrage .
“ I had to speak the truth there , ” he said , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and getting his loudest applause when Markle came in for a big hug , his eyes showing his clear disbelief .
“ Incredible confidence , don ’ t you all agree , ” Markle teased him after he left the stage .
Okoye later told The Sun that he had no idea his school was getting the royal visitor — and his “ heart was racing ” when he went up onstage .
“ She was lovely and down-to-earth , ” he said of their “ incredible ” public meeting .
“ She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kissing her and saying she was beautiful .
She laughed , along with the whole school , ” he said .

A British teen couldn’t hide his joy at getting a hug and kiss from Meghan Markle — telling his roaring classmates, “She really is beautiful, innit.”
Aker Okoye, 16, had bounded up to his school stage when the Duchess of Sussex asked for a “brave young man” to volunteer to discuss the importance of International Women’s Day during her surprise visit at Robert Clack School in east London.
The applause Okoye got as he headed to the stage soon turned to screams and cheers as he leaned in to kiss the duchess on the cheek, according to video of the event.
The response left the duchess laughing and smiling, and the teen blushing as he waited for the cheers to finally subside, getting a pat on the back from his royal crush.
“She really is beautiful, innit,” he finally said — leaving his classmates erupting once more and the duchess doubling over in laughter before wagging her finger at him in mock outrage.
“I had to speak the truth there,” he said, before making heartfelt comments about the day — and getting his loudest applause when Markle came in for a big hug, his eyes showing his clear disbelief.
“Incredible confidence, don’t you all agree,” Markle teased him after he left the stage.
Okoye later told The Sun that he had no idea his school was getting the royal visitor — and his “heart was racing” when he went up onstage.
“She was lovely and down-to-earth,” he said of their “incredible” public meeting.
“She didn’t seem to mind me kissing her and saying she was beautiful. She laughed, along with the whole school,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Keep off cruises amid coronavirus outbreak, State Department says

The State Department on Sunday warned Americans to stay off cruises amid the coronavirus outbreak — after hundreds of Americans were sickened on at least two recent cruises last month .
“ U.S .
citizens , particularly travelers with underlying health conditions , should not travel by cruise ship , ” the State Dept .
said in a statement .
“ CDC notes that older adults and travelers with underlying health issues should avoid situations that put them at increased risk for more severe disease.
” There ’ s an increased risk of catching the potentially deadly disease on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention .
To curb the spread of COVID-19 , many countries have denied entry to ships and prevented passengers from disembarking .
In some cases , passengers were allowed to get off ships , but were placed under strict quarantine procedures .
The US government last month evacuated about 300 passengers from a quarantined Diamond Princess cruise in Japan , but the State Dept .
said that “ repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for US citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruises ship that was stuck off California ’ s northern coast for over a week finally docked in Oakland on Sunday .
At least 21 sick passengers will be hospitalized there .

Ya think?
The State Department on Sunday warned Americans to stay off cruises amid the coronavirus outbreak — after hundreds of Americans were sickened on at least two recent cruises last month.
“U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship,” the State Department said in a statement. “CDC notes that older adults and travelers with underlying health issues should avoid situations that put them at increased risk for more severe disease.”
There’s an increased risk of catching the potentially deadly disease on a cruise ship, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To curb the spread of Covid-19, many countries have denied entry to ships and prevented passengers from disembarking. In some cases, passengers were allowed to get off ships, but were placed under strict quarantine procedures.
The US government last month evacuated about 300 passengers from a quarantined Diamond Princess cruise in Japan, but the State Department said that “repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for US citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities.”
Passengers on another coronavirus-hit Princess Cruises ship that was stuck off California’s northern coast for over a week finally docked in Oakland on Sunday. At least 21 sick passengers will be hospitalized there.


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Travel chaos as Italy puts quarter of population under coronavirus quarantine

Panicked travelers rushed to flee northern Italy before more than a quarter of its population was placed under lockdown Sunday to combat coronavirus outbreak .
Chaos ensued as people tried to escape before the quarantine decree signed by Italian Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte went into effect in the Lombardy and Veneto regions , which are home to more than 16 million people .
Former Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini shared a video from the Garibaldi station of crowds of people rushing to catch the final trains out of the region , according to Metro UK .
“ Masses of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last trains leaving Lombardy after the draft coronavirus decree filtered by the Government , ” he tweeted .
Students at the University of Padua who had been out at bars Saturday night were alerted to the news on their phones and rushed back to head to the train stations .
The quarantine even angered inmates at a prison in Modena , where a riot erupted over their loved ones not being able to visit , local outlets reported .
The extraordinary lockdown measures , which will impact cities including Milan and Venice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll from the virus in the country had climbed to at least 366 people Sunday , with at least 7,000 cases .

Panicked travelers rushed to flee northern Italy before more than a quarter of its population was placed under lockdown Sunday to combat coronavirus outbreak.
Chaos ensued as people tried to escape before the quarantine decree signed by Italian Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte went into effect in the Lombardy and Veneto regions, which are home to more than 16 million people.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini shared a video from the Garibaldi station of crowds of people rushing to catch the final trains out of the region, according to Metro UK.
“Masses of people in the late Saturday evening storm the last trains leaving Lombardy after the draft coronavirus decree filtered by the Government,” he tweeted.
Students at the University of Padua who had been out at bars Saturday night were alerted to the news on their phones and rushed back to head to the train stations.
The quarantine even angered inmates at a prison in Modena, where a riot erupted over their loved ones not being able to visit, local outlets reported.
The extraordinary lockdown measures, which will impact cities including Milan and Venice, will last until April 3.
The death toll from the virus in the country had climbed to at least 366 people Sunday, with at least 7,000 cases.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-03-08--Robinson Cano’s World Series talk comes with big Mets caveat

PORT ST. LUCIE — It ’ s been more than a decade since Robinson Cano won a title with the Yankees , but the second baseman believes there ’ s enough talent for him to get another ring in Queens — with one caveat .
“ We ’ re really good , ” Cano said .
“ We just have to stay healthy .
If we stay healthy , we can win a championship.
” Cano is entering his second season with the Mets after arriving in a much-maligned deal with the Mariners .
Both he and Edwin Diaz struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being traded for a package that included Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn .
“ If you think about what happened last year , I missed some time with injuries and there were a few other guys that got hurt , ” Cano said of the Mets ’ third-place finish in the NL East .
“ But if that doesn ’ t happen this season , we can win it all.
” Cano ’ s confidence comes from watching a lineup that includes Pete Alonso , Jeff McNeil , Michael Conforto and J.D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The years those guys had last year and someone like [ Brandon ] Nimmo doesn ’ t get injured , it gives you the feeling we can have a great lineup , ” Cano said .
“ They know how to hit and play the game .
But when you lose guys like we did [ in 2019 ] , it ’ s not the same , no matter how good the guy is who replaces him.
” It would also help if Diaz , who was a key reason the Mets ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form he showed with the Mariners .
“ The main thing is pitching and we have a great rotation and we know the bullpen is gon na be better , ” Cano said .
“ This is as excited about a team as I ’ ve been in a long time .
As long as we ’ re good physically , we ’ ll be good on the field .
”

PORT ST. LUCIE — It’s been more than a decade since Robinson Cano won a title with the Yankees, but the second baseman believes there’s enough talent for him to get another ring in Queens — with one caveat.
“We’re really good,” Cano said. “We just have to stay healthy. If we stay healthy, we can win a championship.”
Cano is entering his second season with the Mets after arriving in a much-maligned deal with the Mariners. Both he and Edwin Diaz struggled in their first year with the Mets after being traded for a package that included Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn.
“If you think about what happened last year, I missed some time with injuries and there were a few other guys that got hurt,” Cano said of the Mets’ third-place finish in the NL East. “But if that doesn’t happen this season, we can win it all.”
Cano’s confidence comes from watching a lineup that includes Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis, among others.
“The years those guys had last year and someone like [Brandon] Nimmo doesn’t get injured, it gives you the feeling we can have a great lineup,” Cano said. “They know how to hit and play the game. But when you lose guys like we did [in 2019], it’s not the same, no matter how good the guy is who replaces him.”
It would also help if Diaz, who was a key reason the Mets’ bullpen was awful, returns to the form he showed with the Mariners.
“The main thing is pitching and we have a great rotation and we know the bullpen is gonna be better,” Cano said.
“This is as excited about a team as I’ve been in a long time. As long as we’re good physically, we’ll be good on the field.”