It’s the second weekend in May, and Minnesota Vikings rookie minicamp is off and running. In unison, we have the latest rumors for the purple team, the first of two batches.

Minnesota’s cornerback depth and quarterback hierarchy are both worth watching as May football business begins.

This week focuses on cornerbacks and the NFL’s take on the top roster battle around business.

Minnesota’s May Rumor Mill Starts with Two Familiar Pressure Points

The Purple Rumor Mill for May 9th, 2026.

Rumor: Rasul Douglas, a free-agent cornerback, should be on the Vikings’ radar.

Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante detailed the NFL’s best 25 free agents this week, with Douglas making the cut at No. 10.

He noted Douglas’ free agency and linked him to Minnesota, “The Dolphins needed a stopgap starting option at cornerback last year, and Rasul Douglas filled that role admirably. He had two interceptions and ranked No. 15 in the league in PFSN’s CB Impact Scoring at 84.3.”

“He’ll be 31 in August, so he’s hardly a long-term solution for any team, but he should get the chance to battle for a starting role. 2026 Predicted Team: Minnesota Vikings.”

In the spring and summer of 2025, fans actually had Douglas on their free-agent wishlists, but Minnesota settled for Jeff Okudah as their third cornerback. The move proved unsuccessful: Okudah struggled early and sustained a season-ending injury after just six largely ineffective games.

While acquiring Douglas still seems appealing on paper, the Vikings’ current cornerback situation is significantly improved from last year, as the front office bolstered depth by signing veteran James Pierre in March and drafting Charles Demmings in April.

Therefore, unless training camp reveals unexpected issues or the team aims for an unusually deep cornerback rotation, Douglas doesn’t appear to be a necessity. Last season, Brian Flores demonstrated his ability to make the defense effective by fielding three or four capable corners, supported by his flexible and innovative scheme.

Rumor: Unsigned Vikings cornerback Fabian Moreau would fit well in Miami.

Then, the same guy at PFSN connected Moreau to the Dolphins: “Fabian Moreau has bounced around to five different teams in his last six seasons, though he’s coming off two consecutive seasons as a backup cornerback for the Vikings.”

“He fared pretty well in 2025, ranking No. 33 in the NFL with a 79.5 PFSN CB Impact Score, indicating he could push for a starting spot in some situations. 2026 Predicted Team: Miami Dolphins.”

Moreau hasn’t found much traction in free agency this offseason. Perhaps the Dolphins will snap the drought.

These are the Dolphins’ cornerbacks heading into the summer:

• Chris Johnson
• JuJu Brents
• Jason Marshall Jr.
• Darrell Baker Jr.
• Storm Duck
• Ethan Robinson
• Marco Wilson
• Alex Austin
• Ethan Bonner
• A.J. Green III

That is an awful group compared to other NFL squads. If Moreau wants playing time, Infante is correct: Miami’s secondary is screaming for depth.

Rumor: Kyler Murray v. J.J. McCarthy is the top roster battle in the NFL this summer.

Eva Geitheim sized up the top questions in the league after the draft, and the Vikings’ quarterback situation was mentioned.

She explained, “Who will start for the Vikings come Week 1? There will be several quarterback competitions across the league this offseason, but none will be bigger than that between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings could be a playoff contender with competent quarterback play, a key reason they brought Murray to Minnesota.”

“The competition could certainly go in Murray’s favor, as both coach Kevin O’Connell and receiver Justin Jefferson have spoken highly of the veteran quarterback while emphasizing the work McCarthy still has ahead of him.”

On paper, McCarthy presents a compelling case in a quarterback battle. As the Vikings’ starting quarterback in 2025 — his second full season after a torn meniscus derailed his rookie year — he certainly warrants an opportunity to compete.

But McCarthy has quickly developed a troubling injury history. Plagued by a torn meniscus, a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a broken hand, he has started only 10 games in two years. Despite being a 1st-Round pick, he has been available for roughly 27% of Minnesota’s games, a concerning statistic for a quarterback once envisioned to stabilize the franchise.

Too, McCarthy’s on-field performance has been underwhelming. Last season, he ranked near the bottom of the league in QB efficiency and threw more interceptions than touchdowns. While he remains an option for the QB1 role, Murray is the clear frontrunner.

Adding to the challenge for McCarthy, Murray arrives with stick-it-to-them motivation. Arizona effectively abandoned him this offseason, a move consistent with a franchise known for one of the league’s shakiest ownership groups. The Cardinals cut him in favor of Jacoby Brissett and Carson Beck, undoubtedly leaving Murray with a chip on his shoulder.

Murray’s heightened motivation further complicates McCarthy’s chances of an upset. McCarthy will have to bring his A-Game and then some to topple Murray.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

BENGALURU: Nearly 15 years ago, on matting wickets in Palej, a small town in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, a lanky youngster learnt the value of adaptation. Bowling with coated balls in local village tournaments, he quickly realised there would be little assistance for spin and survival depended on discipline, control and innovation. Those early lessons in constantly reinventing himself continue to define Krunal Pandya even today, as he features in his 11th Indian Premier League season.

The elder of the Pandya brothers, Krunal, who has represented India in five ODIs and 19 T20Is, has emerged as a vital cog in defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s spin attack over the past two seasons. Krunal’s impactful spell of 2/17 in last year’s final earned him the Player of the Match award and underlined his value in pressure situations.

As RCB push to defend their crown, the 35-year-old left-arm spinner is also quietly nurturing hopes of an India comeback, having last worn national colours in July 2021.

Years of hard work on and off the field, coupled with the highs and lows of professional cricket, have made Krunal more reflective and grounded. Now one of the most experienced all-rounders in the league, he remains driven by the urge to evolve and contribute.

In an exclusive interview with TOI, Krunal — who has played 152 IPL matches since making his debut for Mumbai Indians in 2016 — spoke about longevity, reinventing his bowling and his enduring India ambitions.

Excerpts:

It’s your 11th year in the IPL. How do you see your evolution as a player?

The evolution feels very grateful and honestly, when you start playing at the highest level, you want to play as long as you can. For me, what I feel proud of is longevity. I am into my 11th season, and that is a sign that I have constantly gotten better. As a player, I have always focused on trying to become the best version of myself.

Over the years, there has been a lot of learning. I have seen extreme days in the last 10 years. That has made me more humble and given me more gratitude towards the sport and life as well. The goal is to continue doing what I do, which is to get better and win games for my team.

Is that where your desire to reinvent yourself comes from?

Yes. Reinventing myself is part of the process. The good thing with me is that I don’t shy away from trying new things. If I believe something can work for me and give me an extra edge in the sport, I always give it a shot.

But it is never about trying something flashy or doing something just to look cool. There is always a lot of logic and thought behind the changes, execution and outcome.

I haven’t suddenly started bowling a bouncer or a slinger overnight. There has been a lot of practice behind it.

Amid your commitment towards RCB and Baroda, where does your India ambition stand?

It is right there, at the top of the table. There is nothing bigger than playing for the country. The thought process about representing India never changes.

Whatever opportunities I got to represent India, I did well. I firmly believe in focusing on what is in your hands, which is playing your sport at your best.

What specific mechanical shift helped you move from a collapsing front leg to a stronger vertical brace?

It is fitness. Sometimes, we don’t highlight enough the work that happens behind the scenes. At the end of the day, it is important to acknowledge what has worked.

For me, the fitter you are, the more things you can adapt to. Sometimes as a cricketer or even as a person, you know what you want to improve at, but your body may not allow it because you are not fit enough to adapt to new things.

Trying to become the fittest version of myself has helped me develop new things in my game.

Has your new release height helped you generate more bounce and zip off the surface?

Yes, obviously, I have worked a lot on my bowling. When I bowl left-arm spin now, I am much taller in my action than before. I have shortened my stride to get more bounce because in the IPL, you hardly get spin from the wicket.

So the question becomes: how do you deceive batters? I have worked on my action to get that extra bounce by staying tall. I have realised that the best cricket I have played in my career has come when I have followed my instincts.

Can you elaborate on making the short ball a wicket-taking option?

People have emphasized a lot on the short ball I bowl. In the last two years, I saw some stats where I had bowled the maximum number of bouncers, which is strange.

But I don’t focus on any one particular delivery. My only focus is staying one step ahead of the batter.

Given the limited batting opportunities you’ve had over the past few years, how have you worked on it?

Over the past 3-4 years, I haven’t had too many opportunities to bat in the IPL. That said, the thought process remains the same. How can I evolve? How can I get better? In the past two years as a batting unit, we have done unbelievably well, so I don’t have any complaints about me not batting. But yeah, whenever the opportunity comes, I will give my 100%.

Over 1800 runs and in excess of 100 wickets in IPL, how satisfying is that in his journey?

If I have to sum it up in one word, grateful. And for me, the icing on the cake is those four trophies (three with the Mumbai Indians) which I’ve had an opportunity to lift.

You are not somebody who backs down from challenges. Does that come naturally to you?

Yes. I have learnt that from my parents. They never back down from anything. That willpower to keep fighting and never give up comes very naturally to me because of them.

NFL star Tyreek Hill has settled a lawsuit from an OnlyFans model who accused him of breaking her leg after she “humiliated” him in front of his friends during a backyard football drill in 2023.

“I’m going to Disney World,” Hill reportedly said as he left a Broward County courtroom on Friday.

Under the terms of the settlement, model Sophie Hall reportedly agreed to dismiss the assault and battery charges she filed against Hill, and he agreed to settle her negligence claim, NBC Miami reports.

The Independent has contacted attorneys for Hall and Hill for comment.

The civil suit alleged that the then-Miami Dolphins wide receiver “became enraged and forcefully and purposefully shoved Ms. Hall, severely fracturing her leg,” after she managed to knock the smaller Hill backward during a playful football exercise at his Southwest Ranches home.

“She hit the floor and felt pain,” her attorney, Jonathan Gdanski, told jurors Thursday in opening arguments, The Miami Herald reports.

In court, Hill’s attorney Rob Horwitz argued it wasn’t clear the football drill caused the model’s injuries.

“She was a football mom for a year before this,” Horwitz reportedly said. “She went to football practices. She knew and assumed the risk.”

Horwitz also argued it was more likely that Hall tripped over the NFL star’s dog.

The NFL star’s lawyer further claimed that Hill and Hall had sex soon after the football incident, and that she never reported being hurt, waiting more than a month to get medical treatment.

Hall, who has 2.3 million followers on Instagram, claims she met Hill when she enrolled her son at his football camp.

Her suit, filed in 2024, originally sought $75,000.

Hill, who was released by Miami in February, was allegedly involved in a 2025 domestic dispute with his wife that prompted the arrival of police, but no charges were filed, according to a police report obtained by the Associated Press.

Hill and his wife both stated the argument never turned physical, according to the report.

Also in 2025, Hill’s wife alleged in court documents in an ongoing divorce case that he was violent towards her on multiple occasions.

An attorney for Hill denied wrongdoing and said at the time that the allegations were “nothing more than an attempt…to shake Mr. Hill down.”

Hill’s wife is reportedly seeking evidence about a 2019 incident in which Hill’s then-three-year-old son suffered a broken arm. That year, the NFL investigated the incident, but Hill was not charged or suspended as a result.

The NFL has a pending conduct investigation against Hill.

Hill previously made headlines in 2024 when Miami-Dade County police officers violently detained him during a traffic stop, prompting criticisms the wide receiver was being hit with excessive force because he is Black.

The main officer involved in the stop, who has since retired, denied that any bias influenced the interaction and accused Hill of disobeying police commands.

VFL WOLFSBURG

Following a 1-1 draw with SC Freiburg and an FC St. Pauli defeat to 1. FSV Mainz 05 this past Sunday, VfL Wolfsburg (6-8-18, 16th) have moved into sixteenth place and the relegation playoff spot going into the second-last matchweek of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season.

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Under their third head coach in the last nine months, Wolfsburg have the worst home record of any team in the Bundesliga this season, picking up just 10 of a potential 48 points (2-4-10) with a -10 goal differential (21-31). Under Dieter Hecking, whose second spell is a temporary one to rescue the club from relegation, Wolfsburg are 1-3-3 overall and 1-2-1 away, with their only victory having come on 18. April – 2-1 against 1. FC Union Berlin.

To add to this, the chances of Die Wölfe winning this match appear to be very slim. The last time that Wolfsburg defeated Bayern was a 4-1 result at Volkswagen Arena on 30. January 2015, with Bas Dost and Kevin De Bruyne responsible for two goals each. Coincidentally, Hecking led the club in that victory – and has also defeated Vincent Kompany in the one and only occasion that they have met, 3-2 with VfL Bochum at the Allianz Arena on 8. March 2025.

Since that 2015 victory, Wolfsburg, under Hecking and eleven other coaches, have failed to defeat Bayern in their last 23 Bundesliga meetings – with 4-0, 5-0, 5-1, 6-0, and 6-0 results included among the list of losses. The worst, however, was in the most recent meeting, 8-1 to Bayern at Allianz Arena on 11. January, in which Wolfsburg managed two own goals in a span of 48 minutes.

Fortunately, VfL Wolfsburg cannot be mathematically relegated this week, as they are tied on points with FC St. Pauli but have a superior goal differential (-25 to -28). Even if Wolfsburg were to lose by the same seven-goal margin as they did against Bayern in January and St. Pauli were to defeat Leipzig by one, that would make the goal difference -32 for Wolfsburg and -29 for St. Pauli – meaning that Wolfsburg would need to win by two on the final matchday to confirm sixteenth.

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In the case that Wolfsburg surprises Bayern and St. Pauli loses to Leipzig, it would mean that St. Pauli, dependent on how many goals are scored for Wolfsburg and Leipzig in those matches, would need to win by at least three goals to drop Wolfsburg to 2. Bundesliga.

Regarding Bayern and the expectation that the club has in facing the German champions, Hecking said that “I do not even know what to expect, they are a great team” and that “it is pointless to speculate about what lineup Bayern will play with, a very motivated team will be coming here and we will have to be ready for that”.

Hecking was asked about any observations that he picked up from Bayern’s match with Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, and responded by saying that “we should not look at that too much, because we do not have quite the same opportunities as Paris Saint-Germain – we need to make the best possible use of our abilities on the pitch, and then we will see what it will amount to”.

When asked about the approach the club will bring to Saturday’s match, he said, “We should not simply sit back and try to get by, because that will not work – because at some point, a gap will open where they create chances with their pace, quality, and their overall intelligence. As I said last week, and it is sometimes repeated, we need a top performance in all respects, in all areas of the game.”

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“We need a solid defensive foundation, a good one-on-one defensive system, a culture that is compact and aggressive to win possession. We need a solution with the ball when they high press, when they run at us one-on-one, that we remain courageous and do not allow completely unnecessary turnovers”, he continued.

The 61-year-old from Castrop-Rauxel, Nordrhein-Westfalen, concluded by saying: “There will be a lot of things to consider, and we probably will not succeed at every one of them, but perhaps if Bayern opens the door for us and gives us that little bit of momentum, we should recognise that and try to open those gaps a little wider.”

Team News:

The long injury list for VfL Wolfsburg is now at seven players – one less injury than last week since Swedish defensive midfielder Mattias Svanberg returned from a calf injury, with limited minutes in the match against SC Freiburg.

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German defensive midfielder and team captain Maximilian Arnold (groin) will not play another minute in a Wolfsburg uniform this season due to a pair of injuries, including one suffered in training a few days before the Freiburg match.

Cleiton Santos (ankle), Rogério (fitness), Jenson Seelt (knee), Kilian Fischer (thigh), and Jonas Wind (muscle) are doubtful to return until late May, during the promotion/relegation playoff if Wolfsburg finishes in sixteenth place. Seelt will not return next season, as he returns to Sunderland AFC following the expiry of his loan, and according to Kicker, everything is pointing to a departure for Wind in the summer as well.

Bence Dárdai (anterior cruciate ligament) remains out for two months and will likely return to the training ground during the 2026/27 preseason campaign.

Projected Lineup (3-5-2): Grabara – Koulierakis, Vavro, Belocian – Mæhle, Eriksen, Souza, Wimmer, Kumbedi – Pejčinović, Daghim.

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FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN

With their thirty-fifth Meisterschale already secured and their Champions League campaign having ended earlier this week, FC Bayern München (26-5-1, 1st) now put their focus on the remaining Bundesliga matches and then the DFB-Pokal Final on the twenty-third of May.

Vincent Kompany’s side are unbeaten on the road in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season (13-3-0), picking up 42 points of a potential 48 with a +36 goal differential (53-17). The most recent away league encounter was a stunning comeback from 0-3 down in the second half against 1. FSV Mainz 05, thanks to goals from Nicolas Jackson, Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, and top scorer Harry Kane.

This is their third match in two competitions in eight days. Last weekend, their Bundesliga encounter with last-place 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 finished in a 3-3 draw, scraping by with a point following a Michael Olise shot that went off the back of Diant Ramaj and over the line in the final minute of stoppage time. Their Champions League semifinal second leg this past Tuesday also had a late equaliser, courtesy of Harry Kane, but it was not enough to save them as they lost 5-6 on aggregate to French side Paris Saint-Germain.

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One of the most notable statistical pieces to look at for this match is with regards to fouls; Wolfsburg, then under Daniel Bauer, gave Bayern a significant amount of space in the second half of the January match, and are likely to play a more aggressive style of defending this time, especially given the circumstances that they are in. However, they need to be careful with how many free kicks they award Bayern, as that could also open up the match; Wolfsburg have committed 375 fouls this season, fifth in the league, while Bayern have committed the third-least with 288. In terms of fouls drawn, Wolfsburg and Bayern are among the bottom three and with relatively similar numbers; Wolfsburg have won 281 free kicks or penalty shots this season, Bayern 279.

Regarding this upcoming match and how Bayern will prepare for the DFB-Pokal Final through the last two Bundesliga matches, Kompany said: “If the players are fit, then we simply have to attack and try to maintain our maximum level. We played a very late match on Wednesday, very intense, now we fly to Wolfsburg and we have to observe whether our players are energised, and whether that plays a role.”

“That does not mean that we will play better just because we are fielding the exact same team, because our guys have simply given a lot. Still, we will first look at who is actually healthy, and that will decide everything [the squad/how we play]. That is why I do not have it clear, 100% in my head. The strategy that we have is certainly good, but I want to closely observe in training which individual players will fulfil that role, and then if someone gives me the feeling that he wants to play, then we will go all out,” the 40-year-old from Uccle, Belgium added.

Regarding the Wolfsburg match and whether preparing for, and playing in, this match is an extra cost for Bayern in their now-main objective to win the DFB-Pokal, Kompany responded by saying, “There is no difference in how we prepare for PSG compared to Wolfsburg; that has been the case since day one, and we always do it that way. It takes a lot of strength, energy, and work from the staff every time, but we always do it.”

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The press conference was heavily focused on the Paris Saint-Germain match and what the club has taken from it, but Kompany gave some concluding remarks on the task at hand this weekend.

“The reason why we are in this press conference is because, of course, everything is relatively relaxed – we had this massive tension for the PSG match, but obviously, we cannot underestimate what is happening on the other side now, in the Wolfsburg dressing rooms. If Wolfsburg are watching this right now, that is exactly what they want, for us to fly there relaxed.”

“I know that there is tension [in Wolfsburg] – I know what it is like to fight for everything and I have said it before, when you are fighting for yourself and the people around you, that gives you extra energy. They have that there, they will have that in this match. So we will also put this mentality in mind for our training, we will live that in how we prepare,” Kompany concluded.

Team News:

FC Bayern have four injuries, all of which are known to be for the remainder of the current campaign.

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David Santos (thigh), Cassiano Kiala (ligament), Serge Gnabry (thigh), and Wisdom Mike (tendon) are all set to return by the start of the 2026/27 season.

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Urbig – Davies, Itō, Kim, Stanišić – Goretzka, Kimmich – Díaz, Kane, Olise – Jackson.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has not come close to winning the Premier League or Champions League since joining the club in 2020.

He did lift a couple of domestic cups under Erik ten Hag – and if United finish third this season, it will be a position they have only bettered once during Fernandes’ time at Old Trafford.

But it represents a meagre return for a player many argue is United’s best signing since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and someone, they argue, who deserves a place among the club’s best in the Premier League era.

On Friday, he was named the Football Writers’ Association’s footballer of the year. But Fernandes is not one for coveting individual awards.

When he spoke to the media in October, he said: “I don’t see it that one player is better than another because he wins more trophies. Not every time the best player in the world is the one that wins the Ballon d’Or.

“I want to win trophies. I want to be recognised by the many good things I did for the club, for bringing something back to the club, not just my individual numbers.”

United will not win a trophy this season, but there are still a couple of significant milestones ahead of Fernandes.

He needs just one more assist to equal the individual Premier League record of 20 in a single campaign – jointly held by Arsenal great Thierry Henry and former Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne.

Fernandes is eight clear of Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki in the Premier League’s assists chart this season, with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen third with 10 assists.

Beating the record clearly means a lot to Fernandes, who will be a key part of Portugal’s World Cup squad this summer. So much so, one of his United team-mates told him he felt Fernandes would previously have taken a shot against Brentford recently, rather than set up striker Benjamin Sesko. Fernandes rejected that notion.

Fernandes is also favourite to win the prestigious PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, which Henry and De Bruyne both took twice.

Despite the lack of major trophies, would the assist record and another player of the year award confirm his status as one of the most creative forces of the Premier League era?

India’s badminton players expressed disappointment over the subdued reception following the team’s bronze medal finish at the Thomas Cup 2026, saying major achievements in the sport continue to struggle for wider recognition in the country.

India reached the semi-finals of the prestigious men’s team championship before losing to France, marking the nation’s second podium finish in the tournament after the historic gold medal in 2022.

Senior players Chirag Shetty and HS Prannoy said the lack of public awareness and celebration around the achievement reflected the challenges non-cricket sports still face despite delivering results consistently on the international stage.

Players disappointed with limited recognition

India’s campaign in the Thomas Cup ended with a semi-final defeat to France, but the team returned home without the level of attention usually associated with a global medal-winning performance. Doubles specialist Chirag Shetty said the players were not expecting grand celebrations, but admitted the overall response compared poorly with the reception received after the historic title win four years ago.

Concerns raised over badminton’s future motivation

HS Prannoy echoed similar concerns and pointed out that many people still do not understand the stature of the Thomas Cup, despite it being equivalent to a world championship team event in badminton. He suggested that insufficient recognition could eventually affect player motivation, especially in a format where individuals put aside personal schedules and rankings to compete collectively for the country.

Prannoy explained that badminton players spend most of the year focusing on individual tournaments and rankings, making the commitment to a multi-week team event particularly demanding. He warned that if podium finishes at events of such scale continue to receive minimal attention, sustaining the same level of commitment in future editions could become increasingly difficult.

India’s strong campaign ends in semi-finals

India finished second in Group A behind eventual champions China before producing a dominant 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in the quarter-finals. The campaign eventually ended with a 0-3 defeat against France in the last four.

Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty once again formed the core of India’s challenge as the team secured another medal at the global event. The bronze medal added to India’s growing record in international badminton and reinforced the progress made since the breakthrough Thomas Cup triumph in 2022.

Comparison with cricket

The comments from India’s badminton players also showcased the contrast in visibility between cricket and other sports in the country. The players noted that achievements in cricket — from junior tournaments to franchise competitions and World Cups — receive widespread coverage and celebration, while medal-winning performances in other disciplines often pass quietly.

The Indian shuttlers stressed that better recognition and support are essential not only for current athletes but also for inspiring the next generation to pursue the sport seriously at the international level.

As the great Don Henley once said, in a New York minute, everything can change. 

Two weeks ago, the New York Knicks were down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks and staring what would’ve been a catastrophic first-round playoff upset dead in the eye. The mob wanted Mike Brown fired and Mikal Bridges benched, if not outright cut. Jalen Brunson was getting outplayed by CJ McCollum. Karl-Anthony Towns was a fourth-quarter ghost. New York was stressed. 

Fast forward to Friday night and the Knicks have now won six straight games — three straight to close out the Hawks before taking a 3-0 lead on the Philadelphia 76ers with a 108-94 road victory in Game 3. They are now looking like a lock for the Eastern Conference finals where, no matter who they end up playing, they will be the clear favorite to advance to the Finals (the Detroit Pistons cannot match New York’s offensive firepower, and the Cleveland Cavaliers can’t come close to this level of physicality). 

This win on Friday night was not your ordinary victory. The Knicks were without OG Anunoby and the Sixers, back home and playing for their postseason life, came out firing. Joel Embiid returned. Paul George had 15 first-quarter points. With the crowd ignited, it had all the early makings of a desperate Sixers victory to at least make this a competitive series.

But the Knicks had other ideas. This was a professional victory. They just stayed the course. They kept tightening the defensive screws and dug into their bench for major production from Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson (who is suddenly kind of a nasty defender). They got a huge game from Bridges, and let Brunson, who is well on his way to becoming the best Knicks player ever and continues to prove himself as one of the league’s true postseason killers, take them home with 18 of his 33 points in the second half. 

At their best, the Knicks have long had the look of a contender. But they’ve never been able to be consistently at their best, and in the past few postseasons, some of their worst traits have shown up at the worst times. It’s different with this team, at least so far. There’s something seriously special brewing with the offense and, more importantly, the defense clicking in unison. 

There’s a rock-solid identity here. Everyone is locked into their role. Towns has 46 assists over this six-game run, and his playmaking has unlocked a whole new dimension for a New York offense that now doesn’t have to be so Brunson-centric. Josh Hart is the juice. Anunoby is a top-shelf two-way playoff player, and can now take the time he needs to fully rest his strained hamstring with this series unofficially wrapped up. 

Meanwhile, Bridges has turned his postseason, and perhaps even the perception of his entire Knicks tenure, completely around. After posting a bagel in Game 3 against the Hawks, he’s averaging 20.5 points on 68% shooting over the past four games. He had 24 in the closeout game vs. Atlanta. He had 23 on Friday. He’s made seven of his last 13 3-pointers. 

Bridges, like everyone in a Knicks uniform right now, is also defending his ass off. George didn’t score a single point after his 15-point first quarter. Tyrese Maxey was only able to attempt 12 shots as New York was hard doubling and fighting over screens (serious shout out to Bridges and Shamet) to stay attached as the bigs moved their feet to keep him from turning the corner. It was a carryover from Game 2, when the Knicks held Maxey to seven second-half points with more turnovers than field goals. 

You start going down the list of championship traits, and suddenly the Knicks are checking every box:

• Offense: The Knicks have been an elite offense all year, finishing the regular season with the No. 4 rating and they’re No. 2 so far in the playoffs at 122.3 points per 100 possessions. They are leading the playoffs in paint points and rank second in 3-point shooting percentage. They have every element that you need to dominate offensively in the playoffs: the star creator in Brunson, the multi-faceted big in Towns, shooters everywhere (best true-shooting percentage in the playoffs so far), offensive rebounding (which we’ll get to), transition speed (second in fast-break points so far in the playoffs), the works. 

• Defense: Quietly, the Knicks boasted the league’s second-best defensive rating from Jan. 21 forward. They have been stifling in the playoffs, where they have held their opponent under 100 points in five of their nine games so far. They’re pressuring the ball, playing physical as hell, rotating on a string and protecting the paint as they’ve surrendered just 41.3 points per game so far in the postseason. That would’ve qualified as the league’s second-best mark in the regular season. 

• Rebounding: The Knicks clean up on the glass. They gave up the fewest second-chance points in the regular season at 13.1 per game, and they have dropped that number to 11.6 in the playoffs (also No. 1). Meanwhile, they are scoring 17.7 second-chance points per game on their end, second only to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs, and their 54.4 overall rebounding percentage is the best mark in the playoffs so far. 

• Crunch-time killers: The Knicks outscored their opponents by 238 points in the fourth quarter during the regular season. The next-closest team was Cleveland at plus-162. With Brunson captaining the offense, and the defense locked in, you do not want to be in a close game against the Knicks down the stretch.

• Postseason dominance: The Knicks have lost two games so far in the playoffs, each by a single point. They have outscored opponents by an average of 18.2 points per game and their plus-18.8 net rating is No. 1 so far in the postseason. 

Keep in mind, these are just the general measurables. When you talk about a team having something “special” brewing, it’s just as much about the less quantifiable stuff. The vibes are off the charts. The energy, the buy-in, the physicality, the flat-out toughness. This team is playing like it knows how good it is, not like the one that, over the last few years, has been trying to find out. 

We have to be careful not to get too carried away, as they haven’t been faced with an elite opponent yet, and frankly, they won’t be the rest of the way through the East (Detroit is good but not great; Cleveland is nothing special). 

The road to the Finals has never been clearer in the Brunson era, and the Knicks look primed to take advantage.