LAST CHANCE: SEE HOW THE KNICKS STUNNED CLEVELAND IN A HISTORIC HOLIDAY THRILLER
Jalen Brunson’s 34 points and Tyler Kolek’s spark off the bench led the Knicks to a wild 126-124 Christmas comeback over the Cavs.
The New York Knicks were way behind, like 17 points, in the fourth quarter, but they pulled off a major comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day. They won 126-124, making their season record 21-9.
New York struggled to guard Cleveland throughout much of the game. It looked really bad when they were down 17 early in the fourth. But instead of giving up, they bounced back, just like they have all season.
Jalen Brunson, who was way in the negative earlier in the game, really stepped it up in the fourth. He scored 13 points, hitting 3 of 4 three-pointers, ending with 34 points. He showed why he got Clutch Player of the Year last season.
Brunson started slow, but he really came through when it mattered most. The captain did it again at the most important time.
The Knicks' bench really changed the game's momentum. The guys coming off the bench, even without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, were key. Tyler Kolek, who's been playing great recently, was super important in the comeback, sinking a couple of important shots to cut Cleveland's lead in the fourth.
Kolek had 16 points and nine assists off the bench. Also, he had the best plus-minus on the team at +24, killing it when he was on the court and helping them catch up.
Jordan Clarkson also had his best game this season, coming off the bench. He scored a season-high 25 points and hit five of 10 three-pointers, providing a lift when New York was struggling.
Mitchell Robinson's rebounding was amazing, and without those offensive rebounds, they wouldn't have had the extra chances needed to come back. Robinson didn't score, but he grabbed 13 rebounds (eight offensive) in just 17 minutes, including eight in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks' defence was still a bit slow.
New York's defence put them in that hole to begin with. They let Cleveland score 38 points in both the first and third quarters, struggling with the three-point shot.
Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell were causing the Knicks the most trouble. Garland ended with 20 points and 10 assists, and Mitchell led the Cavs with 34 points.
Thankfully, the Knicks were able to shut them down late and score a bunch on offence. However, they'll need to tighten up their defence going forward if they don't want to keep making these big comebacks.
Overall:
The Knicks showed their usual fight and toughness, and it led to a big home win. Now, New York hits the road to play the Atlanta Hawks.
RAIDERS PLACE RECEIVER JUSTIN SHORTER ON IR; SIGN HOOSIERS STAR BRADY
With Justin Shorter on IR, discover how new signing Jonathan Brady fits into the Raiders' wide receiver youth movement for 2026.
The Raiders aren’t sitting still; rookie minicamp just started, and they're already shuffling the roster. Right now, some veteran players are basically on borrowed time as the team leans hard into getting younger.
Take Justin Shorter. He’s been in Vegas since 2024 but hasn’t caught a pass in an actual NFL game. Well, his spot just got even more shaky. The Raiders put him on the Reserve/Injured list, which, let’s be real, is never a good sign this early in the offseason. Usually, that sort of move means a buyout could be next so he can test free agency.
There’s a steady influx of young receivers competing for spots, so it’s tough to see Shorter making his way back, even if he heals up. To fill his spot, the team signed Jonathan Brady, a receiver out of Indiana.
Nobody’s really sure what kind of injury Shorter has. If it’s serious, maybe he sticks around and rehabs with the team. If not, we might see him try his luck somewhere else.
As for the Raiders’ wide receiver group, the youth movement is real. Wide receiver was a big need heading into the offseason, but they didn’t do much outside of signing Jalen Nailor and drafting Malik Benson in the sixth round.
Vincent Bonsignore from the California Post pointed out that the Raiders might still look to add more receivers if the current group doesn’t step up. He basically said that the early rounds of the draft went to bigger needs, and now guys like Bech and Thornton Jr. have a chance to prove the team doesn’t have to keep looking elsewhere. But don’t expect the Raiders to hesitate if things look shaky.
Now, about that passing game, it was rough last season. The Raiders finished in the bottom five. But with Klint Kubiak calling plays and Fernando Mendoza hopefully taking over for Geno Smith, things honestly should get better. If Kirk Cousins ends up starting, he’s probably an upgrade, too. And bringing in Tyler Linderbaum at centre will only help.
Chances are, the Raiders will use an early pick on a receiver in next year’s draft. Even though they have a rookie quarterback waiting in the wings, they didn’t spend big at receiver this offseason. Maybe that’s because they don’t expect him to start right away. Who knows. For now, the wide receiver group looks decent enough to get by.
NFL EXECUTIVE NAMES COLE PAYTON HIS "NO. 2 QUARTERBACK" IN THE 2026 CLASS
From 94.6 PFF grades to 4.56 speed, Cole Payton is the Eagles' latest QB project. Analysing his path to the NFL depth chart.
Cole Payton, who played quarterback at North Dakota State, might end up making a bigger splash as a fifth-round pick than people expect.
He’s not just another late-round flyer, either. An NFL executive recently told insider J.L. Canfora that Payton has real upside. The Eagles have done something similar before, so this isn't coming out of nowhere.
Remember Carson Wentz? Philly grabbed him with the second overall pick back in 2016, but Jalen Hurts ended up taking over. Now, some people around the league think history might repeat itself with Payton possibly replacing Hurts down the road.
The executive went all in on Payton: “You know, I believe in that kid. That was my No. 2 quarterback in the draft. And Howie [Roseman] takes him? Come on. He sees it too. Cole Payton, if you bring him along the right way, can start in this league.”
Roseman, the guy in Philly’s front office, was a big part of the Wentz pick. He’s seen his fair share of quarterback changes over the years, and honestly, that might matter this time, too.
The executive didn’t hold back: “All the stuff you hear about Hurts, all the drama and where he is in his contract." You can call me crazy, but I think this kid could take over from him in a few years. They did this with [Kevin] Kolb, even when [Donovan] McNabb was still there. I know how Howie thinks. This kid has a chance.”
Payton had to wait for his turn at NDSU.
Payton rolled into North Dakota State in 2021, known as a strong recruit for an FCS quarterback, straight out of Omaha.
He was supposed to be the next big thing, just like the string of successful Bison quarterbacks before him. But things didn’t break that way at first. Cam Miller, the QB ahead of him, kept stacking up wins and making a name for himself in Fargo.
Miller even beat out Quincy Patterson II, a gifted dual-threat quarterback who transferred in from Virginia Tech. After Patterson got banged up in 2021, Miller took over, steered the team to a national championship, and then hung on to the starting job through 2024.
Patterson left for Temple, so Payton slid into the Bison’s running packages in a spot that Patterson had filled before. And Payton did more than just fill that role. In 2022, he ran for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. By the next year, he really took off: 615 yards and 13 touchdowns on 84 carries.
Setback, then a breakout
Payton started 2024 looking like the same kind of threat on the ground, but a shoulder injury cut his season short. He only managed 164 rushing yards and a score on 21 carries before he went down.
Finally, in 2025, his shot as the full-time starter arrived after Miller left for the NFL draft, drafted by the Raiders in the sixth round. Payton made the most of it. He led NDSU to an unbeaten 12-0 regular season, completing 70% of his passes for 2,719 yards, with 16 touchdowns and just four picks. And he still ran wild, with 777 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 136 carries.
Now, he’s got a fresh chance in Philadelphia. If you ask people around the league, he’s not just there to hold a clipboard. They're watching to see what happens next.
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