Jets ink pair of tackles

Further signaling their unease with Wayne Hunter, the Jets added a pair of veteran offensive linemen yesterday, as they signed Stephon Heyer and Ray Willis.

The two linemen have 61 NFL starts between them, and their signings mark the first time this offseason Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum has addressed the lack of line depth that was a major problem last year.

Heyer and Willis can play multiple line positions, but they most likely are being brought in to give Hunter further competition at right tackle after he struggled mightily in 2011.

Heyer, who recently worked out for the line-starved Patriots, appeared in 12 games at guard — including two starts — with the Raiders last season after making 33 starts at both tackle spots for the Redskins from 2007-10.

Joseph E. Amaturo

New jets lineman Stephon Heyer gets a talking to from Giants' Antonio Pierce in 2008.

Willis hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2009 due to injury after making 26 starts in five seasons at tackle for the Seahawks.

bhubbuch@nypost.com

Stephon Heyer, Wayne Hunter, the Jets ebook download, Jets, NFL, Mike Tannenbaum, Willis

Nypost.com

Belmont Park Charts

May 28th, 2012 Clear And Fast. Turf : Firm.

©2012 Equibase. All Rights Reserved

FIRST-1 1/16m; $28,000; cl($14,000); 3up

Off: 12:50. 5. vie btwn 5/16-upper

Time: 23.25, 47.01, 1:11.15, 1:35.83, 1:42.38.

Trainer: David Jacobson Scr: Person of Interest.

Horse

Wt.

PP

1/4

1/2

Str.

Fin

Jockey

Odds

Eltheeb

122

3

4

3

1 1

1 2 1/4

Cohen

2.15

Gospel Lesson

122

7

3

4

3 6

2 1 3/4

Ortiz, Jr.

6.00

Hill Crossing

122

6

2

2

2 1

3 3 1/2

Castro

1.35

Macho Muchacho

122

1

7

8

4 hd

4 nk

Castellan

6.30

Crepe Au Sucre

122

5

8

7

5 2

5 8 3/4

Lezcano

9.70

Marquet Rebel

115

2

1

1

6 4 1/2

6 6 1/4

Garcia

57.50

French Transition

122

4

6

6

7 7

7 18 3/4

Espinoz

59.00

Stud Muffin

122

8

5

5

8

8

Hsbnds

20.20

3-Eltheeb

6.30

3.90

2.30

7-Gospel Lesson

6.90

3.30

6-Hill Crossing

2.10

* Exacta (3-7) $42.80 * Superfecta (3-7-6-1) $204.50 * Trifecta (3-7-6) $81.00 * Winner picked by Fountaine, Affrunti, Debbie L., Consensus

SECOND-1 1/16m(T); $81,000; alw opt clm; 3up; (f&m)

Off: 1:23. Good. slip by ins,brisk urge

Time: 26.29, 52.24, 1:16.29, 1:38.93, 1:44.72.

Trainer: Christophe Clement

Scr: The Underling, Whipsaw City, Acting Happy, Cee the Country, Twice the Lady.

Horse

Wt.

PP

1/4

1/2

Str.

Fin

Jockey

Odds

Fontley

121

2

3

3

1 1/2

1 1 1/4

Lezcano

5.60

La Cloche

121

1

5

6

5 1/2

2 no

Castro

5.80

Blue Maiden

123

3

6

5

4 2

3 1/2

Leparoux

1.15

Salary Drive

121

5

2

2

3 1

4 hd

Castellan

4.20

Sure Route

121

6

1

1

2 1/2

5 3

Garcia

11.70

Prize Catch

121

7

4

4

6 1

6 1/2

Maragh

8.20

Little Often Anni

121

4

7

7

7

7

Naprvnk

15.20

2-Fontley

13.20

7.40

3.70

1-La Cloche

7.00

3.70

4-Blue Maiden

2.30

* Daily Double (3-2) $33.00 * Exacta (2-1) $51.50 * Quinella (1-2) $25.20 * Superfecta (2-1-4-7) $390.50 * Trifecta (2-1-4) $127.50 *

Winner picked by Vic C.

THIRD-6f; $55,000; mdn spcl wt; 3up

Off: 1:55. Good. argued ins, hand urged

Time: 22.28, 44.99, 56.87, 1:09.47.

Trainer: Assaf Ronen Scr: Mr Algebra.

Horse

Wt.

PP

1/4

1/2

Str.

Fin

Jockey

Odds

Even Got Quiet

118

1

2

1

1 3

1 3 3/4

Desrme

12.40

Readthebyline

118

7

5

3

3 4

2 3 1/2

Ortiz, Jr.

6.90

Fair Trade

118

4

1

2

2 1

3 6

Garcia

2.40

Smokem's Charm

118

6

3

4

4 1 1/2

4 3 3/4

Napravnk

2.35

Bob and Jim

118

9

4

5

5 2

5 4 1/4

Dmngez

10.90

Geantor

118

2

6

6

6 1 1/2

6 2

Nakatani

9.30

Stone Picker

118

3

8

7

7 1 1/2

7 2 1/2

Velasqez

8.50

Crushin Rock

118

5

7

8

8 4

8 5 1/4

Velzqez

10.20

Breathaway

118

8

9

9

9

9

Castelln

33.75

1-Even Got Quiet

26.80

10.80

5.00

7-Readthebyline

6.80

3.70

4-Fair Trade

2.90

* Pick 3 (3-2-1) 3 Correct $519.00 * Daily Double (2-1) $216.50 * Exacta (1-7) $121.00 * Superfecta (1-7-4-6) $836.00 * Trifecta (1-7-4) $289.00 *

FOURTH-11/16m(T); $31,000; cl($20,000); 3up

Off: 2:26. Good. 4w pursuit, good kick

Time: 24.15, 49.48, 1:14.17, 1:38.42, 1:44.92.

Next >

1

2

3

Debbie L., Trifecta

Nypost.com

Listen to Larry: You gotta get along with Dolan

New SMU coach Larry Brown said his primary advice to Mike Woodson is to get along with Knicks owner James Dolan.

Brown said that’s his lone regret from his disastrous season with the Knicks and he believes Woodson won’t make the same mistake. Brown also told The Post yesterday he believes Woodson did the right thing in changing agents from Joe Glass, also Brown’s longtime representative, who sparred with Dolan during the well-publicized contract dispute between the team and Brown in 2006.

Glass had done Woodson’s prior contracts, but The Post reported Dolan requested he make a change.

“At the end of the day, we [have] got to do what’s best for Woody,’’ Brown said. “He’s going to have a long relationship with Dolan and that situation should not affect Mike Woodson. You know how it ended with me. It got heated between Mr. Dolan and Joe. Woody shouldn’t be penalized for that. I tried to tell everybody, the most important thing is to give Woody an opportunity to work for the Knicks.

“During my stay, my biggest problem is I didn’t establish a relationship with Dolan,’’ added Brown, who feuded with former president Isiah Thomas. “I went through the chain of command and that was a mistake. I told Woody, [Dolan] wants to win.’’

Brown first got to know Woodson when he coached him with the Nets. Woodson served under Brown as an assistant in Philadelphia and Detroit, where they won the NBA title in 2004 and Woodson established himself as a defensive guru.

“I’m proud what he did — he did phenomenal for me,’’ Brown said. “He’s a great guy, players love him, he knows how to coach and he’s a loyal guy. It’s a great situation. When the chance came up to work for Mike [D’Antoni], he called me [last summer] and I thought it would be great for him. Unfortunately it was sad Mike’s not there. But it worked out for Mike Woodson.’’

Woodson posted an 18-6 regular-season finish after taking over for D’Antoni, who resigned in March. “He did an amazing job under the circumstances,’’ Brown said. “He held that team together.’’

Brown said if he were still bitter about his Knicks stint, he would never have recommended Woodson take the job.

“I can’t talk about why it happened [his Knicks departure] but it never has been a factor with Woody,’’ Brown said. “I want him there. He loves the team. He loves New York. He loves working with [general manager Glen] Grunwald and Mr. Dolan’s been great to him. When you work in an environment where they want to win and everyone’s pulling together, it’s a great situation to be in.

“If I have bad feelings, why would I want him to work there initially and to continue there,’’ Brown added. “I want him there. It’s great for him, great for the league, great for Mr. Dolan. I told him the owner wants to win badly and you’ll never have a franchise where the fans are more knowledgable and passionate.’’

Woodson played under legendary Knicks coach Red Holzman his rookie year and invokes his name often. Holzman is one of Brown’s idols too, having met him when he was a teenager in Long Beach. Woodson also played for Bob Knight and Cotton Fitzsimmons before learning under Brown.

“If you’re Knick coach and don’t revere what Red did, something’s wrong with you,’’ Brown said. “He has an amazing background with guys who knew how to teach and play the right way.’’

Brown, after being fired by the Bobcats during the 2010-11 season, was hired at SMU this spring and will bring the program into the Big East in 2013-14.

“I get to work with young kids and at a good school and coach in the Big East,’’ said Brown, who formerly had college stints at UCLA and Kansas.

marc.berman@nypost.com

Mike Woodson, Woodson, Knicks, Knicks, James Dolan.Brown, coach Larry Brown, Brown, Dolan

Nypost.com

Gee feels at home

Dillon Gee’s struggles had been so deep, he called his mechanics “out of whack’’ and labeled himself “lost.”

But last night, he turned in his best start of the year for his first home win of the season, pitching the Mets to a 6-1 win over San Diego.

The right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters in a season-high seven innings, winning back-to-back starts for the first time in almost a year, and even doubled and scored the go-ahead run.

Whatever Gee (4-3) had lost, he found after the first inning, slowing down his delivery and shutting down the Padres.

“My mechanics have been all out of whack,’’ said Gee, 26. “I’m not out there throwing 95, so I rely on my mechanics to get me through games. Lately I was up in [the] zone a lot, mechanically I just felt out of whack, out of sync.

“My right foot didn’t know what my left foot was doing. I just felt lost, really, to be honest. I’ve been searching for the past couple weeks. Sometimes the best medicine is to put everything down and say ‘Screw it’, go out there the next day.’’

Gee — thrust into the fourth starter role afterMike Pelfrey’s season-ending injury — was 2-3 with a 5.65 ERA through his first seven starts. But he bounced back with a win at Toronto, which was followed by last night’s gem.

He got a great catch against the wall that was turned into a double play by left fielder Mike Baxter in the first and, after the inning, pitching coach Dan Warthen told Gee to slow down his delivery. He proceeded to throw six straight scoreless innings.

After walking Chase Headley in the seventh and falling behind John Baker 1-0, catcher Rob Johnson went to the mound and reiterated the same advice, to stay back and not get so far out in front with his delivery. Gee proceeded to strike out the side.

“The mental side of that is you continue to fight, [think] I’m not throwing strikes, I’ve got to throw harder,” said Johnson. “The mental stuff is slow your body down, regain your thoughts and make your pitch.

“The natural thought is go harder, instead of going easier. Less is more. But I reminded him ... stay back over the rubber and come to me. And he made a beautiful adjustment.’’

brian.lewis@nypost.com

Dillon Gee, mechanics ebook download

Nypost.com

Playing every day, doubleheaders on deck for CHSAA baseball playoffs

Rain this week has wreaked havoc on the CHSAA Class AA baseball playoffs, forcing teams to play doubleheaders on Memorial Day in an effort to shoehorn everything in before a planned June 8 championship.

Coaches are most concerned about the state of their pitching staffs – some teams will have to play six games in five days next week to make a run deep into the postseason.

“If you happen to be lucky enough to win, you’re gonna be playing every day and that’s no way to play in the playoffs,” McClancy coach Nick Melito said.

That’s what made Fordham Prep’s 9-1 win over Iona Prep on Friday at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains so important. The victory broke a first-place tie atop CHSAA Bronx/Westchester and gives Iona Prep a bye into the eight-team, championship round of the playoffs, which begins Wednesday.

Lauren Marsh

Lou Piccola's Xaverian team won't be getting as big of an advantage as usual in the seeding tournament due to the days of rain this week.

Fordham Prep plays on Saturday and Sunday in the seeding round – two non-elimination games to determine spots for the four regular-season division winners.

“It’s huge,” said Rams right-hander Sean McNamara, who tossed a gem Friday. “It saves a lot when it comes to our pitching staff. We’re a little short already.”

Iona Prep, though, has to play two games in a third-round, best-of-three series Monday at Forham University against an opponent to be determined. If those two games are split, Iona will have to come back and win Tuesday to earn a berth into Wednesday’s double-elimination championship round.

“We have the numbers,” Iona Prep coach Fred Gallo said of his pitching staff. “We might be capable.”

Xaverian, the defending CHSAA intersectional champion and Brooklyn/Queens division winner, should have had a break heading into the championship round. The seeding tournament was supposed to be over Friday, giving Piccola’s pitchers ample rest for Wednesday. But then the Fordham Prep-Iona Prep tiebreaker – the winner would play Xaverian in the seeding tournament – was postponed twice.

So now Xaverian has to play Saturday against Fordham Prep and again Sunday in the seeding tournament before coming back Wednesday for the double-elimination championship round.

“It’s disappointing,” Piccola said. “It hurts your pitching.”

CHSAA baseball commissioner Wally Stampfel said there was no other way. The state mandates that a baseball season can only be a certain amount of weeks and all the cramming the next few days is to get everything in before the end date.

“If we don’t finish by that date, we have to apply for a waiver,” Stampfel said. “We don’t want to go down that road. We want to leave a few days before the drop dead date in case there’s more bad weather.”

Three years ago, Stampfel said, Fordham Prep beat Stepinac for the CHSAA title on the last possible day of the state season. So rain is not exclusive to 2012.

“It’s obviously been real bad timing,” Stampfel said. “But it’s not the first time. It seems like it happens every two or three years. … The bottom line is, everyone is in the same boat.”

mraimondi@nypost.com

Fordham Prep, Fordham Prep, Iona Prep, CHSAA Class AA baseball, CHSAA baseball, Xaverian, championship, CHSAA, Archbishop Stepinac

Nypost.com

Hollywood Graded Entries

Post Time: 4:00 p.m.

FIRST-1 1/16m; $18,000; clm($8,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

3 Miles Heir(L),122

JRosari

5-2-1

7-5

1 ColoursofthglnL124

MGtrrz

3-1-1

5-2

2 Hammurabi(L),120

MPedrz

8-4-4

3-1

4 Quillotano(L),120

ACstnn

7-6-6

12-1

5 Oh How Nice(L),113

OMacis

6-7-4

20-1

6 Nonsense(L),119

EFlores

7-1-2

4-1

SECOND-4 1/2 fur; $52,000; mdn; 2YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

7 MajesticDesertL118

AQnnz

x-x-x

6-1

2 Tates Humor ,118

VEspnz

x-x-x

3-1

1 Manewal(L),118

KKriggr

x-x-x

7-2

3 Amarish(L),118

EMldnd

x-x-x

7-2

4 CincodeMario(L118

MGtrrz

x-x-x

8-1

5 Stretch(L),118

MGarci

x-x-x

6-1

6 Eddie Better(L),118

CSthrln

x-x-x

12-1

8 Moreno'sMine(L118

ADlgdll

x-x-x

6-1

THIRD-1m(T); $40,000; clm($40,000); 3YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 AnnaYou'reUp(L118

JRosari

1-6-1

8-5

5 Mia Isabel(L),113

EFlores

6-4-1

9-5

2 WarrensSmnthL118

RBejrn

6-1-x

8-1

3 WarrnsVndlcyL118

MPedrz

7-1-2

10-1

4 Ms Pianist(L),120

EMldnd

5-3-5

5-1

6 BabyndsnwshsL116

CSthrln

3-10-6

5-1

FOURTH-6 1/2 fur; $23,000; clm($30,0); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

4 StreetRocket(L),124

AQnnz

6-7-2

5-2

5 MidnightCon(L),118

MGtrrz

2-5-2

3-1

1 Just Tripping(L),118

GGomz

7-6-6

7-2

2 Landonmav(L),113

EFlores

10-13-x

30-1

3 Destino(L),118

CSthrln

8-6-11

30-1

6 SymphonicCatL118

DFlores

7-10-x

12-1

7 War King ,122

DVergr

x-x-x

30-1

8 El Bronco(L),118

MPedrz

8-5-3

15-1

9 Lestat(L),118

B Blanc

x-x-x

20-1

10 Warrior's Ridge,118

ACstnn

x-x-x

6-1

11 PatrioticLion(L),118

EMldnd

4-4-4

6-1

FIFTH-1 1/16 miles(T); $54,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 ReachaDecisinL119

EFlores

1-1-6

7-2

11 KingpinRyno(L),124

VEspnz

3-1-2

9-2

2 Causeithertz(L),124

DFlores

1-3-3

8-1

3 RansomCanynL118

KKriggr

5-4-1

15-1

4 Buffalo Billy(L),116

GGomz

3-8-3

6-1

5 Arraignment(L),120

JVldvJr

3-5-7

12-1

7 Veter(M),124

JRosari

3-13-2

8-1

8 Empire Way(L),116

B Blanc

4-9-2

8-1

9 TheUnusualOnL124

MGarci

4-1-2

12-1

10 Take a Yard(L),124

JTalam

6-4-2

8-1

SIXTH-7 fur; $54,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

4 John Scott(L),124

JRosari

4-4-1

2-1

6 Cyclometer(L),124

JTalam

3-1-1

5-2

1 Siempre Mio(L),124

J Scott

1-5-4

12-1

2 IndustryLeaderL124

MGarci

6-2-9

6-1

3 SammysaRnnnL124

MGtrrz

7-4-1

8-1

5 Don Perico(L),124

MSmth

2-7-1

6-1

7 SequoiaWarrirL124

RBejrn

1-2-7

7-2

SEVENTH-6 fur; $52,000; mdn; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

4 ThisMeansWarL118

JTalam

2-x-x

3-1

5 Tiz a Daisy(L),124

RBejrn

3-x-x

7-2

1 SeaJohnsSpirtM124

VEspnz

4-3-9

6-1

2 ThreeBlondes(L118

JRosari

x-x-x

12-1

3 Silic's Valley(L),124

JSteinr

x-x-x

30-1

6 HeartsMemoryL113

EFlores

4-4-3

8-1

7 DancingtthstrsL124

MGtrrz

2-x-x

8-1

8 AmAnotherLvrL111

VBednr

x-x-x

20-1

9 HorsesnddvrcsL118

MGarci

x-x-x

20-1

10 Tiz Final(L),124

B Blanc

2-7-9

20-1

11 BellaViaggia(L),118

GGomz

x-x-x

8-1

12 Royal Marie ,118

MSmth

x-x-x

20-1

13 FirstClassFlyerL118

AQnnz

x-x-x

8-1

EIGHTH-1 mile(T); $150,000; 3up

AMERICAN HANDICAP

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

10 Mr.Commons(L)122

MSmth

2-1-1

8-5

1 Compari(L),118

RBejrn

3-3-1

7-2

2 Wilkinson(L),114

MPedrz

6-8-5

20-1

3 Calimonco(L),116

AQnnz

4-1-4

8-1

4 GreatWarrior(L)113

JVldvJr

8-1-12

20-1

5 Tigah(L),113

JRosari

4-1-6

8-1

6 Soul Candy(L),113

VEspnz

8-5-8

20-1

7 BarneyRebel(L),114

EFlores

1-3-4

12-1

8 Mobilized(L),116

GGomz

1-1-6

8-1

9 LiberianFrghtrL117

MGarci

6-5-1

12-1

11 Venomous(L),116

JTalam

5-5-2

12-1

NINTH-6 1/2 fur; $27,000; clm($16,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

3 Peacenik(L),120

JTalam

1-5-7

7-2

1 AdamSuances(L120

JVldvJr

1-3-3

9-2

2 HonourFamily(L120

ADlgdll

10-4-8

20-1

4 Joe Carl(L),120

AQnnz

7-7-1

15-1

5 PrivateBounty(L122

VEspnz

1-4-4

8-1

6 Afleet Deal(L),120

KKriggr

2-5-6

15-1

9 ThomasBainesL115

EFlores

7-9-7

15-1

11 WoodlandFlodL120

JSteinr

2-4-5

15-1

12 BigSonofaGun(L120

ABison

5-10-5

20-1

13 Sir Hamilton(L),122

RBejrn

3-7-1

9-2

14 It'sSuperman(L)120

VCarrr

3-4-5

30-1

3upPN Horse, 3upPN Horse, Horse, Horse, 2YOPN Horse, 122DVergrx-x-x30-18 El Bronco

Nypost.com

5 questions for... Jon Barry

Espn analyst Jon Barry breaks down the NBA playoffs with The Post’s Justin Terranova.

Q: How have the Spurs adapted from a defensive team to an offensive one this season?

A: It’s Gregg Popovich. You have to change with the times, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. They have got younger and more athletic around their three guys. And Popovich is not afraid to play them. A lot of times you get to the playoffs and they say you have to shrink your rotation, and he’s certainly not done that.

Q: A year ago many questioned the chemistry between the Thunders’ Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Why has that not been as much of an issue this season?

Jon Barry

A: It’s all predicated on how well Westbrook plays. He’s so much more in control than he was last year at this time. He just has a better understanding of when to pick his spots, and when he does that he has a chance to take over a game like we saw against the Lakers in Game 4.

Q: Last year the Heat rolled to the NBA Finals. Do you think getting tested by the Pacers will help?

A: It is good, but they are going to need Chris Bosh back. I don’t think they can win a title without Bosh. They don’t have the interior depth, something they haven’t addressed in two years, without him. Fortunate for them is this game is not about big men anymore. Of the teams left, Tim Duncan is the only post player left who plays with his back to the basket.

Q: Do you give the 76ers a chance in Game 7?

A: The Celtics should prevail, but they are like a box of chocolates: You never know what you are going to get. They go through offensive lulls, they lose their defensive intensity at times. They are just really inconsistent. Paul Pierce is really banged up. The 76ers did a great job to get here.

Q: What do the Knicks have to do in the offseason to get to the next level?

A: If you are going to keep Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire on the same team you have to figure out some sort of system to get these guys together. It’s simple as that. Jeremy Lin is not going to get to play like that again. Mike D’Antoni is gone and that’s not the way it’s going to be. So that’s a huge question. They need some perimeter shooting. They are on the right track. They started to believe under Mike Woodson and understanding that defense wins. There’s a lot of good pieces in place, but there’s a lot of work to be done for this to be a championship team.

jterranova@nypost.com

Gregg Popovich, NBA playoffs, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh, Jon Barry, Carmelo Anthony, NBA Finals, Mike Woodson, Tim Duncan, Espn

Nypost.com

Nasdaq hit with Facebook lawsuits

Nasdaq chieftain Bob Greifeld continued to come under fire yesterday for one of the worst-botched IPOs in recent memory.

While some have called for Greifeld to step down, at least two Facebook shareholder lawsuits were filed against Greifeld’s exchange.

It’s quite a comedown for the CEO, whose executives just five days ago were popping champagne to celebrate the expected largest tech public stock offering ever.

But fame and glory turned to infamy and ridicule after Nasdaq fumbled the IPO.

Yesterday, Greifeld down played the Facebook IPO debacle during an annual shareholder meeting in Midtown Manhattan and said that he hopes that he can keep his CEO job.

“Clearly we made mistakes on Facebook,” Greifeld noted, trying to paint a rosy picture after the train wreck IPO in which some investors still don’t know the status of their Facebook orders.

In one lawsuit, one investor accused the Greifeld listing platform of badly mishandling the May 18 IPO — costing retail and institutional clients millions in lost dough.

A separate class-action lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court by Facebook investors is alleging similar wrongs.

At the meeting, Nasdaq officials appeared to have made a point of going relatively quiet over the technical glitches and prevented members of the media from asking Greifeld questions.

Bob Greifeld, Facebook, Greifeld, Facebook IPO, IPO

Nypost.com

Jets' Ellis gets 45 days in jail after plea

Since the Jets drafted him 13 months ago, the specter of criminal charges has hung over Kenrick Ellis’ head. Those charges came to a resolution yesterday.

Ellis, 24, entered an Alford plea to misdemeanor assault and battery in Hampton, Va., meaning he doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges prosecutors could prove the case against him.

Ellis will serve 45 days in jail. His sentence begins June 15, according to Tim Clancy, Ellis’ attorney. The timing of the sentence keeps Ellis from missing mini-camp, but he will miss the first few days of training camp in Cortland.

AP

SACKED: Starting June 15, Jets defensive end Kenrick Ellis will serve at least 45 days in jail after pleading guilty yesterday to misdemeanor assault and battery charges.

The Jets defensive lineman had faced a felony charge of malicious wounding stemming from a fight at Hampton University, where he was a student, in April 2010. Under the plea agreement, Ellis was sentenced to 179 days in jail, with 89 suspended. The 90-day sentence gets cut to 45 based on good behavior under Virginia law. He also received two years of unsupervised probation.

By pleading to a misdemeanor, Ellis avoided the chance of deportation. A felony conviction could have resulted in deportation for Ellis, who was born in Jamaica and is not a U.S. citizen.

The Jets’ mandatory mini-camp ends June 14, a day before Ellis’ sentence begins. Depending on exactly when and what time of day he is released, Ellis will likely miss 3-4 days of training camp.

The Jets drafted Ellis in the third round of the 2011 draft, with the knowledge that he faced these criminal charges. He played in five games last year, starting two.

Ellis was served with a $3 million civil lawsuit yesterday morning, according to victim Dennis Eley’s attorney, S. Howard Woodson. That lawsuit had previously been filed and withdrawn.

The NFL also could discipline Ellis under the league’s conduct policy. A league spokesman said the case would be reviewed. The timing of the crime, having occurred before Ellis was in the league, could help him with the league.

brian.costello@nypost.com

Kenrick Ellis, the Jets, criminal charges, criminal charges, Ellis, S. Howard Woodson, Hampton University, Tim Clancy

Nypost.com

Vuitton tops luxe list

Louis Vuitton, the French maker of handbags, was named the world’s most valuable luxury brand for a seventh consecutive year. The brand, owned by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is worth $25.9 billion, a 7 percent increase from 2011, according to the 2012 BrandZ study.

Louis Vuitton, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, luxury brand

Nypost.com

NYSAISAA girls lacrosse roundup: Richman's goal completes Riverdale's comeback win over Poly

Samantha Richman is called the bionic woman by her Riverdale girls lacrosse team. She was called a hero on Sunday after her nearly not playing this season.

The senior attack missed all of last year after having major surgery to repair a torn tendon on the outside of her big toe. She told coach Carol Pouliot that she was thinking about giving up the sport because of the pain it would cause. Pouliot left the door open for her return and sure enough there was Richman in February wanting to get back into it.

“This year she just sucked it up and said I’m going to play no matter what,” the coach said.

Denis Gostev

Riverdale's Lindsay Picard scored four goals in a win over Poly Prep Sunday.

It was a good thing for the Falcons. It was Richman who scored the game-winner off a pass from Isabella Bertagna with 28 seconds left. The goal completed a wild No. 4 Riverdale comeback in a 16-15 win against rival No. 5 Poly Prep in the NYSAISAA girls lacrosse quarterfinals in The Bronx on Sunday in a rematch of last year’s final won by Riverdale. It was Richman’s second goal of the game as her team scored the game’s final four goals. The Falcons advance to face top-seeded Hackley 3:30 p.m. Monday in the semifinals.

“She started in March and has been playing like a trooper all season,” Pouliot said.

Poly scored five straight third quarter goals to grab a 10-9 lead. Northwestern-bound midfielder Jessica Dahldorf scored her fifth goal of the game to give the Blue Devils a 15-12 lead with 5:00 remaining in the game. Then the Riverdale comeback began. Madeline Hopper scored her sixth and seventh goals around a Linday Picard score on a restart to tie the score at 15 with a minute remaining to set up Richman’s heroics.

“We were all kind of frazzled, but the momentum switched,” Pouliot said.

Picard had four goals and one assist, Bertagna had two goals and an assist and Sam Light added a score for Riverdale (10-3), ranked No. 1 in the city by The Post. Sam Domurat found the back of the net four times for Poly and Jane Tewksbury scored three goals. The second-ranked Blue Devils (9-4) came back to beat Riverdale in two of their last five meetings, including the first one this year 13-12.

Hackley, the Ivy League champions, have not lost to a private school team all season, but managed just a one-goal win over Riverdale that last time the two teams. It has the Falcons going into the semifinals with some confidence.

“If we can play like we did today and today will give us confidence, we were down three goals,” Pouliot said. “We know we can do it.”

No. 7 Fieldston, No. 2 Long Island Lutheran 9: Chloe Chasanoff scored nine goals, Rowyn Paul had two and Jill Gold and Emmy Hamilton added two goals and an assist for No. 7 Fieldston (7-6). Goalie Sydney Bryant made 14 saves as the jumped ahead 9-0 in the first half. LuHi (13-3) got within 10-4 at the break. The Eagles visit No. 6 Holy Child 3:30 p.m. Monday in the semifinals.

“They played so so hard today,” Fieldston coach Sara Gorman said. “They just all put it together today. It was the best I’ve seen them play all season long.

OTHER SCORES

No. 6 Holy Child, No. 3 Rye Country Day

No. 1 Hackley 16, No. 8 Portledge 5

jstaszewski@nypost.com

Carol Pouliot, Riverdale, Samantha Richman, Lindsay Picard, Blue Devils, Pouliot, Poly Prep, the Falcons online

Nypost.com

Strasburg homers, beats O’s

Stephen Strasburg took a swing and looked in amazement as the baseball carried over the left-field wall.

If Strasburg’s first major league homer came as a surprise, his performance on the mound yesterday did not. With Strasburg leading the way, the Nationals beat the Orioles 9-3 in Washington to avert a three-game sweep.

In addition to his 2-for-2 performance at the plate, Strasburg (4-1) struck out eight in five innings.

“Shocking, that’s for sure,” Strasburg said of his clout. “I feel like in [batting practice] I have to swing a lot harder to hit it out. I just somehow ran into one.”

Red Sox 5, Phillies 1

In Philadelphia, Josh Beckett (4-4) pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a three-run homer as the Red Sox beat Cliff Lee (0-2).

Mike Aviles also homered for Boston, which has won eight of 10 games.

Tigers 4, Pirates 3

In Detroit, Max Scherzer (3-3) struck out 15 — the most in the majors this season and most by a Detroit pitcher in 40 years — and the Tigers beat the Pirates.

Mickey Lolich had 15 strikeouts for the Tigers in a 1972 game and set the club record of 16 in 1969.

Braves 2, Rays 0

In St. Petersburg, Tim Hudson (3-1) scattered four hits over 7 2/3 innings, David Ross homered and the Braves zipped the Rays.

Dodgers 6, Cardinals 5

In Los Angeles, pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke connected for his first major league homer, a go-ahead, three-run shot in the seventh inning against his father’s former team, as the Dodgers beat the Cardinals.

White Sox 6, Cubs 0

In Chicago, Jake Peavy (5-1) pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning, Adam Dunn hit his 14th homer and the White Sox blanked the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Marlins 5, Indians 3

In Cleveland, Josh Johnson (2-3) twice worked out of jams to earn his second straight win and help the Marlins top the Indians.

Brewers 16, Twins 4

In Milwaukee, Jonathan Lucroy homered twice and had a career-high seven RBIs, Zack Greinke (5-1) improved to 14-0 at Miller Park and the Brewers routed the Twins.

Rangers 6, Astros 1

In Houston, Colby Lewis (4-3) allowed four hits in eight-plus innings and drove in two runs, and the Rangers took a five-run first-inning lead and beat the Astros.

Padres 3, Angels 2 (13)

In San Diego, pitcher Clayton Richard scored the winning run from first base on an error by fill-in left fielder Howie Kendrick with two outs in the 13th inning and the Padres beat the Angels.

Athletics 6, Giants 2

Collin Cowgill drove in the go-ahead runs and scored in a home plate collision with pitcher Tim Lincecum, and the Athletics snapped an 11-game losing streak in San Francisco.

Mariners 6, Rockies 4

In Denver, Jesus Montero and Justin Smoak hit back-to-back home runs for the Mariners.

Diamondbacks 2, Royals 0

In Kansas City, Wade Miley (5-1) pitched seven sharp innings and the Diamondbacks shut out the Royals.

Stephen Strasburg, Strasburg, Red Sox, Josh Beckett, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, innings, homer, Max Scherzer, Jesus Montero

Nypost.com

Kings looking to complete sweep of Coyotes, reach Stanley Cup

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Dwight King has been living in a hotel since the Kings recalled him from the minors more than three months ago, and the playoff hero isn’t about to move out of his temporary digs.

He’s not tempting fate while the Kings are on the verge of exceeding his wildest dreams for his first NHL postseason run.

“It’s a dream,” King said Friday at the club training complex while Los Angeles recovered from its 2-1 victory in Game 3. “You want to be part of the Stanley Cup playoffs. To be a contributor is even better. Everything is coming around.”

GOOD TIMES: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) celebrates with his teammates during LA’s Game 3 victory over the Coyotes that gave the winners a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference final. With one more win, the Kings will earn a berth in the Stanley Cup final.

Indeed, Los Angeles is on the brink of its second Stanley Cup final after leaping to a 3-0 lead over reeling Phoenix in the Western Conference finals. The eighth-seeded Kings are on an unbelievable 11-1 streak with eight consecutive wins in the postseason, outscoring their opponents 37-17 and winning the first three games in each of their first three series.

“It’s a situation that we’re in that we have to embrace, still look to get better and improve,” center Mike Richards said. “By no means is it going to be easy [today].”

The Kings have almost grown leery of talking about their winning streak, a bit like the teammates of a pitcher throwing a no-hitter. Yet concrete accomplishment is just one win away: With a victory in Game 4 this afternoon, the Kings finally would have another banner to hang next to the single division title and conference title banners forlornly decorating a small section of a wall at Staples Center.

That arena faces a time crunch: If the Kings-Coyotes match, scheduled for a 3:30 start, goes multiple overtimes, it may cause the postponement of the evening’s Clippers-Spurs NBA playoff game, slated to tip at 10:30, until tomorrow, according to an ESPN report.

But the red-hot Kings are thinking about finishing off a sweep in 60 minutes. They have joined Detroit (1995) and Edmonton (1983) as the only teams since 1980 to win 11 of their first 12 playoff games.

Forward Jeff Carter said it’s “a little bit” difficult not to think about the Stanley Cup final.

“We’re a confident group right now,” Carter said. “We’ll be ready to go.”

the Kings, Kings, Los Angeles, Stanley Cup playoffs, EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Dwight King, Western Conference, Western Conference finals, Stanley Cup final, Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup

Nypost.com

Crafty lefty hardly over the hill

Kevin Kernan
Follow Kevin on Twitter

This was a time-machine performance last night for Andy Pettitte at Yankee Stadium, and if things continue to go right for the left-hander, he could be around in pinstripes in 2013, too.

Pettitte willed himself back to 1996. The focus and stare were there and so were the strikeouts as the Comeback Kid threw eight shutout innings over the Reds in a spectacular 4-0 win.

This is only May, but it was a big game for the Yankees. Big Game Andy responded with nine strikeouts, one walk and allowed only four harmless singles.

Asked if he would consider pitching another season, Pettitte did not rule out the possibility of returning in 2013.

Paul J. Bereswill

Raul Ibanez and the Yankees' bats did enough to lift the Bombers to a 4-0 win over Reds.

“I don’t know,” he told The Post. “I know I’m committed to this year. We’ll just have to see how it works out. I have to pray about it and talk to my family. It’s a huge deal. We’ll just have to see.’’

YANKEES BOX SCORE

Certainly, if his body holds up, anything is possible because Pettitte is having a blast. Pettitte had not won in the regular season since July 8, 2010, in Seattle, a 3-1 victory in which he gave up one run over eight innings.

Although his fastball topped out at 88 mph, he worked well with backup catcher Chris Stewart. Pettitte dearly loves the competition, and he’s having the time of his life — again.

“Big league Ws are precious,’’ Pettitte said. “I felt good. everything was working.’’

Most importantly, Pettitte was able to relax in his second comeback start.

“I was able to throw everything I wanted to tonight, both sides of the plate,’’ he added. “I was able to do whatever I wanted to do out there.’’

The win was masterful, granted it came against the Reds, a run-of-the-mill team from the NL Central. Interleague play could not have come at a better time for the Yankees. All you needed to know was that the punchless Reds had Miguel Cairo as the designated hitter.

This was a game the Yankees had to have and Pettitte was once again there for them.

The Yankees need to get on a roll, and this is the perfect time in the schedule. Beginning with the Reds, the next five series are against teams that started the night with a combined 89-101 record. If the Yankees don’t make a move now, it’s going to be a long, hot summer in The Bronx.

For the first time since 1992, the Yankees and Red Sox are at the bottom of the AL East. That is shocking, considering the payrolls of the two ballclubs.

Alex Rodriguez told The Post: “We’ve got to get it going.’’

The Yankees still have serious issues hitting with runners in scoring position. Over the last six games, they are a horrendous 3-for-48 with runners in scoring position.

But at least now they have Pettitte back in the win column. It will be fascinating to see how he bounces back from this 115-pitch effort. In less than a month, Pettitte will turn 40 years old.

His will and his focus set Pettitte apart in an era when so many pitchers don’t grasp what pitching is all about.

“That has a lot to do with it,’’ Girardi said. “Focus is making one pitch at a time, and if something goes wrong behind you, it’s letting it go. And Andy has always been really good at that. He’s always been good at getting out of innings by getting double plays and making pitches. That’s an art. You have to learn how to do that. And Andy understands he has to control his emotions. He’s been through it so many times.’’

Pettitte is as much an artist as he is a pitcher. If his success and health continue, Pettitte’s time machine could run beyond this season.

After all, he’s now come back to throw eight shutout innings. Why stop there? Big league Ws are precious, you know.

kevin.kernan@nypost.com

Andy Pettitte, Pettitte, Big Game Andy, The Yankees, shutout innings, shutout innings

Nypost.com

Abercrombie sinks 13%

Abercrombie & Fitch, the operator of more than 800 teen-clothing stores, fell after posting first-quarter revenue that trailed analysts’ estimates and saying weakness in Europe will hurt same-store sales this year. Abercrombie retreated 13 percent to $39.50.

Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie

Nypost.com

Rangers rely on defense heading into Game 2 vs. Devils

Early October must seem like years ago for Rangers coach John Tortorella, who was then faced with a decision to find a top defensive pair and stumbled upon a duo that has been bettered by few, if any, in the league.

It was in Stockholm, Sweden, on Oct. 7, 2011, when Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh played together for game No. 1 of 82 in the regular season. It has been followed by 15 playoff games as the shutdown blue line mates prepare for Wednesday night’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Devils at the Garden, up in the best-of-seven series, 1-0.

Neil Miller

BIG BLUE’S BLUE LINE PATROL: Rangers defensemen Dan Girardi (left) and Ryan McDonagh work in front of goalie Henrik Lundqvist in Monday night’s 3-0 shutout victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Devils.

Tortorella was forced to match the two because Marc Staal, the regular partner for Girardi the previous four seasons, was suffering from post-concussion symptoms that would keep him out until the Winter Classic on Jan. 2.

“It’s funny how it works out when you end up with injuries,” Tortorella said Tuesday. “We always talk about when there are injuries, another guy gets an opportunity. You never know where it’s going to lead you.”

Where it led Tortorella was to finding more than just a replacement for Staal, but an emerging young talent in McDonagh that has proven in these playoffs to be as integral in the Rangers’ defense as anyone.

“With [McDonagh], the amount of time he got so quickly in key situations because of that injury has accelerated his process, where that may be a year down the road if we didn’t have an injury,” Tortorella said. “So you never know how this works out.”

McDonagh made his presence felt in Monday’s 3-0 Rangers win in Game 1, covering for Girardi when the Devils’ two most lethal scorers, Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk, both sprung through with breakaways and were caught from behind by McDonagh.

“I’m lucky he’s such a good skater,” Girardi said. “I had a couple of tough plays right off the start. And I think Mac did a good job of covering for me and making some good, solid plays, and that helped me get past a couple of things.”

McDonagh also helped Tortorella get past Michael Sauer’s concussion, when the top-four defenseman was drilled by the Maple Leafs’ Dion Phaneuf on Dec. 5. Sauer has been out indefinitely, not skating with the team since February.

When Staal did return, Tortorella had to decide if he wanted to reunite him and Girardi, or keep Girardi and McDonagh together. First, he eased Staal back in by pairing him with the sixth defenseman, Stu Bickel. In Winnipeg on March 28, Tortorella decided Staal was ready to play more, so he paired him with Anton Stralman, while Michael Del Zotto went with Bickel.

With the exception of some in-game switches on the back two pairs — mostly in the third period — Tortorella has stayed with those combinations. They have proven to trust each other, which Girardi and McDonagh did right off the bat.

“I think if there’s a grace period like that, you’re not going to be very successful,” Girardi said. “Especially starting the year in Europe and kind of got together there, and it was just had to have trust in the guy right away.”

McDonagh came to the Rangers in a trade from Montreal three years ago that sent Scott Gomez and his dead-weight contract into Canadian hibernation. McDonagh has turned out to be the gem of that deal, highlighted not only by his stellar season, but a postseason that has seen he and Girardi contain the Senators’ Jason Spezza in the first round and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin in the second.

“Every time it’s brought up, it’s a good lesson,” McDonagh said of the trade. “I say it was a good lesson to learn that there was a business side of things, and I was able to learn that at a young age.”

“I love the guys we have in our locker room and what we’ve got going,” said the 22-year-old with overgrown poise. “It’s a special feeling to be a part of that.”

And odds are McDonagh will get a chance to be a part of it, along with Girardi, for a long time to come.

“I’m not sure if I’ll ever split those two guys up,” Tortorella said. “That’s just the way it works, and that’s the interesting part when you have injuries, how things work out.”

bcyrgalis@nypost.com

Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Rangers coach John Tortorella, Marc Staal, Tortorella, Tortorella, Stockholm, Sweden, Girardi, Rangers, Rangers, the Devils, McDonagh

Nypost.com

Belmont Park Analysis

Post Time: 12:50 p.m.

All horses appear in post position order

1. 7f(T); $32,000; mdn cl($25,000); 3up; (f&m)

PRINCESS MALIA cuts back in distance and drops in class after showing some closing ability last out. RED CODE ran evenly this level when making turf debut. BANGZOOMTOTHEMOON chased the pace and tired in an off the turf race.

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 She Talks too Much(L),118

J Ortiz

4-5-7

Shivmangal

50-1

2 Dem Aah Watch Meh(L),118

A Lezcano

6-8-4

Persaud

20-1

3 Rennina(L),118

S Camacho, Jr

10-10-10

Bond

12-1

4 Bangzoomtothemoon(L),123

E Castro

7-2-4

Schettino

5-2

5 Tina's Note(L),118

A Smith

12-5-7

P Kelly

12-1

6 Western Gal(L),118

J Davis

3-10-8

Hooper

20-1

7 Red Code(L),118

I Ortiz, Jr

5-6-7

Sciacca

5-1

8 Tati(L),118

D Cohen

6-x-x

Bush

6-1

9 St. Jean(L),118

J Leparoux

2-10-9

McPeek

3-1

10 Chubbalita's Joy(L),111

W Garcia

12-4-5

Quiles

30-1

11 Siberian Wildcat(L),118

C Nakatani

6-6-2

Contessa

6-1

12 Three Grand City(L),123

J Espinoza

8-10-7

Turner

30-1

13 La Billos(L),118

R Dominguez

3-5-x

Lakeman

7-2

14 Princess Malia(L),118

E Prado

7-7-2

R Dutrow

2-1

15 Havana Girl(L),118

R Maragh

7-6-x

Duggan

12-1

16 Touch of Revenge(L),118

J Alvarado

2-4-7

Reed

5-2

PRINCESS MALIA, Jr5-6-7Sciacca5-18 Tati

Nypost.com

Tomorrow’s Belmont Entries

All horses appear in post position order

FIRST-6 fur(T); $38,000; clm($25,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

2 PrimeObsessin(L),122

J Pezua

10-6-6

SHernne

50-1

3 Have You Ever(L),117

J Ortiz

3-2-5

Clarke

12-1

4 Ziptronic(L),122

RDomingz

3-7-1

Contessa

6-1

5 Mitigation(L),122

I Ortiz, Jr

1-1-5

Gullo

12-1

6 Alltiffedoff(L),122

A Lezcano

5-8-12

LO'Brien

50-1

7 SustainableFrst(L),122

J Lezcano

3-4-1

Cibelli

5-1

8 CountCatamont(L),122

E Castro

2-2-1

Rodrigez

5-2

9 Sly(L),117

SCamchJr

5-8-8

Contess

12-1

10 Ezzy(L),115

W Garcia

1-3-7

Rodrigez

8-1

1 a-Fshrmn'sWhrf(L),12

CVelasquz

3-9-4

Galluscio

3-1

11 Tiger Willie ,122

J Espinoza

4-7-4

Shvmngl

30-1

12 Saints Alive(L),117

OHernndz

7-6-10

B Brown

15-1

1 a-Raging Wit(L),122

R Maragh

6-1-8

Galluscio

3-1

13 Bravo Romeo(L),115

W Garcia

1-2-3

Rodrigez

2-1

14 Star Dance M D(L),122

M Studart

6-2-6

Terraccin

6-1

15 MyGoldenOpnn(L),122

RDomingz

4-4-1

Rodrigez

7-2

SECOND-1 mile(T); $79,000; alw; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Voodoo Storm(L),123

JLeparoux

1-3-5

McGgeyII

6-1

2 LighthouseSnd(L),121

RDomingz

9-5-4

Trmbett

15-1

3 Our Entourage(L),116

JVelazquz

5-1-5

Pletcher

3-1

4 Achilles ,118

JCastellan

1-1-x

Drysdale

5-1

5 Za Approval(L),123

J Lezcano

1-2-1

Clement

2-1

6 Followmyftstps(L),121

R Maragh

10-4-6

Voss

10-1

7 Grand Rapport(L),121

CNakatani

4-1-2

Contessa

4-1

8 KeepMeInfrmd(L),121

J Alvarado

1-1-5

Mott

3-1

THIRD-5 1/2 fur; $55,000; mdn; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

2 Patriottown(L),118

R Maragh

13-4-x

B Brown

15-1

3 Irish Moon(L),118

E Castro

9-x-x

Trmbett

12-1

4 Verde Mont(L),118

C DeCarlo

10-4-x

Kimmel

12-1

1 a-Reggie D(M),118

JCastellan

x-x-x

J Jerkens

8-1

1 a-Sunnysider ,118

RNaprvnk

x-x-x

H Jerkens

8-1

5 Notmyfirstime(L),118

JLeparoux

4-x-x

Asmssen

8-5

6 TheSnickersKid(L),118

E Prado

3-3-3

Rodrigez

4-1

7 Tramici Bay(L),118

D Cohen

3-7-x

Servis

8-1

8 Readthebyline(L),118

JVelazquz

4-4-2

Schsberg

7-2

FOURTH-1 1/16 miles; $77,000; alw; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Simpaticat(L),116

JVelazquz

1-3-x

Domino

12-1

2 D' Oratory(L),121

JCastellan

3-5-1

Benzel

10-1

3 Mizzen Donald(L),121

KDesormx

5-7-2

Hess

4-1

4 Victory forVLTs(L),123

CVelasquz

2-1-1

Rice

4-1

5 DecoratedCourt(L),114

W Garcia

2-4-5

Jones

30-1

6 Pelican Lake(L),123

J Espinoza

3-5-1

Rojas

30-1

7 Silverette(L),116

CNakatani

1-2-2

Romans

2-1

8 Sea Island(L),118

A Garcia

1-2-2

McGgeyII

3-1

9 Centrique(L),116

M Luzzi

1-8-5

Parisella

20-1

FIFTH-1 mile; $30,000; clm($15,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

2 Troponin(L),121

JBlakeBaz

4-5-6

Gimbnc

50-1

3 Pasta Lover(L),121

C DeCarlo

3-10-10

Kopaj

15-1

4 Brunelli(L),116

SCamchJr

3-4-1

Bond

15-1

5 Hurricane Heat(L),121

M Luzzi

7-2-5

Sciacca

20-1

6 Sumo(L),121

J Lezcano

3-5-2

Stidham

4-1

7 Magical Myth(L),121

JLeparoux

6-7-4

Breen

12-1

8 ArtieLuvstoPrty(L),121

E Castro

8-7-3

Bush

15-1

1 a-Poni Colada(L),121

D Cohen

6-2-2

Jacobson

5-2

9 Mahfouz(L),114

J Ortiz

2-1-1

Rodrgez

10-1

10 No Questions(L),121

E Prado

3-7-2

Iselin

12-1

11 Monastir(L),121

CVelasquz

3-4-5

Servis

8-1

12 MoreThanaRsn(L),121

R Maragh

3-3-4

Levine

5-1

13 Bindle Stick(L),121

M Studart

9-10-9

Dunham

50-1

14 Secret Getaway(L),121

RNaprvnk

7-3-3

Young

20-1

1 a-Eltheeb(L),121

D Cohen

3-6-6

Jacobson

5-2

Next >

1

2

3upPN Horse, 3upPN Horse, Tiger Willie

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Mets defeat Phillies, 5th win in row

PHILADELPHIA — Words you never would have imagined hearing this season: The Mets are taking their talents to South Beach.

After not flinching against the likes of Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee over the last three days, LeBron James — or at least Jose Reyes — should take cover, because the Mets are headed to Miami with a purpose this weekend.

The Phillies were bagged and tossed in a Broad Street dumpster last night as the Mets completed their first three-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park in six years with a 10-6 muzzling of Charlie’s Chihuahuas.

METS BOX SCORE

AP

LONG-TIME COMING: Slumping Ike Davis blasts a three-run home run in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 10-6 victory over the Phillies last night in Philadelphia.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel only could watch in frustration as the Mets tormented his bullpen for eight runs over the last three innings. Included was Ike Davis’ three-run homer in the eighth against Jose Contreras, helping the Mets establish a season high in runs scored and secure their 11th comeback victory of 2012.

“Every time we come in here they beat our butts and it [stinks],” Davis said. “It’s just real nice to be able to sweep them at their own place.”

At this rate, the Mets (18-13) probably only need to place two or three more players on the disabled list to reach first place in the NL East. Last night’s starting lineup included Vinny Rottino, Justin Turner and Rob Johnson, but that didn’t stop the Mets from moving five games above .500 for the first time since July 19, 2010.

“The way we’ve gotten to where we are right now is there have been so many different [players] who have come through,” manager Terry Collins said. “We’ve got to do it with 25 guys.”

The Mets, who won their fifth straight, hadn’t swept a three-game series here since June 13-15 of 2006 — a year before the Phillies began their run of five consecutive division titles.

“You go through Halladay and [Joe] Blanton and Lee, that’s impressive,” David Wright said. “Although we didn’t necessarily get to those guys very much, we were able to get them out of the game and score in the late innings. That’s a big credit to us and really sticking with our game plan.”

The Mets battered reliever Kyle Kendrick in the seventh, scoring three runs on two hits and two walks to take a 5-4 lead. It came after Lee, in his return after missing three weeks with a strained oblique, had allowed two runs over six innings.

Late blasts by Davis and Andres Torres padded the Mets’ lead.

Dillon Gee was yanked in the sixth after allowing two runs that gave the Phillies a 4-2 lead. Freddy Galvis’ RBI double brought in a run before Laynce Nix’s pinch-hit single added another and ended Gee’s night.

Gee allowed four earned runs on 10 hits with no walks and four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings for his second straight no-decision.

“I was not good — probably by far the worst I’ve felt all year,” Gee said. “I just had zero command. I was behind to everyone and I had no command of the curveball. It’s tough to pitch like that.”

But the Mets rescued him in the seventh. Turner launched an RBI double after Kirk Nieuwenhuis’ leadoff walk. Davis doubled Turner to third, and Johnson walked on four pitches to load the bases. After Duda got drilled, Torres’ ground out put the Mets ahead 5-4.

Wright’s RBI single in the sixth had made it 2-2, after Torres stroked a leadoff triple.

“Not having to rely on just one guy every night is good for us,” Gee said. “Everybody pitches in on different nights and it’s great.”

mpuma@nypost.com

The Mets, Phillies, Phillies, Roy Halladay, Ike Davis, Cliff Lee, LeBron James, Justin Turner, Andres Torres, Citizens Bank Park

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Warren Buffett joins Coty's higher bid for Avon

Beauty products and fragrance company Coty raised its buyout offer for Avon Products to $24.75 a share from its earlier, rejected price of $23.25 a share, according to a letter released Thursday.

Coty set a Monday deadline for a response to its revised, $10.69 billion offer. Avon said it would consider the bid in "due course."

Coty also revealed that Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, will contribute equity toward the offer, alongside Coty's principal shareholder Joh. A. Benckiser and others.

J.P. Morgan Securities is financing the deal, the company said.

REUTERS

Warren Buffett tours the trade show floor during the Berkshire Hathaway Annual shareholders meeting in Omaha Saturday.

Pressure has been building on Avon to explore a buyout  after the door-to-door beauty company released another disappointing quarterly earnings report last week and warned of prolonged weakness in Brazil, its largest market, and the US, Dow Jones said.

Shares of Avon rose as much as four percent in premarket trade but pared some gains to add two percent leading up to the opening bell.

The latest offer price values Avon at a premium of 15 percent over its closing level of $21.60 a share Wednesday.

Avon Products, Avon, Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, Coty, A. Benckiser, Morgan Securities

Nypost.com

Home Team Lineups

TODAY
May 10

FRI
May 11

SAT
May 12

SUN
May 13

MON
May 14

TUE
May 15

WED
May 16

Yankees

Tampa Bay
7:05
YES Network
WCBS 880 AM

Sea.
7:05
YES
WCBS

Sea.
4:05
YES
WCBS

Sea.
1:05
YES
WCBS

Bal.
7:05
YES
WCBS

Bal.
7:05
WWOR
WCBS

Tor.
7:07
YES
WCBS

Mets

NO
GAME

Mia.
7:10
SNY
WFAN

Mia.
1:05
FOX
WFAN

Mia.
1:10
WPIX
WFAN

Milw.
7:10
SNY
WFAN

Milw.
7:10
SNY
WFAN

Cin.
7:10
SNY
WFAN

Rangers

NO
GAME

NO
GAME

Wash.
7:30
NBSCN
ESPN

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Devils

Eastern Conference
Finals
TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Red Bulls

NO
GAME

NO
GAME

NO
GAME

Phila.
12:30
ESPN2

NO
GAME

NO
GAME

NO
GAME

HOME

AWAY
Nypost.com

Lin won't play in series for Knicks

The Knicks will protect the asset known as Linsanity.

Coach Mike Woodson ruled out point guard Jeremy Lin not just for Wednesday night's Game 5 in Miami but for the rest of the first-round series. Woodson said doctors have determined it was too soon for Lin to return after undergoing left-knee surgery 5 ¹/ weeks ago. Lin could play in Round 2, but the Knicks are extreme long shots to rally past the Heat.

“He will not play in the series,’’ Woodson said after Tuesday's practice. “He’s just not ready. They will let him know when he’s ready, and I’m sure he’ll step up to the plate and say he’s ready when that time comes. Right now he’s not. He’s not physically ready to play. If he’s not ready to go based on how he’s feeling, we have to respect that.”

After scrimmaging Monday, Lin was limited to taking shots and walking through the team’s offense Tuesday. Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony said it is the correct call to sit Lin and tellingly talked about playing with him next season.

Lin is a restricted free agent, and the Knicks are expected to match any offer and use their $5 million mid-level exception on the 24-year-old phenom, meaning any pursuit of Steve Nash would be compromised.

“It’s mainly about being ready for an incredible year next year,’’ Stoudemire said. “I want him to be healthy and make sure he understands health is very important. And you won’t want to mess around with any injuries. Brandon Roy came back early [from knee surgery]. He’s a good friend and now he’s retired.’’

Anthony said he spoke with Lin last week and told him not to play.

“We had a private conversation about his return,’’ Anthony said. “My main thing is his health. If he’s not 100 percent healthy, 110 percent healthy, then no need to come out here. There’s no telling how many minutes he’s going to play coming back, he hasn’t been playing. I just want him to take care of himself right now.”

The urgency for Lin to return increased after starting point guard Baron Davis went down with a season-ending knee injury Sunday. The Knicks trail in the series 3-1.

“We are shorthanded but that’s what it is,’’ Woodson said.

Woodson will start Mike Bibby at point guard tonight. Toney Douglas may play a backup role, but Woodson also wants to use J.R. Smith in a big backcourt to combat the Heat going big with LeBron James or Dwyane Wade at point guard.

***

Wednesday night could be the final game in Knicks uniforms for free agents Bibby, Smith, Jared Jeffries, Steve Novak and even Landry Fields.

***

Knicks legend Patrick Ewing will interview with his buddy Michael Jordan for the Bobcats’ head coaching job after Paul Silas was not retained. The Bobcats set the NBA record for lowest winning percentage this season.

Ewing, an assistant with the Magic, had expressed interest in the Knicks job last month, but said he expected several interviews this offseason. Also in play for the Charlotte job is former Knicks assistant Michael Malone.

marc.berman@nypost.com

Mike Woodson, Jeremy Lin, Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Woodson, Woodson, Mike Bibby

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Ex-Giant Robinson dies of cancer at age 50

Stacy Robinson, who spent his entire six-year NFL career as a receiver for the Giants and was a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer. He was 50.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Stacy Robinson,” Giants co-owner John Mara said. “He was a good man who was loved and respected by his teammates and everyone in this organization. His work on behalf of the Players Association was of great benefit to many players. He will be missed. His family is in our thoughts and prayers.”

Robinson was a 1985 second-round draft pick out of North Dakota State and played at a time when the Giants were often a run-first team under Bill Parcells. He played in 43 games for the Giants and had 48 receptions for 749 yards and seven touchdowns.

Robinson made a difference in Super Bowl XXI, catching three passes for a team-high 62 yards as the Giants crushed the Broncos, 39-20. Robinson left the NFL after the 1990 season and began a second career working for the NFL Players Association. His most recent position was the union’s director of player development where he helped players prepare for careers once their playing days had ended.

paul.schwartz@nypost.com

Exclusive Super Bowl merchandise featuring New York Post front pages

Stacy Robinson, the Giants, Giants, NFL, Players Association, NFL Players Association, Bill Parcells, North Dakota State ebook download, John Mara, Super Bowl XXI

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Pitching Form

(Game time)

2012

'11 vs OPP

CAREER

LAST 3 STARTS

LINE

W-L

ERA

*REC

W-L

ERA

vs OPP

W-L

IP

ERA

*AHW

Rays

Shields (R)

(7:05pm)

5-0

3.05

6-0

2-3

2.33

5-11

3-0

20.0

2.70

11.7

Yankees

Nova (R)

5 1/2-6 1/2

3-1

5.58

4-1

2-0

0.69

2-0

1-1

17.2

6.62

17.3

Mets

Batista (R)

(7:05pm)

0-1

6.92

0-1

0-0

40.50

3-3

0-1

3.2

14.73

27.0

Phillies

Blanton (R)

7 1/2-8 1/2

3-3

2.83

3-2

0-0

9.95

3-1

2-1

22.1

2.01

8.1

Nationals

Jackson (R)

Even-6

1-1

3.69

2-3

2-0

2.13

4-0

0-1

17.2

4.58

13.2

Pirates

Burnett (R)

(7:05pm)

1-2

8.04

1-2

—

—

7-3

1-2

15.2

8.04

15.5

Marlins

Sanchez (R)

Even-6

2-0

2.43

4-1

—

—

3-1

1-0

21.0

2.14

8.6

Astros

Rodriguez (R)

(8:05pm)

---

----

---

0-0

0.00

13.1

---

----

----

----

Braves

Delgado (R)

(8:05pm)

2-3

5.14

2-3

—

—

0-0

0-3

17.2

5.60

12.2

Cubs

Dempster (R)

5 1/2-6 1/2

0-1

0.95

0-4

0-1

4.50

2-12

0-1

20.2

0.87

7.8

Reds

Bailey (R)

(8:10pm)

1-2

3.77

2-3

0-1

7.50

0-3

1-0

19.1

2.79

11.2

Brewers

Gallardo (R)

6 1/2-7 1/2

1-3

5.79

2-4

1-0

4.76

3-3

0-2

15.0

7.20

16.2

Cardinals

Westbrook (R)

(9:40pm)

3-2

2.12

3-2

1-0

3.37

2-0

1-2

20.0

3.15

11.7

D'Backs

Kennedy (R)

6-7

3-1

3.23

3-3

1-1

12.00

1-1

1-1

20.1

2.66

11.5

Rockies

White (R)

(10:05pm)

---

----

---

1-0

7.20

6.2

---

----

----

----

Padres

Suppan (R)

Even-6

1-0

0.00

1-0

—

—

7-2

1-0

5.0

0.00

10.8

Giants

Vogelsong (R)

(10:10pm)

0-2

3.42

1-3

2-1

3.20

2-2

0-1

20.0

3.60

12.6

Dodgers

Kershaw (L)

8 1/2-10

2-0

2.63

5-1

5-0

1.07

6-1

2-0

22.1

2.82

6.9

Rangers

Feliz (R)

6-7

1-1

3.81

2-2

0-0

0.00

0-0

0-1

18.0

5.00

12.0

Orioles

Arrieta (R)

(7:05pm)

2-2

3.52

3-3

0-1

21.60

1-2

1-2

18.0

4.50

10.0

White Sox

Danks (L)

(7:05pm)

2-4

6.51

2-4

0-1

3.00

4-8

1-2

18.2

8.20

14.9

Indians

Masterson (R)

6 1/2-7 1/2

1-2

5.20

3-3

2-2

1.61

4-5

1-1

19.2

4.12

14.6

Red Sox

Bard (R)

6-7

2-3

4.38

1-3

0-0

0.00

0-2

1-2

19.0

3.32

13.3

Royals

Duffy (L)

(8:10pm)

2-2

3.57

2-2

0-1

7.45

0-1

1-2

16.2

4.86

14.0

Angels

Haren (R)

7 1/2-8 1/2

1-2

3.43

1-5

2-0

2.57

4-3

1-1

22.1

2.42

8.1

Twins

Diamond (L)

(8:10pm)

---

----

---

—

—

19.2

---

----

----

----

Blue Jays

Romero (L)

Even-6

4-0

3.64

5-1

1-0

0.55

4-0

2-0

22.2

3.57

9.1

Athletics

McCarthy (R)

(10:05pm)

2-3

2.96

3-4

0-0

4.50

3-2

2-1

20.2

2.18

12.6

Tigers

Verlander (R)

8 1/2-10

2-1

2.38

3-3

1-1

2.57

8-6

1-0

20.0

2.70

9.5

Mariners

Millwood (R)

(10:10pm)

0-3

5.34

1-4

—

—

4-5

0-3

18.2

4.82

13.5

* REC: Won-lost record of pitcher's team in games he has started.

* AHW: Average total of hits and walks yielded per nine innings.
Nypost.com

Knee injury could end career of Knicks guard Davis

Baron Davis was talking about his prospects for next season. On April 5 in Orlando, the Knicks point guard said he felt he would be healthier and better after a summer of weight-lifting — a training method he had been unable to perform because of back issues.

That dream has ended. Davis’ next season is lost and his career is in jeopardy.

Yesterday’s MRI exam revealed the horror of the right-knee injury Davis suffered in Sunday’s Game 4 victory over the Heat. Davis, 33, has a partial tear of the patella tendon and complete tear of the ACL and MCL. He will be out 12 months, and that may mean his career is over.

Davis crumpled to the court when his knee buckled on a fast break in the third quarter. Fans chanted his name as he lay on the floor, and he eventually was rolled off on a stretcher. Davis smiled at the chants and pointed to the crowd, obviously touched.

After Sunday’s game, Amar’e Stoudemire said he “almost shed a tear on the court.’’

Carmelo Anthony said, “We miss him already. Our No. 1 soldier went down in the heat of the battle.’’

It’s unlikely the Knicks would have re-signed Davis, whose stint was marred by injuries. Davis returned from a herniated disk in late February, but was impaired by a hamstring pull and knee swelling. He inherited the starting point-guard position after Jeremy Lin’s knee injury March 24.

In an odd scene from Game 4, J.R. Smith raced over to Anthony to converse amid the celebration following Anthony’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 54 seconds left. It appeared the two had words during the ensuing Miami timeout.

Anthony had been upset at Smith over the prior defensive possession, and Smith was explaining himself.

“We had a miscommunication on the defensive end,’’ Smith said. “I was supposed to switch over to LeBron [James]. I couldn’t hear, it was so loud, so I didn’t switch and he got the wide open 3.’’

Point guard Mike Bibby, who has extra motivation in the series facing his former team, is set to make his first start of the series in Game 5. Bibby was the Heat’s starting point guard during their playoff run last spring but petered out in the Finals. He has appeared in 104 playoff games.

Knicks, Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony, the Heat, knee injury, J.R. Smith

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Rickie gets first PGA Tour win

CHARLOTTE -- With the late-afternoon North Carolina sun beaming yesterday, the Wells Fargo Championship had just gone to a three-man playoff. The players still standing were Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and D.A. Points.

To put this moment into blunt perspective, Points, who spent most of the day atop the leaderboard boxing out all comers like a basketball power forward in the paint, was an annoying pebble in the tournament’s shoe.

No disrespect to Points, a 35-year-old journeyman, but the masses around the packed grounds at Quail Hollow and watching on TV wanted to see the tournament end one of two ways: Either with McIlroy reaffirming his standing as the best player in the world with a second win in three years at this event or with Fowler capturing his long-awaited first PGA Tour victory.

Getty Images

ORANGE YOU GLAD? Rickie Fowler celebrates after making a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Rory McIlroy and D.A. Points at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte.I

When it was over after one playoff hole, the 18th, and Fowler had emerged as the victor after a perfect tee shot followed by an even better approach shot to four feet followed by the winning birdie putt, even Points found himself caught up in the magnitude of the moment.

“It’s wonderful for the game of golf,’’ Points said. “I’m so happy for Rickie. I’m so happy for golf and the PGA Tour because he is honest-to-goodness a good kid and I really like being around him. He’s got tremendous talent. He deserves all the pub and he certainly deserves this win.’’

An hour before the tournament ended, McIlroy’s father, Gerry, stood outside ropes along the 16th fairway and basked in the drama that was unfolding between his 23-year-old son and the 23-year-old Fowler and said, “It’s good for you guys [reporters] to write about.’’

For Fowler, the win came in his 67th career PGA start and ended any talk of him being one of those overhyped style-over-substance athletes.

“It’s been a long wait, but well worth it,” said Fowler, resplendent in his Cheetos orange outfit from hat to shoes. “I definitely knew I was good enough, and it was just getting everything to come together and stay patient. Obviously there’s a lot of people that have doubted or said ‘you’ll never win,’ so it’s nice to kind of shut them up a little bit.’’

McIlroy, who with the runner-up finish regained his No. 1 world ranking from Luke Donald, who didn’t play this week, was quick to give his Jupiter, Fla., neighbor credit.

“The way he played that playoff hole, he played to win,’’ McIlroy said. “He deserved it after that birdie. I think it was just a matter of time before he won. I played in the Korean Open last year which he won, it was his first win as a pro. And then it seems like this tournament produces firsttime winners, Anthony Kim, myself, now Rickie.’’

Indeed, these grounds have launched careers in recent years.

In 2008, at age 22, Kim got his first PGA Tour here. In 2010, it was McIlroy winning for the first time.

In the playoff, all three players hit the fairway. But it was Fowler’s 133-yard 52-degree wedge that dropped like a butterfly on the slick 18th green that was the difference maker.

Both Points and McIlroy sent their approach shots long above the hole and had difficult two-putts for par. That left the stage to Fowler, who calmly rolled his four-foot winner.

“I hit a perfect shot at the right time and I was going for it,’’ Fowler said of the approach shot. “I definitely didn’t want to play safe.’’

Fowler said as he walked up the fairway to the green he was “just trying to stay as serious as possible and know that I still had a lot of work to do.’’

“You know . . . the four-foot range . . . it seemed longer, but it’s not a gimme,’’ he said. “I tried not to get ahead of myself, focused on the putt and when I got the time to hit it, just focus on hitting a good putt.’’

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

Rickie Fowler, Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Wells Fargo Championship, PGA Tour, playoff hole, playoff hole, Fowler ebook download, Points, D.A. Points

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Beat Heat today or long offseason begins early

Carmelo Anthony was the last player to leave the Knicks’ practice court yesterday, after taking shots from all angles with assistant general manager Allan Houston feeding him passes.

Anthony dripped with sweat at what could have been the season’s last practice. Today is his last stand. He knows it’s going to be a long summer if the Knicks go down with a whimper in Game 4 at the Garden against Miami’s Dream Team in a second straight four-game, first-round sweep.

Injuries, illnesses and fire-extinguisher mishaps notwithstanding, it has been a lousy series for Anthony. Miami, outscoring the Knicks by 60 points in three games, leads 3-0.

Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

SWEEP RELIEF?Carmelo Anthony (right) and the Knicks will try to avoid the embarrassment of a four-game sweep in the opening round of the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoffs when they face LeBron James and the Heat today at the Garden.

“[Today] is a new day, new attitude,’’ Anthony said. “We want to win. [Today] is a must-win for us or we go home. If we’re ready to go home, then we might as well call it a game. I don’t think guys are ready to go home. Guy are still confident about [today].”

Anthony is shooting 34.5 percent in the series, but hasn’t seemed to accept responsibility for the hole in which the Knicks find themselves. If the Knicks extend their NBA-record playoff losing streak to 14 games today, the bravado will grow tired. Two straight first-round sweeps and eight first-round exits in nine seasons for Anthony is a trend. His brilliant April finish will be a footnote if he stinks it up against LeBron James again today.

“I try not to put pressure on myself and play like that,’’ Anthony said. “Do I want to win? Hell, yeah. It’s tough out there. No excuses. Despite injuries. I never made an excuse about that. [Today] is a big day.’’

It is also a big day for center Tyson Chandler, who almost missed Game 1 with the flu. He beat the Heat in The Finals last June with the Mavericks and wants one more trip to Miami for Game 5 to save face.

“We had real expectations for the team this year,’’ Chandler said. “And the toughest thing is to just make it to the playoffs and then get swept. We have to make sure we stand up and have pride especially on our home floor.’’

Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong in the series, with Iman Shumpert blowing out his knee in Game 1 and Amar’e Stoudemire blowing out the glass of a fire-extinguisher case after Game 2. One victory today, though, and the Knicks can supply one playoff memory that isn’t catastrophic.

“[A sweep] won’t sit well,’’ Chandler said. “Whenever you get swept, it’s embarrassing. You come in and can’t get a game from a team? I definitely don’t want to go out like that.’’

It will be painful for Anthony, who has been outclassed by James in this 1-on-1 showdown. On Friday, interim coach Mike Woodson said he wants Anthony back in better shape next season.

Anthony said he and James, a good friend, haven’t talked once during the series.

“It’s all business,” Anthony said.

James has averaged 27.7 points on 50.9 percent shooting, with 6.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Anthony has averaged an inefficient 21 points, 4.0 turnovers, 2.0 assists and 9.0 rebounds.

“I don’t think they’re forced shots,’’ said Anthony, who has also has been covered by Shane Battier. “I have to take the shots they give me. Me, I’m just missing.

“Not winning, it hurts,” Anthony said. “I feel that. I go home at night and think about it.’’

Asked if he regrets the trade that brought him to the Knicks, Anthony said: “It’s been up and down. But for the most part, I don’t regret my decision to come here. It’s been a year-and-a-half. Things haven’t gone the way we wanted it to go, but we still have time. I’m not worried. I love my decision. I stick with my decision. I’m in New York. I’m a New York Knick. I’m going to be here.’’

Whether Woodson blows his chance of a return by getting swept is unlikely, but not certain because of owner James Dolan’s unpredictability. Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald likely will recommend Woodson’s return, since a case could be made the playoff catastrophe was not Woodson’s fault. If the Phil Jackson as coach scenario is investigated, both parties had better be sure they can work together or risk a Larry Brown fiasco.

Woodson, who was former coach Mike D’Antoni’s defensive coach, was 18-6 since gaining control, but said the Knicks’ situation could have been so much different had they not started the season 18-24.

“If we handled our business early in the year, we wouldn’t be in this predicament,’’ Woodson said. “We probably would be hosting the first round. That’s where we have got to get this team. If I’m back, that’s going to be my ultimate goal, to be top four, try to win the division. Hosting the first round at home, that’s important.’’

Woodson said he has to get Anthony, Chandler and Stoudemire to mesh better. This is the Knicks’ locked-in Big 3, with no blockbuster deal on the horizon. The last look may come today and it had better not be an eyesore.

marc.berman@nypost.com

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Calder Analysis

Post Time: 12:55 p.m.

FIRST-4 1/2 fur; $19,500; clm($40,000); 2YO

DONTCALLMECHARLEY drops in class after tiring in career debut. STACEYS COMPRISE and entry mate JOANIES IMAGE are firsters that race with Lasix and shows steady works foe career debut. POMPOUS MISS drew the rail for career debut.

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

3 Pompous Miss ,118

CLndrs

x-x-x

5-1

4 La Clave ,118

JDelgd

x-x-x

6-1

5 DontcallmchrlyL118

OBcchc

5-x-x

4-1

1 aStacysCmprsM118

JBerris

x-x-x

4-1

2 b-RoyalJoann(M118

ENunez

x-x-x

3-1

1 aJoaniesImagM111

JGonzls

x-x-x

4-1

2 b-OxfordLass(M118

ENunez

x-x-x

3-1

6 StrictlyAmzngM118

LJurad

x-x-x

5-2

SECOND-1m(T); $20,000; alw; 3up(f)

SUSIES GAL cuts back in distance and drew the rail after finishing second last out. ANNIE ROE returns to turf for seasonal debut and seeks third consecutive victory. STARSHIP JODI was an impressive winner going longer in an off the turf race.

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 Susies Gal(L),120

L Saez

2-3-7

5-2

2 Lovely Lexus(L),113

SCmch

2-3-10

8-1

3 Budidinha ,115

AGnzlz

2-2-3

12-1

4 Annie Roe(L),120

J Leyva

1-1-3

6-1

5 MykndfldyfrndL113

HSnchz

3-6-1

6-1

6 CatchThatKittnL120

JDelgd

4-1-6

4-1

7 WthMmsBlsngL120

LJurad

7-3-2

4-1

8 Starship Jodi(L),123

F Jara

1-4-1

3-1

9 LoganSquare(L)120

JSantn

1-6-5

3-1

10 SweetRepntncL120

JSantn

2-1-2

15-1

THIRD-5 fur; $10,500; clm($12,50); 3,4&5YO

HOT STEPPING LASS races with Lasix and shows steady works while prepping for career debut. COPIA DE ORO goes turf to dirt and cuts back in distance after running evenly last out. EMMANUELA cuts back in distance after tiring in most recent.

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 PrincessPersiaL123

PMntrJ

10-x-x

15-1

2 NiteAttheMovsL111

SMrgh

11-8-6

8-1

3 Copla de Oro(L),113

JRdrgz

7-9-11

3-1

4 WildcatSierra(L116

SCmch

8-7-4

5-1

5 HotStppngLssM111

JGonzls

x-x-x

2-1

6 Body Heat(L),116

DBrnrd

7-9-7

12-1

7 Emmanuela(L),118

CLndrs

7-6-6

6-1

8 WarrantorsBllM113

Y Ortiz

x-x-x

6-1

FOURTH-1 1/16mT; $19,500; cl($40,0); 3YO

AMERICAN DOE drew the rail after finishing second at this level while going shorter. JAMIES BOY drops in class for turf debut after finishing fourth in the slop. COSMO THE COMET closed to finish second at Tampa Bay while going shorter.

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 AmericanDoe(L)122

L Saez

2-3-6

3-1

2 Black Ace(L),122

LJurad

4-x-x

10-1

3 CosmotheCmtL122

CLndrs

2-6-10

6-1

4 SkiffsBrwmstrL122

J Leyva

5-3-5

6-1

5 PiratesinpardsL122

F Jara

3-6-10

8-1

6 It's a Sin(L),122

OBcchc

7-6-5

10-1

7 ImperadorSarvL122

J Rios

6-x-x

8-1

8 PraetorianGrdM122

JSantn

x-x-x

15-1

9 Jamie's Boy(L),122

M Cruz

4-3-3

4-1

10 Mr. Topia(L),122

CPenlb

2-9-9

15-1

11 Blue King(L),122

EDmng

3-6-5

20-1

12 ZenImperialism,117

JRdrgz

6-7-9

20-1

13 SuperZumba(L),122

JSantn

4-2-4

20-1

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Disney, ‘Avengers’ $hoot for boffo box-office take

“The Avengers,” from Disney’s Marvel Studios, looks set to blow the doors of the traditional start of the summer movie season.

The superhero extravaganza has the buzz and advance sale to ring up the biggest opening weekend in North American movie history, with a box office of $170 million, according to a Boxoffice.com projection

Other estimates have its weekend take at $150 million.

THE POST'S 'AVENGERS' REVIEW

'AVENGERS' ADVANCE TICKET SALES SOARING

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” released last year, currently holds the record at $169.2 million.

AP

That’s Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) blasting the competition to kingdom come. Early reports suggest that Disney’s “The Avengers” will celebrate the best money-making weekend in US history.

Directed by “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon, “The Avengers,” with a budget of about $200 million, opened on some screens at midnight last night.

“This is going to make Disney’s Marvel purchase look so smart and make people quickly forget about ‘John Carter,’ ” said RBC Capital media analyst David Bank, referring to Disney’s big flop under now departed Disney studio boss, Rich Ross.

Ross resigned under pressure last month.

Sources speculate that Disney didn’t want Ross sharing the positive halo of “The Avengers.”

“This is what a Disney franchise should be. It’s got great consumer products and ancillary revenue potential,” said Bank.

The movie features a host of Marvel characters including “Iron Man,” “Captain America,” “The Hulk” and “Black Widow.”

Hollywood Stock Exchange is predicting the movie will bring in $400 million domestically.

Boxoffice.com’s Phil Contrino told The Post, “Disney has been very aggressive in its marketing on Facebook and Twitter and in TV spots.”

catkinson@nypost.com

Marvel Studios, Scarlett Johansson, The Avengers, Disney studio, North American movie, Joss Whedon

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