Month: April 2022

The Minnesota Timberwolves made a statement in Game 1 of their first round series against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 7-seed, who got the the postseason by way of the play-in tournament, walked into Memphis and knocked off the 2-seed by double-digits, making clear that they were not going to be a pushover against a Grizzlies team with a whole lot of hype.

Instead of backing down after suffering an emphatic home loss, Memphis rallied on Tuesday night to demolish Minnesota and even things up as the series shifts to Minneapolis. By the time the game came to an end, both teams were running out their backups and the Grizzlies picked up a 124-96 win.

The first quarter was a cagey affair defined by fouls — according to Kirk Goldsberry of ESPN, the 33 combined free throws by both teams was tied for the most in any opening frame in the last 25 years — leading to a one-point Grizzlies lead. But then, the avalanche came, as Memphis spent much of the second and third quarters running the Timberwolves out of the building.

Unsurprisingly, Ja Morant led the charge. The Grizzlies’ star guard was the engine that made the whole thing work for the first three quarters of the game, nearly having a triple-double by the time he ran to the locker room before the fourth quarter began due to an inadvertent Karl-Anthony Towns knee to his thigh. He barely fell short in his quest for a triple-double but was nonetheless spectacular, scoring 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting with 10 assists, nine rebounds, and a steal.

In total, seven members of the Grizzlies scored in double-digits. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane both had 16, with Jackson causing the highlight of the night when he cleaned up a miss by Dillon Brooks with a putback slam.

Beyond them, Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman, and Ziaire Williams all had 13 off the bench, while Tre Jones pitched in 10 of his own. As a team, the Grizzlies shot 44-for-92 from the field and did not trail after the 4:20 mark of the first quarter.

While Anthony Edwards and Towns led the way for the Timberwolves, they were unable to have the kind of impact that made up for the sheer number of guys who were able to score for Memphis. Towns struggled with foul trouble en route to 15 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes of work, while Edwards was nowhere near as hot as he was in Game 1, going for 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting.

Now, the series will head up north, where the Timberwolves have already won this postseason — the team beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the Target Center in the 7/8 play-in game to earn a spot in this series. Game 3 will tip off on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Devin Booker got scorching hot during the first quarter of the Phoenix Suns’ Game 2 tilt against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. Booker scored 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting and knocked down four of his six attempts from three in the frame, and while New Orleans led by two after the opening 12 minutes, Booker is the kind of player who is able to win the Suns games if he sees a few go in early.

One fan in the crowd benefitted from Booker’s hot start, as Phoenix’s All-Star guard hit a jumper, fell to the ground, looked over, and saw that he was right next to one Suns supporter. As a result, Booker stuck his fist out and decided to dap them up, although the fan might not remember this happened years down the line, because the fan in question was a baby.

It was a very good bucket by Booker — he pulled up off the bounce with a pair of defenders in his face, and it’s a sign of how locked in he was in the first quarter that he was able to get this to go down. But more importantly, he got to have some fun with a young fan, which is very nice.

The Republican Party has had long problems, but ever since moving Trump-ward, they’ve gotten bizarre, too. It’s a strange old party now, increasingly filled with unhinged lunatics trying to rewrite reality, even if it means denying a very clear re-election loss or protesting public health measures that actively get your constituents killed. (Then incoherently trying to blame the other side for those deaths.) And James Carville has had enough.

The longtime Democratic consultant, who helped drive Bill Clinton into the White House and who has been begging his party to get more aggressive, went on MSNBC and told host Ari Melber need to get a lot more aggressive about pointing out how the GOP has gone off the deep end.

“The problem is they are a weird political party. They need to be branded as such,” Carville told Melber. He alluded to the 26 QAnon candidates on the ballot this fall, saying they’re not “necessarily the extreme” of the current Republican party. “These are people that talk about testicle tanning. These are people that go to Hungary for conferences,” he said, alluding to two things Fox News superstar Tucker Carlson has done: promote dodgy ways to rescue allegedly dwindling testosterone levels in men and going to a country ruled by an actual authoritarian and singing their praises.

“A large part of the Republican party is just out-and-out weird,” he concluded. “And when you have Moscow Mitch, ‘We need more sane people,’ that means you’ve got a lot of really crazy people.”

Carville then singled out Peter Navarro, who worked in the Trump administration and who was hailed as the most “serious person in the White House,” he said. “You’re telling me that he’s a normal human being? No. And he’s not even among the worst.”

In the year-plus that the Biden administration has been in the White House, they’ve largely gone easy on the other side, perhaps hoping for some return to bipartisanship that has barely existed for the last 20 years. (Remember, “Moscow” Mitch McConnell openly vowed to be nothing but an obstructionist to Barack Obama during his first term almost 15 years ago.) But perhaps they should take a page from Carville, a successful kingmaker, and start loudly pointing out that the other side has lost their damn minds.

(Via Raw Story)

The Miami Heat held serve in dominant fashion on Sunday afternoon, blasting the Atlanta Hawks to take a 1-0 series in the best-of-seven series. Two days later, the Hawks were much more competitive in the rematch, but Jimmy Butler led another impressive effort for Miami, holding on for a 115-105 victory.

In the opening minutes, there were brief signs of a Miami barrage that could be similar to Game 1. After the Hawks scored first, the Heat scored the next ten points, to take early control.

Atlanta would respond, though, and the Hawks were up for the challenge in a different way than Sunday. The Hawks put together an immediate 12-5 run to tie the game, and they were competitive on both ends of the floor.

Following an individual disaster in Game 1 with his worst offensive numbers of the season, Trae Young found his stride. He scored 10 points in the first quarter and 18 in the first half, getting comfortable against Miami’s switching scheme.

The second quarter was an exercise in back-and-forth basketball, with neither team leading by more than four points. There were some fireworks, though, as De’Andre Hunter and Kyle Lowry earned a double-technical for jawing.

Beyond the peripheral energy, fouls were a big story. 30 fouls were called in the first half, with three regulars (Hunter, Kevin Huerter, Bogdan Bogdanovic) picking up three for the Hawks and both Bam Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon picking up three for the Heat. That set up alternative lineups on both sides, and Miami took it into the half with a two-point lead.

Early in the third quarter, Jimmy Butler asserted his will. He was the best player on the floor in the first half, scoring 21 points, and Miami’s star forward kept it going with his drive game, pull-up jumper and foul drawing. Butler keyed an 11-0 run by the Heat, with Miami eventually building a double-digit lead for the first time in the game.

The Heat maintained a comfortable edge through the third quarter and into the fourth, with Miami leading 94-78 with less than nine minutes remaining. Atlanta would not roll over, though, as the Hawks put together a 12-0 run to slash the margin. Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 10 points in less than three minutes, bringing the visitors within four.

After a timeout and a bit of stabilization, Miami pushed the margin back to nine, riding the veteran duo of Butler and Kyle Lowry.

Behind the continued red-hot shooting of Bogdanovic, the Hawks climbed back within three with less than three minutes remaining. Atlanta had a shot in the air that would’ve tied the game, but it clanged off the rim and, moments later, Butler put the game away by engineering a personal 7-0 run, giving the Heat a 10-point lead that they would never relinquish.

Butler was the story of the evening, finishing with a playoff career-high 45 points on 15-of-25 shooting, 4-of-7 from three-point range, and 11-of-12 at the free throw line. He added five rebounds, five assists and top-shelf defense, and Butler repeatedly made huge plays down the stretch to secure the win.

On the Hawks side, it was a much more competitive effort, keyed by 29 points on 18 shots from Bogdanovic. Young bounced back with 25 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, but he committed 10 turnovers and did not quite reach his usual level of dominance, particularly in the second half where he had just seven points. As a team, Atlanta shot just 12-of-40 from three-point range, and the Hawks committed 19 turnovers that led directly to 21 points for the Heat.

From here, the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Friday evening. Given the 0-2 deficit, the Hawks will face a virtual must-win scenario at State Farm Arena, though Atlanta has been dominant at home, winning 20 of the last 23 games.

It took one game for the 2-7 matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves to become perhaps the most exciting first-round series in the 2022 NBA playoffs. Both teams are led by young stars and came into things with chips on their shoulders, and after the Timberwolves took Game 1 in Memphis, all eyes were on Tuesday night’s Game 2. (Well, as long as you have NBA TV, but that’s neither here nor there.)

Anyway, one of the best moments of Game 1 came when Karl-Anthony Towns Sr. and Tee Morant — you’ve probably heard of their sons! — met up at midcourt during a stoppage in play and had a conversation with one another. The whole thing really was spectacular, behold:

On Tuesday, we got part two of KAT Sr. and Tee going back-and-forth with one another. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports is on sideline duty for Game 2, and at one point during the second quarter, he was able to pull both of them aside and just let them talk some junk. It is one of the best things that has been put on air during a basketball game in some time.

Forget a Players Only broadcast, let us get a dadcast during Game 3 on Thursday night.

Red Table Talk, the Emmy-winning Facebook Watch talk show hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow, and her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, returns this week. But when it does, there’s a sizable elephant lurking the room: Jada’s participation in the most scandalous event in Oscars history. It’s only been about three weeks since Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock over a joke he made about her. But you’d never know it from the new season’s trailer.

It’s a star-studded affair, featuring guests like Janelle Monaé, Kim Basinger, one of the victims of the “Tinder Swindler,” and more, all coming in for heavy, emotional discussions. What’s missing is any reference to the incident that got a member of the family banned from the ceremony for a decade. Instead, it’s business as usual.

That makes sense: Insiders tell Variety that the new episodes were filmed before this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, which changed the Smith family in more ways than one. (At least Will got an Academy Award out of it.) Besides, Jada, Willow, and Adrienne shouldn’t have to answer for something none of them did. Still, seeing an ad that doesn’t address one of the still newish year’s biggest stories can’t help but seem a bit awkward.

Red Table Talk begins its new season on Wednesday, April 20. You can watch the trailer on Facebook Watch.

(Via Variety)

It’s been nearly a year and four months since an army of violent Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in D.C., and the feds are still rounding up perps. A number of them were busted in creative (which is to say dunderheaeded) ways. For instance, one perpetrator, who was arrested last month, bragged to his Uber driver about taking a key part in the Capitol storming, all while a webcam was rolling.

As per NBC News, Jerry Daniel Braun, a Jan. 6 participant, spent part of that evening being ferried in an Uber in downtown D.C. Some people hold conversations with their Uber drivers, and this man was no different. Braun showed up in the back of the driver’s car bruised, with an injury to his eye. They then had the following conversation:

“So, has it been violent all day?” the driver asked.

“Well, it started around, right when I got there. I tore down the barricades,” the man replied.

“You did?” the driver asked. “Why?”

“Well, because, so we could get to the Capitol,” the man replied.

“Well, how’d that work out for ya?” the driver asked.

“Well,” he replied, “it looks like, uh, Biden’s gonna be our president.”

The Uber driver tipped off the feds shortly thereafter, even providing his webcam footage. Fifteen months and some internet sleuthing later, and Braun joined the nearly 800 defendants charged in connection with the attack.

Braun joins a long list of Jan. 6 perpetrators with stranger-than-fiction apprehension stories. Who could forget the one who called lost-and-found for objects he left behind? The guy who bragged about pounding Coors Light while invading the Capitol? The guy busted while in a touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar? And then there’s the “influencer” who bragged that she wouldn’t go to jail because she’s “white.” Spoiler: She went to jail.

(Via NBC News)

Ever since 2007, when Netflix expanded into the streaming video game, it’s pitched itself as an alternative to traditional, commercial-ridden television. But amidst password-sharing crackdowns and ever-escalating monthly prices — and on the same day they reported declining subscriptions — the one that started the modern viewing age has announced a big change.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is planning on offering a cheaper alternative: an ad-supported subscription plan. That means that commercials, which the streamer has always avoided even as competitors like Hulu and Peacock embraced them, will finally invade their coffers.

These plans aren’t being made available overnight. Instead, co-CEO Reed Hastings says they’ll hash out those plans “over the next year or two.” Hastings added that he’s long been “against the complexity of advertising, and a big fan of the simplicity of subscription.” But his mind has been changed not only by the already competitors that embraced commercials, but also by the idea of luring in new subscribers.

Could news that Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers during its most recent quarter have also played a hand? Possibly. They’ll also be dialing back on original content, which has seen them handing big-name stars and auteurs, like Martin Scorsese and Michael Bay, the kind of budgets allotted to major Hollywood studio budgets, all for product that almost never plays movie theaters. Still, at least a ton of people are still watching Bridgerton.

(Via THR)

One of the tough things about being middle-school-aged is that interests and hobbies that are cool to everyone who isn’t middle-school-aged are often seen as not cool by your peers. Unfortunately, that can lead a lot of kids to abandon things they love.

A dad who didn’t want to see that happen inadvertently set off an avalanche of support and generosity when he tweeted about a lack of peer support for his son’s woodworking hobby. Gabriel Clark, his 12-year-old son, has loved making things with wood since he was first handed his grandfather’s hammer when he was 3 or 4 years old. “I’ve always had a real passion for it,” Gabriel told PEOPLE, “and I’ve just taught myself everything I know.”

Gabriel’s father, Richard Clark, explained how sharing his son’s struggles with his peers over his hobby blew up the internet over the past few weeks.

“Three weeks ago my youngest, Gabriel 12, came home upset,” Clark wrote in a tweet on April 15. “His love of woodwork was not deemed cool, nor was only having 6 followers on his Instagram.

“His Dad was upset too. It’s hard watching your children battling with life. But what to do? Mum wasn’t around, so Dad, the impulsive fool that he is, instead reached out to the lovely people on Twitter. Maybe he could persuade some of them to follow his son?”

A wee thread about a young boy and the tweet that got away. Feel free to RT.nnThree weeks ago my youngest, Gabriel 12, came home upset. His love of woodwork was not deemed cool, nor was only having 6 followers on his instagram. 1/15pic.twitter.com/FRGQ6GCMzM

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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Clark’s tweet on March 25 had read: “Lovely twitter people – I don’t know how many of you are also #instagram users but I’m looking for a wee favour. I’ve a 12yr old who loves woodwork. He spends hours on his lathe making bowls and creating chopping boards which he’s sells to save up for a mountain bike. So I was wondering if any of you fancied giving him a boost and following him on instagram at clarkie_woodwork it would make his day. Thanks in advance and feel free to retweet!”

Clark said his son was aiming for 60 followers.

He was aiming for 60, the magic number in teen world when your instagram page is apparently no longer deemed an embarrassment. nnSo he posted the tweet and got on with cooking tea. 3/15ninstagram – clarkie_woodwork

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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But very soon, Clark’s Instagram follower count rocketed into the hundreds, then the thousands.

When he woke up the next morning he had over 33,000 and still it kept going. By the end of the weekend he had over 225,000 and was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of kindness and support. 5/15

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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Within days, that number had exploded to more than 225,000—and more than 20,000 orders for Gabriel’s handmade bowls and chopping boards.

But Gabriel was certain of one thing – he wanted to share the kindness. So instead of carving 20,000 bowls, he would carve just one special one – his #BowlForUkraine 7/15pic.twitter.com/IZznkQCebK

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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Knowing there was no way for him to fulfill that many orders—or anything even close to it—the young man decided to just make one special bowl to auction as a fundraiser for Ukraine.

See on Instagram

He created a bowl made of beech wood, which includes a blue band and a yellow band, reflecting the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

See on Instagram

The Clark family set up a Just Giving page with a goal of raising £5,000 and invited people to donate for a chance to win the bowl in a drawing.

Within 24hrs of going live you wonderful, kind-hearted people once again blew our goal out of the water, donating over u00a350,000!!!nnThe press got even more excited so Gabriel gave up a chunk of his holiday to run around doing interviews in the hope of raising even more. 9/15pic.twitter.com/xi2rtKTKyy

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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And as happened with Gabriel’s Instagram following, the amount just kept growing and growing.

But how it ends is up to you. It’s your story. Certainly we could all pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Save the Children are already enormously grateful for the very real difference this money will make.nnBut what if there was another ending? 11/15n#BlowForUkraine

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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With the increased giving came increased hope.

“What if we threw caution to the wind and let go of our cynicism and really went for it?” Richard Clark wrote. “What if we blew this silly tale of a small boy and his bowl out of the water with a last swing shot around the moon?”

He suggested people pool together to chip in and see if they could give the Save the Children Ukraine Appeal £100,000.

We’re all so tired of covid and war and division. What if we came together in one big, generous, soppy, silly last hurrah and we RT’d the shit out of this and all chipped in to give Save the Children u00a3100,000?nnIsn’t that the ending we should go for? 13/15n#BowlForUkraine

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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And if you do want to follow a little lad making bowls, and other things from wood, feel free to follow on instagram: clarkie_woodworknnHappy Easter to you all! 15/15pic.twitter.com/N6TUpen2a6

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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As it turned out, £100,000 was not only doable, but surpassable. As of April 16, they’d raised £150,000 and Gabriel shared a message of thanks.

He’s properly blown away. As we all are. Truly humbled by your generosity and with 24hrs still to go! Someone else better set a target as we’re clearly rubbish at it! nSo much incredible kindness out there. nhttp://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bowlforukraineu00a0u2026n#BowlForUkraine https://twitter.com/rclarkie/status/1514981921411026949u00a0u2026pic.twitter.com/cK5Tm5BNLy

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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The drawing was held, but it still wasn’t over. The Ukraine bowl has now gone to a donor somewhere south of where the Clarks live…

And so we come to the end of our little tale of the boy, his bowl and the tweet that jumped the fence.nThe #BowlForUkraine is off on new adventures, journeying South, but remaining in this fair land. 1/7pic.twitter.com/FibQjge7Fh

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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…but the Clarks decided to keep the fundraiser open a little bit longer, as people moved by Gabriel’s story were still wanting to donate.

Save The Children pass on their immense thanks and gratitude for all that you have done. Lives, children’s lives, will be made immeasurably better because of you, and, in some cases, saved. That is no small thing. 3/7pic.twitter.com/POeJLXZyuk

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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With Gabriel’s Instagram following blossoming to 250,000, it only seems fitting that the fundraiser should push for £250,000.

Is is just me or can others see the stirrings of destiny in these numbers? nOf a young boy, who, not three weeks ago, had but 6 followers and now has 250,000… Of a fundraiser still inching up and now on u00a3243,599… 5/7pic.twitter.com/YbRZXmkqoy

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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As of the writing of this article, it’s at £246,711 (over $320,872). Clark said the fundraiser will stay open until Saturday.

“It’s all too much. I need to sleep,” Richard Clark wrote. “I leave everything to you. RT if you wish. Or not. You’ve all done more than enough. The fundraiser closes on Saturday regardless. Tread kindly good people and bless you all.”

Social media really can be used for good, friends.

It’s all too much. I need to sleep. I leave everything to you. RT if you wish. Or not. You’ve all done more than enough. The fundraiser closes on Saturday regardless. nTread kindly good people and bless you all. 7/7http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bowlforukraineu00a0u2026

— Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6 (@Richard R Clark ud83cuddfaud83cudde6)
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Having a big, expensive wedding seems like the worst way for a young couple to start their lives together. For those who get mommy and daddy to foot the bill, no problem. But in the US, 28% of couples reported going into debt when paying for their weddings and the average celebration costs $29,200.

“It’s one of those life events that’s really tied to emotion, to your values, what’s important to you,” researcher Elyssa Kirkham told CNBC. ”[People are] willing to take on debt and do that trade-off if it means they can get closer to achieving their dream.”

Kiara Brokenbrough and her new husband Joe have received a lot of attention recently because they bucked the trend and had a beautiful wedding for just $500. The wonderful thing about the celebration is that its focus was on the couple and those who love them.

“You have a wedding, with witnesses there to witness you, vowing to your spouse, vowing to God that you guys are going to stay together for life,” Kiara told “Good Morning America.” “And then you celebrate with food, drinks and dance. And that’s exactly what we did.”

​After trying on a few $1,500 dresses at a traditional wedding shop, Kiara decided to save some money by purchasing a dress for $47 at Shein, an affordable online fashion store. She revealed her money-saving decision in a TikTok video that went viral.

@kiarabrk

Reply to @maalikaelise dress included! $47 on @SHEIN 🤩🤩 #weddingtiktok #weddingdress #cheapwedding #blackbride

The dress impressed a TikTokker named Kristen. “I be tryna tell yall cost of things don’t matter. It’s how you put it together and wear it. AND BABYYYYY YOU PUT IT TOGETHER AND WORE IT,” she commented on the video.

The couple also cut costs by having the runner and flowers donated by her family. As for the venue, they chose a free location overlooking the ocean on the California coast. “Our goal was to just be as minimal as possible,” Kiara told “Good Morning America.” “And to spend the least amount of money as possible.”

The Brokenbroughs saved money on the reception by having guests pay for their food and drinks. “The people we have there, they understood the assignment, they understood the things that we were trying to do, and they really supported us,” said Kiara.

The Brokenbroughs’ decision to have an affordable wedding to start their relationship on a good financial footing was an incredibly savvy move and according to research, it could bode well for the couple’s future.

The most recent study on how wedding spending and a couple’s longevity was done in 2014 and found that “marriage duration is inversely associated with spending on the engagement ring and wedding ceremony.”

If the research still holds up, the Brokenbroughs’ attitudes towards finances could be a predictor of a long and happy marriage.

“It could be that the type of couples who have (an affordable wedding) are the type that are a perfect match for each other,” one of the study’s authors, Hugo M. Mialon told CNN. “Or it could be that having an inexpensive wedding relieves young couples of financial burdens that may strain their marriage,” he added.