Year: 2024

The Western Conference Finals lived up to the hype in Game 1, as the Mavs and Timberwolves delivered a thrilling opener to their series, with Dallas swiping homecourt with a 108-105 road win on Wednesday night.

The game was tight throughout, with the biggest lead of the game being seven points for both teams — Minnesota in the second quarter and Dallas in the fourth. Neither squad was able to fully seize control, in large part due to the defensive effort of both. It was hard work on both sides to create consistent offense, and for the first three quarters the lead stars on both sides struggled to get going, as both defenses keyed in on slowing down Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards.

They got support early from Kyrie Irving and Jaden McDaniels, respectively, with the Wolves taking a three-point halftime lead thanks to a strong three-point shooting half. They continued to have the three-point advantage in the third, thanks largely to Naz Reid coming off the bench to provide a lift, but they were not able to get to the rim against Dallas and that kept them from being in great rhythm.

Dallas had the opposite issue, as they were more effective from two-point range but were ice cold from three for most of the night. Even so, their defense and commitment to getting downhill kept them in the ball game until they finally got Doncic going in the fourth quarter. The star had 15 of his 33 points in the fourth, sparking a 13-0 Dallas run with three straight buckets to take the lead and (briefly) control of the game.

However, on the other side, Karl-Anthony Towns led a 13-1 response to push Minnesota back in front, as the big man finally emerged from an offensive slumber to hit some big shots and create some big plays with Edwards still not looking right — although he would hit a couple fourth quarter threes.

As was the case all game, the Mavs had an answer for Minnesota’s run, as they finally saw some threes go down, first by Luka and then by PJ Washington who had a rough night otherwise.

With under two minutes to go, it looked like Towns had tied the game with a putback dunk, but it was called a goaltend on the floor and quickly confirmed on a review (even though it looked very close).

From that point, it was Doncic that closed things out on both ends, first breaking up a lob to tie the game and then hitting the critical bucket to push Dallas’ lead out to four.

Things would get a touch dicey at the end when Josh Green fouled Mike Conley on a three in a four-point game, but Conley missed the second free throw before needing to purposefully miss the last, and Minnesota couldn’t tip it out to a shooter with two seconds left.

Doncic finished with 33 points and eight assists, while Kyrie had 30, as the two stars carried most of the offensive burden on a night where shots were not falling for the others. Dallas was just 6-of-25 from three, with Luka hitting three of those, but they won the rebounding battle despite Minnesota’s size, with Dereck Lively being big off the bench with 11 boards and seven on the offensive end, and simply got more down the stretch from their key guys.

For the Wolves, it will be a loss they’re likely frustrated with as they got a big Jaden McDaniels game (24 points) and Naz Reid was terrific off the bench with 15, but their stars simply weren’t good enough. Edwards finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 6-of-16 shooting, but wasn’t the assertive, aggressive threat they need to try and break down Dallas’ defensive shape. Towns had the late flurry that almost redeemed his night, but he struggled mightily in the first three quarters and finished with 16 points on 6-of-20 shooting. Those two simply have to be better if the Wolves are going to make the Finals.

There are other adjustments to make, like mixing up some coverages when Luka and Kyrie get rolling against their drop, but really the defensive game plan didn’t feel like the issue. Their best players have to rise to the occasion, and while tired legs from Game 7 seemed to be a factor, there are no two day breaks anymore in the conference finals so they’re just going to have to get that juice back for Game 2 on Friday.

In April, The Wall Street Journal reported that The US Department Of Justice would soon file a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster due to their joint monopoly over concert promotion. According to Bloomberg and The New York Times, the lawsuit is expected to be filed on Thursday, May 23, in the Southern District Of New York by the Department Of Justice and “a group of states.”

The New York Times relayed that the Department Of Justice is reportedly “accusing [Live Nation Entertainment] of illegally maintaining a monopoly in the live entertainment industry,” citing three unnamed sources.

“The government plans to argue in a lawsuit that Live Nation shored up its power through Ticketmaster’s exclusive ticketing contracts with concert venues, as well as the company’s dominance over concert tours and other businesses like venue management, said two of the people, who declined to be named because the lawsuit was still private,” The New York Times report continued. “That helped the company maintain a monopoly, raising prices and fees for consumers and limiting innovation in the ticket industry, the people said. The government will argue that tours promoted by the company were more likely to play venues where Ticketmaster was the exclusive ticket service, one of the people said, and that Live Nation’s artists played venues that it owns.”

Bloomberg additionally noted, “The move is the latest antitrust suit pursued by the Biden administration, which has made competition a key component of its economic policy, bringing cases against companies including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc.”

This is far from the first time Ticketmaster has had legal troubles, but Ticketmaster’s reputation was really set ablaze with its gross mishandling of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in late 2022, which earned a scathing statement from Swift, an investigation by the Department Of Justice, and a Senate Committee hearing.

With the Western Conference Finals between the Timberwolves and Mavericks starting on Wednesday night in Minnesota, the TNT Crew brought their asses to the Target Center for live shows on-site.

This year brought a new element to their conference finals coverage, as Draymond Green was set to join Ernie, Kenny, Chuck, and Shaq for the first time, and starting in Minnesota represented a unique venue for Green, to say the least. Green’s rocky season started with him putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold, and he has been a frequent critic of the now 4-time DPOY over the years — including earlier this postseason.

As such, Green isn’t exactly a fan favorite in Minnesota, and as the fellas came on air an hour before tipoff, fans that had arrived early to the Target Center serenaded the set with a “Draymond sucks” chant.

This was a mortal lock to happen, but the real intrigue will come the first time the Wolves get a win and their players of the game come join the TNT set for a postgame interview. That will be a fascinating dynamic, as even players that have had issues with Shaq or Chuck’s takes tend to understand it’s mostly in good fun. With Green still an active player, I’m not sure guys will be as friendly with him on air, which you can bet the rest of the Inside crew will encourage.

The last of the major NBA awards and honors got revealed on Wednesday night prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, as the league’s All-NBA teams were announced.

Like the other awards, All-NBA team members had to hit the somewhat controversial 65-game threshold for games played, which left some potential candidates off the table. With designated player extensions featuring an All-NBA accelerator clause, making an All-NBA squad is extremely important to some younger stars, while for veterans it is the league’s highest honor beyond the MVP award. Landing one of the 15 All-NBA slots is quite an achievement, and the caliber of player that ended up on the outside looking in is a reminder of how deep the league is with talent at this current moment.

This year’s First Team unsurprisingly featured the three MVP finalists, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,

First Team All-NBA

Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Jayson Tatum (Celtics)

Second Team All-NBA

Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Kevin Durant (Suns)
Anthony Davis (Lakers)
Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)

Third Team All-NBA

Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
LeBron James (Lakers)
Domantas Sabonis (Kings)

The voting didn’t feature too many close battles, as Jaylen Brown missed out on the third team by 20 voting points behind Devin Booker.

Last March, Romy Mars became a beloved nepo baby by posting a since-deleted TikTok about being grounded by her parents, Oscar winner Sofia Coppola and Phoenix lead singer Thomas Mars, due to an attempt to charter a helicopter on her dad’s credit card. As of Wednesday, May 22, the 17-year-old has a new claim to fame, as she officially joined the pop girlie ranks with “Stuck Up” and “From A Distance,” her debut songs released as a double A-side single.

Both bedroom pop songs were written by Mars and produced by Claud, a known Clairo collaborator.

The whimsical “Stuck Up” bottles the feelings of an idyllic summer romance, including references to pools and Fourth Of July fireworks, with an expiration date. “It was like a dream or a nightmare,” Mars sings in the lilting chorus. “But I couldn’t wake up / You said I’m too cold to feel fear / And now I’m stuck up.”

“From A Distance” picks up where “Stuck Up” left off — doused in delicious bitterness (Always gonna be somebody else you’re f*cking seeing / Always gonna be stuck in these eyes I keep believing”) and carried by the relatable cycle of wanting to hang on to someone she should let go.

Mars’ musical debut also marked her return to TikTok. Of course, Coppola was a proud mom on Instagram.

Listen to “Stuck Up” and “From A Distance” below.

Lightning In A Bottle Festival will provide a jolt to Memorial Day Weekend in Buena Vista Lake, California. Actually, the Do LaB’s-backed annual festival is getting a headstart om the holiday weekend, as it kicks off on Wednesday, May 22, and runs through Monday, May 27. The extensive lineup features James Blake, Labrinth, M.I.A., and Skrillex. The festival will be held across six stages: Woogie, Grand Artique, Junkyard, Stacks, Crossroads, and Lighthouse.

See some of the notable set times below, and find the full schedule here.

Friday, May 24

Fatboy Slim is set to take the stage from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. PST time at Woogie, which will overlap with James Blake’s set (10:45 p.m.-12 a.m. PST) on the Lightning stage. Friday’s slate is set to run deep into the night — or into Saturday morning, depending on how you look at it — with Logie, DJ Karaba, and IAmNobodi among the artists scheduled to perform until 4 a.m.

Saturday, May 25

Saturday will begin at 11:30 a.m. with Cameron Angeli on the Junkyard stage, and the day’s headliner is undoubtedly Labrinth from 12:55 a.m. to 2 a.m. PST on the Lightning stage. Again, performers will stage sets until 4 a.m. PST, including Strawberry Disco Circus, Sacha Robotti, Osunlade, and Sinego.

Sunday, May 26

Nicoshi will open Sunday’s slate from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the Junkyard stage. The Lightning stage will welcome M.I.A. (11 p.m. to 12 a.m. PST) and Skrillex (12:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.).

Just about everyone has had the depressing experience of sitting through a long queue to get concert tickets, only to find when they were ready to check out, the price was 30 to 40% higher because of service fees added by the ticketing company.

People often have the same experience when ordering food through an app, only to see a massive service fee applied right before they’re ready to place their order.

These service fees, known by many as “junk fees,” are popping up everywhere these days, from surprise resort fees charged when checking out of a hotel to a 4% surcharge on a dinner bill that the restaurant added so you can help pay for their employees’ healthcare.

The good news for people in California is that a new bill will go into effect on July 1st that bans hidden or unexpected fees on everything from concert tickets to cruise packages. Senate Bill 478 (SB 478) makes it illegal for businesses to advertise or list a price for a good or service that does not include all required fees or charges other than certain government taxes and shipping costs.

California establishments have been relying on these junk fees for years. A new law passed this year will ban these fees, thank goodness.
https://t.co/sH6WcfFcRy https://t.co/2h78DlchMj

— Travis (@mcsuggafree) March 4, 2024

“Our price transparency law is about clear and honest communication with consumers so consumers can make the financial choices that are best for them and their families. This new guidance provides information for businesses across California to ensure that clear answers are available, particularly for small businesses,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “The law is simple: the price you see is the price you pay. Laws work when everyone can comply. I am pleased that we can offer this guidance to help facilitate compliance with the law and make a more fair and level marketplace for businesses and consumers.”

A 2023 survey of Americans found that 2 out of 3 said they were paying more in surprise charges now than they had five years earlier.

The bill is good news for consumers who want to make thoughtful decisions about how they spend their money, especially when inflation has made it a lot harder to stretch a dollar. However, the bill probably won’t make things any cheaper. Businesses most likely won’t stop charging these hidden fees; instead, they will be rolled into the listed price instead of popping up out of nowhere right before you hit the “pay now” button.

Not just hotels, airlines & Ticketmaster piling on junk fees.
Client had $112.61 Uber fare before tip today to LAX from hotel 20 miles away, reserved last night.

Look at breakdown: Over 1/2 cost ended up being fees.

Hope CA new “junk fee” law starting 7/1 applies to Uber too. pic.twitter.com/g5u9BZpQuU

— Janice Hough (@leftcoastbabe) May 22, 2024

State Senator Bill Dodd from Napa, the bill’s co-author, stated its goals: “A consumer shouldn’t discover hidden fees made up by a business when they pay their bill.”

As the old saying goes, “As goes California, so goes the nation,” and when companies are forced to alter their pricing and marketing in America’s most populous state, it’s bound to create changes for consumers across the country. The new law could be the first shot in a larger war against junk fees.

In 2023, President Biden called out Ticketmaster and others who charge “junk fees” in his State of the Union address, claiming he’ll get “rid of junk fees, those hidden fees at the end of your bill that are there without your knowledge.” In his 2022 State of the Union speech, Biden criticized the hotel industry for surprise fees at checkout. “We’ll ban surprise ‘resort fees’ that hotels tack on to your bill. These fees can cost you up to $90 a night at hotels that aren’t even resorts,” Biden said.

This Federal pressure led several companies, including Live Nation, SeatGeek, xBk, Airbnb, the Pablo Center at the Confluence, TickPick, DICE and the Newport Festivals Foundation, to make their pricing more transparent.

Before she was a hit-making rapper, Saweetie was a USC student paying her way with a secret job. While the Bay Area rapper has previously talked about working at a strip club to pay the bills, she previously played coy with the details. However, during a new interview with LA radio station Real 92.3, she finally revealed which local club she worked at before her rap career took off, and how she kept it a secret from her family.

While telling The Cruz Show about her experiences as a strip club waitress, Saweetie spilled the beans when the hosts wondered if she could name the club where she worked. She revealed that it was Dames ‘N’ Games in downtown LA, which she says she chose because she not only made way more than she did at another waitressing job (Buffalo Wild Wings), but also because “it’s not popular in the Black community, and I didn’t want nobody from my family or my friends of my family seeing me work a strip club.”

To that end, she even employed an alias while working there (which isn’t that unusual for the biz), “Carmen” — a name she chose because it “felt like a powerful, sexy name.” Now, though, Saweetie is good enough for the rapper, who has a new single, “Nani,” out, and is working toward the release of her debut album.

You can check out the full interview here.

The College Football Playoff is expanding from four to 12 teams this year, which means a four-round playoff featuring first round games and quarterfinal games that will be hosted by teams on campus. That means a lot of games and while ESPN owns the rights to broadcast those games, they don’t exactly want to be pushing playoff contests to networks that don’t have the same reach.

As such, they will be sublicensing games to TNT Sports as part of a five-year agreement that starts this year and runs through 2028.

TNT Sports will present two first-round College Football Playoff games during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In addition to the first-round games, TNT Sports will add two quarterfinal games each year –beginning with the 2026 season through the 2028 season. TNT will be the primary network televising the sublicensed CFP games, among additional TNT Sports distribution platforms.

ESPN will present all other College Football Playoff games on its networks including the annual CFP National Championship Game. ESPN will also continue to manage the sponsorship program for the presentation of the CFP.

The release does not say how things will operate in terms of whether TNT is simply broadcasting the game with ESPN’s crew or if TNT Sports will have their own show and broadcasters, but I’m very much hoping for the latter and for Charles Barkley to be involved somehow. If we’re losing Inside the NBA soon because TNT is not part of the new NBA rights package, the least they can do is give us Chuck’s college football takes — Ernie Johnson would also be firmly dialed on the Playoff as a Georgia fan. Give me some Gone Fishin’ after playoff losses, with Chuck sending Ole Miss to Galveston after a first round defeat.

The rollout for Normani’s long-awaited solo debut album has begun at last, with the singer sharing “Dopamine (First Dose)” a trailer/short film previewing Dopamine ahead of its impending release. Incorporating archival video from a space shuttle launch, clips from Normani’s “1:59” video with Gunna, and behind-the-scenes footage from the album cover photo shoot, the trailer aims to increase both hype for the album and the heart rates of viewers with its racy glimpses of Normani’s future videos.

Normani has been teasing Dopamine‘s release for what seems like years; you can go all the way back to 2022 to see fans complaining about the wait for her solo debut. For reference, she told Ciara at the end of 2021 that the album was “almost done,” yet only announced a release date last month.

But perhaps she can be forgiven for taking her time and insisting on complete creative control. In a recent interview early this month, she compared her time in the girl group Fifth Harmony to a prison sentence, with negative fan attention singling her out as the “token Black girl” in the group. “I was fearing for my life,” she said of the response from fans, which included death threats.

But in just a few more weeks, Normani will get the opportunity to shine on her own terms; Dopamine is out 6/14 via RCA. You can find more information here.