Category: News

After a wild conference semifinals in which all four series went at least six games, the NBA’s final four is set.

In the East, it is the top two seeds who will square off in the conference finals, as the Miami Heat dispatched of the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, while the Boston Celtics sent the Brooklyn Nets and reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks packing. Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum have been two of the best individual players throughout the postseason, averaging 28.7 and 28.3 points per game, respectively — the fourth and fifth most of all players these playoffs — while also providing elite wing defense for their teams.

Around them are strong and versatile defensive rosters that figure to make life extremely difficult for both teams in the halfcourt, which means both Butler and Tatum will have to manufacture tough buckets, something they are each very good at.

Those two stars will, undoubtedly, have their fingerprints on this series and the outcome, but we also can expect fairly consistent contributions from them. The questions lie elsewhere on Miami and Boston’s rosters, and the answers to those will likely determine which team represents the East in the NBA Finals.

Which Team Can Consistently Push The Ball In Transition?

This is maybe the place where Kyle Lowry’s absence is the biggest concern for the Heat. Few point guards are better at pushing off a miss than Lowry and the Heat play much faster when he’s on the floor because of it. Against a Boston team that is absolute hell to deal with in the halfcourt, transition opportunities are the best way to get easy looks. The Heat are going to need to have their eyes up off of rebounds, particularly Bam Adebayo, who has the ability to put the ball on the floor and push the tempo after pulling down a rebound. He and Butler are their best chances to get a board and go when Lowry’s out, and even if it’s not a fastbreak, getting into your offense before the Celtics have set their defense is vital to creating good looks offensively.

The same can be said on the other side, as Miami’s defense has locked down on the Hawks and Sixers, and there just aren’t a lot of favorable matchups for the Celtics to attack. Miami will present a very different approach defensively from the Bucks, with far more switching and far less drop coverage for the Celtics’ bigs to exploit on pick-and-pops and just generally spacing out to the three-point line. That’s a unique challenge for Boston to prepare for, but finding opportunities to get cross-matches by pushing the ball off misses and turnovers will be their best chance to poke holes in what is usually an airtight defensive unit.

So much of the time the conversation about transition opportunities is off of turnovers, which is always important, but for two teams with elite halfcourt defenses, if one team can push the tempo off misses and get into early action more than the other, it might just be the difference in a game or two.

Which “Others” Shoot It Best?

The truth of the modern NBA is that shooting variance is the most important factor in playoff success, barring a complete no-show from a team’s stars (cough, Phoenix, cough). The Celtics just got done beating the Bucks in a series in which they set a record for outscoring an opponent from the three-point line, headlined by a Game 5 in which Al Horford seemingly could not miss and a Game 7 performance in which Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard buried 11 combined triples. Miami likewise knows the importance of role player shooting, with Max Strus becoming vital to their offense and supplanting Duncan Robinson in the rotation for the entirety of the second round. The team that can give the most perimeter shooting support to their star in this series is going to have a leg up, as a timely hot hand from an unexpected source can flip a game (or series) on its head.

Can Tyler Herro Get On Track?

Somewhat in line with the shooting question is whether Tyler Herro can find the form that earned him Sixth Man of the Year this season, or if his issues with inefficiency will continue into the conference finals. With Lowry’s status so up in the air, the Heat don’t really have another perimeter player who can create their own shot other than Herro. We just saw the Bucks get knocked out by Boston in part because Jrue Holiday was unable to provide the needed secondary support for Giannis.

Of the two secondary stars in this series, you have to trust that Jaylen Brown is going to show up and provide that lift for Tatum in most of the games, even if sometimes that’s just one hot shooting quarter that allows Tatum to take a breather. Butler needs the same from Herro, but to this point, the 6MOY is averaging just 13.8 points on 42/27.3/91.3 shooting splits in the postseason. That hasn’t bitten them yet, but against a Celtics team that is better than their opponents thus far, the Heat will not want to bank on that trend continuing. Herro has to be a threat that shifts some attention away from Butler, or the margin for error becomes effectively nil for Miami’s others.

Harry Styles recently said that he and Billie Eilish have “ran into each other” a couple times. It would be more often, but she’s too busy slamming into David Letterman.

In an upcoming episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, the “Happier Than Ever” singer takes the late-night legend to a go-kart track. “Have fun, be safe. Absolutely no bumping. You know, we don’t want to break anything,” an employee tells the two in the clip above. This warning is not comforting to Letterman. “I’m worried, because I’m elderly,” he tells Eilish. “I don’t want something to snap.”

Later, Letterman gets bumped by Eilish while going around a turn (the Grammy winner’s evil laugh is delightful). “We’re looking at the tape. Because I think she speared me for the heck of it,” he says. “The kid should be barred for life.” It’s a good thing she’s a better driver in real life than on the go-kart course. Get Jay Leno out there next.

Season four of Netflix’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, which also features Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Durant, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Cardi B, and Will Smith (unfortunately, it’s pre-“The Slap”), premieres on May 20.

Disney is trying to make the best of its bad situation. The situation, of course, is their need to include advertisements in their latest subscriber tier as the company expands.

In order to appeal to more viewers, the service won’t allow certain ads for their family-friendly streamer, which is the home of every Star Wars and Marvel movie, plus all the early 2000s Disney Channel stuff which is now watched by full-grown adults. What are kids watching on Disney+ anyway? Basketball movies?

The streamer has announced that this new version of Disney+ will not accept ads that involve alcohol or political advertising. To the surprise of no one, the service will not allow ads from competing streaming sites or entertainment companies. That means no Netflix commercials on Disney+, which wouldn’t make a lot of sense anyway, but they had to announce it just to be safe.

So what will the company advertise? Probably just a ton of Disney content. The streamer is reportedly very cautious about their ads, especially when it comes to pre-school and children audiences.

Disney has been in hot water lately after quietly editing out violence in some of their content, but the bad news for them is that the Marvel fans caught on quickly. The good news is that they have a ton of new viewers anyway, so they don’t really care about backlash. Sorry, Netflix!

Tom Brady, the NFL quarterback who can’t decide if he wants to quit or not, is looking to add some more jobs to his resume, and this time Netflix is getting involved.

According to Variety, Brady will be the first subject in the upcoming Netflix comedy special Greatest Roasts Of All Time, which will feature–you guessed it– a slew of celebrities being roasted. First up is Brady, who has done quite a wide variety of strange things in his career that would warrant some roasting.

Brady will also serve as executive producer on his own roast and future episodes, so you know that it probably won’t get too out of hand. Maybe there will be some Minions jokes, though. The roasts are expected to be filmed next year following the upcoming NFL season. So he still has time to reverse his decision, as he has done before.

Robbie Praw, Netflix’s VP of stand-up and comedy, said, “We can’t wait to burn three-time Super Bowl-losing quarterback Tom Brady, who only went back to the NFL in order to delay this roast. In all seriousness, it’s a huge thrill to work with the greatest football player of all time on this project. No one’s better at taking hits and still coming out on top, so we know the roast will be a breeze for Brady.”

Please don’t invite Donald Trump to this roast.

Bill Burr launched into an odd defense of Scientology during the latest episode of his Monday Morning Podcast. While talking about a recent visit to Sacramento, Burr joked about how there two bail bonds offices and a Scientology center all within a few blocks to each other. “It’s just like, wow, you can get into all kinds of sh*t, all kinds of sh*t out here!” the comedian said before sharing his thoughts on Tom Cruise‘s religion of choice.

According to Burr, the Church of Scientology gets “more sh*t than it deserves” especially when compared to other religions. He also took a veiled crack at Leah Remini, who’s been a vocal critic of Scientology after spending the first 43 years of her life as a member. Via Mediaite:

“No, I think it gets more sh*t than it deserves, you know, for as f*cked up as they say it is, for as cult-y as it is. I got one question. Where are the bodies? Where are they?” Burr asked.

He continued, “I mean, I’m just saying it’s like a sports fan. I need to see the hardware — as a former Catholic. I mean, we got bodies stacked up. We got pedophilia. We got, we got torture. We have crusades. Wow. What do they got? Little mind control, couple of f*cking disgruntled sitcom stars?”

Right out of the gate, yes, Burr is correct that Scientology has nothing on the atrocities committed by the Catholic Church. Scientology was formed in the early 1950s whereas Catholicism has been a predominant world religion going back centuries. No other religion is going to touch that level of power. That said, it doesn’t mean Scientology’s alleged crimes are meaningless.

A couple of examples: the church has been accused of slave labor, intimidating former members who dare to speak out, and allegedly covering up the alleged rapes committed by Danny Masterson. These are accusations that go far beyond “culty.”

As for coming at the subject “like a sports fan,” Bill, bro. You’re talking about a fandom who famously reacted to the Kobe Bryant and Ben Roethlisberger allegations by saying they don’t care what they do off the field. If you want to “see the hardware,” don’t be like your buddy Joe Rogan and fail to do the homework. The case against Scientology isn’t that hard to find.

(Via Mediaite)

So far, Fontaines DC have done a nice job getting on the late-night TV circuit to perform in support of Skinty Fia (which was a No. 1 album in the UK and Ireland, by the way), having hit NBC’s The Tonight Show and Late Night this year. Now they’ve taken to another major performance venue, the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series.

The group’s performance included renditions of four songs: “The Couple Across The Way,” “In ár gCroíthe go deo,” “Big Shot,” and “Nabokov.” The Tiny Desk series is still happening remotely at the moment (as opposed to in the famed NPR offices like usual), so the Dublin-based group found a slice of home in the US and performed at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago. They make good use of the space, too, as they take to different parts of the building as the performance carries on.

Aside from the core band, featured in the performance are cellist Maureen Dunne, viola player Isaac Henry, and members of the Northwestern University Choir (Tom Avery, Joe Blanchard, Emily Ann Brooks, Peter Carroll, Martina Cavard Blanco, Mariana Leone, Maddie Mazzella, Emily Somé, Jackson Owen, and Olivia Whitmer).

Check out Fontaines DC’s Tiny Desk performance above.

Lorde fans will now be able to get a taste of what inspires her. With her new radio station, “Solarsystym,” available to stream exclusively on Sonos Radio, Lorde will curate a special selection of music and share candid stories about her musical journey.

“‘Solarsystym’ is like stepping into my brain, giving listeners a front row seat to the songs that have meant a ton to me and my life,” said Lorde in a statement. “It is a collection of forms, gravitationally bound, a handful of planets, dozens, more dwarf planets, and countless little rocks. All reflecting light from a sun. These are the forms that have altered my course for better.”

On her station, Lorde will play an eclectic mix of music, from ’70s rock and disco to present-day hip-hop, all while recalling the music, artists, and moments in time that inspired her craft.

In addition to “Solarsystym,” Lorde has teamed up with eco-friendly designers Everybody.World to create a sustainable carrying bag for their Roam device, Sonos’ new portable Bluetooth speaker.

“Sonos Radio lets fans dive deeper into the context, stories and raw creativity from some of the greatest music minds today,” said Brian Beck, Head Of Music for Sonos, in a statement. “Lorde is an artistic force to be reckoned with, so to follow the trajectory of how and where she’s been influenced is an invaluable experience for her fans.”

At just 17 years old, Chesapeake, Virginia rapper Yvngxchris is already making quite the name for himself. His songs have become TikTok staples, his YouTube music videos have amassed millions of views, and fellow Virginia native Pusha T has taken him under his wing, managing his burgeoning career. Now, he’s signed to Columbia Records, home of past notable teen sensations like Lil Tjay, Polo G, and Lil Nas X.

In his UPROXX Sessions debut, Yvngxchris aims to make an impression with a high-energy performance of his tongue-twisting song, “Damn Homie.” It’s sort of reminiscent of influences like Comethazine and Ski Mask The Slump God, with a dash of Playboi Carti’s screwball energy. Meanwhile, the high school-aged rapper litters his rapid-fire verses with brain-bending rhyme patterns and smirk-inducing punchlines, showing that he’s got his own unique take on the SoundCloud-inspired style that is making him a favorite of the TikTok generation.

Watch Yvngxchris perform “Damn Homie” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

In case you didn’t know, LeBron James is a huge fan of hip-hop and he wants you to know it. Perhaps you watched LeBron showing off his dance moves while blasting the new Kendrick Lamar album in his backyard this past weekend? It was hypnotic, in a real dad sort of way. To his credit, he’s leveraged his relationships in hip-hop for good causes, like when Drake recently donated $1 million to LeBron’s I Promise School. But did a Drake album happen to make it’s way into the King’s top 5 hip-hop albums of all-time?

Yesterday, seemingly on a whim, LeBron decided to host an informal Q&A session on Twitter. “Q&A folks???,” he tweeted before adding, “Aight fire off.” He was pretty candid in his responses, saying that his favorite Lakers moment of all-time was Anthony Davis’ buzzer beater against Denver in the 2020 Western Conference Finals, saying that Luka Doncic is his favorite player, and clapping back at Tom Brady’s question about who would win in an ice hockey shootout.

Then, journalist Sierra Potter asked him to reel off his “Top 5 hip-hop albums.” LeBron, who has typically been a safe interviewee throughout his career, kinda kept with that tradition and didn’t really light the world on fire with his choices, instead, reeling off a handful of undisputed classics: Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, Jay-Z’s The Black Album, Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death, and Nas’ It Was Written.

Perhaps the only gripe people could make is that Illmatic is the better choice of Nas albums instead of It Was Written, but we can hardly fault the man’s personal taste here. So if you were hoping to see LeBron namecheck an obscure rapper’s joint as one of his go-to’s, well, then you’ve come to the wrong basketball star for that. He did however, end his reply with, “But I have so many more to name for real!” So if he made anybody mad with his answers, he left the door open to save some face. Classic Lebron.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music by The Black Keys, My Chemical Romance, Florence + The Machine, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

The Black Keys — Dropout Boogie

Returning for the first time since last year’s covers album Delta Kream, The Black Keys deliver another classic project with the groovy LP Dropout Boogie. Infused with irresistible ’70s funk rock, rockabilly chords, and soulful refrains, the 10-track album shows that modern rock ‘n’ roll is still going strong.

The Smile — A Light For Attracting Attention

Tiding over Radiohead fans until the band’s next release, The Smile, the new group with Thom Yorke, Johnny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner, dropped their captivating debut album A Light For Attracting Attention. Yorke’s signature tenor is at the forefront of this album, layering cascading melodies over skittering beats and ethereal synths to craft stand-out tracks like “Free In The Knowledge” and “Skrting On The Surface.”

Florence + The Machine — Dance Fever

Nearly four years after the group’s last album High As Hope, Florence + The Machine make a triumphant return with their shimmering effort Dance Fever. Inspired by the euphoria of movement, Welch’s impressive vocal range is on full display, dipping between bellowing lows on tracks like “King” and confident highs on “Dream Girl Evil” and “My Love.”

Kevin Morby — This Is A Photograph

The ever-prolific Kansas City songwriter Kevin Morby dropped his dazzling album This Is A Photograph this week, inspired by a particularly impactful family trip he took to visit his ill father in Memphis. Pastoral and flowing, Kevin’s seventh studio album is an ode to country living, life’s transient nature, and the importance of cherishing friends and family. It’s filled with both melancholy ballads like “Disappearing” and energetic numbers like the title track, pointing to Morby’s versatile songwriting.

Say Sue Me — The Last Thing Left

South Korea indie quartet Say Sue Me released their quaint and atmospheric album The Last Thing Left. Written about an emotional period of time following the passing of the band’s friend and drummer, the album translates reflections on loss and life into 10 delicate tracks. “This album has the theme of some realization, eventually the realization of love,” said vocalist/guitarist Sumi Choi. “Love in relationships, love for oneself, and the ultimate love gained after realizing those two things!”

My Chemical Romance — “The Foundations Of Decay”

MCR fans rejoice! The band has just returned with “The Foundations Of Decay,” their first new song since 2014. The six-minute track starts slow before a head-banging cascade of fuzzy guitars come in, pretty much exactly what fans were hoping for in the eight years since their last song. About the track, bassist Mikey Way even said the song was his “favorite My Chemical Romance song of all time.”

Bartees Strange — “Hold The Line”

After ushering in a new era of music with a single and album announcement, Bartees Strange continues previewing his upcoming LP Farm To Table with the laid-back ballad “Hold The Line.” Armed with soulful lyrics and twang-infused guitar chords, “Hold The Line” shows a different side to Strange’s multifaceted artistry.

Stella Donnelly — “Lungs”

Australian signer Stella Donnelly quickly became a indie favorite with her 2019 debut album Beware Of The Dogs. With her honeyed vocals and soaring production, Donnelly’s new track “Lungs” points to what is expected to be another strong effort on her upcoming LP Flood.

Julia Jacklin — “Lydia Wears A Cross”

Seeing as Julia Jacklin’s last album Crushing landed at No. 34 on the 2019 Uproxx Music Critics Poll, her latest album announcement Pre Pleasure is more than welcomed. “Lydia Wears A Cross” arrived as Jacklin’s lead single this week, showing off her penchant for earnest ballads. “The song is about a lot of things but mainly being a 7yr old Jesus Christ Superstar fanatic attending catholic school trying to figure out which way is up,” Jacklin said about the new single.

Black Midi — “Welcome To Hell”

UK-based trio Black Midi have made a name for themselves not only with their buttoned-up stage presence, but the band continues to steadily releases inventive and conceptual projects. Following up on last year’s Cavalcade album, Black Midi announce the upcoming LP Hellfire, which they describe as their most thematically cohesive album to date. The lead single, aptly titled “Welcome To Hell” features the band’s signature propulsive guitar and deadpan lyrical delivery, detailing the POV of a discharged soldier.

Miloe — “Elastic”

Congolese-American indie rocker Miloe has been turning heads recently with his sun-soaked music. “Elastic” is his latest lighthearted tune, featuring a fluttering chorus and infectious beat which highlights Miloe’s intimate songwriting.

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.