Category: News

This year has taken a number of talented artists for us, from Pop Smoke to John Prine to Bill Withers. Now Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green has died at the age of 73. His death was confirmed by family members in a statement to BBC.

Green, who was born in east London, formed Fleetwood Mac with the band’s drummer Mick Fleetwood in 1967. Bassist John McVie would later be recruited to the band. Green’s most popular songs with the group included “Albatross,” “Man of the World,” “Oh Well” and “Black Magic Woman” — the latter which became a hit for Santana. After three albums, Green left the band in 1970 and go off on his own. His first solo album, The End of the Game, arrived in 1970, but due to his struggles with schizophrenia, a diagnosis he received following his Fleetwood Mac departure, Green would not release another album until 1979. His final solo release came in 1983 with Kolors. He would them up with guitarist Nigel Watson and drummer Cozy Powell as the Peter Green Splinter Group, who released a number of projects between the 1990s and 2000s.

Green was a rock & roll hall of fame inductee, and his death was met by tributes from a number of artists in the industry who aimed to honor him and his work.

Green’s death also serves as the second passing of a current or former Fleetwood Mac act, with their former guitarist Danny Kirwan having passed back in 2018.

(via BBC)

The entertainment world took another tough loss on Saturday when legendary TV host Regis Philbin died at age 88. Multiple outlets reported Philbin’s passing on Saturday, and his family shared a statement with People that confirmed the Live host had died.

“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” his family shares with PEOPLE in an exclusive statement on Saturday.

“His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him – for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss,” the Philbin family says.

Philbin’s run on television began in 1988 when he became the co-host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee working alongside Kathie Lee Gifford, who left the show after 15 years. Philbin continued working on the show with Gifford’s replacement, Kelly Ripa, who he worked with until his departure in 2011. A legendary daytime host in his own right, Philbin also saw his popularity soar as the original host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, a ratings bonanza for ABC that took the game show world by storm. Philbin served as the host of Millionaire from 1999 to 2002. He also hosted Million Dollar Password, the first season of America’s Got Talent, and he also had a role co-hosting Rachael Ray.

[via People]

While the coronavirus may be plateauing and even declining in certain corners of the world, cases in the United States are still increasing at a worrying rate. Just this past week, it was announced that the U.S. surpassed 4 million, with the number of deaths approaching 150,000. Now Doja Cat has revealed that she tested positive for the virus in a recent interview.

The singer confirmed the news to Capital XTRA. “I got COVID. Honestly, I don’t know how this happens but I guess I ordered something off of Postmates,” she said. “I don’t know how I got it but I got it.” However, the singer revealed that she has fully recovered and that her symptoms lasted for a relatively shorter period of time compared to most. “I’m OK now. It was a four day symptom freak out but I’m fine now.”

Word of her positive test comes not long after she appeared alongside City Girls for their “P*ssy Talk” video off of City Girls’ City On Lock album. She also worked with Ann-Marie for their collaboration, “To Be Young,” and was recently nominated alongside Pop Smoke, Conan Gray, and more for Best New Artist at the upcoming VMAs.

(via Capital Extra)

On paper, things look promising for the Denver Nuggets. They hold the No. 3 spot the West and they’re just a game and a half behind the Clippers for the No. 2 seed heading into the eight-game regular-season slate in Orlando. But just 2.5 games separate them from the No. 6 Rockets, and as you’ll see from their bubble schedule below, it’s anything but a cakewalk.

Their record also belies the fact that it’s been something of an up-and-down season. During the first two months, Nikola Jokic looked like a shadow of the player who led his team to the second round the season before, though a hot start in the win column helped distract from his lackluster play, and he eventually returned to his dominant form.

Before the shutdown, the Nuggets were in prime position heading into the season stretch, despite some faltering against top-flight contenders. As the bubble circumstances have leveled the playing field for everyone, they have as good a shot as anyone in Orlando.

ROSTER

Will Barton
Keita Bates-Diop
Bol Bol
Vlatko Cancar
Tyler Cook
Torrey Craig
Troy Daniels
PJ Dozier
Jerami Grant
Gary Harris
Nikola Jokic
Paul Millsap
Monte Morris
Jamal Murray
Mason Plumlee
Michael Porter Jr.
Noah Vonleh

SCHEDULE

Saturday, August 1 — 1:00 pm ET — vs. Miami Heat
Monday, August 3 — 4:00 pm ET — vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Wednesday, August 5 — 4:00 pm ET — vs. San Antonio Spurs
Thursday, August 6 — 8:00 pm ET — vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Saturday, August 8 — 3:30 pm ET — vs. Utah Jazz
Monday, August 10 — 9:00 pm ET — vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Wednesday, August 12 — 9:00 pm ET — vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Friday, August 14 — TBD — vs. Toronto Raptors

STANDINGS

1. Los Angeles Lakers: 49-14
2. Los Angeles Clippers: 44-20 (5.5)
3. Denver Nuggets: 43-22 (7.0)
4. Utah Jazz: 41-23 (8.5)
5. OKC Thunder: 40-24 (9.5)
6. Houston Rockets: 40-24 (9.5)
7. Dallas Mavericks: 40-27 (11.0)
8. Memphis Grizzlies: 32-33 (18.0)
9. Portland Trail Blazers: 29-37 (21.5)
10. New Orleans Pelicans: 28-36 (21.5)
11. Sacramento Kings: 28-36 (21.5)
12. San Antonio Spurs: 27-36 (22.0)
13. Phoenix Suns: 26-39 (24.0)

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?

The first goal is to survive the eight-game slate without plummeting down the standings. But Denver clearly has aspirations beyond that. Whether they’re a legitimate sleeper threat to take the West will depend on a number of factors. Jokic — who contracted COVID-19 while in Serbia this summer but has since recovered — has transformed his body during the shutdown, reportedly shedding 40 pounds and looking slimmer than we’ve ever seen him. It remains to be seen whether that slimmer figure will aid in this endeavor. Jokic himself has admitted that prefers to be on the heavy side so he can body his defenders in the post more effectively. A conference finals appearance is certainly in play if everyone stays healthy and a few things go their way over the next two months.

X-FACTOR

After Bol Bol’s eye-popping debut in Orlando this week, it’s tempting to slot him in here. He was a monster on the defensive end against the Wizards, logging five highlight-reel blocks, but the 7’2 center also showed off his versatility in the open court and even knocked down a pull-up three in transition.

But the bigger X-factor could come in the form of another versatile youngster. Michael Porter Jr. has been limited by injuries in his early career, but he’s shown flashes of what once made him a surefire lottery pick, and given the right circumstances, could be difference-maker for Denver in Orlando.

BIGGEST ON-COURT QUESTION

During their opening scrimmage last week in Orlando, the Nuggets trotted out one of the most physically-imposing lineups ever assembled, featuring Jokic starting at the point. Once the season resumes in earnest and players clear quarantine, Mike Malone will likely revert to a more traditional configuration that includes actual wing players.

That’s where Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and Gary Harris fit into the equation. They’re going to need consistent and efficient contributions from them to keep the offense humming and take some of the burden off Jokic. Fortunately, the Nuggets have several other offensive weapons in Paul Millsap, Jerami Grant, Monte Morris, and others.

The question is whether they have the combination of size and quickness required to at slow down elite wing players like LeBron James, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, etc.

The New York Knicks head coaching search is reportedly on the verge of coming to an end. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Knicks have tabbed former Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau to take the reins in the Big Apple. Wojnarowski reports that the two sides are finalizing a five-year deal.

Ever since Leon Rose took over the Knicks’ front office, Thibodeau has long been viewed as a frontrunner for the position. While other names have come into consideration — like current interim head coach Mike Miller and, more recently, Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd — Thibodeau’s name has never seen to gone away whenever a report would pop up about the search.

Thibodeau has a long history with the franchise, as he was a Knicks assistant from 1996-2004. He eventually took over in Chicago for five seasons, then led Minnesota for a year and a half. In his career, Thibodeau has accrued a 352-246 record and has made the postseason in all but one of the seasons in which he’s seen out the year. While revered for his ability to build a team’s defense, he has received criticism over the years for his demanding style and for the workload he puts on players, who oftentimes rack up the minutes played when he’s at the helm.

The Knicks have been in the market for a new head coach ever since David Fizdale was fired in December. Amid the front office overhaul that led to Rose, a longtime agent, taking over as the team’s president, Miller received praise for his job leading the team to a 17-27 record.

A major question facing the New Orleans Pelicans is the status of superstar rookie Zion Williamson. The No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft had to leave the NBA’s bubble league in Orlando to tend to a family matter, and while he was able to return to the bubble on Friday night, it was unclear how long he would need to quarantine before he’s able to interact with his team.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, we have our answer, and it’s the best-case scenario for the Pelicans. Williamson, who was receiving daily COVID-19 tests while he was away from the team, is expected to get the all-clear before New Orleans takes the floor against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night in the bubble league’s opening game.

The Pelicans currently sit 2.5 games behind the 8-seed, which is held by the Memphis Grizzlies, but have a much easy schedule throughout their time in the bubble. At a time when every single game matters, losing Williamson for even one game could end up being a gigantic loss, but fortunately, that may not end up being the case.

The NBA’s Disney bubble league tips off on Thursday night, when the Pelicans and Jazz will square off at 6:30 p.m. on TNT. That game will be followed by a tilt between the two Los Angeles squads.

New York Liberty guard Kia Nurse suffered an ankle sprain in Saturday’s game against the Seattle Storm, ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported. Nurse sustained the injury in the second quarter after landing hard on her right foot and seemed to be in immense pain, covering her face with a towel while her teammates carried her off the court.

Upon first look, the injury looked like it could be more serious but following Nurse’s visit to the Liberty’s locker room, the team tweeted that it was an ankle sprain.

Nurse started the game for New York alongside Layshia Clarendon, Sabrina Ionescu, Kiah Stokes, and Amanda Zahui B. The Liberty entered the 2020 season with a young lineup that includes seven rookies, and the third-year Canadian guard is a crucial veteran presence for the team. Last season, Nurse averaged 13.7 points, 2.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game and was named an All-Star for the first time in her career. She also proved to be a valuable threat from beyond the arc, shooting 35% from three on 5.4 attempts per contest and competing in the league’s three-point contest.

The WNBA’s 24th season tipped off on Saturday, more than a month after originally scheduled, at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The league is dedicating the 2020 season to the Black Lives Matter movement, and prior to the start of Saturday’s noon tip off, members of both teams held a 26-second moment of silence to remember Breonna Taylor.

The Utah Jazz were on pace for 53 wins when the 2019-20 NBA season was suspended. That figure would represent the best mark for the franchise in more than a decade and, after three consecutive campaigns with at least 48 victories, the Jazz are entrenched as a perennial playoff team in the Western Conference. Then, everything changed with a positive COVID-19 test for star center Rudy Gobert. While the Jazz were at the epicenter of the NBA’s shutdown (and sparked subsequent rumors of strife between their two stars), the conversation has seemingly drifted away from Salt Lake City as the league’s bubble convenes in Orlando.

Part of that stems from the oxygen assigned to the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks at the top of the heap, but teams like the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks are garnering increased attention, at least when compared to the Jazz. Still, there is plenty to monitor for the Jazz, even with Bojan Bogdanovic sidelined, and every seeding game will matter for Utah as the team jockeys for playoff positioning.

ROSTER

Tony Bradley
Jarrell Brantley
Jordan Clarkson
Mike Conley
Ed Davis
Rudy Gobert
Joe Ingles
Donovan Mitchell
Juwan Morgan
Emmanuel Mudiay
Georges Niang
Royce O’Neale
Miye Oni
Rayjon Tucker
Nigel Williams-Goss
Justin Wright-Foreman

SCHEDULE

Friday, July 31 – 6:30 pm ET – vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Saturday, Aug. 1 – 3:30 pm ET – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Monday, Aug. 3 – 9:00 pm ET – vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Wednesday, Aug. 5 – 2:30 pm ET – vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Friday, Aug. 7 – 1:00 pm ET – vs. San Antonio Spurs
Saturday, Aug. 8 – 3:30 pm ET – vs. Denver Nuggets
Monday, Aug. 10 – 3:00 pm ET – vs. Dallas Mavericks
Thursday, Aug. 13 – TBD – vs. San Antonio Spurs

STANDINGS

1. Los Angeles Lakers: 49-14
2. Los Angeles Clippers: 44-20 (5.5)
3. Denver Nuggets: 43-22 (7.0)
4. Utah Jazz: 41-23 (8.5)
5. OKC Thunder: 40-24 (9.5)
6. Houston Rockets: 40-24 (9.5)
7. Dallas Mavericks: 40-27 (11.0)
8. Memphis Grizzlies: 32-33 (18.0)
9. Portland Trail Blazers: 29-37 (21.5)
10. New Orleans Pelicans: 28-36 (21.5)
11. Sacramento Kings: 28-36 (21.5)
12. San Antonio Spurs: 27-36 (22.0)
13. Phoenix Suns: 26-39 (24.0)

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?

As noted above, the absence of Bogdanovic looms over the proceedings. Even at full strength, Utah wasn’t a common pick to emerge victorious in the West and, without a 20-point scorer in Bogdanovic, the Jazz could be seen as vulnerable, even in the first round. Ultimately, success means the Jazz reaching the second round after a one-and-done playoff showing in 2019. There are certainly match-ups in which Utah could be outmanned but, considering the team’s lofty expectations and the presence of Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, no one will be happy with a hasty exit.

X-FACTOR

For the season, the Jazz were very good (+5.5 points per 100 possessions) when Bogdanovic played and remarkably pedestrian (-1.8 points per 100) when he went to the bench. On the whole, that isn’t a good omen for Utah, but it does illuminate a key player in the mix with Royce O’Neale. The 27-year-old small forward made 55 starts for the Jazz this season and, despite modest box-score numbers, O’Neale was already a key part of Utah’s formula for success. Without Bogdanovic, though, O’Neale is now even more important, teaming with Joe Ingles and not a lot else to piece together Utah’s rotation at the forward spots. There are many players vying for X-factor status but, beyond the obvious with Mitchell, Gobert, Ingles and Mike Conley, the Jazz desperately need a lot of quality minutes from O’Neale in Orlando.

BIGGEST ON-COURT QUESTION

Depth is a tremendous concern for the Jazz, with only Jordan Clarkson joining with Mitchell, Gobert, Ingles, Conley, and O’Neale as ready-made fixtures in a playoff-caliber rotation. In the playoffs, though, it is conceivable that Utah could withstand that lack of depth by going to a shorter rotation, placing the onus on the team’s best players to carry a massive workload. Can Gobert translate to a playoff setting, especially if it comes against a team like Houston that has given him fits in the past? Can Mitchell be a true No. 1 at the highest levels? Can Conley recapture some of his old magic after flashing signs of life in February? There are a number of questions but, even with all of the murmurs about the need for depth pieces, Utah only has a chance to make real noise if the team’s centerpieces perform to their full capabilities.

Like the New York Liberty, the Dallas Wings are an exciting, up-and-coming team in the midst of a rebuild. The Wings parted ways with four-time WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith in the trade with the Phoenix Mercury after it didn’t qualify for the postseason last year by finishing tied for the second worse record in the league at 10–24. Dallas also had the slowest pace (74.0) and worst offensive rating (96.7) in the WNBA last season.

The Wings drafted three first-round picks in the 2020 WNBA draft that may help the team instantly. Satou Sabally from the Oregon Ducks was selected as the No. 2 overall pick behind former teammate Sabrina Ionescu; Bella Alarie out of Princeton was the No. 5 pick; and out of South Carolina, Tyasha Harris was picked at seventh overall.

WUBBLE ROSTER
Kayla Thornton
Moriah Jefferson
Allisha Gray
Isabelle Harrison
Arike Ogunbowale
Satou Sabally
Marina Mabrey
Astou Ndour
Bella Alarie
Megan Gustafson
Tyasha Harris
Bella Alarie

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arike Ogunbowale: The second-year guard was her team’s best offensive weapon in her rookie campaign. She led the team in both points (19.1) and assists (3.2) during the season. Ogunbowale finished third in scoring in the entire league as a rookie, was the Rookie of the Year runner-up, and made the All-Rookie team.

While Diggins-Smith sat out the 2019 season while on maternity leave, a lot of pressure was put on Ogunbowale. She had to learn on the fly and was put in the role of team leader. Now, as the face of the franchise, the Notre Dame alum can thrive off-ball and not have to be relied upon to be primary ball-handler.

Satou Sabally: The 6’4 forward averaged 16.2 points and 6.9 rebounds this past season for the Oregon Ducks while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from three.

The second overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft has the height, skill-set, and speed that will make her formidable for years to come. With her quickness, she has the ability to take advantage of slower defenders. Last season, Isabelle Harrison posted the team’s best rebounding numbers at 5.8 per game, and Sabally will help the Wings in that area significantly.

EXPECTATIONS
Dallas still is a growing team that made improved ahead of the upcoming season. The Wings added depth and length that was lacking last year. Conventional wisdom would assume youth and inexperience will prevent them from a playoff push; however, this team may be a dark horse. Ogunbowale should have a great season since she will have fewer responsibilities as the primary ball-handler and will be able to get back to her natural position as the two-guard.

X-FACTOR
Harris, the Dawn Staley Award winner (awarded yearly to the nation’s top guard), is a true point guard with excellent play-making abilities that would be excellent while sharing the floor with Ogunbowale. Last season, Ogunbowale lead the team in assists, and Harris should help bring that number up significantly.

Harris ranked 12th in the nation and first in the SEC with 5.7 assists per game to go along with her 12 points per game. In addition to being a great facilitator, the rookie guard is also a solid shooter with 42.6 percent field goal shooting, including 38.4 percent from three-point range.

BIGGEST ON-COURT QUESTION
Will this team live up to its potential? The team is guard-heavy and has viable three-point shooters who can space the floor. Will inexperience hurt them when it matters most? Will Ogunbowale and Sabally be a great one-two punch? Time will tell if Agler can bring out the best in his young squad.

The bubble is working! The NBA announced that after two weeks in the bubble there have been zero positive tests for COVID-19. What players HAVE tested positive for are good times, great attitudes, fun, sun, sippin’ vino, and fishing. Sorry if you only read the first part of that sentence. The point is, through total and necessary caution and severity, the NBA’s restart plan remains sound and players are healthy. What can’t happen now is for things to loosen up.

Players can loosen up, but due the highly regimented operations of the bubble, no. Well actually, this week saw some of the first team scrimmages, and with the season officially restarting on July 30, the official opinion here at NBA BW is that shotgunning Coors Lights may soon be seeing a decline, and all those fish Ben Simmons accidentally whipped down onto the dock while trying to throw them back in the water can take a deep breath and rest easy that the angling ratio will also probably slow.

Meantime, let’s see what this week reeled in.

Justise Winslow

Let’s start with the most painful thing for you, rip it right off while giving it the acknowledgement it deserves. Justise Winslow experienced a contact injury to his hip during a scrimmage this week. The restart would have given him his first minutes with the Grizzlies, but he’ll now be out for the remainder of the season. Take some solace in the fact that he got to spend some time by the pool before it happened and experience, in his words, some truly “Nemo Shit.”

Rating: I hope Disney sees this and sends him all the Nemo-related merch his heart desires.

Jimmy Butler

I know this is spon con but can I say that I care? Not in the slightest. Would that stop me from admitting that I choked up? NO. And does it matter why Jimmy was singing, or what song, when we now know as a result that he sounds like an angel? Get out of here!

Rating: Willing to bet this is how he packs for every game and that there’s a pair of dusty old boots ready to hit the trails nestled under his occupationally appropriate shoes.

Luka Doncic

Doncic played some tennis and lounged by the pool, but the other thing Doncic has been doing is geotagging his photos to remote and far-flung locations like Tahiti and Bora Bora. Is he yearning for an escape? Are these just locations that come up because they are related to pavilions in the park?

Rating: Help me answer this Disney-related riddle, Lopez brothers.

Mike Scott (thank you Tobias Harris!)

It was Scott’s bubble birthday this week and he celebrated with a tasty breakfast stack. Tobias Harris was his dude all day, the two went fishing and either Scott didn’t catch a thing or it was just a little guy, because Harris slapped an overlarge emoji on it.

Rating: May we all have a Tobias Harris when we need one in this life.

Paul Millsap

The Nuggets went to the driving range in, I really hope, a convoy of golf carts like this. Have you ever laid eyes on something that fills you with so much terror and joy all at once? Paul Millsap hadn’t, either.

The budding magician took a supporting role to his teammates, cheering them on as he filmed their swings. Jamal Murray twacked a few before hitting a real dinger? Swinger? Blaster? Birdie? Then turned to flex and walk toward Millsap in a pretty good personification of the snorting mad emoji.

Rating: Then they all went back to the hotel with the giant, smiling, disembodied head of Mickey leading the way.

P.J. Tucker

Tucker really treated himself right this week! An in-room manicure and an in-room ice bath.

You know who else loves pancakes? I mean, you ought to, it’s P.J. Tucker! Tucker hadn’t had a stack yet but remedies that this week. He did his stuff.

Rating: Damn did he ever do his stuff.

Paul George

As the fixation on fishing eventually wears off for the league’s more amateur anglers, there is one man who has been patiently waiting them out, with the patience of the very sun. Paul George cannot and will not ever stop fishing. First he went on a night fish, and caught this clunker.

Then, he took (or was likely taken, safety first) out at first light. The best thing about Paul George is when he takes a picture of a body of water and captions it “Y’all know what time it is.” You absolutely do! There’s just no question.

Rating: Fish time.

Jusuf Nurkic

Nurk alert. The Bosnian Beast enjoyed one of the Blazers many relaxing kiddie pools full of ice beside the bigger, probably heated despite it being Florida, pool. They draped a towel gently over his shoulders to keep him warm, but if you quietly said “Brrr” to yourself while looking at this, you’d be right.

Rating: Are the kiddie pools single use in the bubble, like the playing cards?

Tobias Harris

Great friend Tobias Harris took some quiet time out for himself one evening this week, which — let’s take another lesson from Tobi here folks — is important! A pretty deec looking bottle of wine (a 2017 vintage Chateauneuf-du-Pape, one reviewer wrote “Vibrant and silky, offering a juicy, lithe and attractive feel and a focused, fresh finish. Drink or hold.”) and Monopoly made for a nice night in.

Rating: You gotta freakin’ recharge sometimes.

Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell got a big bubble delivery this week, real big. Ten packages visible and just wondering if one of them contains custom Spider-Man sheets?

Rating: Spider-Man sleeping mask?

Rudy Gay

YES Rudy smudge the hell out of that room. Blast all your cares and anxieties away on the slow rolling back of some thick and cascading sage smoke.

Rating: I can smell the curses melting from here.

Myles Turner

First, Turner received some spices. What I genuinely wonder here is does he keep these on his person, dashing a little here and there on his meals as needed, or does he send them down to the kitchen and tactfully and politely tell them that the eggs really need a little something?

Second, Turner is a big puzzle guy. He’s a jigsaw dynamo. But tragedy struck this week. While 99.9 percent done this 1,000 piecer, Turner discovered the final piece was missing. He was not happy!

And why would he be? All that effort, all that time, and no soothing reward of plonking the final piece down into its waiting, weird-shaped cradle. What did he do? He threw the whole thing out!

Rating: Slid it right into the damn trash. What do you want to bet he finds the missing piece in a few weeks time? That’s gonna suck but he’ll have a laugh about it.

Hassan Whiteside

I’m so sincerely sorry if you missed this gorgeous moment in the history of modern music this week! But how lucky for you to experience it now, for the first time. Whiteside seems to have discovered the sanguine voice and rich lyricism of Rick Springfield, and damn, does he ever love it. He went howling through his hotel tunnels, singing the chorus to “Jessie’s Girl” all the way. When he arrived in his room he threw open the balcony door and began to sing the same chorus out to the world, to triumphantly echo through the swamps. Just as Rick would’ve wanted it.

Rating: Sure it’s a little proprietorial but the song slaps.

Ben Simmons

Never one to let himself be put off by something that may not come to him so naturally, Simmons received approximately 800 lures to use in the well-stocked Disney ponds where just the one kind of fish lives. Will the Banger or Klutch models of lure help him secure an aquatic dynasty of his own? Maybe. Will they help his aim when it comes to throwing fish back in the water? Absolutely not.

It was also Ben’s bubble birthday this week, and he celebrated with this terrifying cake.

Rating: How long til lures are being used as secret bubble currency?

Dwight Powell (thank you Boban!)

Dwight Powell also had a bubble birthday! And thank god Boban was there to take one of the most heartening pictures I’ve ever seen.

Rating: Feel all the stress draining from your shoulders, shh, shh, feel it.

Boban Marjanovic

Best friend to all, Boban Marjanovic, hunkered down and played Ms. Pac-Man and/or Galaga with all the seriousness it requires. But please, if Gordon Hayward brought his gaming bed to the bubble (unconfirmed), can’t we get Boban a better chair?

Rating: They must have the machines with the coin slot blocked out, right?

Buddy Hield

Best Buddy to all, Buddy Hield, hit the damn fish ponds. Judging by that coy smile and the triumphant hoist of his catch, he looks like he’s feeling better!

Rating: A toque in Florida in July? I must respect what I don’t understand.

Toronto Raptors/Drake

Acknowledging that these guys’ rooms are going to get pretty stagnant, over the course of the bubble, Drake sent each and every Toronto Raptor — along with Jamal Murray — custom candles marked with scrawled gold personalized messages. Most put them by the family photos the Raptors organization had framed and put in each player’s room before they got there.

Rating: We know nothing of top notes for each of these scents yet but we are working on it.

C.J. McCollum

McCollum FaceTimed with the biggest puppy in the world, Fiona, and lamented that he had missed bath night.

Rating: Bath night looks pretty cute.

J.R. Smith

Got no clue the context of this but does it matter? Nope.

Rating: This is the new You’re doing amazing, sweetie.

Anthony Toliver (thank you C.J. McCollum!)

Tolliver was sent some wine by notorious wine guy C.J. McCollum. Here’s hoping a more formalized Vino Swap night is organized soon.

Rating: Coors Light Swap can take place on another night.

Marco Belinelli

Beli watched Batman, the Bane one.

Rating: Picturing him in practice the next day sneaking up behind his teammates asking if darkness is their ally, and them asking him to please, shoot the ball.

Kyle Guy

The Kings guard caught a lot of fish this week! Like a lot, a lot, and in various locations. He also perfected the move that is giving some dudes trouble, flipping their lanyard behind their back when dealing with fish so as not to have it slapping against their slimy bodies.

Rating: Fishing friendly lanyards are no doubt on the way as far as bubble innovation.

NBA Wine Guys

Welcome to NBA Wine Guys starring Carmelo Anthony, Damian Lillard, and C.J. McCollum (who filmed). The three met at what will hopefully become their regular haunt to enjoy some of McCollum’s wine. Note Lillard’s handle on that glass — precise, light, confident. And Melo, thoughtfully toasting to the Wine Guys good health. Salut!