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Kyle Lowry likely played his last game in a Toronto Raptors uniform — at least for now — on Wednesday night. If it was indeed his last game as a Raptor, he put a fitting end on a legendary tenure with the franchise, posting a modest 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, but was a career-high +42 in a 135-111 blowout over the Denver Nuggets.

It’s a shame that he didn’t get a sendoff in front of the Toronto faithful, with whom he ingratiated himself like few players get to with a city, but it was a perfect, Lowry-ian performance before he is likely dealt to the Sixers or Heat (or, less likely, the Lakers). After the game, Lowry was emotional leaving the court, spotting the TSN cameras in the tunnel and offering an apparent goodbye.

Nick Nurse, who has seen much of Lowry’s tenure as an assistant and most recently as his head coach, spoke about his star with the knowledge that this was likely it, calling him “maybe the greatest Raptor” to ever play for the franchise.

Raptors fans will be mad, if anything, that Nurse included the “maybe” qualifier, as Lowry’s impact on the franchise is hard to overstate. In nine seasons, he made the leap to being an All-Star six times, led them to a level of consistency the franchise had never had, even if the early years saw annual playoff heartbreak, and finally was the emotional leader of their championship squad in 2019. How quickly it’s regressed from that championship to this is a strange journey, but so it goes in professional sports.

As for Lowry, he started by shouting out the Raptors’ all-woman broadcast, the first in NBA history.

From there, he couldn’t help but note how weird it was out there on Wednesday and how crazy it would’ve been in Toronto, but he was thrilled to get the win.

Lowry wouldn’t speak as if his time with Toronto was officially over, but said that being in Tampa he misses the Toronto fans and the arena staff at Scotiabank Arena.

He even got the most Toronto of sendoffs mid-presser, as Drake FaceTimed him during his availability.

Lowry was “flattered” by Nurse’s comment saying he is arguably the greatest Raptor, noting he can’t call himself that.

As for his personal growth, on and off the court, Lowry talked about his maturity and work ethic that have gotten him so far.

Lowry has said he will retire a Raptor, even if that means signing a one-day contract or coming back for a year later on. Then, he can get a proper sendoff from the fans, but for now, it’s a bittersweet moment where it seems all parties know what’s coming but none can fully speak on it.

The Toronto Raptors of Tampa aren’t likely to factor much in the postseason conversation, but they still are going to be in charge of the playoff fates of some teams. On Thursday, two of the Raptors top players are expected to be traded, as Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell now seem all but assuredly to have reached the end of their tenures in Toronto — one that, happily, ended with a blowout win over the Nuggets.

For Lowry, it’s one as the franchise’s all-time great, who, whenever he makes a return to Toronto in future seasons, will be greeted with well-deserved ovations. For Powell, it’s as a breakout player who it appears doesn’t fit into the team’s long-term calculus, headed for a big payday this summer from someone and the Raptors not eager to be the ones breaking the bank on the budding guard. In both cases, the interest in them is significant, particularly among contenders, many of whom are looking at this trade deadline knowing they need to upgrade their roster in order to give themselves the best chance at competing for a title.

As such, while the Raptors aren’t even guaranteed a spot in the play-in tournament, currently 2.5 games out of 10th in the East, Masai Ujiri still will get the chance to dictate what teams get that much needed help. With Lowry, it seems fairly simple, as the Heat and Sixers are each vying for the former All-Star point guard to bolster their roster with a veteran, playoff-tested presence — although with the LeBron injury the Lakers reportedly can’t be ruled out of the Lowry hunt. In any case, it’s clear the Raptors are allowing Lowry to pick his spot, as he’s friends with Jimmy Butler and is a Philly native, making those two unsurprising destinations. Still, it’s a bit odd for a team so recently a title winner and contender to be the one dealing a star in conference to a rival, but that’s how swift the drop has been in Tampa this year.

Whichever team lands Lowry will immediately vault up the East pecking order. For Miami, it would enter them into the conversation with the top three in the conference, particularly knowing what their core is capable of in the playoffs after a Finals run last year. For Philly, it would give them someone else with playoff bonafides, something a team with less than great recent playoff memories could use, and would provide them with a creator other than Ben Simmons, something they desperately need to keep up with the Nets and Bucks. Whoever fails to land Lowry will have to go to Plan B, whether that be Lonzo Ball, George Hill, or another point guard on the market who won’t bring quite the same intangibles as Lowry.

It’s a position of power that Ujiri can wield, trying to extract the most out of an offer for Lowry (who turns 35 on Thursday). Toronto rightfully is pushing for the best possible return, and the Sixers and Heat are understandably not trying to offer an in-conference rival too much young talent that they’ll have to deal with for years to come. Whoever blinks first between Miami and Philly (or, I guess, L.A.) and offers up the best young player will likely land him, and in doing so, will be even further entrenched in the conversation as an East contender.

With Powell, it’s a far more fascinating exercise. He’s enjoying a breakout season as a scorer, averaging 19.5 points on career-best efficiency with a 49.5/43.4/86.8 shooting split, and the list of teams that have inquired on Powell is, very possibly, longer than the list that hasn’t.

Powell is the type of scorer that any contender craves, whether that be in a 6th Man role or as a starter, depending on their backcourt situation. He’s also, at 27 years old, young enough that up-and-coming teams see him as a potentially foundational piece, and with few teams having serious cap room next year, landing his Bird Rights provides an avenue to keep him long-term. With so many reported offers on Powell, Ujiri will spend Thursday trying to parse what the best package of players and assets the Raptors can get in a sell-high spot with Powell. Contenders will hope to bolster their backcourt depth with him, while others will see him as a player to take them to the next level in positioning themselves as a perennial playoff contender.

It’s rare that a team has two such pieces so firmly on the market at one trade deadline, but this is a Toronto team with ample talent. It just hasn’t coalesced in the same manner as it did a year ago. That fact will also likely dictate what the Raptors seek in a deal for Powell and Lowry, as young players who can be contributors sooner than later may be higher on their wish list than draft assets, although they’ll surely seek a balance of both. The Raptors aren’t looking for a long rebuild so much as a brief step back this season and a reassessment of how to build around the likes of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby. Thursday will be a pivotal day for the franchise, but also what they do is going to have significant short-term implications around the league, as where they send Powell and Lowry will have a major impact on this year’s playoff race.

Miley Cyrus’ climb to worldwide recognition began 15 years ago with the Disney Channel premiere of her TV show Hannah Montana. The series, aimed at young viewers, arrived on March 24, 2006 and continued for almost five years before ending in 2011. The show undoubtedly played a huge role in her career and she even admitted that she “would love to” bring it back in some way. But until that happens, a celebration of the anniversary is in order and the singer made sure to take a moment and reflect, but not without showing love to the Migos for their 2013 single “Hannah Montana.”

The rap trio took to Instagram to reveal that Miley sent them flowers as a thank you for the song. While the lyrics weren’t about the TV show or even Miley Cyrus herself, the singer still appreciated their decision to name the song after her character, which she shared in a message attached to the flowers. “I [love] your song about me! Keep rockin’!” she wrote before signing off on the note as Hannah Montana.

Cyrus also shared a lengthy statement that about Hannah Montana that reflected on the highs and lows of the show. She also discussed important life events that occurred while filming what she took away from it when it came to an end.

The final day of the second round of the 2021 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament produced some sensational games, including a pair of massive comebacks from 2-seeds Louisville and Texas A&M. The Cardinals trailed Northwestern 25-10 after one quarter, but steadily chipped away at the Wildcats lead, en route to a 62-53 win. The Aggies, however, needed an extra five minutes to put away a feisty Iowa State team that led by nine going into the fourth quarter.

Jordan Nixon helmed the comeback effort, scoring 35 points to help the Aggies claw their way back to even, hitting the game-tying bucket late.

The Cyclones, led by 32 points from Ashley Joens, would have a chance to win it, but a pair of Texas A&M blocks late forced overtime.

In the overtime period, Texas A&M jumped out to an early advantage, but Iowa State had an answer, taking a brief lead of their own at 80-78. Nixon refused to let the Aggies get upset, though, as she took the ball coast-to-coast with six seconds to play after an Iowa State miss for the game-winner.

It looks like the Cyclones try to take a foul as Nixon crosses midcourt, but the referees didn’t call it and Nixon is able to work into the lane, absorb the contact, and get the friendly roll for the buzzer-beater. It was a sensational finish and the first buzzer-beater of either NCAA Tournament, as the madness finally arrived in full in San Antonio. Afterwards, Nixon was emotional talking about the trust her teammates have in her and what the moment meant.

The past week has been a busy one for Verzuz, and it looks like the next couple of months will be just as active. Next month, SWV and Xscape will come together for a 20-song competition, bringing some of their best songs for another great showcase of R&B’s past. Surely we’ll be hearing SWV’s “Weak” and “Right Here” from their 1992 album, It’s About Time, and Xscape’s “Justin Kickin’ It” and “Understanding” from 1993’s Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha, among others.

SWV and Xscape’s battle is the latest Verzuz duel announced within the past week. Earlier Timbaland and Swizz Beatz revealed the next battle will be between Earth, Wind & Free and The Isley Brothers on Easter Sunday. Less than three weeks later, Redman and Method Man will go head-to-head in a “How High” special on April 20. The platform also promoted three themed events: “Ladies Night,” “Mother’s Day Special,” and “Rematch,” as well as two additional untitled battles. The participants for these matchups have yet to be revealed.

But there’s one high-profile artist that Verzuz almost coaxed into a battle: Dr. Dre. During an episode of The Breakfast Club, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz revealed the rap legend backed out after Teddy Riley and Babyface’s heavy-flawed battle last April. “When Dr. Dre wasn’t feeling the sound from Teddy Riley and Babyface, that hurt our heart,” Swizz said. “I was like, ‘Oh my god.’”

You can read the announcement for SWV and Xscape’s Verzuz above.

Chris Evans has a habit of accidentally sharing private things on the internet, but this is a relatively mild case: As per People, the erstwhile Captain America sat down for a virtual interview with ACE Universe, and he evidently thought it was no big deal to do it while a white tank under a Hawaiian shirt. But lots of other people thought it was a big deal: The internet was quick to point to some giant chest tattoos peeking out over the tank’s top.

Was it common knowledge that Steve Rogers’s chest was covered in tats? Apparently not. Are they new or newish? Not clear. Perhaps he used the end of his Marvel run as an excuse to try something new, like cover himself in tattoos like his former colleague Scarlett Johansson. Maybe he got bored during COVID and learned how to self-tattoo. But it’s clear this was news to some.

Soon other pictures of Evans’ tat-ripped body started appearing on social media, too.

In any case, people either fell or re-fell madly in love at the development that Chris Evans has a fair amount of tattoos he usually keeps hidden under shirts — or in comfy Knives Out sweaters.

Though some were distracted by his tight clothes.

Anyway, the big takeaway here is that people find Chris Evans attractive.

(Via People)

The Chicago Bears entered this offseason knowing they needed to make a serious upgrade at quarterback. Former No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky had run his course in Chicago, and Nick Foles proved a year ago that he wasn’t the answer. With Russell Wilson requesting a trade and listing Chicago among his preferred landing spots, the stars finally seemed aligned for the Bears to acquire a top flight starter in the league, which, when coupled with their stout defense, would have made them a contender in the NFC.

However, the Seahawks refused to deal Wilson and the Bears didn’t seem to want to chase Deshaun Watson in trade talks with the Texans, and so they went out and signed a quarterback on the free agent market. The problem is, this wasn’t a very strong quarterback class in free agency — which, it rarely is as no one likes to let a top QB just walk — and they ended up inking Andy Dalton to a 1-year, $10 million deal. Some Bears fans tried to rationalize this as a stop-gap measure that would allow them to still possibly deal for Wilson or someone else, or draft someone this year and have them not have the immediate pressure to start.

Dalton made clear he signed under the assumption he was going to be the starter, and on Wednesday, for some reason, the Bears decided to make an emphatic statement acknowledging that on Twitter.

It was an odd thing to just fire off at 7 p.m. local on a Wednesday, but they went for it and, unsurprisingly, their fans were not pleased with the post.

Sometimes the right two people come along at the right time in each other’s lives, and a story for the ages is born. But it’s rare that we get to see such stories captured in real-time.

This time we’re lucky. In a silent saga befitting a Pixar short film—complete with soundtrack—a TikToker and his mystery neighbor have taken us all on a beautiful journey of music, love, longing, and loss.

Giorgio Lo Porto is an Italian living in London, and on February 6, he shared a video of his new neighbor playing piano. The music is muffled behind their shared wall, but clear enough to hear. Lo Porto wrote that he left a note for the mystery neighbor, telling them he loved their music and asking if they could play “My Heart Will Go On.” And so they did.

Lo Porto left another note suggesting that they play something together, each in their own apartments. A call-and-response duet of sorts. He didn’t know if they’d do it, or if they’d forget when the time came. He also said he himself hadn’t played in months. But he started playing at 2pm, and as soon as he stopped, the neighbor began.

Their duets became a weekend “meet up,” playing back and forth through their shared wall. Seems like a perfect meet-cute in a romantic comedy, doesn’t it?

On Valentine’s Day, they played a duet and Lo Porto wrote “It’s Valentine’s Day. We’re in lockdown. This was our way of saying, I don’t know who you are but I’m here. You’re not alone.”

Then it came time for them to meet.

“Well, today I have met my neighbor,” Lo Porto wrote in a video shared on February 21. “It was better than expected.”

“His name is Emil…”

“He is 78 years old, originally from Poland. This is his temporary accommodation while he waits for his house to be sold.”

“He lost his wife in December due to COVID,” Lo Porto shared. “And all he has left is the piano. And the reason why he plays at 2pm every weekend is because his wife loved it.”

“He thanked me for keeping him motivated and less lonely. And I promised that I’ll play with him until he moves out.”

“He is camera shy,” he added. “But I’ll try again when he’s ready.”

Lo Porto shared that Emil is “a special soul” and that “he is fine now, healing.” And his piano playing is just gorgeous.

Playing with Emil inspired Lo Porto to write his own song. “I woke up with 3 notes in my head,” he wrote on February 27.

He added some string orchestration to it and called it “Dear Emil.” It’s the first song he’s ever written.

“When I wrote this piece I started picturing Emil’s life,” he wrote. “A 78 y.o. widower who lost his wife due to this stupid virus. Spending days at home alone due to lockdown. Looking forward to play her favourite piano songs at 2pm every weekend, until a note appeared on his door. A letter showing he was heard and not alone. And a new friendship started. Two pianos between a wall, not knowing who was playing. But it didn’t matter.”

“You can be the light of somebody else’s darkness. So keep shining.”

On February 26, Lo Porto announced that Emil was moving out the following week, and shared their last weekend duet—the much requested “Moonlight Sonata.”

He said Emil still didn’t want to be on camera, but said he was much happier and thanked everyone who had been watching their duets. Lo Porto promised he would keep playing for him on the weekends.

It would be lovely if the story ended there, but it doesn’t. (May need a tissue now if you haven’t already grabbed one.)

Lo Porto shared on March 14th that he’d received word that Emil had passed away in his sleep: “And now he is reunited with his wife.”

“Dear Emil,” he wrote. “I knew very little about you, but you changed my life. You gave me back my passion, and we shared that with the world. You’ll be in my heart. I’ll keep playing, thinking of how powerful music can be. You said I was your light, but you’ve been mine too. Bye, Emil.”

If you needed a good cry today, hope that helped. And if you needed a reminder that humans can be wonderful and life can connect us in beautiful and mysterious ways, now you’ve got one.

Lo Porto says he will have a full version of “Dear Emil” up on YouTube soon. You can listen to it on Spotify as well.

Syracuse, by virtue of getting a double-digit seed and somehow always doing this when they are given a double-digit seed, is on to the Sweet 16 in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The star of the show has been the coach’s kid, as junior guard Buddy Boeheim has exploded during the first two games the Orange have played.

Boeheim dropped 30 points in Syracuse’s opening round tilt against San Diego State and followed that up with 25 against West Virginia. The thing that has stuck out, outside of his last name, is how insanely hot he’s gotten from three, going 13-for-23 from behind the arc and generating just enough buzz that he can possibly bring his ability to shoot to the next level.

But unfortunately, a small business decided to commit the unforgivable sin (in the NCAA’s eyes, at least) of having some fun with this. Syracuse donut shop Glazed & Confused created donut that had the younger Boeheim’s face on them, but according to a post on their Instagram account, the NCAA swooped in and told them this wasn’t cool, because god forbid a donut shop in Syracuse, New York put Buddy Boeheim’s face on food and raised money for charity, right?

“Unfortunately our ‘Buddy’ donuts have been bounced for the original #35 Coach B.,” the caption read. “To be compliant with the NCAA rules players images are not to be used. We know Coach B. is not as charming as Buddy but rules are rules. Limit 6 per person. Percentage of profits will go to Boys & Girls club. Limited quantity, first come , first serve. See you Saturday.”

Fun fact: I used to live two blocks away from Glazed & Confused! It’s really good. This, however, is really stupid, and it is the most NCAA thing imaginable to get riled up about this after it did not pay nearly enough attention to making sure the teams in its women’s tournament were given any sort of proper facilities at their hotel.

Pop Smoke ended 2020 with one of his biggest records, “Dior,” landing a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance. While Megan Thee Stallion and Beyonce would eventually take home that award, the nomination was proof of the impact he made in his tragically short career. Another example can be seen in the success his posthumous debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon, which recently broke a Billboard record Eminem held for the last decade.

The record in question is the longest-running No. 1 Rap Album, after it tallied its 20th non-consecutive week atop that chart. The previous record holder was Eminem’s seventh album, Recovery, which spent 19 weeks there between 2010 and 2011. On its way to the top, Pop’s posthumous debut also passed Drake’s Take Care (16 weeks), Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ The Heist (13), and Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. (11).

Should Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon can keep up its chart-topping streak going, it will break another Billboard record. If it reaches 29 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1, the album will break MC Hammer’s record for most weeks atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart. It also recently passed Michael Jackson’s Bad and Prince’s Purple Rain for most weeks on the chart, which is cool, too.