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The Utah Jazz took a 2-1 series lead over the Denver Nuggets on Friday afternoon. Utah picked up this win in emphatic fashion, putting forth a convincing performance en route to a 124-87 win.

The Jazz were dominant on both ends of the floor all night. Their defense swarmed the Nuggets, while their offense looked nearly unstoppable. In fact, the first of our three takeaways from Game 3 sums things up pretty succinctly…

This Is The Jazz Team That Can Compete For A Conference Title

There was no super overwhelming favorite to win the title entering this year. In the West, the two Los Angeles teams were, of course, the favorites, while the Rockets and Warriors (whoops!) both had pretty reasonable odds. And then there were the Jazz, viewed as squad with the potential to make some noise and, if a few things went their way, make a run.

Utah has been up and down this season, but at their best, they’ve looked like a squad that can go blow-for-blow with anyone. They fought admirably but lost Game 1 against the Nuggets, picked up an impressive win in Game 2, and in Friday’s Game 3, the Jazz made a statement, picking up a convincing 124-87 win in which they looked like the better team from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Denver never quite threatened them, and even though the Nuggets are banged up, back-to-back convincing wins by Utah was a bit of a surprise.

When they’re humming like this — particularly to the extent they were in the first quarter, when Denver scored 14 points, had seven turnovers, and just looked discombobulated — the Jazz are a nightmare, even without Bojan Bogdanovic, who is out for the duration of the playoffs.

Mike Conley: Good!

Conley had to leave the Bubble as his wife gave birth to a son, and while he came back right after, he had to quarantine and only found out on Friday that he’d been cleared to play. He was playing some outstanding basketball before departing the Bubble, but it was a unique situation, and when Conley missed time earlier this year due to injury, the Jazz were fantastic, going 15-4 without him in December and January.

On Friday, Conley slid back into the lineup and did not miss a beat. The veteran guard scored 27 points on 9-for-13 shooting with four assists in 25 minutes of work. More importantly, he seemed like a calming presence on the floor, and the dynamic with him and Donovan Mitchell was wonderful — both guys were totally in sync with one another, and as a result, the Jazz looked great.

Utah might not need Conley to be at his best to win this series, but they need him to raise his game to another level if Utah is going to compete. If the Mike Conley that showed up on Friday night keeps showing up, then the Jazz are going to be really, really hard to beat.

Let’s Talk Centers

Both teams went into this series armed with an All-Star center who is capable of winning them ballgames at their best. On Friday, Rudy Gobert got the best of Nikola Jokic, although that kind of undersells what Gobert was able to do to Jokic on the evening.

Utah’s indomitable big man looked as good as he has all season, going for 24 points on 11-for-15 shooting with 14 rebounds in 32 minutes of work. He didn’t block any shots, but his presence was felt whenever he was on the floor. Jokic, meanwhile, really struggled: 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting, six assists, five rebounds.

It goes without saying, but Jokic has to be better. His ability to score, rebound, and distribute is unparalleled among big men, and while Gobert is a colossus in the heart of the Jazz defense, Jokic has still cooked plenty of outstanding defensive centers in the past. Keep an eye on this matchup in Game 4. If Gobert gets the best of Jokic again — particularly to this extent — it’s hard to see a path for the Nuggets to win.

Though Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2012 track “Call Me Maybe” marked her breakout as a musician, the singer’s 2015 record Emotion cemented her popstar status. The record received critical acclaim and widened her then-cult fanbase through a number on dance floor-ready pop songs. It’s now been five years since Jepsen released Emotion and while she recently shared a handful of songs, the singer celebrated Emotion‘s anniversary by unveiling two never-before-heard bonus tracks.

Much to her fans’ excitement, Jepsen debuted the Emotion b-sides “Never Get To Hold You” and “Love Again” on Friday. “It’s been such a joy to share so many beautiful memories from this record with you,” Jepsen wrote on Twitter alongside the bonus releases. Both tracks reflect Jepsen’s synth-pop Emotion era, boasting layers of bouncy bass and exuberant keys.

Ahead of the bonus tracks, Jepsen debuted an entire album of b-sides back in May from her 2019 record Dedicated. The collection flexes 12 new tracks and the singer even landed a collaboration with Bleachers for the song “Comeback.” On top of Dedicated B-Sides, Jepsen shared a quarantine-record track “Me And The Boys In The Band” this week as a love letter to her life on the road.

Listen to “Never Get To Hold You” and “Love Again” above. Dedicated Side B is out now via Schoolboy/Interscope. Get it here.

The Portland Trail Blazers’ frontcourt has not had a major piece during its series against the Los Angeles Lakers, as Zach Collins has been sidelined with an ankle issue. Unfortunately for the team, in the event it is able to pull off the upset in the 1-8 series, it will not have Collins moving forward.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Collins’ ankle surgery, previously described as a left ankle Malleolar stress reaction, requires surgery. As a result, the big man is going to go under the knife and miss the remainder of the year.

Portland faced an uphill battle against Los Angeles even at full strength, but losing Collins makes the job far more difficult. The team has relied on young forward Wenyen Gabriel to give them plenty of minutes, while Hassan Whiteside and Carmelo Anthony will log fontcourt minutes next to Jusuf Nurkic. It’s a tricky situation for the Blazers regardless of opponent, but it’s particularly tough against a Lakers team that has a whole lot of size in its frontcourt.

Los Angeles won Game 2 on Thursday night, evening things up at one game apiece in the series. The Blazers will look to figure out a way to get a leg up in the series during Game 3 on Saturday night, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC.

Some celebrity couples, like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, are so pervasive that avoiding news about their relationship is nearly impossible. Other celebrity couples, however, have been virtually forgotten by the internet. On Friday, Chelsea Handler reminded everyone of her brief relationship with 50 Cent in 2009, posting a heartfelt tribute to the rapper in order to call attention to her upcoming stand-up special on HBO Max.

Handler gave a “special shout out” to 50 on social media, naming him her “favorite” ex-boyfriend. Sharing a photo of them when they were an item, Handler said 50 is the “only ex-boyfriend I am still asked about in every interview” and even called him a “big fat teddybear.” The comedian added that she’s going to further address their relationship in her stand-up special, though Handler didn’t reveal what exactly will be discussed.

In other 50 news, it seems the rapper is close to squashing his longstanding beef with Rick Ross. Following the success of Power, 50 was recently greenlit for by Starz for a new TV series titled Black Mafia Family, or B.M.F. for short. Because of the name, the rapper thinks Ross’ 2010 track “BMF” would be an apt addition to the series. But Ross said he was only willing to clear “BMF” on one condition — 50 has to promote Ross’ partnered brands to his 26 million Instagram followers. Ross is keeping a close eye on the rapper’s page to see if he follows through, but so far there has been no Wing Stop promotion in sight on 50’s feed.

Our journey to find the best booze for you to drink marches on. Last week, we got the chance to taste six (!) bottles from the Michter’s line. The Kentucky shingle has become one of the most lauded and sought after lines of whiskey out there. Their line is also wide-ranging. We tasted an American whiskey, a sour mash, two bourbons, and two ryes.

The real highlight was a chance to taste the soon-to-be iconic (read: unattainable) Michter’s 10 Year Old Bourbon. The expression made headlines just last month when a barrel of the stuff sold for over $200,000 at auction for charity. Then we ended on the 10 year Rye which has been gaining steam all over the whiskey world as a masterpiece.

I was joined on this journey by Single Malt Daily’s Nate Ganapathi. Nate has devoted his life to the pursuit of great whiskey (and collecting the stuff). We had a great conversation about the value of whiskey, Michter’s, and collecting bottles. You can watch the whole IGTV Live at the end of this article. For now, let’s dive into the whiskey.

Michter’s Small Batch Unblended American Whiskey

ABV: 41.7%
Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

Generally speaking, when you see a whiskey labeled as “American Whiskey” it’s a blend of whiskey with neutral grain spirits to help keep costs down and profits high. This expression is labeled as “Unblended” specifically because it’s juice from Michter’s barrels only. The whiskey in these bottles was aged in barrels that are “whiskey-soaked.” Once the whiskey is just right, it’s then blended and small-batch bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Fruit greets you upfront. That fruit becomes more of dried fruit with bourbon vanilla and mild caramel sweetness. The fruit is what draws a line through the taste as the warm end slowly fades out.

Bottom Line:

This works in a highball or as a cocktail base. It’s versatile and tasty.

Michter’s Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45.7%
Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This is a classic bourbon all around. The juice is aged in well-charred white oak until it hits the perfect spot. The juice is then small batched with no more than 20 barrels going into each bottling.

Tasting Notes:

This is a great yardstick bourbon. It hits a wonderful balance of bourbon vanilla and caramel with a hint of oak on the nose. There’s a sense of peach and apricot with all that vanilla-y depth and velvet mouthfeel. The sip fades fairly slowly as it warms and the oak really shines. When you add water, there’s a light wisp of smoke on the very end.

Bottom Line:

This works as either a cocktail base or a highball bourbon. I also drink it on the rocks from time to time.

Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

ABV: 42.4%
Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This single barrel rye is the rye that you can measure most others against (at this price point). The well-crafted juice is warehoused until the deeply charred new white oak barrels hit just the right moment in both texture and taste.

Tasting Notes:

Peppery rye and a hint of citrus open this one up. There’s a distant line of toffee but it’s really that peppery rye that shines the most with a subtle velvet textural depth. The wood carries the sip towards a warm, spicy end that lasts just long enough to remind you to take another sip.

Bottom Line:

I use this for Manhattans and Sazeracs whenever I have it on hand.

Michter’s Small Batch Original Sour Mash Whiskey

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This was the first American whiskey to be named “Whiskey of the Year” by The Whiskey Exchange just last year. The reason this is a “sour mash” and not a bourbon or rye is that the mash bill doesn’t focus on corn or rye, hence it’s just a sour mash whiskey. The juice is then aged in new white oak with a heavy char.

Tasting Notes:

Smoked plums and rye spice mingle up top. The sip really embraces the smoky dark fruit with hints of vanilla and cherry popping up on the palate. The dram carries that smoky plumminess through to the end with a nice nod to the oak and bourbon-y vanilla underbelly.

Bottom Line:

I drink this with a single rock. The water really helps to amp up the smoked fruit, mild spice, and oak.

Michter’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Yrs. Old

ABV: 47.2%
Average Price: $175

The Whiskey:

This is the whiskey that’s about to hit Pappy levels of unavailability. This juice rests in new white oak for ten long years and is then bottled from single barrels that are hand-selected for their perfection. You’ll take a sip and realize what bourbon can be when left alone.

Tasting Notes:

That oak comes through with a fresh maple syrup sweetness. There’s a sense of bourbon vanilla but it’s dialed back as the sip edges more into the bitterness of the charred oak with a rich toffee creaminess. The maple syrup, oak, and toffee carry the sip towards a warm, yet curt end.

Bottom Line:

This is designed as a sipping whiskey. Add a rock or a little bit of soft mineral water to really open it up.

Michter’s Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 10 Yrs. Old

ABV: 46.4%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

The fact that this is a limited edition of a single barrel that is also quickly becoming the darling of the whiskey world means it’ll not be easy to find or cheap for much longer. The ten-year aging is what helps this rye stand out from the crowd. The juice inside is what makes whiskey lovers fall in love with it.

Tasting Notes:

Toffee, almond, and vanilla dance with chili pepper. The sip takes on a candied cinnamon edge (not unlike an all-natural Red Hot) that helps usher in a flourish of orange oils. The roasted almonds and chili linger as the hefty vanilla creates a svelte mouthfeel with an embracing warmth.

Bottom Line:

This is a great bottle to break out if you want to celebrate something. Add a drop or two of water to really help this dram shine its brightest. Or buy a couple of bottles and squirrel them away for a decade.

Check out the full tasting below!

One of the biggest events at this weekend’s DC FanDome is the Jared Leto-less panel for The Suicide Squad. In virtual attendance will be writer and director James Gunn and stars Margot Robbie, John Cena, Pete Davidson, Viola Davis, and Nathan Fillion, among others. Idris Elba will be there, too, and it’s expected that we’ll finally learn who he’s playing in the sort-of sequel to Suicide Squad. Whoever you think it is, it’s probably not.

“Been looking forward to this! Might even reveal who I’m playing…” Elba tweeted about the panel, causing Gunn to reply, “Here’s the craziest part. I don’t think I’ve seen a single person online EVER guess who you’re playing.” The most common guess is Bronze Tiger, but we know for sure that it isn’t Deadshot, previously portrayed by Will Smith.

In Gunn’s Twitter roll call for The Suicide Squad FanDome event, he left out Robbie, causing some to wonder if she’ll be there. “Because she’s not active on Twitter. Sorry! She’ll be there tomorrow,” Gunn reassured the Twitter mob, including one follower who wrote, “I misread that as Tinder and for a split second thought there was hope for us all.”

Not so fast.

The Suicide Squad panel is on Saturday at 2:55 p.m. EST.

(Via Polygon)

Speed is a crucial skill in the world of soccer, and while not all of the best players in the world can blow by an opponent in the blink of an eye, having an extra gear can be a considerable leg up on the competition. PUMA, in an effort to make sure its footballers can reach that extra gear when they take the pitch, used the need for speed as the inspiration behind its latest boot.

PUMA announced the ULTRA 1.1 on Friday, which it claims is one of soccer’s fastest boots and was designed following consultation with some of its top footballers, like Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, and Lyon’s Nikita Parris. According to a release, the company used a lightweight material called MATRYXEVO, which causes the cleat to wrap closely around an athlete’s foot while simultaneously providing them with the kind of traction that is needed to push off as footballers strive to achieve top speed.

“Our goal was not to create the lightest boot possible, but to create a speed boot with optimal weight for speed to ensure features such as control, traction and comfort were not compromised,” PUMA lead project line manager Peter Stappen said. “We were not about chasing grams, but about chasing adrenaline. When we put all the components together, the boot had all the essential properties we wanted; comfort, stability and durability but maintained an exceptionally light weight.”

The PUMA ULTRA 1.1 boot drops everywhere for $200 on Monday, Aug, 24. The first colorway on the boot, which retails for $200, is called “Chasing Adrenaline,” and features an orange base with black and white accents.

Lori Loughlin was sentenced for her part in a college bribery scandal on Friday in a Boston court and ordered to serve two months behind bars after illegally working to get her daughters admission to prestigious universities. According to the Daily Beast, the former Full House star received a lighter sentence than her husband, fashion mogul Mossimo Giannulli, who got five months on Friday.

Loughlin gave an apology in Boston court, as reported by the Daily Beast along with the entirety of her sentence, which also includes a fine and court-ordered community service:

“I made an awful decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process. I thought I was acting out of love for my children, but in reality it only undermined my daughter’s abilities and accomplishments,” Loughlin, dressed in a white blouse, said Friday. “I will do everything in my power to redeem myself. Your honor, I am truly, profoundly, and deeply sorry.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Loughlin will have to pay a $150,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton ruled. Giannulli will pay a $250,000 fine and perform 250 hours of community service.

The judge in the case rebuked Loughlin before the sentencing, highlighting her “fairytale life” and her apparent need to “grab even more” for her children.

“You have participated in the corruption of the system of higher education in this country,” judge Nathaniel Gorton said. “I hope you will spend the rest of your charmed life making amends for the system you have harmed.”

(Via Daily Beast)

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Lucifer (Netflix series) — The urban fantasy/police procedural throws out a love letter to fans who’ve kept the show going, years past its original conclusion on Fox. There’s double-duty from Tom Ellis and his satanic mojo this season as both Lucifer and Lucifer 2.0, and this season gets experimental with a noir episode and a “show inside a show” called called ¡Diablo! It’s a good time for all, long past the days when this Lucifer Morningstar originated in The Sandman comics.

Hoops (Netflix series) — Jake Johnson voices a foul-mouthed basketball coach in the latest adult-themed animation offering from Netflix. He’s here to turn his miserable life around by cursing at kids, and Guy Fieri guest stars alongside a lineup that includes Rob Riggle, Natasha Leggero, Ron Funches, Cleo King, A.D. Miles, and New Girl alumni Max Greenfield and Hannah Simone.

In case you missed these offerings:

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+ series) — Jason Sudeikis is reviving his small-time college football coach character (who hails back to a 2013 advertising campaign) for this show. Lasso is somehow coaching professional English soccer, and good luck to him. What’s even more important, though, is that our own Brian Grubb calls the series “almost unreasonably good,” despite the seeming odds against it.

An American Pickle (HBO Max) — Seth Rogen‘s dual roles have arrived, and the end product is both touching and hilarious to witness. Rogen plays a 1920s Jewish immigrant who falls into a vat of pickle juice and is perfectly “brined” for 100 years, so suspend your disbelief and enjoy the surprising amount of nuance here. It’s both an interesting match-up and a truly inspired Jewish version of Encino Man.

A few more streaming options for this weekend:

Love in the Time of Corona (Freeform limited series also on Hulu, Sat & Sun) — This Covid-themed event might be a case of “too soon,” but regardless, this four-episode series (which will broadcast over two evenings) explores couples who are looking for love while social distancing. The shoots all took place post-lockdown, and the series appears to achieve higher production values than we’re seeing on Zoom platforms, if one can buckle down for the theme.

The Sleepover (Netflix film) — Malin Akerman stars as a seemingly typical stay-at-home mom who’s actually in the witness protection program after a lucrative run as a high-end thief. Mom’s ex-flame (Joe Manganiello) arrives to shake up her family’s little world and give them an action-packed night that sounds like chaos.

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Room 104 (Friday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — The fourth season of the Duplass Brothers’ bizarre playground continues with a 1990s family who gets stuck in the room until someone tries to change the script on reality.

Lovecraft Country (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — This 1950s-set dark fantasy series blew away expectations with last week’s premiere. This week, Atticus, Leti, and George attempt to make sense of their previously terrifying night of monsters to sort out exactly what’s going on with their Ardham Lodge hosts, who have cryptic plans.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Ronnie attempts to find absolution while Jada is doling out advice and life’s having maturing effects on Kevin, Jake, and Papa.

NOS4A2 (Sunday, AMC & BBC America 10:00 p.m.) — The last stand against Charlie Manx is afoot with Vic and Maggie facing off against the not-so-immortal-after-all psychic vampire.

The Vow (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — The NXIVM organization (known as the “sex cult” partially led by Allison Mack) gets a deep dive that promises to dig under the audience’s skin.

We Hunt Together (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — A deadly duo — a former child soldier named Baba and Freddie — finds themselves drawn together (to commit murder). Two detectives are hot on the trail, as the murderers have claimed victim number three.

Desus & Mero (Sunday, Showtime 10:30 p.m.) — The illustrious guest is Saweetie.

Logic has moved on from being a professional rapper, as he is now focusing his energy on his fledgling Twitch career. He has more music in the vault though, and if his fans come together and pull through, it looks like he’s going to release a new mixtape.

During a recent interview with Hard Knock TV’s Nick Huff Barili, Logic said (starting at about 29 minutes into the video below), “I was gonna do this mixtape where I rap on everybody’s beats.” He then played a clip of himself rapping on Polo G, Stunna 4 Vegas, and NLE Choppa’s “Go Stupid.” Barili said he would start a petition for Logic to release the project, to which Logic responded by saying, “I don’t know, I don’t think people want that,” and playing a song that features him rapping over Kendrick Lamar’s “Rigamortis.”

Barili pressed Logic about the idea more, and the rapper answered, “I don’t know, I don’t think anybody really wants a free mixtape with me… I like the idea of rapping on other people’s beats, because it was fun, brought a hunger in me. It was super fun to do, but I don’t know.” Barili eventually convinced Logic to go along with the idea, though, and he finally said that he would release the mixtape if a petition got a million signatures.

Sure enough, that petition is live on Change.org, and as of press time, it has around 13,000 signatures.