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The Denver Nuggets strung together a pair of memorable performances, coming back from two consecutive double-digit deficits to even the series against the L.A. Clippers. On Tuesday evening, the Clippers still enter Game 7 as seven-point favorites against the Nuggets but, in a winner-take-all scenario, anything can happen.

With that as the backdrop, we’re highlighting three keys that could swing the result in Game 7, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers waiting for the winner in the Western Conference Finals.

1. The Montrezl Harrell conundrum

Montrezl Harrell is a good basketball player. The 26-year-old big man won the NBA’s 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year award and, during the regular season, Harrell was both efficient and productive, averaging 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 58 percent from the floor. Those are strong numbers under any circumstances and, considering his impact on a top-flight team like the Clippers, it is easy to see why Harrell was a leading candidate and, eventually, the winner of a league-wide award.

In this series, however, it has been a struggle for Harrell, and that puts a tremendous focus on him in advance of Game 7. Harrell had to leave the Orlando Bubble for a family matter and, as a result, he missed the Clippers’ seeding games, only to return at the outset of the playoffs. On the whole, his counting numbers look just fine, especially when taken on a per-minute basis, but Harrell has been a notable weakness for L.A. against Denver.

Over the course of six games, the Clippers have outscored the Nuggets by 1.9 points per possession. That figure would be (much) more impressive if not for back-to-back collapses from L.A. but, in short, the Clippers have been the better team by point differential. With the exception of Reggie Jackson, who essentially vanished from the rotation and has only played 29 minutes in the series, Harrell has the worst on-off splits of any Clipper, and that is only backed up by the eye test.

The Clippers are being outscored by 11.3 points per 100 possessions in the 108 minutes with Harrell on the floor through six games. That translates to a -29 over 108 minutes and, in the midst of a close-fought series, the minutes with Harrell in the middle have been costly for the Clippers. Harrell is, quite easily, the more prominent player when compared to Ivica Zubac, but Zubac has been notably better in this series.

Broadly speaking, Doc Rivers might lean in the direction of keeping Harrell engaged. After all, he is a very strong player and Harrell has been a key cog for the Clippers all season long. In the crucible of a win-or-go-home scenario, however, it will be quite interesting to see just how long Rivers is willing to stick with Harrell. He is a shaky defender, especially when Nikola Jokic is on the floor, and Harrell isn’t bringing the same kind of offensive impact since returning from his extended pre-playoff absence.

Can Rivers really just remove Harrell from the rotation? Probably not, but he should be on a (very) tight leash given how the rest of this series has gone. If he plays too much, the pendulum may swing toward the Nuggets.

2. Can Denver’s supporting pieces make three-pointers?

The Nuggets were unbelievable offensively in the second half of both Games 5 and 6. It goes without saying that Denver’s comebacks were highly unlikely but, in addition to the “help” provided by struggles from the Clippers, the Nuggets scored 1.39 points per possession against a strong defense. Much of that can be attributed to the lights-out work of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, just has it has been throughout the season. Still, that duo can’t carry the entire load, and the Nuggets have to get something from supporting pieces.

While there are other ways to make contributions, one practical impact could be simply knocking down three-pointers. Members of the Nuggets not named Jokic and Murray are just 38-of-120 from three-point range in the series, converting at only a 31.7 percent clip. That isn’t fully damning but, if presented with the choice to accept that rate in Game 7, Doc Rivers would likely jump at the chance.

In the last two wins, though, Denver’s supporting cast is 12-of-33 from three-point range. That only jumps to 36 percent in that small sample but, in a “make or miss league,” one or two connections could mean the difference.

As noted above, the Clippers could play a shallower rotation and, in a Game 7, offense is often at a premium. It won’t be a breeze, but the Nuggets getting something from the likes of Michael Porter Jr., Monte Morris, Jerami Grant and Paul Millsap from long distance would go a long way toward pulling the upset.

3. Who’s the best player on the floor?

After winning the 2019 NBA Finals MVP on the way to a championship, Kawhi Leonard made a leap into rarified air. He is a tremendous player by any description and, with the experience of operating as a superstar at the highest level, it is exceptionally difficult to pick against Leonard. In this series, Leonard certainly hasn’t been the problem for the Clippers, averaging 26.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game on strong efficiency, but Nikola Jokic has also been outrageous for Denver.

Jokic’s numbers are predictably strong, both for the playoffs overall and this series specifically, but the All-NBA center put up 28 points, 14 rebounds and six assists per game while nailing big shot after big shot in the last two wins. It would be far too aggressive to suggest that Jokic is better than Leonard in a broader sense, but it is also entirely possible that he flashes enough to be the best player on the floor in a single game.

In a sense, it is far too simplistic to suggest that the best player in Game 7 will get the victory. That is especially true in a series that also includes a legitimate star in Paul George and a rising stud in Jamal Murray. However, the Nuggets likely need Jokic to throw a (near) perfect game to get a third straight win and, if Leonard plays at his absolute best, the Clippers should rightly expect to win.

Mike Budenholzer earned criticism for his work in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, as the Milwaukee Bucks flopped in a five-game loss to the Miami Heat. While at least some of the underwhelming performance can be attributed to the players (and plenty of credit belongs to what the Heat did to the Bucks), Budenholzer’s reputation proceeded him as a coach hesitant, or sometimes unwilling, to make adjustments at the highest levels and, by the time Milwaukee made some changes after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury, it was simply too little, too late for the Bucks to make it a series.

As Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals looms on Tuesday evening, the Boston Celtics are in an interesting position, with five games of tape on how the Miami Heat were able to upend the top-seeded Bucks. To be fair, the Celtics had their hands full in a seven-game battle against the Toronto Raptors but, with a schedule that included a brief hiatus between series, Boston had time to regain their legs and dive into some of the high-level strategic analysis needed to attack a top-flight coach in Erik Spoelstra.

While much of the attention paid to Budenholzer’s showing in the last round centered on the limited deployment of his best players, one significant criticism was Milwaukee’s inability to make adjustments on either end. The Bucks laid back in their conservative defensive scheme, failing to attack the Heat with consistent ball pressure until very late, and the results didn’t swing their way in the fashion that led to Milwaukee’s No. 1 defensive rating in the regular season. That was, in many ways, predictable, but it was actually the other end of the floor that arguably led to Milwaukee’s downfall.

The Bucks simply didn’t score enough to beat the Heat, averaging only 1.06 points per possession over the course of five games. Again, some of that is tied to struggles of players like Eric Bledsoe but, in short, Milwaukee did not take full advantage of a Heat defense that, while solid, has some holes to exploit.

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are tremendous two-way players, operating at a star level on offense and performing well in both individual and team concepts on defense. From there, Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala are strong veteran defenders, with experience at the highest levels and the ability to function in various matchups over the course of an extended series. However, Miami wasn’t quite as dominant defensively during the regular season, ranking ninth in the NBA in defensive rating, as one might think, and a look at the team’s rotation reveals some tangible concerns.

Late in the conference semifinals, the Bucks (finally) elected to let Khris Middleton hunt favorable matchups, and the All-Star wing averaged 29.5 points per game in the final two contests. Milwaukee arguably didn’t do it enough but, when they did, it was tough to ignore, and the Heat have some potentially flammable defensive lineups.

For example, Duncan Robinson enjoyed a breakout season, knocking down a mesmerizing 44.6 percent of his three-point attempts while getting up almost 14 per 100 possessions. He is one of the best shooters in the NBA and, when he’s cooking, the opposition is almost powerless to stop him. However, one of the adjustments the Bucks did make in the last round was keying on Robinson, culminating in Game 5 when Robinson played fewer than 14 total minutes. While Robinson’s gravity still aids Miami’s offense even when he’s not firing away, his defense is a potential question, and he isn’t alone among Miami’s perimeter players.

The Heat were actually outscored by 5.8 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor against Milwaukee. The sample size of 136 minutes is relatively small but, on the defensive end, Miami was torched to the tune of 117.6 points per 100 possessions. That figure is hideous under any construct, but it is something that the Celtics can aim for again, using their cavalcade of wing options to attack Robinson. To be fair, the former Michigan sharpshooter isn’t a completely hapless defender but, much like one of his well-chronicled archetypes in Kyle Korver, there are certain danger matchups for Robinson, and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, with their ability to isolate, would qualify.

Elsewhere, the Heat deploy the likes of Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Goran Dragic on the perimeter, all of which could be targeted by Boston. Herro is feisty and athletic but, as a rookie, he can be hunted and, for all of his offensive promise, he is still a 6’5 combo guard with limited length and physicality. Nunn may be out of the rotation at times, as evidenced by only 67 minutes in the last round, but he isn’t a fantastic defender either, and the Heat may lean on other more capable options against a Boston team that gives you nowhere to hide.

As for Dragic, Miami’s veteran point guard has found rejuvenation to this point in the playoffs, averaging 21.1 points and 4.7 assists per contest in the first two rounds. By any standard, Dragic has been fantastic offensively and he, along with Butler and Adebayo, is the biggest reason for Miami’s offensive jump when compared to the regular season. Still, Dragic has never been an excellent defender, and he is limited in size, physicality and on-ball tenacity.

There are varied ways for the Celtics to attack Miami’s perimeter deficiencies on defense, and Brad Stevens would appear to be a more likely candidate to exercise them than Budenholzer proved to be. Can Dragic hold up on Kemba Walker over the course of a full series? That remains to be seen. Can Herro, Robinson and/or Nunn avoid being hunted by the likes of Tatum and Brown? Quite honestly, even Marcus Smart might have the edge against any of Miami’s quartet of offense-leaning players, especially given his brute force and aggressiveness.

To be fair, the Heat can (and will) field lineups with only one shaky defender, surrounding Dragic (or Herro or Robinson) with Butler, Adebayo, Crowder and Iguodala. That is a five-man unit that can hang with anyone defensively, as the problems don’t begin to mount until you have more than one defensive hole.

As the series persists, Spoelstra’s goal must be to find a way to succeed defensively while keeping his offensive firepower on the floor. On the other side, Stevens must attempt to force Spoelstra to take his offensive weapons off the floor, taking advantage of the fact that Boston’s best offensive lineups also feature limited places for the opposition to attack on the other end.

Robinson, Herro and especially Dragic are capable of being so good on offense that it (almost) doesn’t matter how the other end of the floor unfolds. Still, the Celtics will likely attempt to bet against that reality and, if nothing else, Miami’s non-Butler perimeter options will need to prove they can hold up defensively, or risk being marginalized over the course of what could be a lengthy series.

Travis Scott has always encouraged his fans to rage, but it looks like he wants to channel that energy in a new direction. In The Face magazine’s new profile of the Houston rapper, he acknowledges that “we got a voice to try to make change,” although he admits he might not quite know how. To that end, he says, “We want to try to make sure they understand that I’m a tool. Allow me to help in any way. Let me know where we got to go show up. It’s a big picture. It’s like a lot of groundwork we got to do.”

He continues, “You’re trying to get to a point where people are finally seeing the oppression that’s been happening and overlooked, and that we, as a culture, have been fighting through every day. I mean, look how many leaders we have in the Black community.” He says he wants to eventually be one, but first he needs a direction.

Whenever Travis does step into the mantle of leader of the people, his outsized influence may be a huge driver for social change. After all, his collabrative merch with McDonald’s has sold out within days, despite consisting of some of the weirdest items around. That’s a big platform and maybe, like Cardi B, he’ll find ways to utilize it to encourage people to push for progress.

Read the full profile of Travis Scott here.

Sufjan Stevens has offered multiple previews of his upcoming album The Ascension, and a lot of them have been lengthier than your average song. Now he’s back at it again with “Sugar,” a new seven-minute epic.

The single begins with a few minutes of instrumental melancholic electronica before Stevens sings, “Come on baby, cut me some slack / Now that it’s a quarter to 10 / Come on baby, give me some sugar.” The video features a shortened version of the track, and it shows a family dealing with a home in disarray.

Stevens says of the track:

“‘Sugar’ is ultimately about the desire for goodness and purity (and true sustenance). On the surface the song is just a string of clichés, but the message is imperative: now is the time to gather what is good and pure and valuable and make it your own, and share it with others. Feed your soul and speak new life into those around you. Give each other love, respect and sacrifice. Relinquish all the old habits, all the old ways of thinking and doing, all former practices — ‘business as usual’ — and bring new life to the world. This is our calling.”

Stevens also previously said of the album as a whole, “My objective for this album was simple: Interrogate the world around you. Question anything that doesn’t hold water. Exterminate all bullsh*t. Be part of the solution or get out of the way. Keep it real. Keep it true. Keep it simple. Keep it moving.”

Watch the “Sugar” video above, and listen to the full-length song below.

The Ascension is out 9/25 via Asthmatic Kitty Records. Pre-order it here.

This is the way, I mean, this is the trailer for The Mandalorian season two.

Our first look at the sophomore season for the hit Disney+ series is full of Baby Yoda, as it should be, but let’s take a moment to also appreciate the Tusken Raider sitting atop the Bantha, the throat singing, the X-wings, the alien space-wrestling, Din Djarin/Mando using a jetpack to escape Stormtroopers (he flies now?!?), and “the songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi.”

Which brings us back to Baby Yoda. “You expect me to search the galaxy and deliver this creature to a race of enemy sorcerers?” Mando asks the Armorer. “This is the way,” she responds. It’s the first step (well, second step after rescuing the Child from Evil Herzog) towards Yoda stealing Luke’s dinner centuries later. That’s history in the making.

Here’s more.

The Mandalorian and the Child continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire. The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Directors for the new season include Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Carl Weathers, Peyton Reed and Robert Rodriguez.

The Mandalorian returns on October 30.

Dave Chappelle is one of America’s funniest people, so naturally, he made his television debut on America’s Funniest People.

The comedy series, which was basically America’s Funniest Home Videos but with more joke telling and less people falling off lawnmowers into pools, was hosted by a different member of the Full House cast, Dave Coulier, as well as Arleen Sorkin, the voice of Harley Quinn from Batman: The Animated Series. There’s conflicting information online about when the first episode aired, but it was definitely in September 1990, making this month the 30th anniversary of Dave Chappelle telling his first joke on television.

Chappelle appears 19 minutes into the pilot episode. Standing in front of a brick wall and dumpster, the Chappelle’s Show creator cracks, “This is my impression of Batman fighting crime in my neighborhood. ‘Robin.’ ‘Yes, Batman.’ ‘Didn’t we park the car right here? I swear it was here a minute ago.’” He then slaps his legs like a sting. Even in the early days, he was telling race-based jokes. Dave Coulier-approved race-based jokes.

I’m certain America’s Funniest People was canceled after four seasons, compared to 30 seasons (!) of America’s Funniest Home Videos, because the set caused permanent eye damage to anyone who tuned in. Anyway, that Batman joke was Chappelle’s creative peak. Not Chappelle’s Show, not the standup specials, not Half Baked, not winning a Mark Twain Prize, but the Batman joke. Go to 19:10 in the video below to see Chappelle.

(Via Reddit)

After releasing two advance singles, Atlanta (by way of Austin and LA) band Mamalarky have announced their debut self-titled album. Across ten tracks, the quartet deliver blissed out fuzzy indie-pop tracks that are nostalgic for a simpler time. They are a band that emanates cool factor, with technically impressive instrumentation and a rhythm section that serves as an anchor beneath flowing synth lines and buzzy guitars. The latest single “Schism Trek” is another indication that Mamalarky is definitely not a record to sleep on as the leaves turn and fall sets in.

Ahead of the new album, the band sat down to talk wearing suits on stage, cute pigs, and the space-time continuum in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

fuzzy gooey cookie melt.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Like a dream sequence in the movies where there’s a harp playing and the screen gets blurry before it takes you to the dream, where we’re all wearing suits and playing the album to you from a cloud. that would be ideal for us, please.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Atlanta, it’s so beautiful and it was the best crowd we’ve ever had. The bands were all really great and nobody had their arms crossed.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Each of my bandmates!

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Noor makes ridiculous sweet potato sandwiches and they’re some of the best things to have after a long drive. I miss those tour sammys.

What album do you know every word to?

The new Orion Sun album, Hold Space For Me.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Palm Sunday at 529 blew us away, please check her out, her voice is otherworldly. It was a solo set too! Nothing could have prepared us for the real-life angel that took the stage that night.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Any two-piece suit kind of deal. It saves time to throw on the same two things before you play every night and feel somewhat presentable without having to think about it.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

@Cutest.Pigs on Instagram is our biggest influence.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney, we have harmonies all figured out it’s a production.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

How many table spoons are in a quarter cup. Dylan was makin’ braised beets at work and yeah they were f*cking good.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

The absolute perfect album to gift is the Spanish ABBA album, Oro. Noor has given it to many people and it’s never disappointed.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

We stayed at a Mormon farm once in Taylor Arizona. We didn’t know beforehand and it was kind of intimidating but they were a really sweet family and they had newborn puppies to play with and fresh out of the oven apple pies for us upon arrival. For breakfast, they had fresh milk and made us spiced peaches and hard boiled fresh eggs that Dylan collected in the morning with their son Mordecai. It was all there.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I would say my favorite tattoo is my magnolia seed pod, I always gravitated towards them as a kid and now they remind me of home so I’m happy to carry that with me now

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Noor and Michael helped Livvy in the Texas summer heat when my old car broke down just last week. Definitely one of the nicest things I’ve experienced, both their energies are grounding and sweet in those kinds of moments. I really like this question it made me think of good memories!

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Don’t listen to anything I say or it’ll disrupt the space-time continuum.

What’s the last show you went to?

It was actually Mamalarky’s last pre-corona set at Bootleg Theatre in LA. Check out Eyeshadow, they were amazing that night.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Ratatouille is America’s finest film.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

We’d prepare our previously mentioned famous sweet potato sandwiches and then find some way to start a pointed dinner conversation about deportation.

Mamalarky is out November 20 on Fire Talk. Pre-order it here.

Billie Eilish works closely with her brother Finneas on her music, and he has been generous with insider info about how work on her upcoming material is coming along. Nearly a year ago, he shared that he and his sister were “deep into the creative process on new material,” and they seem to still be on that track now. In fact, Finneas is discussing when the project might be released.

In an interview with Australia’s Herald Sun, Finneas said he doesn’t want Eilish upcoming album, or his own, to come out during the pandemic: “Billie’s album, and my album, they won’t be a bummer COVID record. I have a desperate desire not to release them during COVID-19. It’s the vaccine record! I want it to be the album everyone’s out dancing in the streets to.”

Discussing working from his newly-bought LA-area home, Finneas said, “Billie and I are full steam ahead on her next record. I’m working on my own album, too. I haven’t suffered at all because of my set-up. Billie and I can work one-on-one, and I’m working remotely with other artists who FaceTime me and ask if I want to work on a song.”

He also addressed musicians speaking politically, saying, “The argument in America that entertainers should stay out of politics died when an entertainer became president. You can be a Trump supporter and listen to my music I guess, but if you’re following me on Instagram you’re probably not going to like what you see.”

Read the full feature here.

Last night, Kanye West took to Twitter to express discontent with his current contract situation, proclaiming, “I’m not putting no more music out till I’m done with my contract with Sony and Universal.” He has apparently done some more thinking since then, and he appears to be exploring potential ways to get out of his contract.

It looks like Kanye is considering taking legal action against the labels. He shared a screenshot of a text conversation with an unidentified other person, presumably a lawyer or at least somebody with intimate knowledge of Kanye’s contract situation. Sharing the image, Kanye wrote, “No one from Universal or Sony has responded so it’s Go time.”

The other person wrote in their texts:

“Meaning that we can argue that Universal and Sony have not supported you fully. And that as a result they have breached. This is the lawsuit/termination nuclear option.

If we went that route we would litigate and ask for your masters as part of a settlement. This is a high risk but high reward strategy.

Re masters ownership we can look into buying. But if Taylor’s cost $300 million yours would cost a lot more I assume. Remember that if you re-recorded these songs you could own these new masters outright.

A much more radical consideration would be to propose an entirely new relationship or joint venture with Universal. One this is equal and not one sided. I am not sure you are interested in that. But if could be a Yeezy Media/Universal joint venture play but one where you have the power.”

To that, Kanye responded, “I’m not open to any form of business with Universal or Sony.”

Now, it remains to be seen whether or not Kanye will take any of the steps outlined, or if he’ll actually get apologies from Drake and J. Cole.

Unlike Daniel Radcliffe, who criticized J.K. Rowling’s misinformed anti-trans remarks, another Harry Potter actor has unfortunately come to the author’s defense.

Robbie Coltrane, who played Rubeus Hagrid in all eight films of the series, told the Radio Times, “I don’t think what she said was offensive really.” Rowling made a terrible joke about trans people and later tweeted, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.” Her new book also has an anti-trans plot. So, what were you saying about Rowling not being “offensive,” Hagrid?

Coltrane continued:

“I don’t know why but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. They wouldn’t have won the war, would they? That’s me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, ‘Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight and carry on.’”

Coltrane, 70, stopped there, not because he realized he was reaching peak Old Man Yells at Cloud with His Backwards-Ass Opinion and wanted to change his ways, but because, “I don’t want to get involved in all of that because of all the hate mail and all that sh*t, which I don’t need at my time of life.”

You know who else doesn’t want to deal with “all that sh*t” from Rowling? Trans people.

(Via the Huffington Post)