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Trae Young had his worst shooting performance of the postseason in Game 7 of the conference semifinals against the Sixers, but it didn’t matter as the Hawks still pulled out a victory to reach the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks. In Game 1 in Milwaukee, Young shook off that Game 7 shooting night to light up the Bucks, scoring 37 points in the first three quarters of the game, absolutely taking over in the third to lead the Hawks from a five-point deficit at the half to a three-point lead going to the fourth.

Not only was Young scoring — something he did in the first half as well with 25 points — but he was starting to get his teammates involved and that is a combination that makes the Hawks nearly unstoppable. The Bucks seemed content to let Young shoot early in the game, but he also started to break down their defense and get everyone else involved in the third, which led to a 34-point explosion for Atlanta.

It was a quarter that will live on the Young highlight reel for a long time, as he broke out two plays you’d expect to see more on the And-1 Mixtape Tour than the Eastern Conference Finals. First, he tossed an off-the-backboard lob in a halfcourt set to John Collins that was absolutely ludicrous.

Former Hawk Kent Bazemore offered some insight that he’d seen them do that in practice but had told them it’d never work in a game.

After that, Young shook free of Jrue Holiday on a screen and found himself uncovered at the three-point line and couldn’t help but offer a full shimmy before lining up the shot and knocking it down.

That’s a move that requires supreme confidence and the knowledge that missing it there will get you on Shaqtin A Fool and lit up by the opposing crowd, but he drilled it and it became a second incredible highlight in as many minutes. After those two plays from Young, LeBron James was beside himself on Twitter.

It was truly an exceptional sequence from Young and one that shows why he has become one of the game’s great players (and heels).

Time was the GOP would sing the praises of the U.S. military — or at least use them as a cudgel with which to beat Democrats. Those days, apparently, are over. Donald Trump made anyone fair game, and his minions have no trouble throwing soldiers — who the former president reportedly once called “losers and suckers” — under the bus. So when Matt Gaetz dared attack a decorated general, people weren’t having it.

Earlier Wednesday, Gaetz made waves when he got owned by General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, after claiming teaching Critical Race Theory — or the idea that the nation has deeply racist roots, which is undeniable — is somehow making soldiers “woke.” Milley responded that teaching it is a good thing, and that he found Gaetz’s accusation “personally offensive.” The congressman’s petulant response quickly became a social media meme, and rightly so.

Gaetz didn’t raise his voice to the general. But later, in safety on Twitter, he blasted Milley, writing, “With Generals like this it’s no wonder we’ve fought considerably more wars than we’ve won.”

A guy who’s never served who has mounting legal debt and ties to a sex trafficking ring talking down to a respected military leader? It didn’t go over so well. There were many parts of Gaetz’s personal life to dredge up, and some went for his DUIs.

Others chose his more recent legal woes.

Or his lack of military service.

Or his lack of military service and his more recent legal woes.

Some intimated that he might be a coward.

Others saw him as emblematic of the new GOP.

Anyway, next time Republicans try to hector Democrats for insufficient patriotism, show them Matt Gaetz’s tweet. Perhaps by then he’ll already be in jail.

On Wednesday, the music world turned their attention to the latest hearing in Britney Spears’ conservatorship trial, where the pop sensation pled for her freedom, asking a judge to terminate the court-ordered arrangement. “I am traumatized. I’m not happy, I can’t sleep. I’m so angry I’m insane,” she told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny. “It’s my wish and my dream for this to end.” Britney also detailed how restrictive the conservatorship has become on her life.

“All I want is to own my money … and for this to end … and for my boyfriend to be able to fucking drive me in his car,” she added. “And honestly … I want to be able to sue my family … I have an IUD in my body right now that won’t let me have a baby and my conservators won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out. I wanna be able to get married and have a baby.”

After hearing the singer speak, a number of acts from the music world hopped on Twitter to express their support for Britney. In a pair of tweets, Halsey wrote, “I admire her courage speaking up for herself today.” Mariah Carey chimed in with her own words of encouragement, writing, “We love you Britney!!! Stay strong [heart emojis].”

You can read more tweets in support of Britney from the music world below.

Cher is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In the last few months, a new side of Brian Williams has emerged — still calm and collected and professional, but also clearly angrier, awfully close to Done With It. The MSNBC anchor is no longer mincing words when it comes to the Trumpists who remain in power, from zinging Ron Johnson to christening Ted Cruz “Kremlin Cruz.” On Tuesday night, he came for Greg Abbott, and for good reason: The Texas Governor had just vetoed a bill meant to protect dogs.

Williams ended the night’s episode of The 11th Hour by slamming all those, like Abbott, who aspire to Trump status. “You can gaslight with the best of them, you can lie with impunity,” Williams said. “Generally the rule is: Say or do the most shocking thing imaginable, and that’s how you stay on brand.”

He then zeroed in on Abbott, who on Friday nixed a bipartisan bill known as The Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, which would have made it illegal to chain up dogs without leaving them without drinkable water, adequate shade or shelter. Abbott’s reasoning? He said that “Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization.”

The move led to a hashtag “AbbottHatesDogs.”

Williams theorized why: He was kissing up to noted dog-hater Donald J. Trump, whom he clearly idolizes. And he had a hilariously crude-yet-articulate way of taking him to the woodshed.

“His state doesn’t have a dependable power grid, and yet he’s going to build his own wall on the border. And he’s being richly rewarded by a visit from his guy, Trump, next week,” Williams told his audience. “If Abbott wants to, say, run for President, he must be more further ensconced in a particular area of Trump’s anatomy than even Ron DeSantis of Florida. And that won’t be easy.”

Williams wasn’t done. He claimed the “pretend outrage over Critical Race Theory helps Abbott.” Ditto the “voter suppression bill he’s working hard to enact.” Ditto the “constitutional carry” bill, or as Williams witheringly dubbed it, the “guns-for-everyone legislation.”

“Remember the rules: When you’re trying to appeal to that Trump base, nothing can be shocking or outrageous enough,” Williams concluded. “Because Abbott figures apparently dogs can’t vote. And really, what have dogs ever done for us?”

Of course, dog lovers vote, too, as well as people who just don’t like animals suffering.

You can watch the segment in the video above.

Ahead of the Olympics, USA Basketball will group some of the league’s best young players together on the Select team to workout and scrimmage against the Team USA roster that will go to Tokyo (that was finalized on Wednesday). While Gregg Popovich is at the helm of the main roster, the Select squad will be coached up by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in his first role with USA Basketball.

“I really just want to be a part of the program,” Spoelstra told the Associated Press. “I’m always pushing myself to get better in the offseasons; I go visit people and all that stuff. This is going to be a basketball immersion. I mean, the dinners, the team meetings … for where I am right now in my career, I think this is the perfect thing for a summer of development.”

The Select roster has yet to be fully determined. So far, the only two players confirmed are Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Cavs guard Darius Garland. For them, it’s a win to get to work with a coach as good as Spoelstra for a stretch while getting to play five-on-five against some of the best players in the world. In 2019, the roster included players like Suns forward Mikal Bridges, Hawks forward John Collins, Hawks guard Trae Young and Kings guard De’Aron Fox.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Villanova head coach Jay Wright and former Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce are the three assistants going with USA head coach Gregg Popovich to Tokyo, while Spoelstra will not. But it’s notable for longterm USA Basketball planning that Spoelstra, one of the country’s best basketball minds, is joining the program for the first time. Maybe Kerr or Wright will succeed Popovich for the next Olympic cycle, but perhaps Spoelstra is now on the path to one day get the job.

Blink-182 fans were hit with sad news Wednesday: Vocalist and bassist Mark Hoppus revealed he has cancer in a post to his Instagram Story. “For the past three months I’ve been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer,” he wrote. “It sucks and I’m scared, and at the same time I’m blessed with incredible doctors and family and friends to get me through this.”

He added, “I still have months of treatment ahead of me but I’m trying to remain hopeful and positive.” In a second photo he shared, Hoppus could be seen sitting at the doctor’s office with what appears to be an IV in his left arm, a PlayStation 5 controller near his left hand. He captioned the photo, “Yes hello. One cancer treatment, please.” Hoppus, who is only 49 years old, has yet to reveal what kind of cancer he has and what stage it’s in.

The news comes months after Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker confirmed the band would release an album at some point in 2021. He teased features from Lil Uzi Vert, Grimes, and Pharrell on the new project, which would be their first full-length release since 2019’s Nails. Get well, Mark.

You can view screenshots of Hoppus’ Instagram posts above.

Jerry Seinfeld never needs to do anything else. He made Seinfeld. He’s good. And to be fair, he’s basically never attempted a proper Seinfeld follow-up. Instead he does small things. He still does stand-up. He’ll do fun, lightweight shows, like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. He’s done one big movie, 2007’s Bee Movie, but that’s it. And now, 15 years later, he’s finally about to make another film. And it’s about pastry.

According to Deadline, the legendary performer has signed with Netflix to star in Unfrosted, which he co-wrote and will direct as well as produce. What is Unfrosted? It’s about the creation of the Pop-Tart, the sugary toaster favorite first introduced by the Kellogg Company in 1964. Is there even a thrilling (or at least funny) story there? Apparently, or Jerry Seinfeld wouldn’t have convinced the streaming giant to fund it.

A couple things, though. One: Seinfeld, as proven by the show that bears his name, is a master of making the mundane hilarious. If he can milk a half-hour of first-rate comedy about people waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, surely he can make gold out of those calorie breakfast bombs kids eat before they learn the joys of dry multigrain toast. (Besides, there’s already Eva Longoria’s forthcoming Flamin’ Hot Cheetos movie, so foodstuff origin stories are clearly having a moment.)

Two: Seinfeld already turned Pop-Tarts into a bit in his 2020 Netflix stand-up special 23 Hours to Kill. This is an expansion on that, and one that was borne out of his experiences waiting out the pandemic. “Stuck at home watching endless sad faces on TV, I thought this would be a good time to make something based on pure silliness,” Seinfeld told Deadline. “So we took my Pop-Tart stand-up bit from my last Netflix special and exploded it into a giant, crazy comedy movie.”

The story goes that William Shakespeare wrote King Lear while quarantining during a plague. Many artists made their own King Lears during our era’s own pandemic, and for Jerry Seinfeld, his King Lear is about Pop-Tarts.

In the meantime, you can watch Seinfeld break down his Pop-Tart stand-up bit for The New York Times in the video below.

(Via Deadline)

There’s a reason there are more breweries in Köln, Germany than in any other city in the world. This is the city where Kölsch beer originated. The light lager is so revered that legally no brewer more than thirty miles outside the city is allowed to even use the name.

This pale, subtly hoppy, crisp, and highly refreshing beer is perfectly suited for summer sipping, especially since the beers are traditionally served in small six-ounce glasses (called a “stange,” locally). Flavorwise, this beer falls about halfway between the light, pale lagers of the macro-brewing world and the heftier pilsners of Czech and Bavarian beer gardens. Regardless of whether you’re drinking one brewed in Köln or an American craft Kölsch-style brew, after one sip this beer will become your go-to summer crusher.

To find the best options, we decided to ask the pros behind the bar for help. We tasked a handful of well-known bartenders with telling us their go-to Kölsch (and American Kölsch-style) beers to drink from now until the first leaves start to cascade down.

Inbound Laser Loon

Joe Harvey, lead bartender of Thr3 Jack in Minneapolis

ABV: 4.3%

Average Price: $9 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans

Why This Bottle?

For me, it has to be Inbound Brewing Company’s Laser Loon. Named after the Minnesota state bird, Laser Loon is one of the easiest drinking beers I’ve ever had. It’s refreshingly light and crisp with subtle notes of honey, malt, hops, and citrus.

Laser Loon’s approachability and good flavor make it the perfect Kölsch-style brew for any and every summertime activity.

Prost Kölsch

Jake Conover, general manager at Bruz Beers in Denver

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: $10 (six-pack)

Why This Beer?

I feel like every American craft brewer makes a Kölsch, but few make them well. I like Prost’s Kölsch because it’s crisp, refreshing, and highly drinkable on a hot day. I prefer to drink their Maibock in Spring, but I’ll crush a pint of their Kölsch all summer long.

Solemn Oath Lu

Kristan Arnold, bartender at Elgin Public House in Elgin, Illinois

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $11 (six-pack)

Why This Beer?

Solemn Oath Lu is a beautiful beer that to me is the definition of a Kölsch. It’s very well balanced with a slight hoppiness and sweetness. You’ll want to grab another. I always support local whenever possible and it helps when the local beer is this great.

Gaffel Kolsch

Austin Zimmer, bartender at Le Prive in New York City

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: $10 (four-pack)

Why This Beer?

Gaffel Kölsch — an original from Köln — is one of the best Kölsch beers you can enjoy during the summer months. I love the fruity smell and vibes. Also, it’s dry yet the wet finish and subtle aromas make it easy to drink with any food pairing.

Suarez Fine Line

Emily Lawson, bartender and owner of Foxhole Public House in Bentonville, Arkansas

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $16 (four-pack, 16-oz. cans)

Why This Beer?

Fine Line by Suarez Family Brewery is my go-to Kölsch-style beer for the humid summer months. It’s unfiltered, filled with bright, floral hops next to crisp, fruity flavors. This thirst-quenching beer is accentuated by its tangy, citrus finish.

Utepils Skölsch

Jeff Rogers, bar director of Jester Concepts in Minneapolis

ABV: 4.9%

Average Price: $9 (four-pack)

Why This Bottle?

Utepils Brewing Skölsch is a Kölsch made with a nod to our beloved and frustrating Minnesota Vikings. It’s a reference to the “Skol” chant we do during games. It is a very easy drinking, malty, slightly sweet, and slightly bitter yet crisp beer. We love summer here because we endured the winter, and this beer is perfect to celebrate all summer long.

Almanac True Kölsch

Stephen Sylvester, bar manager at Piccalilli in Culver City, California

ABV: 5%

Average Price: $14 (four-pack)

Why This Beer?

Almanac True Kölsch is crisp, light, and refreshing but still has a great body and mouthfeel. Kölsch is a classic German-style but this Americanized version is a wonderful homage and much easier to acquire in California. This is so solid that it’s one of our permanent taps.

Writer’s Pick:

Alaskan Kölsch

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $10 (six-pack)

Why This Beer?

We love this German-style Kölsch during the summer months. The lager is brewed using glacial water as well as a combination of Pacific Northwest and European hops combined with 2-row and specialty malts. It’s hoppy, crisp, and totally refreshing on a hot and humid summer day.

As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

The Celtics are in the process of finalizing a deal to bring Nets assistant (and former assistant with the Spurs and Sixers) Ime Udoka to Boston to be their next head coach after Brad Stevens moved into running the team’s front office. It is a move that didn’t surprise many as Udoka has been considered a future head coach in the NBA for a number of years now.

While not surprising, it is still good to see because there are not enough Black head coaches in the NBA as, prior to Udoka’s hiring, there were just seven Black head coaches. That the first of the seven current job openings went to a Black coach was a significant deal, but it was not an historic moment for the Celtics franchise that had the first Black head coach in league history when Bill Russell coached the team and won its most recent title with Doc Rivers at the helm of the franchise.

However, that didn’t stop ESPN’s Jay Williams from firing off this tweet that was later deleted on Wednesday morning.

Again, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate a young Black coach who has more than paid his dues getting a head coaching opportunity, but this was just flatly false. On Wednesday night, many hours later, Williams produced one of the all-time “I got hacked” excuses in Twitter apology history.

One of three things happened here: Williams is desperately trying to cover for an embarrassing tweet, Williams has someone who handles his social media who made a very embarrassing tweet and has since been dismissed, or there is the world’s weirdest Twitter hacker who is hacking into famous people’s accounts, not to post something crazy or vulgar, but just to fire off bad and wrong takes that are plausible enough to be real.

I will let you decide which of those seems most likely, but his excuse didn’t pass the smell test for anyone on Twitter.

5. He was almost a rabbit named Mr. Needlemouse.

According to Blake J. Harris’ book Console Wars, before settling on making Sonic a hedgehog, the protagonist of Sega’s work-in-progress was a rabbit able to pick up items with his ears named, yes, Mr. Needlemouse. The concept proved too hard for Sega to program with the current hardware, so they eventually decided to move onto something that could curl up into a ball, and thus Sonic was born.

4. He was influenced by quite the cast of characters.

It might not come as a huge surprise that Sonic‘s artist, Naoto Ohshima, borrowed from Mickey Mouse and Felix the Cat’s designs to create a character that would appeal to children, Western audiences, and have some serious mascot power — something Sega needed. You can pretty clearly see the influence in Sonic’s head, which resembles Felix’s, and in his Mickey Mouse-like body. However, the rest of Sonic’s influences are pretty absurd. According to an article published in Retro Gamer back in 2003, his “can-do attitude” was inspired by former-president Bill Clinton, while his style was pulled from Michael Jackson’s “Bad” music video. Lastly, Ohshima used Santa Claus’ red and white coloring for greater familiarity with youngsters.

3. Dr. Eggman was originally supposed to be a hero.

The earliest sketches of Dr. Robotnik aka Dr. Eggman depict him as a caricature of former-president Theodore Roosevelt in pajamas. In the Sonic Bible, an internal document created by Sega in 1991, it was revealed the studio intended to make him a hero and friend of Sonic’s named Dr. Kintobar who, through an unfortunate experiment with some Chaos Emeralds and an egg, turned into the notorious Dr. Eggman.

2. Sonic’s scrapped backstory is WILD.

In the non-fiction novel Console Wars, Sega shared with author Harris their intention to create a “cool and edgy” character to help keep Sega popular. Keeping in line with that mission, Sonic’s original backstory was a bit intense. Sonic was originally intended to be the leader of a rock band featuring a parakeet, monkey, rabbit, crocodile, and… breakdancer? In addition, he also had a human, Jessica Rabbit-esque girlfriend named Madonna. In an article with Famitsu, Ohshima said some elements of Madonna were passed onto none other than Sonic character Amy Rose.

1. He’s a bigger deal than most folks realize.

While Mario might forever hold the title as the most iconic character in gaming, Sonic isn’t that far behind. According to an archived 1UP article, in 1992, more children ages 6 to 11 were able to recognize Sonic than Mickey Mouse. In 1993, Sonic became the first video game character to have a balloon float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.