Tuesday night could have seen 11 of the 12 playoff spots secured, but the Mavs and Knicks failing to win left things still open in both the East and West with just a few days left in the regular season. The only team that locked themselves into the postseason on Tuesday was the Miami Heat, who took down the Celtics to ensure a top-6 seed and move into a tie with the Hawks and Knicks, who lost to the Lakers, at 38-31.
That sets up some more playoff clinching scenario drama for Wednesday night, with four teams with the chance to lock themselves into the playoffs and set all 12 spots.
Atlanta Hawks: Clinch with a WIN over Washington OR a Celtics LOSS to Cleveland
New York Knicks: Clinch with a Celtics LOSS to Cleveland
Dallas Mavericks: Clinch with a WIN over New Orleans AND a Lakers LOSS to Houston
Portland Trail Blazers: Clinch with a WIN over Utah AND a Lakers LOSS to Houston
Given that LeBron James is returning for L.A. against the woeful Rockets, the Mavs and Blazers seem unlikely to clinch, but they both need wins to stay a game ahead of the Lakers.
There are also two teams that can guarantee themselves play-in spots with wins.
Washington Wizards: Clinch play-in spot with a WIN over Atlanta
San Antonio Spurs: Clinch play-in spot with a WIN over Brooklyn
A Wizards win would eliminate the Bulls from the play-in, while a Spurs win would eliminate the Kings and Pelicans (New Orleans also is eliminated by a loss to Dallas). On top of that, there is some seeding drama at play.
In the West:
Blazers and Mavericks, currently tied for fifth with Portland owning the head-to-head tiebreaker, can remain tied with two wins, or see either team move one game clear of the other with a win and a loss.
Lakers can move into a three-way tie for 5th with a win over Houston and losses by both Dallas and Portland, which would move Dallas to 5th, Portland to 6th, and the Lakers still in 7th by way of tiebreakers (Dallas divisional winner, Portland H2H with L.A.).
Lakers can move into a tie for 6th with Dallas or Portland should they beat Houston and one of the Blazers or Mavs lose. They would remain in 7th due to H2H tiebreakers with either.
In the East:
A Nets loss guarantees the Sixers the 1-seed in the East.
A Hawks win moves them into 4th, a half-game ahead of the Knicks and Heat.
A Hawks loss moves them to 6th, a half-game behind the Knicks and Heat.
When J. Cole popped up on the LA Leakers radio show to promote his new album The Off-Season with a fiery freestyle, fans were mostly impressed by his polished flow and clever punchlines. However, one line, in particular, seems to have captured much of the attention, eliciting a wide range of reactions.
After switching the beat from Souls Of Mischief’s mid-’90s standard “93 Til Infinity” to Mike Jones’s 2005 game-changer “Still Tippin,” Cole adopts a breathless, machine-gun cadence and after picking up some steam, barks this line: “No Bill Cosby sh*t, if they’re sleeping then f*ck em.” The double entendre sent fans swarming to Twitter to post their impressions and while some were impressed, others thought the bar was in poor taste. “Bill Cosby” entered Twitter’s top ten trending topics within an hour of the freestyle dropping as fans debated whether the line was an example of dazzling wordplay or deplorable rape culture (or perhaps a little of both).
That Bill Cosby line by J Cole might legit be the hardest line of 2021 & the year isn’t over yet. pic.twitter.com/ORiNTcb3t3
J. Cole said “ain’t got no time or no patience for lists they be making or who they debating is better, let’s face he’s one of the greatest no Bill Cosby shit but if niggas is sleeping then fuck em” .
If nothing else, the freestyle certainly did its job: Generating buzz for Cole’s upcoming album. The rollout for The Off-Season, which is due this Friday, May 14, has included a Slam cover, a documentary, and even the announcement that the North Carolina rapper was set to play pro basketball in Africa. However the album is received by fans, its release week will be one of hip-hop’s most memorable for long, long time.
Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox’s relationship recently made headlines when the musician revealed he walks around sporting a necklace filled with Fox’s blood. Fox had previously categorized the “intensity” of their relationship as “like being in love with a tsunami or a forest fire,” which apparently means it’s going well. Recently, Kelly credited the success of his relationship to an unlikely source — Bernie Sanders.
Kelly sat down for a conversation on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week where he talked about his romance with Fox. He described how Fox jetted off to Bulgaria at the onset of their relationship (hence leaving him with the blood necklace) and the musician desperately wanted to visit her. The problem was that he didn’t have a passport. However, Sanders’ team reportedly came to the rescue, securing Kelly’s passport and ultimately helping the two carry on with their “powerful” romance:
“She was actually going out of town to film a movie, this was really early in our relationship. I didn’t have a passport either, so she was going out to Bulgaria. I was kind of freaking out like, ‘Oh, you’re going to leave and I can’t even come see you.’ Some people give a handkerchief to their partner — she gave me her DNA. […] You know who helped me get a passport? Bernie Sanders. I haven’t even talked to him since this happened. Thank you to the Bernie Sanders team for that. I made it to Bulgaria and the relationship is going strong, so thank you so much.”
You might not realize it because all everyone seems to want to talk about is hard seltzer, but we’re in the midst of a canned cocktail boom. For fans of hard alcohol-based beverages that don’t taste like fizzy, fruity water, this is a pretty good thing. Brands are popping up with craft canned, ready-to-drink margaritas, gin and tonics, old fashioneds, and whiskey sours from coast to coast.
While there are now countless brands on the market, not all are well-suited for spring drinking. So today we decided to highlight eight of the freshest, most thirst-quenching, seasonally appropriate canned cocktails out there for your first post-vaccine parties and kickbacks.
Check them all out below. Then crack one open and enjoy the sunshine.
When it comes to CanBee Bee’s Knees, simplicity is the name of the game. A sweeter take on the classic gin and tonic, this 8% ABV canned cocktail is made with lemon, honey, and floral gin.
On top of being a delicious, seasonally appropriate cocktail, a portion of the product’s sales go to bee conservancies throughout the globe as well as locally.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, there’s a distinct aroma of clover honey, bright citrus, and floral, fragrant juniper. Take a sip and you’ll be treated to flavors that match the aroma. It’s filled with honey sweetness, fresh lemon flavor, and a nice hit of gin. It all ends with a pleasantly sweet, fruity, citrus finish.
Bottom Line:
One of the coolest things about this canned cocktail is the fact that it was actually founded by beekeepers. After taking a sip, it’s safe to say they know just as much about cocktails as they do about bees.
Illinois’ Two Brothers is well-known for its beer. But, on top of brewing, it also distills spirits. Recently it joined in on the canned cocktail bonanza by releasing the vodka-based Aloha Punch, rum-centric Mojito, vodka-based Moscow Mule, and Meyer Lemon Vodka Soda (among others). The latter is highly crushable (at a sessionable 5% ABV) and is made with 100% handcrafted vodka along with soda water and Meyer lemons.
Tasting Notes:
Take a moment to nose this cocktail and you’ll immediately be struck by the pronounced lemon aroma. This is definitely a summer sipper for fans of citrus as the flavor is all lemon zest, lime, and nice, effervescent, crisp bubbles. All in all, a very refreshing, light way to enjoy a vodka soda without mixing one up yourself.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a hard seltzer fan and you want to get into canned cocktails, light, refreshing drinks like Two Brothers Meyer Lemon Vodka Soda are the way to go. Use this as a bridge to work your way up to bolder, more ABV-heavy drinks.
This gluten-free canned cocktail is created and canned in Jalisco, Mexico. If you know anything about alcohol, you know this is the center of the tequila world. This 8% pre-mixed cocktail contains premium tequila, grapefruit, and lime. It’s zesty, tart, and refreshing.
Tasting Notes:
On top of simply featuring really cool can art, this cocktail is fragrant with the scents of tart grapefruit, roasted agave, and bright lime being at the forefront. The flavor is classic paloma, with ripe, tangy grapefruit taking center stage along with subtle vegetal sweetness, and other citrus flavors swirling throughout.
Bottom Line:
While preparing a homemade paloma isn’t rocket science, cracking one open is even easier. That’s why we prefer this authentic, highly drinkable offering when we’re on the go.
If you’ve followed the canned cocktail explosion, you’d definitely heard about Cutwater. Though some of their offerings veer sugary, this gin & tonic is incredibly solid. Cutwater’s g & t begins with its own award-winning, piney, and juniper-filled gin. It’s blended with a grapefruit cucumber tonic to create a supremely refreshing spring (and summer) drink.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, this drink is loaded with scents of fresh cucumber, citrus peels, pine trees, and fragrant juniper. The palate is a ramped-up gin and tonic with flavors of a floral gin, cucumber, and bright lime. It ends with a nice, crisp, highly drinkable finish.
Bottom Line:
If you ever thought about buying a canned cocktail from Cutwater, make it its Gin & Tonic. It’s flavorful but light enough to not be overpowering.
Dogfish Head is a craft beer pioneer. In recent years, the Delaware-based brand decided to branch out into spirits and more recently into canned cocktails. Its Cherry Bergamot Whiskey Sour is its fancier, sweet, “off-centered” take on the classic cocktail. Made distilling its malt whiskey with sour cherries, and Bergamot oranges before blending it all with its in-house sour mix.
Tasting Notes:
Before sipping, breathe in the aromas of this complex canned cocktail. You’ll be met with notes of charred oak, caramelized sugar, dried cherries, and bright citrus. Sipping this drink reveals notes of vanilla beans, sour cherries, lemon zest, and ripe oranges. It all ends with a nice mixture of caramel sweetness, cherries, and citrus.
Bottom Line:
A poorly made whiskey sour can be overly tangy, falsely sour, and cloyingly sweet. This premixed drink is subtly sweet, filled with fresh citrus flavor, and perfectly tart.
When it comes to fresh, spring cocktails, it’s hard to beat the classic whisky highball. And if anyone knows a thing or two about this iconic drink, it’s the Japanese. That’s why the best example of a canned version comes from Kiuchi Brewery in Japan. Its Hitachino Highball is made simply using carbonated water from Hitachino and its own matured whisky that’s aged for 3 years in a combination of sherry butts and Japanese wine barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to the Hitachino Highball. On the nose, you’ll find slight sherry, wood char, and vanilla. Sipping this drink reveals flavors of caramelized sugar, vanilla beans, subtle sherry sweetness, and crisp, carbonated water. The finish is refreshing, light, and highly drinkable.
Bottom Line:
If you only drink one canned cocktail from this list, make it Hitachino Highball. It’s simple, fresh, and perfect for spring drinking.
It’s difficult to find a bolder spicier, more spring-appropriate drink than the iconic Moscow mule. Made with vodka that was distilled 6 times, organic lime juice, and house-made ginger beer, this 10% ABV canned cocktail takes all the planning out of enjoying a Moscow Mule.
Simply crack one open and pour it over ice. Preferably in a copper mug.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, the spicy ginger is at the forefront. This is followed by fresh lime zest. The palate is swirling with fresh, juice lime, spicy ginger root, and pleasing, warming vodka. It all ends with a nice combination of spice, sweetness, and tart flavors.
Bottom Line:
The is the epitome of plug and play. Fill a cooler with these bad boys and crack a few open as you play a few yard games on a warm, spring day.
The only thing better than regular lemonade is boozy, alcohol-filled lemonade. This award-winning, spiked lemonade was created using a recipe from the Pequot Inn on Fishers Island, New York. It’s made with lemonade kicked up with a mix of vodka and whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find heavy notes of ripe, tart lemons, caramel sweetness, and slight fruitiness. The flavor is littered with citrus zest, vanilla beans, ripe lemons, and subtle malts. It all ends in a nice combination of sweet and tangy citrus.
Bottom Line:
Who needs regular lemonade this spring when you can drink spiked lemonade instead? Plus, a combination of whiskey and vodka? We’re definitely on board with this.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
Even though the Brit Awards are a UK-based event, last night’s ceremony yielded a ton of headlines for American fans to sink their teeth into. Dua Lipa and The Weeknd delivered exemplary performances, Taylor Swift gave a memorable acceptance speech, and Olivia Rodrigo finally got to meet Swift in person and give her a handwritten letter. Haim turned some heads as well, both by winning an award and with a revealing wardrobe malfunction.
During the broadcast, Haim picked up the award for Best International Group. The sisters were in attendance, and as they got up from their seats to claim their prize, Este, wearing a black jumpsuit with a plunging neckline, accidentally exposed her nipple. Then, when she and her sisters were on stage, she again inadvertently showed some skin due to the positioning of her top.
At some point between then and this afternoon, Este heard about the mishap. She’s taking it in stride, as evidenced by her hopping on Twitter to share an applause-worthy response to the situation. From the Haim account, Esta posted a screenshot of one of the slips (but with the nip covered with an asterisk) and wrote, “i didn’t mind that my tits were out last night because my ex’s were reminded of what they’re missing.”
i didn’t mind that my tits were out last night because my ex’s were reminded of what they’re missing pic.twitter.com/WzHGIpvrIb
The band also took to social media to send a message of gratitude to their UK fans, writing on Instagram, “even though we are an American band, the UK was the first place to embrace us before anyone else. we would not be where we are today without your full on support from the jump. We are so unbelievably honored to take home a Brit. this mean so much to us. can’t wait to come back and tour this September and play the sh*t out of this album !!”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
“I haven’t done one of these in so f*cking long,” J. Cole says at the beginning of his recently released LA Leakers freestyle. You might not know it, as he displays an athletic flow to take on multiple generations of classic hip-hop beats. The freestyle begins with Cole spitting a sinewy verse over Souls Of Mischief’s Golden Era staple “93 Til Infinity” before DJs Justin Credible and Sour Milk switch the beat, pushing Cole to keep going over Mike Jones’s 2005 hit “Still Tippin.” He serves up a double-time flow that Twista would certainly approve of, with breath control that would bring a smile to Black Thought’s face.
Cole spoke on his improvement process in his documentary Applying Pressure: The Off-Season, as well as in his recent cover story for Slam magazine, comparing it to training for a basketball season — something he’d know plenty about, as he was apparently offered a training camp tryout by the Detroit Pistons and recently signed a multi-game contract for the new created Basketball Africa League’s Rwanda team. All this is in preparation to release his new album The Off-Season, the long-awaited follow-up to his 2018 album KOD, which releases on Friday, May 14.
We’re less than a month away from the God of Mischief’s big return in Marvel’s Loki and if you weren’t already excited, a new poster revealed on the official twitter account is here to help. The poster depicts Loki (Tom Hiddleston) on the face of a clock, surrounded by three new characters, an image of his former princely self, and an animated clock that has left many more than a bit confused.
i hope this does not come off as dramatic but if i don’t know more about the friendly cartoon clock in the corner by the end of the day i will burn down a building https://t.co/uh4mLn6DLq
Good news for curious parties (and innocent buildings), we’ve got answers for some of your questions, starting with “what’s with all the clocks?”
Much like WandaVision before it, the upcoming Loki mini-series is all about alternative dimensions and time. The show takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame, and follows the alternate version of Loki, who has created an entirely new timeline in an attempt to get the upper hand on his fate. However, not everyone is okay with that — including the Time Variance Authority.
The Time Variance Authority, or TVA, is the organization in the Marvel universe imbued with the power to monitor and eliminate timelines in order to ensure cross-dimensional peace. They are also responsible for disciplining those who tamper with time which, in this case, includes Loki, who is forced to work alongside the team in order to fix the various timelines.
The TVA is generally portrayed as comedically bureaucratic, as seen in Owen Wilson’s performance of the bureaus’ high-ranking Mobius M. Mobius in the trailer — which is almost as good as Tom Hiddleston’s 2013 impersonation of him. However, it doesn’t stop them from being pretty extreme, with soldiers known as “hunters” on their payroll, one of which is located to Loki’s left in the new poster. In addition to hunters and Mobius, the TVA is also comprised of judges such as Judge Ravonna Lexus Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who can be seen to the right of Loki and just above Mobius. It’s also worth noting that in the comics, Ravonna is romantically involved with Kang the Conqueror, who is slated to be the main villain in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and has close ties to the Fantastic Four — much like the TVA itself.
This, of course, leaves just the animated clock in the bottom with a big question mark over them. No, this is character is not part of a Cuphead crossover but is rather the TVA’s mascot, Miss Minutes! While not an established Marvel character, merchandise of Miss Minutes has already hit Amazon, confirming her identity. According to the listing, “Miss Minutes knows everything, even back to the beginning of time,” which sounds both fascinating and eerie.
The Biden administration was prevented from inserting a $15 per-hour federal minimum wage in its $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package in February due to a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian. It was the closest the federal government has come to raising the minimum wage to a level that activists have been fighting for over the past decade.
However, an unusual set of circumstances have aligned that could push the private sector into creating a de facto $15 minimum wage without any government mandate.
The restaurant business was shaken on Monday when Chipotle announced it was raising its current average wage of $13 an hour by another two dollars, bringing it to around $15. The change should be in full effect by June.
The Newport Beach, California-based company currently has 2,800 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada and employs nearly 100,000 people. The chain is looking to expand by another 200 restaurants this year.
Chipotle made the move to get a competitive advantage over its fast-food rivals at a time when there is a labor shortage in the restaurant business. Many people in the industry lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and a lot of them aren’t returning due to low wages, childcare conflicts, closed schools, and an increase in unemployment benefits.
The restaurant chain believes that it can pay for the increase in labor costs by raising the prices of its food by a modest 3%.
Chipotle hopes that a pay raise along with new programs that put employees on track to become store managers within four years, earning an attractive $100,000 a year salary, will lure the best employees away from other chains.
“Wage inflation is real and employee availability is very tough and Chipotle is trying to stay ahead of the curve and maintain its human capital advantage by moving average wages to $15/hour by June,” explained Jefferies restaurant analyst Andy Barish in a research note to clients.
“This raises bigger questions as demand is surging and some people have left the industry and/or are on the ‘sidelines,’ given the current Federal unemployment supplements that run until September,” Barish added.
Chipotle’s move to stay ahead of the curve could prompt other businesses to raise their minimum wage to the $15 an hour range just to stay competitive.
A similar change is happening in the world of big-box retailers. Target and Amazon both upped their minimum wage to $15 an hour, pressuring Walmart to do so for about a third of its employees.
Chipotle’s decision shows how giving workers a raise can create a win-win situation for both owners and employees. Chipotle will now get to hire the cream of the crop when it comes to restaurant workers, and by implementing new programs that put workers on a management track, will also benefit from lower turnover.
It’s also a great business move because there are a lot of consumers who want to spend their money at businesses that take good care of their employees. The wage increase gives consumers another reason — besides the awesome guac —for people to choose Chipotle over other fast-casual Mexican restaurants.
This week on UPROXX Sessions, New Jersey “Anti-Pop” rapper Dolo Tonight comes through to deliver a buoyant performance of his celebratory single, “Graduation.”
Dolo Tonight describes himself in one interview as “Bill Nye-meets-Cartoon Network-meets-a rapper, all in one” and that seems like a pretty fair summation. He’s got a bubbly, cheerful bent to his sound — he’s more Chance The Rapper than DMX — bopping along with a melodic flow and a smile on his face as he raps about regular guy situations like breakups and dropping out of school to pursue music (the impetus behind “Graduation”) rather than shootouts and illicit pharmaceutical sales. He might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but he was able to build enough of a following to pique the interest of producer Michael Ashby and secure a contract with Asylum.
Watch Dolo Tonight’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Graduation” above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross,UPROXX Sessionsis a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
Dolo Tonight is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
On Saturday, three of the all-time greats from the NBA’s modern era will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, as Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant are enshrined in Springfield, along with Tamika Catchings, Kim Mulkey, Rudy Tomjanovich, and others. This particular Hall of Fame class has long been anticipated, but the ceremony will carry a special weight to it as an opportunity to once again honor the legacy of Bryant, who died in a tragic helicopter crash last year.
Michael Jordan will serve as the current Hall of Famer inducting Bryant into the Hall, a fitting choice after we learned of their closeness at Bryant’s memorial service and Jordan recently revealed his final conversation with Kobe in which the two texted about family and Bryant’s coaching (with Kobe being incredibly on-brand and bragging about how they were blowing a team out). Along with Jordan, Vanessa Bryant will also speak at the ceremony, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, which will surely be an emotional moment for all.
Vanessa Bryant will speak in honor of Kobe Bryant during Kobe’s Naismith Hall of Fame @Hoophall induction on Saturday. Presenters accompany inductees as they deliver their speeches. Michael Jordan will join Vanessa Bryant on stage.
The delayed ceremony to honor these three legends is going to be a special one and having Vanessa Bryant, along with Jordan, on hand to speak on Kobe’s legacy on and off the court will be tremendous. The enshrinement ceremony will be broadcast live on ESPN from 5:30 to 8 p.m. ET.
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