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The Boston Celtics found themselves in a dogfight with the Sixers in Game 1 of their first round series, but midway through the fourth quarter began to pull away, opening up a 10-point advantage with just over three minutes to play.

Right as they were looking to put the hopeful finishing touches on a win, they saw Gordon Hayward leave the game with a sprained ankle. Hayward landed on Daniel Theis’ foot as he was coming down after going for a rebound under the Sixers basket and rolled his ankle pretty badly. He would limp off the floor and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game with what is initially determined to be a sprained right ankle.

For those who, like many, immediately thought back to his gruesome ankle injury that sidelined him for more than a year, that was a left ankle injury so this is not the same one. What remains to be seen is how long he’ll miss with the injury, as the Bubble playoffs mean games are contested every other day, making it tougher to get players who suffer injuries extended rest without missing a significant number of games. Hayward had 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in Game 1, and for a Boston team whose greatest strength is their wing depth, they’ll hope he can get back relatively soon.

Along with being the former president, Barack Obama is an expert playlist curator. Each year, America’s previous commander-in-chief puts together a number of playlists featuring some of his favorite songs from recent months. Inclusion on Obama’s list is oftentimes a dream for musicians, including Maggie Rogers, who screamed upon seeing her song on last year’s list. On Monday, Obama dropped his 2020 Summer Playlist, which included a few artists who are gearing up to perform at this year’s Democratic National Convention.

Sharing the playlist to social media, Obama said he’s been spending “a lot of time” listening to music with his family. “I wanted to share some of my favorites from the summer,” he wrote. The 53-track playlist includes an eclectic mix of songs new and old, including Billie Eilish’s “My Future,” Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage (Remix)” featuring Beyonce, Leon Bridges and Khruangbin’s “Texas Sun,” Rihanna’s “Work” with Drake, Jorja Smith’s “Be Honest” with Burna Boy, and many more.

A number of artists have already shared their excitement about landing a spot on the coveted list. Megan Thee Stallion and The Chicks called attention to their songs while Princess Nokia praised Obama as “forever our president.”

Check out Obama’s full 2020 Summer Playlist and see artists’ reactions above.

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In the last few weeks, the furor surrounding The Ellen DeGeneres Show has ramped up, with people demanding change after reports of sexual misconduct, racial insensitivity, and other issues plaguing what was once thought of as daytime talk TV’s cuddliest member. Now, as per Variety, there’s this, at least: Three top producers have been given the boot in an attempt to overhaul a tainted production.

The three are executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman as well as co-executive producer Jonathan Norman. Not gone are DeGeneres herself, as well as executive producers Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, and Derek Westervelt, all three of whom have been with the show since its start in 2003.

The news was first delivered to Ellen staffers over a conference call from DeGeneres. As per Variety, the host was “emotional and apologetic” as she addressed the show’s over 200 employees, saying she was “not perfect” and that hearing word of the allegations was “heartbreaking.” She also admitted that the show had alienated some staffers.

“I’m so so sorry for what this has become,” DeGeneres told the staff, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve left this to be a well-oiled machine, and I realize it’s not a machine…its human beings.”

DeGeneres reportedly did not take questions from her staff.

That said, Connelly and Lassner claimed that, after conducting an investigation involving interviewing over 100 people connected to the show, they found there was no evidence of “systemic” racism. They did, however, admit they could do more for diversity and inclusion. Their solution? Holding diversity and inclusion workshops.

Reports of workplace abuse surfaced in stories posted by both Variety and BuzzFeed, the latter which singled out Glavin, Leman, and Norman as being involved in the allegations.

(Via Variety)

There’s a rhythm to the spirits year. Over the first half of the year, expressions are slowly released. The tempo builds throughout the spring, thanks to the big-drinking-energy (BDE) that summer brings with it. Then things really start to build in the fall, in anticipation of the holidays when people drink the most and give gifts (often bottles of booze). In the thick of all those releases, you have the awards community at work, mostly dropping accolades around sping and in the lead up to fall (right now).

All of which is meant to explain why we have yet another awards article today, expounding on the best bourbon and American whiskeys you can drink right now. The International Wine & Spirits Competition, as its name denotes, is worldwide. It also casts a very wide net when it comes to spirits and judges — utilizing industry experts for double-blind taste tests.

The eight bottles of bourbon and American whiskey below were each awarded a Gold Medal and Outstanding judgment. Some will be very familiar expressions while other bottles might be a little off-the-radar. Likewise, the prices range from easily obtainable this weekend to maybe once-in-a-lifetime buys.

Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

This is a true expression that honors its namesake, Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. He was instrumental in the passing of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is a classic bourbon that’s aged for exactly eleven years and seven months in an exact location in Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse C — a warehouse that was built under Taylor, Jr.’s supervision in 1881.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“A broodingly dark, intense nose of bitter chocolate, subtle rye, and balanced fresh fruit. Buttery smooth with elegant peach and touches of pepper, a nutty back palate, and refined spicy oak. Classical scotch typicity with an engagingly fruity finish.”

Bottom Line:

Unfortunately, this is a very limited expression due to it being a single barrel release with a long aging time (for bourbon). It’ll be hard to find a bottle. And when you do, it’ won’t be cheap. If you do get your hands on one, sip it with a drop of water or a single rock to truly enjoy the complexity of this single barrel.

High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey

ABV: 46%
Distillery: High West Distillery, Park City, UT
Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

This Utah whiskey is sourced from MGP Indiana, and is a very high rye whiskey at 95 percent rye. The juice is also from Barton Distillery out in Kentucky, itself is a blend of a low rye and high rye mash bills. The rye that goes into the final product ages for anywhere from five to 19 years, giving this expression a serious depth of rye-ness.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“An expressively classic rye nose through a sweet outlook, imparting buttery ghee characteristics. Bold and peppery with complex dark chocolate, chili, and baking spice aromatics lifted by herbal high notes. Elegantly balanced with a lingeringly spicy, dry finish.”

Bottom Line:

I really like using this one as a cocktail base (price aside). It also works as a sipper on the rocks or in a highball.

George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 58.5%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

This expression from Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection is a yearly release that keeps racking up awards. That limited availability and lauding means this one is going to both a) hard to find and b) very expensive.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“The epitome of elegance, with a defined and focused palate. A rich and rounded character with delectable flavors of banoffee, chocolate, and sweet baking spices. Great complexity with a bright citrus finish.”

Bottom Line:

This is a classic bourbon — don’t get me wrong — but I can’t imagine ever paying that much for it.

Eagle Rare 17 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50.5%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $600

The Whiskey:

This is released along with George T. Stagg above every fall on the Antique Collection line. Like that expression and the Colonel further above, these barrels are stored in very specific spots in the Buffalo Trace warehouses for 17 years, imparting a distinct flavor profile into the spirit.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“A complex character of cedar, vanilla, and citrus, punctuated with hints of fresh peach and strawberry notes. Interesting and complex, the palate is focused and well-rounded. A strong, lingering finish of oak and candied fruits.”

Bottom Line:

Buy the Eagle Rare 10. If a rich relative or friend breaks the 17 out, drink as much as you can with a drop of water or a single rock.

The Notch Nantucket Island Single Malt Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 48%
Distillery: Triple Eight Distillery, Nantucket, MA
Average Price: $300 to $500

The Whiskey:

This single malt from Nantucket utilizes the island’s water and Maris Otter malts (a much sought-after ale malt). The result is a stellar entry in the American single malt scene that has been winning awards since it hit the market.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“Appealingly, rich sherry cask aromas are elegantly echoed on the palate to reveal an abundance of rounded, stewed, and dried fruits. Engagingly robust, with upfront dark chocolate and vanilla balanced with drizzled honey, coconut and spicy highlights.”

Bottom Line:

I’ve never bumped into anyone outside of the industry trade shows who have heard of this or tasted this bottle, and that’s a shame. This is a quality and unique whisky that’s just too damn expensive and limited to ever make it on the wider market.

American Eagle Aged 4 Years Tennessee Bourbon

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Halewood Wines & Spirits (Sourced)
Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This Tennessee bourbon is made in Tennessee but bottled for the UK market. That means you’re not finding this branding in the U.S. Although they haven’t released their source, it’s likely you’re already drinking this Tennessee bourbon under a different moniker (cough, cough, George Dickel, cough, cough).

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“A classical nutty bourbon with a timorous nose of sweet fresh apricots, delicate honey, and vanilla butteriness. Abundant corn on the palate in balance with gentle oak and appealing texture. Luscious and nut-rich with an engaging marzipan finish.”

Bottom Line:

We guess … buy some George Dickel and mix up a nice old fashioned?

American Eagle Aged 12 Years Tennessee Bourbon

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Halewood Wines & Spirits (Sourced)
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

We’re in the same spot with this expression. This is still only made for the U.K. market and doesn’t spill the beans on the source.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“Sensationally poised with attractive fruit, complemented by a complexity of rye spices. Balanced with a depth of rich licorice and cloves on the palate. The vibrant peaches and cream intensity carries right through to the appealingly dry finish.”

Bottom Line:

If we ever get to travel again, this might be worth a try when in the U.K.

Uncle Nearest 1820 Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 54.3%
Distillery: Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, TN (Sourced)
Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

These single barrels from Uncle Nearest are gems in their own right. Yes, they’re sourced for now. Still, the juice goes through the maple charcoal filtration before bottling that the namesake of the brand, Nathan “Nearest” Green, helped make standard in Tennessee whiskey, setting it apart from Kentucky’s bourbon.

Tasting Notes (from IWSC):

“Bold with abundant dark, dried fruits on the nose, underpinned by appealing vanilla and sweet nut clusters. Complex and rounded with luxurious dark chocolate and rich praline. Highlights of red fruit and lifted oak culminate in an alluringly long finish.”

Bottom Line:

This is the Tennessee whiskey that’ll help you understand how much more refined (and delicious) the Tennessee tipple can be compared to bourbon. Drink it with a little water or with a single rock to really open it up.

After many delays, Joyner Lucas shared his highly-anticipated record ADHD in late March, an album that boasted appearances from the likes of Young Thug and Logic. But the rapper didn’t stop there. With all the extra time on his hands — thanks in part to his inability to tour behind the record — he announced he has another release in the works.

Titled Evolution, the EP will see the light of day in mid-September. While the rapper hasn’t unveiled many more details other than the cover art and release date, he is dropping an entire line of exclusive merch to get fans excited for the project.

Ahead of the EP announcement, Eminem named Lucas one of his favorite rappers. Overjoyed by sharing the shortlist with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, Lucas compared the feeling to getting Michael Jordan’s co-sign: “If you played ball and studied Michael Jordan as the greatest and then Michael Jordan name drops you as one of the greatest ball players of all time, that’s how this feels to me.”

Check out Lucas’ Evolution cover art above.

Evolution is out 9/18 via Twenty Nine Music/Tully. Pre-order it here.

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

After weeks and months of anticipation, the 2020 NBA Playoffs get underway on Monday with four intriguing games and, in the nightcap, the L.A. Clippers and Dallas Mavericks begin what should be an entertaining best-of-seven battle.

While the Clippers are seen as substantial favorites to advance after a strong regular season performance, the Mavericks deploy the NBA’s best offense, headlined by Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. For L.A., the two-headed monster of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George made headlines dating back to their joint decision to join the organization in July, and the Clippers are legitimate contenders to win the 2020 NBA title, even in this bizarrely delayed season.

Much of the attention in any NBA series is (rightly) paid to the star power on either side, meaning plenty of scrutiny and praise for Doncic, Porzingis, Leonard and George. However, there are potential X-factors to discuss for both squads and, in this space, we’ll highlight one for each team.

L.A. Clippers: Montrezl Harrell

Because he had to tend to a family emergency, Harrell did not participate in any of L.A.’s seeding games and, as such, the talented big man has not been on the floor in a competitive environment in several months. In fact, Harrell did not clear the NBA’s mandated quarantine period until Monday, leaving the Clippers to assign a “questionable” injury designation for him in Game 1.

With that as the backdrop, it may be fair to suggest that Harrell is more of an X-factor beyond the first round than actually against the Mavericks but, with Dallas as a worthy adversary, the Clippers can’t afford to be too experimental. Harrell is a leading contender for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award and, on the offensive end, he is a terror for the Clippers. To that end, he is largely projected to be a member of the Clippers’ best five-man unit in crunch time but, defensively, Harrell is not a dominant force and the Mavericks have the talent and scheme to put pressure on any big man defensively.

Harrell may not appear as much in Games 1 and 2 as he will later in the series but, both against Dallas and beyond, the Clippers need their top big man at full strength and rounding into form sooner rather than later.

Dallas Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr.

As noted above, the Mavericks are significant underdogs, both in perception and on the betting market. Dallas projects to be able to score efficiently, even against one of the NBA’s best defenses, but the Mavericks should have all kinds of trouble defending the likes of Leonard, George, Harrell, Lou Williams and others.

Rick Carlisle has one above-average wing defender, Dorian Finney-Smith, to deploy against either Leonard or George but, in truth, the options to defend the other All-Star wing are limited. The Mavericks could lean on former No. 2 overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist but, more practically, Dallas must find a way to keep Hardaway Jr. on the floor to keep their all-world offense on track.

At the age of 28, Hardaway Jr. is enjoying the best season of his career, especially from an efficiency standpoint. The former Hawks and Knicks guard is knocking down almost 40 percent of his long-range offerings and, in totality, Hardaway Jr. is posting a true shooting percentage of 58 percent.

While he isn’t tasked with the creation responsibilities of Doncic, Hardaway Jr. can get his own shot and, against a tantalizing defense like the Clippers, Dallas will need him to step up in a big way offensively. On the other end, Hardaway Jr. has to do his part to stay on the court and, in this series, that might mean stretches in which he is asked to defend George at a reasonable level. That is, to put it plainly, a challenge for Hardaway Jr. but, in the same breath, he has proven to be less flammable in Dallas than in previous stops, and the pressure environment of the postseason should draw his top effort.

The Mavericks don’t appear likely to knock off the Clippers in a seven-game series, but the easiest way to envision an upset is Dallas putting together an unbelievable offensive performance in a handful of games. The clearest path to that level of offensive explosion certainly revolves around Doncic and Porzingis but, as the team’s No. 3 offensive option, Hardaway Jr. needs to have a big series to unlock the Mavericks’ upside.

Is anyone else tired of every single issue in the United States being manipulated and molded into a partisan football?

I’ve long agreed with George Washington’s assessment that partisan fighting was our republic’s “worst enemy,” but I didn’t anticipate that it would ever get this ridiculous. It’s virtually impossible to voice an opinion on any subject without being placed into one of two distinct categories—left/liberal/Democrat or right/conservative/Republican—by hoards of people. It happens constantly on articles I write, though I’ve never once declared any allegiance to (or even preference for) a political party, I have voted for candidates from different parties for different positions, and I openly reject all narratives that force people into ideological boxes.

But I guarantee, because I am speaking in defense of the USPS in this piece, people in the comments are going to accuse me of being a “shill” for the Democratic party or being paid to push a “leftist agenda.” This is what we’ve come to. Supporting the freaking post office—a long-standing institution universally beloved and relied upon by people of all political persuasions—is now a hotly debated partisan political stance.

No. I refuse to accept it.

We all know that the USPS has struggled with budget shortfalls, in part to a pension prefunding requirement from Congress, and that there is ongoing internal debate over how it should be run. The nature of the USPS is odd in that it isn’t a business in the way we think of business, but rather an independent branch of the government—but one that isn’t funded by the taxpayers. It’s all a bit confusing and weird in the way it functions, but the bottom line—especially at the moment—is that it’s a vital service for millions of Americans. In fact, the Postal Reorganization Act passed in 1971 states it plainly: “The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States.”

The USPS was designed to be a non-partisan, non-profit public service provided by the government, though it isn’t funded by the government. If it’s struggling, why are we not bending over backwards to bail it out? Especially during a pandemic and an election year, when it’s arguably more vital than ever?

Using taxpayer money, the U.S. has bailed out for-profit banks and we’ve bailed out for-profit car companies. Why have we done that? Because banks hold people’s money—kind of important—and car companies employ a lot of people—also kind of important. Banks and car companies are big corporations that people tend to hate on principle, but we’ve bailed them out because so many of us rely on them.

In light of that fact, why not bail out the one service that 91% of Americans actually approve of? We live in a country where a huge portion of people hate the government in general, and yet the USPS is ranked as people’s favorite government agency. And people literally rely on it for all kinds of things, not the least of which is medications.

NBC White House correspondent Geoff Bennett compiled a list of veterans he’s heard from who are struggling with the massive slow down in USPS delivery.

So veterans and seniors and people who are disabled are being actively hurt by the slow-but-not-really-that-slow destruction of the USPS. Sure, there are reforms that need to take place in the running of the postal service to make it financially stable. But literally everything is turned upside down right now. This is not the time to make sweeping changes or cut overtime or dismantle sorting machines or remove mailboxes. How are any people okay with this?

It’s not like there’s nothing to be done. Again, we’ve bailed out far more problematic entities than the freaking post office. And the government is supposed to do the bidding of the people—that’s literally the foundation of our republic. If 9 out of 10 of us approve of a service that nearly 100% of Americans use, there should be no question or debate about doing whatever it takes to keep it up and running. People need to be able to mail in absentee ballots during the pandemic and ensure they arrive on time.

The USPS handles all manner of private, secure documents, such as our drivers licenses, passports, credit cards, checks, etc. handles. It also moves 15 billion pieces of mail from Thanksgiving to New Year’s in order to get people’s holiday cards and present to them in a timely manner. All of a sudden now, in an election year, in a pandemic, we’re going to act like they couldn’t handle the entire election safely and securely?

Congress, please just do whatever needs to be done. You have my blessing to throw as many tax dollars at the USPS as is necessary to make sure this vital service operates at full capacity through the election. Voting by mail doesn’t favor either party—everyone has the same opportunity to vote—so there’s no reason for this to be a partisan fight. I live in a state that’s had universal mail-in voting for more than a decade. We have a Republican Secretary of State (the position that runs the elections). We are ranked #2 in the nation for electoral integrity. There’s nothing partisan or fraudulent about mail-in voting.

Ensuring that voters can safely vote so that we can have a functioning republic is something every American should be fighting for—and right now, that means fighting for the postal service.

The Toronto Raptors were overwhelming favorites against the Brooklyn Nets both in Game 1 and in their first round series overall, and on Monday afternoon they showed why.

Toronto ran out to a 33-point lead in the first half behind stellar play from Fred VanVleet, who became the first player in franchise history to post a 30-point, 10-assist game, as he finished with 30 and 11, including eight threes.

To the Nets credit, they battled throughout, including a 44-20 run at one point to cut the Raptors lead to as few as nine in the third quarter — and again to that same number in the fourth. Caris LeVert had 15 points and 15 assists as he initiated almost all of the offense for Brooklyn, while Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot continues his hot shooting in Orlando with 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Unfortunately for Brooklyn, Toronto tightened up the clamps in the closing stretch on defense and VanVleet and company ran away with what was eventually a 134-110 win. The Nets have showed tremendous resiliency throughout the restart, but they’re simply out-classed by this Toronto team and need better three-point shooting from everyone not named TLC. Everyone other than Luwawu-Cabarrot was 7-for-33 from three-point range, and against an elite defense like Toronto’s, that is a recipe for disaster.

The Raptors continue to look like one of the league’s best teams and a legitimate championship contender thanks to their defense and VanVleet taking over as a legit No. 1 offensive weapon. They’ll continue to look to build on their performance going forward in this series and get everyone aside from VanVleet in rhythm, but this figures to be a pretty short first round series and then they can turn their attention to either Boston or Philly.

Sports may be back in general in the United States, but the much-anticipated video game Sports Story will have to wait a bit longer. The sequel to Golf Story was officially delayed on Monday, unsurprising but tough news for the legions of fans of the title

Golf Story is an indie darling that also happens to be one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch, and certainly one of the best Switch-only games on the console. But Sidebar Games tweeted an update video out on Monday with unfortunate news: the game is delayed, with no timetable for when we might see it on the portable console. The “Sports Story delay trailer” is actually predictably charming, but doesn’t hide the bad news.

It’s unclear if all the increasingly wacky things mentioned in the trailer are actually going to be in the game, but what is made clear from the video is that the project got bigger than they anticipated and will require more time. Coach, your reluctant mentor and terrible chef from the first game, is in charge of things here and delivers the bad news.

“We came to this island for a holiday. And to our surprise, there was a lot more here than we imagined,” Coach says. “I guess you can say we’re still exploring.”

The video does hint at a lot of fun things in the game, including the bit about an island full of sports-adjacent things to do. Golf Story‘s extremely arcadey golf made for a wonderful RPG, and expanding past the links seems logical for a game that had you doing many different things with a golf ball in the first place. It’s why the news of a delay is so disappointing for fans that loved its story and characters as much as the actual golf mechanics.

Sidebar released a similar-sounding update in their own words on Twitter, making the delay official.

Sports Story was originally slated for a mid-2020 release but, well, it’s kinda been that kind of year for us all. Even retro-looking games come with the modern issues of crunch and sprawl, so while it’s unfortunate Sports Story was delayed it will likely result in a better product once it actually finds its way to the Switch. Until we get a new date for Sports Story, though, it’s back to playing Galf for the rest of us.

Jon Jones has, technically, never lost the UFC light heavyweight title since he first won it back in 2011, having had it stripped on multiple occasions for failed drug tests, but he is now relinquishing the title for good.

The longtime star of the sport announced on Monday that after months of failed negotiations with UFC for his next fight — which had led to his request to be released from his contract — he will be vacating the title, leaving it up for grabs.

The expectation is that this leads to Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz’s September 26 bout being for that vacant title, and Ariel Helwani of ESPN believes this isn’t signaling the end of Bones’ UFC career, rather the eventual shift to the heavyweight division for the star.

Both of those things happening remains in question until they’re made official, but Jones was teasing Daniel Cormier on Twitter prior to his retirement fight against Stipe Miocic on Saturday. It’s possible Jones looks to make the move to the heavyweight class to add that belt to his list of accolades in UFC and bolster is profile as arguably the greatest ever. One would think that he could probably get a title fight if he wanted out of the gate, but might prefer to get a heavyweight bout under his belt first before challenging Miocic.