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Welcome to a surreal VMAs happening in the middle of a global pandemic and the biggest American civil rights uprising in decades. It might feel like a strange time to think about pop music, but then again, part of surviving these surreal conditions is finding a moment to care for your heart and spirit, and that’s what the lighthearted feel of pop has always been about. This year’s show wasn’t all escapism, the realities of what’s happening in our country were necessarily brought into the show, but it was still nice to see a glimpse of the performers who previously seemed so easy to see on tour, at festivals, or popping up as surprise guests at other people’s concerts. Here’s a rundown of the best pop moments at an admittedly strange night — but MTV kept trekking on and so will we.

BTS perform their already record-breaking single “Dynamite” live for the first time

Though it was only released a few days ago, BTS have shattered countless records with their addictive new pop hit “Dynamite.” Of course, the VMAs offered the perfect platform to debut it live for the first time, and the Korean boy band didn’t disappoint in dapper suits and flawless choreography, set against the backdrop of New York City. Assuming these guys have been quarantining together for a while now, there was no need for masks as they skated through the song’s high trills, signature key change, and retro dance moves.

Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga perform their anthem “Rain On Me”

Lady Gaga is well-known for her incredible live shows, so the fact that she hasn’t been able to tour behind her brand new return-to-form pop classic Chromatica has been a disappointment not just for fans, but surely, for Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta herself. So, she showed up in full force for the VMAs with a retro throwback opener, an interactive mask that was hard to look away from, and a medley of fan-favorite “911” that led directly into her collab with Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me.” As one of the biggest singles off the album, the first time these two modern pop icons have collaborated, and a song that went No. 1 in a year of rap-dominated chart-toppers, “Rain On Me” set the pace for VMA performances that sizzled even without a massive audience present. And that whistle note Ari hits at the end? Chef’s kiss.

Lady Gaga face masks, period.

Though it might be strange that anyone have a resistance to wearing a mask given the life-saving power they have repeatedly been shown to have when it comes to a disease like COVID-19, there has been an ongoing debate in America about their use. After seeing Lady Gaga’s multiple, stunning masks at the VMAs last night, I’m assuming that debate is now over. She showed up a number of times throughout the show, each time wearing a stylish, jaw-dropping, incredible face covering. It served as a reminder for all the little monsters out there that staying safe and protecting others doesn’t mean giving up an ounce of personal style. And I’m guessing most Lady Gaga fans are shopping for look-alike masks right now.

Miley Cyrus is a wrecking ball, yet again

Though she isn’t quite the cultural lightning rod she was back in 2013, it’s still a special moment when she shows up to debut new music. Her latest single “Midnight Sky” pulls in influences like Stevie Nicks and Heart, hearkening back to strong rock and roll ’70s icons, and her new haircut is definitely pulled straight from that era, too. But there’s nothing like a little self-referential moment to spice up a live performance, and as she debuted the new single live for the first time at the VMAs, Miley climbed a staircase in the dark, dropped the skirt of her dress, and wrapped her legs around a disco ball to bring back her old “Wrecking Ball” look. It was a touch of dramatic flair that nodded to her past while this bold new sound kept pulling toward her future as a single woman.

Doja Cat is a star in the making with a medley

The ever-controversial Doja Cat brought everything back to the music on Sunday night by remixing and reimagining two of her biggest hits, “Say So” and “Like That” with a crew of dancing aliens and space explorers. With a self-deprecating jab at the beginning of the clip that no one knows who she is, let’s not forget that “Say So” went No. 1 earlier this year. Though that recent jab from Nas undoubtedly left a mark, she still brought it for a high-energy performance.

Chloe x Halle are ungodly excellent

It took me a moment to warm up to the new Chloe x Halle album. Ungodly Hour was already getting rave reviews the moment it dropped, but I wasn’t in the mood for upbeat pop music about relationships in June. Given a few months to simmer with their electrifying mix of pop, hip-hop, and R&B, I have fully become a fan of these two incredible performers, and if any doubts were left, their rendition of their debut’s title track “Ungodly Hour” at the VMAs last night eviscerated them. These two are going to be full-blown pop stars who might even have the potential to eclipse their mentor Beyonce one day.

The Weeknd calls for justice for Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake in his acceptance speech

In pop years, “Blinding Light” happened approximately four centuries ago, so while The Weeknd was gloomy and fascinating as ever in his live performance of the still-sparkling hit, it was his acceptance speech that really hit home last night. One of the few stars to get political during the night, despite the intensity of unrest felt around the country this summer, Abel Tesfaye laid it out as straightforward as possible when he won for Video Of the Year: “It’s hard to celebrate, so I’m just going to say justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor.” While that’s a sentiment that’s probably echoed by most of the people featured on this list, Abel was the one to say it. And though the escapism and joy of the music made the show special, his decision to simply take a stand and address what’s happening with police brutality in America was one of the most inspiring moments of the whole night.

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it appeared that the shut down of worldwide touring might be temporary, but thanks to a piecemeal and inconsistent national response, that reality now seems like a pipe dream. Since virtual concerts have become a normal part of our lives now, concert promoters have begun finding new ways to bring live entertainment to fans who might be stuck at home as a result of the interminable quarantine keeping us from congregating en masse.

One of the biggest festivals, Rolling Loud, announced its solution today: an exclusive streaming partnership with Twitch, with three virtual festivals coming down the pike. The first is kicking things off September 12-13, with each festival bringing five hours of live performances to the streaming platform. Rolling Loud will have its own Twitch channel where the festivals will stream along with a spate of original content, including gaming, music commentary, and freestyles from Rolling Loud regulars.

Matt Zingler, Co-Founder/Co-CEO, said in a statement: “Partnering with Twitch, we also saw the opportunity to further connect fans with the Rolling Loud brand beyond our flagship live events… We’ve always had our eyes on content creation; it felt like the natural next step for the brand, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that we had the bandwidth to execute these ideas to the fullest. Twitch gave us the creative control to produce unique shows that hold true to our ‘ahead-of-the-curve’ mentality and play to Twitch’s strengths as the leading live stream platform out there.”

Among the programming cooked up for the partnership are five shows: “The Leak,” premiering new music the night before its official release; “Got Bars?,” a freestyle competition whose winner will perform at future Rolling Loud festivals; “Loud Gaming,” a competition between pro gamers and hip-hop artists; “The Founders,” a podcast hosted by Zingler and co-founder Tariq Cheriff; and “Live From The Studio,” a live docuseries allowing fans to watch the process of a song’s creation from within Rolling Loud’s recording studio.

The lineup for the first virtual festival, Loud Stream, will be announced soon and the festival expects to return to it live roots in Miami 2021. For more info, check out Rolling Loud’s website.

“To be Young, Gifted, and Black,” Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman declared at the 2019 SAG Awards while referencing Nina Simone’s 1969 song. “We all know what it’s like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured. We knew that we had something special that we wanted to give to the world. That we could be full human beings in the roles we were playing.”

Boseman, of course, was speaking on behalf of an entire Marvel Cinematic Universe ensemble cast. Together, they had unveiled the fictional African nation of Wakanda to the world as a celebration of Black culture in the Ryan Coogler-directed movie that churned up $1 billion at the box office. For Boseman, the role of King T’Challa now marks the apex of an incredible legacy for the 43-year-old actor struck down by cancer only a few days ago. His words found powerful resonance regarding Black Panther — which arrived at a time when the U.S. began to feel increasingly divided by racism and xenophobia — yet Boseman always had a flair for not only playing “full human beings” but also downright iconic ones, pulled from the pages of history.

We’ll talk about those roles soon, but it’s worth noting that Da 5 Bloods director Spike Lee has revealed that he never suspected that anything was amiss with Boseman’s health. He apparently shielded virtually everyone from news of his Stage 3 diagnosis in 2016. That’s the same year that he surfaced as T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War, and he kept on superhero-ing through Avengers: Endgame. I must mention here that Endgame featured Boseman in my most indelible recent theatergoing memory, one that makes me (like our own Brian Grubb) miss movie theaters even more than I did last week.

It already feels like forever ago, but Endgame can fairly be described as the last real “event movie” we’ve seen. Theaters were packed while everyone awaited the gathering of superheros against Thanos. A year had passed since Infinity War, which left T’Challa and Peter Parker fans feeling particularly shredded. The demise of either character seemed unfathomable, and Marvel redelivered them at the perfect moment. As a hush fell over the theater, Captain America turned to see the Wakandan heroes as the first to emerge through the portal. As soon as T’Challa popped back onscreen, a woman in my theater shouted, “My boo!” That was followed by the loudest chorus of theater-bound shouts and cheers (“Wakanda Forever!”) that I’ve heard in many years.

It was a wonderful communal moment. I don’t know whether we’ll see one like it again, pandemic or not. Whenever Black Widow finally arrives in theaters, and people see the Taskmaster mimicking the king’s signature gesture, well, that’s going to feel bittersweet. Beyond that, I do believe that there can be no recasting of T’Challa. Boseman’s legacy is so tied to that role that replacing him feels virtually impossible. Further, the startling news of his death has found extra resonance from the day that he died. Not only was last Friday the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, but it was also Jackie Robinson Day. On that note, let’s move onto the roles — Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall — that made Boseman a superhero of starring in historical biopics.

Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013)

Boseman struck a careful balance here, much like the icon he played. As the first African-American Major League baseball player, Robinson was tasked with having “the guts not to react” to the racist taunts that plagued his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Even while playing a character forced to be stoic, though, Boseman allowed Robinson’s warmth to shine through at choice moments, and at one point, he was even able to let all of his character’s frustrations hang out, by himself, off-field. And I did grow misty over Boseman’s reaction when (as shown above) Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) tells Robinson, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear 42, that way they can’t tell us apart.”

Looking back, it’s evident from this performance that Boseman himself was destined for superstardom and heroism, much like Robinson, who found himself surprised to not only be a ballplayer but a hero to Black children everywhere. Every single moment that Boseman shares onscreen with Harrison Ford (as Dodgers GM Branch Rickey) showcases the teaming of two pioneering greats, who came together to chip away at racial prejudice in the U.S. It’s ultimately an uplifting story, full of courage and endurance and entertainment value. Such a fine-tuned performance of inner struggle would have been lost upon an actor without as much depth as Boseman always brought to the table.

James Brown in Get On Up (2014)

Boseman turned in an intoxicating performance of an electrifying performer with all the dark humor that the role required. From Brown’s double-take at finding himself at a “honky hoedown” to his refusal to be “just the show” while letting the “white Devil” take charge of his business, this was an expansive performance that also included Brown’s later run-ins with the law. All of these shades were necessary to form a “full human” (to borrow Boseman’s words) during his portrayal of the Godfather of Soul, including superstardom and the mayhem that followed. And what a challenge it must have been to portray this larger-than-life juggernaut without overshadowing a musical legacy.

The most striking scene in this film, however, takes place in the immediate aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 assassination. Boseman presided over Brown’s live Boston Garden audience in a guardian-like way, diffusing what could have become a dangerous situation, given that the police officers manning the venue were edging toward brutality toward people who wished to join Brown onstage. It was a commanding performance that showcased all of Brown’s humanity, as well as his insistence that both public officials and the audience show respect for him and each other during a time of great upheaval. One also has to respect the whip-smart air demonstrated by Boseman as Brown changed a game “where the rules have already been set.”

Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017)

Boseman took an MCU breather to step into the early life of the first African-American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s a streamlined chapter that focuses on Thurgood Marshall’s defense of a wrongfully accused Black defendant, Joseph Spell, against charges of rape and attempted murder. The film’s bolstered by fine performances by Sterling K. Brown, Kate Hudson, and (yes, even) Josh Gad, all of whom infused a 75-year-old case with contemporary relevance. Anchoring them all, however, is Boseman, whose character is forced to take a backseat in court proceedings when the judge wouldn’t let him speak in open court. It’s an important chapter in Marshall’s career, particularly because, even back then, he saw the big picture, and Boseman’s self-assured performance finds particular resonance while declaring, “My jury is not just 12 people in the box, it’s the whole nation.”

Thurgood is the perfect film to revisit while reflecting upon a recent Instagram post from Boseman, who reflected upon this year’s Black Lives Matter protests while sharing a New Yorker cover about George Floyd and writing, “From this country’s founding history; its economic base, its social standard, its penal system, its protection of property…⁣ White Supremacy and Racial Prejudice are its Pre-existing Conditions.⁣”

This was also a decidedly unflashy, meticulous performance of a civil rights icon. As Marshall, Boseman reminded modern audiences that, yes, defendants and suspects were often (and still are) treated differently because of their race. We see that even in 2020, as Kenosha police treated a white vigilante teen murderer better than Jacob Blake, and Boseman’s undertaking of this role (while ill) underscores his commitment to reminding audiences that, yes, he’s always been committed to using his platform to shine a light on how racial injustice in the U.S. isn’t truly a thing of the past.

Boseman’s commitment to using his talent to showcase his messages couldn’t be more evident than his eventual rise as King T’Challa in Black Panther. Audiences embraced him in that role, at least in part, because he built a sturdy foundation through his telling of historical biopics. He sought out roles that fostered the transformation that he wanted to bring to the world. In that way, Boseman really did become the real-life superhero of playing iconic figures. While reflecting on Boseman’s performances in these roles, I couldn’t put it better than CBS Sports Managing Editor Adi Joseph, who recently observed of Boseman, “Someday, someone will get to play him.”

The late Chadwick Boseman was born in Anderson, South Carolina, a city that, like many in the Palmetto State, also features a Confederate statue. The 118-year-old monument — which is dedicated to the Confederate veterans of Anderson County and bears the inscription, “The world shall yet decide in truth’s clear far off light, that the soldiers who wore the gray and died with Lee were in the right” — was vandalized back in June, and now there’s a petition to replace it with a memorial for Black Panther actor.

“Upon the release of his film Black Panther, Mr. Boseman took it upon himself to rent out a theatre in his home town of Anderson South Carolina to show the film for free. So that young boys and girls could be inspired by the film without the financial barrier. Mr. Boseman is without question an American treasure and his accolades go on and on. It is only fitting that his work is honored in the same place that birthed him,” the petition reads. It is “currently illegal to remove or alter monuments dedicated to confederate war efforts in the state of South Carolina,” so the petition demands two things: for Section 10-1-165 to be repealed, and for a statue of Boseman to replace the racist monument:

As I left and entered my classroom, I faced a monument erected to a man and an ideology that believed that I was inferior… We must move past the tragedies of our past in this nation and celebrate new heroes. Mr. Boseman is a hero to this nation but more importantly a hero to the town of Anderson. His legacy was one of excellence and equality. As fellow citizens go about their day they should have a face that sees all people as equal. That sees all citizens regardless of outward appearance as a member of the Anderson community… And upon the removal of a monument to the past I can think of no better person than Mr. Chadwick Boseman as a monument to the future.

To sign the petition, as nearly 11,000 people already have, click here.

(Via IndieWire and Change.org)

Compton rapper YG is back with another raunchy new video after his most recent video, “Swag,” made waves for its curious co-opting of Colin Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality. This time around, YG swerves back into his usual lane with “Equinox,” throwing a debaucherous pool party full of scantily-clad women and inviting his 4Hunnid signee Day Sulan along for the ride. It’s their second collab after Day Sulan appeared on YG’s album, 4Real 4Real.

The video’s got a straightforward premise: Thongs, twerking, and alcohol abound as the Hub City duo takes the festivities from a private tennis court to a backyard pool. Meanwhile, YG and Day Sulan trade rapid fire verses, boasting about their respective sexual prowess and demanding reciprocal actions from their potential partners. There’s also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from none other than Swae Lee, who joins in a crowd scene as the camera follows the directive in the hook and rocks from left to right.

YG’s popped up on a few other songs over the course of 2020, including the defiant “FTP” and “Konklusions” with Kehlani, but after breaking up with the Bay Area singer, he appears to have laid low. Now, he’s begun promoting his new project, My 4Hunnid Life — his last under his deal with Def Jam — due October 2. Meanwhile, Day Sulan enjoyed a spectacular introduction to the rap game after her debut single “Mascara” when its follow-up, “Big” featuring Rubi Rose,” went super viral behind its bootylicious music video.

Watch YG and Day Sulan’s “Equinox” video above.

My 4Hunnid Life is due 10/2 via Def Jam.

Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.

Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of August below.

Mac Miller — K.I.D.S.

Mac Miller produced a lot of beloved work during his short life, and one of the earliest ones for which he became known was the fan-favorite 2010 mixtape K.I.D.S. Ten years later, the project got a fresh vinyl reissue, which includes a pair of new K.I.D.S.-era songs, “Ayye” and “Back In The Day.” Additionally, the package also includes a 24″ by 24″ poster, a Most Dope silkscreen D-side, and two discs in a widespine jacket.

Get it here.

Elliott Smith — Elliott Smith: Expanded 25th Anniversary Edition

Elliott Smith is one of the most artistically influential indie artists of the ’90s, and his self-titled sophomore album has become a fan-favorite. The album, released in 1995, experiences its 25th anniversary is this year, and this expanded edition is a fine way to celebrate. It includes a remastered version of the album, a previously unreleased live album, and a coffee table book full of vintage Smith photos.

Get it here.

Pixies — Bossanova (30th Anniversary Edition)

August marked the 30th anniversary of Pixies’ third album, and 4AD’s vinyl rerelease is one that superfans will love, especially their non-UK ones. The new edition of the record is pressed on limited edition red vinyl, and it includes the original 16-page booklet that before now was only available as part of the initial UK pressing of the album.

Get it here.

Jonathan Richman — I, Jonathan

Decades after founding The Modern Lovers, Jonathan Richman launched a solo career and later released his fourth solo album, the 1992 lo-fi masterpiece I, Jonathan. Now, nearly 30 years later, the project is getting a fresh vinyl release. This is actually first time this project has been available on vinyl, which makes this release all the more special.

Get it here.

Collective Soul — Collective Soul (25th Anniversary Edition)

Collective Soul made alternative rock that helped define the ’90s, and now their first two albums are getting rereleases. Hints, Allegations And Things Left Unsaid has only seen rare vinyl editions since its 1994 release, while the band’s self-titled sophomore album is celebrating its 25th anniversary by getting its first-ever vinyl pressing. Additionally, the expanded CD and digital versions include a half-dozen bonus tracks.

Get it here.

PJ Harvey — Rid Of Me and 4-Track Demos

In 1993, PJ Harvey followed her acclaimed debut album with Rid Of Me, which was her major abel debut and is now available as a new vinyl pressing. Also available is 4-Track Demos, which followed Rid Of Me and featured demos recorded in 1991 and 1992. This pair of releases is similar to Harvey’s release from last month: Reissues of Dry and Dry Demos.

Get Rid Of Me here. Get 4-Track Demos here.

Partynextdoor — Partymobile

Partynextdoor’s latest project came out back in March, and Uproxx’s Aaron Williams previously said of it, “It’s upbeat and it’s catchy, with the dancehall influences at its foundation giving a veneer of fun and frolic. It’s never enough to cover up the melancholy at each song’s center. The party next door is just a smokescreen for the loneliness of the neighbor throwing it.”

Get it here.

Charles Bukowski — Charles Bukowski Reads His Poetry

August 16th marked what would have been the 100th birthday of beloved writer Charles Bukowski. While not a professional musician, he exists in the recorded record, like on the September 14, 1972 poetry reading captured on this release. This “vomit vinyl” pressing is limited to 1000 copies, so it’s a must-cop for bibliophile vinyl-heads.

Get it here.

Tom Tom Club — Tom Tom Club

Talking Heads and their members got involved in their own endeavors outside of the band, and one of the most fun is Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth’s Tom Tom Club. The 1982 self-titled album was recorded in Barbados following the sessions for Remain In Light, and is an essential part of the extended Talking Heads universe. This limited edition honors the record’s Barbados roots with its tropical yellow and red vinyl pressing.

Get it here.

My Morning Jacket — The Waterfall II

Uproxx’s Steven Hyden wrote of My Morning Jacket’s long-awaited sequel, “On The Waterfall, My Morning Jacket sounded determined to remind fans of the monolithic jams they made their name with in the ’00s. […] The sequel, however, carries no such pretenses. Even the hardest rocking track, “Wasted,” which settles on a surly guitar groove accented with punchy horns, feels more like an invitation to explore the darkest corners of innerspace than a call to party.”

Get it here.

Xena: Warrior Princess Original Soundtrack

Picture discs sure do look fantastic, and that’s especially true of this new Xena: Warrior Princess release. This visually striking offering contains the original soundtrack for the Season 5 musical episode, “Lyre Lyre, Hearts On Fire,” featuring songs sung by the cast. This would surely be a unique addition to any vinyl collection.

Get it here.

Sparklehorse — Box Of Stars: The Sparklehorse Collection

For the first time ever, the first four albums from Sparklehorse, the beloved indie project of the late Mark Linkous, are all available in one vinyl collection. 1995’s Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, 1998’s Good Morning Spider, 2001’s It’s A Wonderful Life, and 2006’s Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain have all been freshly remastered and pressed on 7-LP, 180-gram vinyl. There aren’t a ton of copies of the Vinyl Me, Please release available, either, so this is one to pounce on.

Get it here.

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

Fans of HBO’s Euphoria won’t see a second season anytime soon, since it suspended production earlier this year due to the pandemic and isn’t exactly the type of show that one can film while social distancing. There’s some good news on the horizon, though, if you don’t mind trading glitter makeup and tears for a different type of coming-of-age HBO show set in a dazzling, sun-soaked Italian landscape with a story helmed by Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino.

We Are Who We Are (which is not a limited series, as Guadagnino has left the door open for multiple seasons) will arrive in a few short weeks, and the new trailer reveals more about Jordan Kristine Seamón’s Caitlin, an anchoring presence U.S. Army brats on a Veneto base. Jack Dylan Grazer’s Fraser has transplanted to the base with his two mothers (played by Chloë Sevigny and Alice Braga), and both teens are grappling with identity and sexuality. All of this sounds like an Italian-set romance (with twists) and might stir up comparisons, but Guadagnino doesn’t want that. He recently told Variety that those thoughts are slightly “lazy” because “Call Me By Your Name is about the past seen through the prism of a cinematic narrative and this is about the here and now. This is about the bodies and souls of now. I think they are so different.”

Duly noted. This series also stars Kid Cudi, as well as Francesca Scorsese as “an outspoken, witty, sexually uninhibited girl,” according to HBO. From the synopsis:

A story about two American kids who live on a U.S. military base in Italy, the series explores friendship, first-love, identity, and immerses the audience in all the messy exhilaration and anguish of being a teenager – a story which could happen anywhere in the world, but in this case, happens in this little slice of America in Italy.

We Are Who We Are — which also stars Spence Moore II, Ben Taylor, Corey Knight, Tom Mercier and Sebastiano Pigazzi — will debut on September 14.

The only series in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs that wasn’t a sweep was the one most expected to end in four games, as the Magic swiped Game 1 against the Bucks before Milwaukee rattled off four straight wins to set up a meeting with the Miami Heat in the second round.

Thus far in the Bubble the Bucks haven’t looked like the dominant force they were prior to the hiatus, and, coupled with their disappointing finishes the last two years in the playoffs, there’s plenty of chatter about the Heat being able to pull off an upset in the semis. There are a variety of reasons for this, from the recent form of both teams to Miami being a stylistic nightmare for the Bucks (and the Heat being 2-1 against Milwaukee this season), but it begs the question: How vulnerable is Milwaukee to an upset?

For many pundits, the answer is “very,” as the Heat have become a trendy pick to meet the winner of the Boston-Toronto series, while oddsmakers still lean heavily in favor of Milwaukee, who are -385 favorites to win the series (implied odds of 79 percent). How Miami can find their way into that 21 percent is reliant on a few factors that could swing things in favor of the Heat.

Three-Point Shooting

This is the chief reason many point to Miami as to having a very real chance to beat the Bucks, who make protecting the paint their top focus on defense (and are elite at doing so). While they collapse into the paint to protect the rim, they are willing to give up three-point shots and Miami was the second best shooting team in the league this season, hitting 37.9 percent of their shots beyond the arc. No team gave up more three-point attempts on average than the Bucks, allowing teams to hoist 39.3 attempts per game in the regular season, as teams hit 35.5 percent of those shots. However, that’s also just the recipe for most good defensive teams, as the three teams behind Milwaukee in threes allowed are Toronto, Miami, and the Clippers. The key for is who they give those attempts to, and for Miami it may come down to whether their secondary and tertiary options can sustain their shooting over the course of the series.

The Bucks will likely place Wesley Matthews on Duncan Robinson and have him effectively face guard the best shooter in the league, insisting he is the one that doesn’t provide helpside defense to not leave themselves vulnerable to Robinson’s capabilities of stringing together five, six (or more) threes. Expect Milwaukee to funnel shots in the direction of Jae Crowder, a 29.3 percent three-point shooter on the season, and Kendrick Nunn, a 35 percent shooter in his rookie season (provided Nunn gets real playing time in this series, which he may not after being scratched for three of four against Indiana).

In their three meetings this season, Nunn has taken 23 three-pointers against Milwaukee, the most of anyone on the Heat, making eight of them. Robinson has 21 attempts, making 11, and Kelly Olynyk is 8-for-16 in those meetings — he, too, will get some opportunities but his emergence as a 40 percent shooter has the Bucks trying to run him off the line more, as evidenced by just seven of those attempts coming in the last two meetings. Crowder, meanwhile is a ridiculous 9-for-15 against the Bucks, as they are happy to let him fire away. Given his season long percentage (and career marks from deep), that’s the right choice, but his shooting has, quite literally, tipped the scales in Miami’s favor. It’s not as though it all falls on Crowder, but he is certainly the one Milwaukee targets in their gameplan as the player they want to have letting it fly on this Miami team. If he continues to light up the Bucks, Miami has a very good chance. If he regresses to the mean and looks more like his season-long numbers, the Heat will have a much more difficult time.

On the flip side, Milwaukee’s shooting has been a major factor in their success against the Heat, as they’ve shot 31.5 percent and 20.4 percent from distance in their two losses and 40.5 percent in their lone win. Miami’s only shot against the Bucks is to win the three-point battle, and they certainly have the personnel to do it.

Giannis vs. Bam Vs. The Foul Game

The most fascinating one-on-one battle in this series belongs to Giannis Antetokounmpo going up against Bam Adebayo, who is capable of spectacular defensive performances against the MVP. In Miami’s two wins, Adebayo has managed to stay out of foul trouble against Giannis and, thus, stay on the floor to match minutes with him, playing 37 and 38 minutes. In their lone loss, which came recently in the Bubble, Adebayo picked up five fouls in 22 minutes of play. Giannis is a master of getting to the free throw line, but Miami has done a superb job of keeping him away from the charity stripe, as he’s had just 20 attempts in three games — he’s taken 13 three-point attempts in those games and missed all of them, indicating how well they’ve frustrated him to settling for jump shots.

However, in that loss, once Adebayo was out of the game, Giannis marched to the rim and dominated. While he still only had nine free throw attempts, he feasted in the restricted area and was the catalyst for the second half reversal that saw the Bucks run away with a 14-point win after trailing by 17 at the half. Adebayo will have to be able to stay on the floor for Miami to have a chance at frustrating Giannis and getting him to settle for outside shots rather than camping out in the restricted area where he’s virtually unstoppable.

Goran Dragic vs. Eric Bledsoe

To be clear, Khris Middleton can’t play the way he did against Orlando for the first four games if Milwaukee is going to win this series or any others, but his performance in Game 5 was much more in tune with what the All-Star did this season. What’s more concerning is the point guard matchup in this series, where thus far Goran Dragic has outplayed Eric Bledsoe in the two meetings he was healthy — which were also the two wins for Miami. Dragic has been sensational in the playoffs, bringing an added dynamic to this Miami offense, and in turn making Nunn’s minutes not as needed. Bledsoe hasn’t been a great scorer thus far in the playoffs, but he’s been a good facilitator and, most importantly, seemed to turn up his defensive play along with the rest of the Bucks to close out that series.

Bledsoe doesn’t need to win the scoring matchup with Dragic, but he just simply can’t be played off the floor. He has to be able to knock down some spot-up looks when the defense collapses on Giannis and Middleton, but mostly he has to be confident off the dribble and attacking downhill to open up looks for others, which he was doing well against Orlando. On defense, Bledsoe has to find a way to bother Dragic, who got very comfortable against Indiana, scoring 20 points in all four games, often stepping into a major role in the fourth quarter when Miami was desperate for some offensive creativity. Bledsoe is capable of being a defensive nightmare for opposing point guards and he has to step up into that role, at minimum, in this series, even if he’s not producing a ton offensively. If Dragic continues to score 20 a night as he did against the Pacers, that is an added dynamic to their three-point specialists that the Bucks simply cannot afford to let Miami have.

The first trailer for Denis Villeneuve’s sandy epic Dune doesn’t premiere online until next Wednesday, September 9 (with a “trailer date teaser” playing before screenings of Tenet), but if you need your Timmy-as-Paul Atreides in the desert fix before then, you’re in luck. Empire published an interview with the Little Women star, where he describes his “awe-inspiring” experience shooting the film, alongside Oscar Isaac and Zendaya.

“That part of the Wadi Rum [desert in Jordan] is so awe-inspiring, you might as well be getting chased by that cliff in the background,” Chalamet said. “It wasn’t a green-screen or anything. That’s one of the most thrilling parts of the book and the movie. We had the sketches… On Call Me By Your Name or Beautiful Boy, it can be counterintuitive to see the storyboards because then maybe you limit yourself based on a camera angle or whatever. It’s the opposite [here] because, for a sequence with the sandworm chasing you, I could never imagine that.” I really hope Dune keeps its December 18 release date, because I need to set a mashup of the sandworm chase set to “Mystery of Love.”

Speaking of awe-inspiring things: here’s Timmy and Zendaya doing desert stuff.

They look R2D2 hiding behind rocks in Star Wars. Do sandworms always ride single file to hide their numbers, too?

(Via Empire)

In March, Girlpool released their latest new song, “Like I’m Winning It.” The track is a departure from the indie-rock of their 2019 album What Chaos Is Imaginary, instead leaning more into synth-pop territory. Now the group has been pulled into even more varying genre directions with their latest effort: A remix EP, Touch Me (It’s Like I’m Winning It), featuring three new versions of the tracks remixed by their musical peers.

Contributing to the EP are Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes, Porches, and Lydia Ainsworth. The band says of the idea behind the EP, “It’s really cool to hear our song realized differently by artists we admire. Each remix is so unique and unexpected.”

Tucker previously said of the song, “‘Like I’m Winning it’ is about power and lust: How can the weight of someone’s attention feel so heavy just because of its scarcity? This is a song about playing with that line — the line between the electricity in receiving attention and what’s unattainable. I sent this song to our friend Amalia Irons a couple of days after I made a demo at home. I knew she would create a video for this song that was charged, psychedelic, and romantic.”

Stream the “Touch Me (It’s Like I’m Winning It)” remix EP below.