#Sports Mouth Guards in Irving

[dentalartistryirving]

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[darkhymns-fic]

Memories of Coffee

Not every memory would be pleasant, but they come to him, unannounced. The cup of coffee, however, stayed warm in his hands.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Kratos Aurion/Anna Irving, Lloyd Irving Mirror Link: AO3 Notes: Written for @krannaweek Day 1: Hot and Cold. This came out longer than I meant it to so I hope it reads ok! (The kranna starts not long after the beginning, promise).

—

Kratos had long tried to forget about Anna, even after he had discovered her grave at Lloyd’s home. But memories had a way of sneaking up on him at the most inopportune moments.

As the campfire crackled in the quiet night, he heard soft muttering from a few feet away. He noted that Lloyd had been a restless sleeper ever since he forcibly joined their group, the Chosen never protesting it. Kratos waited, already predicting when the boy (his son) would wake up, his uneasiness of the journey settling in on his consciousness, even when he was unaware.

Such instincts could have been learned, could have been inherited. It wasn’t Kratos’ place to say.

Keeping his eyes on a sleepy Noishe, who softly wagged his tail as he laid on the ground near Kratos, the footsteps he expected soon came, followed by a tired voice. Of course, the boy must have noted the empty space near him, prompting him to ask the one who called himself a mercenary

“Hey… Where’s Colette?”

He only briefly turned to find Lloyd standing before him, rubbing at his eyes. The firelight caught the shade of familiar burnished brown hair, and Kratos had to turn away, facing the west. “You should be sleeping.”

Even after taking up on his training lessons, Lloyd would still get highly annoyed with him, as he did now. “Ugh, well I can’t. Shouldn’t Colette be sleeping then?”

“The Chosen is over on the hillside,” he said, along with a brief nod towards the direction.

A small pause, one of incredulity, or so Kratos assumed. “And you just let her go off by herself?” Lloyd said accusingly. “Some guard you are! I thought things were dangerous!”

“The Chosen requested it,” he simply stated, and was soon answered by an irritated scoff. He turned back to find the exasperated boy, still very tired, but now already heading towards the west, the fire still highlighting his hair.

“Well, I’m gonna make sure she’s okay if you’re not doing anything.” Again, that irritation, and it was something in that which finally made Kratos stand, reaching out his hand to grip Lloyd’s shoulder.

“H-Hey! What are you-?”

“Over here first,” he stated, turning back to the campfire – as well as the pot of coffee he was brewing. He knelt to retrieve the kettle, along with cups he had gathered previously for the occasion.

Lloyd was too confused, as well as too fatigued, to ask him. And that was fine, for as he examined the coffee, one of those old memories came back, like the soft rumblings of a storm, where all one could do was wait out until it was over.

---

.

.

.

Anna had said virtually nothing to him the entire night, even as her footsteps lagged behind his, even as she nearly tumbled headfirst onto the ground because of exhaustion and refused his help. Kratos felt the same, his Exsphere pushed to the limit to keep his own body going. Although it had been days since breaking out of the ranch, it felt as if they were always being chased.

“Here we can rest,” he said finally, to break the silence between them. The grove he picked was far out of the way of most villages in Sylvarant, hopefully not well-drawn on most Desian maps either. He already set about to make a campfire, careful to not use any of his magic, careful to not reveal too much to the woman who had once been in shackles.

But Anna would still say nothing, instead simply seating herself on the ground, hands over her knees, pointedly looking away from him. The simple clothes they had given her at the ranch was frayed, nearly ripped apart on one side. They only had time to pass through one town, Kratos quickly shopping for a few essentials, such as food, gels, and a traveling cloak for Anna. He blamed himself for not getting her new clothes, but she had barely accepted the cloak as it were, only doing so when the night had grown too cold.

So many questions to ask, but she wouldn’t talk. He didn’t know how to help her talk, to at least assure her that danger was gone this very night. He didn’t know how to explain on just why he had done all this for her in the first place.

Maybe a warm drink would smooth away tension, he had thought dimly.

On his quick shopping trip, Kratos had acquired some coffee, as well as a kettle to help brew the liquid in. He made their campfire, all while Anna stayed seated on the ground. He felt her eyes on him then, turning back briefly to find the firelight bounce against burnished brown hair. But still she said nothing. What other words could be said? Their entire time together had been awkward, mainly filled with the dread of being found by Cruxis. It was not his place to make her trust him, when he had just broken her out of the ranch with barely an explanation.

So he put his efforts into making something, pouring the liquid in a tin cup before handing it to Anna. Her face had been hidden in shadows, only slightly revealed as she raised her head, the firelight shining off her features.

“This is hot coffee,” he told her. “Please drink if you wish.”

It was then she finally spoke her first words in hours. “Coffee? This late at night?”

Frankly, it was the reaction he hadn’t anticipated. Kratos cleared his throat, feeling as if he had just been scolded. “It would be prudent to stay aware of our surroundings,” he offered as explanation.

At that, Anna looked back to the cup he held out to her, before gently taking it from him, carefully avoiding his touch. She didn’t offer her thanks. He didn’t expect it. He politely turned away so that she could drink it in peace. Maybe he could arrange for better shelter for them with the trees overhead-

That was when he heard a sharp choke, followed by coughing. Hand instinctively going to his sword’s hilt, he turned back towards Anna. Had an enemy snuck through?

Instead, Anna was spitting out the coffee, some of it hitting the campfire, making it hiss. “Ugh! What is in this?!” she yelled.

Kratos was stunned. “What’s wrong? Are you allergic to coffee? I didn’t-”

“N-No! I’m…” Another cough, Anna wiping away at her mouth with the hem of her cloak. “Just… this tastes completely awful!”

He blinked in response, but said nothing in his defense.

“And… this isn’t even hot? It’s ice cold! How did you manage that?”

An embarrassed flush coated his cheeks. Ah. His Exsphere. He had adjusted it so that he would not need to sleep, to eat or drink, or to even feel. Of course, that included temperatures…

Finally, Anna had stopped hacking her lungs out, still clutching the tin cup, though now holding it out in front of her a few feet as if it were a cursed artifact. “It tastes like… complete and utter despair,” she said with a grimace. “Have you never made a pot of coffee in your life?”

Well, the last had been quite some time ago…

Instead, all he did was look down at the ground, finally releasing his grip on his sword. “Forgive me. I suppose my skills have been lacking in that area.”

Another silence between them, except from the crackling of a newborn campfire. Then, Anna laughed. Softly, lightly. She stunned him again, but for now vastly different reasons.

“You act as if you had just poisoned me,” she joked, shoulders shaking in mirth. Until she stopped, eyeing him under her eyelashes. “That’s not true, is it? Was this your attempt at finishing me off?”

Kratos stuttered, at a complete loss on what to say. “I-I would… would not do something so underhanded-”

She waved him off, still sporting a grin. “Okay, okay, you’re forgiven either way.” She took a deep breath, bringing in the tin cup close to her chin. “But, this is amazing in it’s own way. I had no idea coffee could taste so much like mud, right down to the texture.” She laughed again, looking up to him.

Kratos knew by now that he was completely red in the face. “I suppose it is acceptable to laugh at my shortcomings.”

At that, she tilted her head at him. Again, the firelight caught her hair. Again, Kratos was at a loss on what to say next.

“You are…the most serious, and the most dour person I have ever met.” She said this thoughtfully, eyes flicking back to the cup cradled in both hands before lifting it to take another sip.

Widened eyes and a short step forward. Yet Kratos hung back helplessly as Anna sipped down the rest of the coffee with obvious distaste in her expression. “Anna-” he started, a bit aghast that just now, after their escape, he had finally used her name.

She had caught onto that as well, her eyes sharp as she lowered the cup from her lips. A shudder went through her, but she smiled. “Still tastes horrible, and it’s making me colder… but it will keep me up for sure.”

Again, he couldn’t resist one final apology. “I am sorry. It was thoughtless of me to not think that you would want to sleep.”

She shook her head, then reached for the same kettle that Kratos had used, pouring more of the terrible coffee into her cup. Once done, she then handed the cup to him.

Anna continually stunned him, and in his surprise, he automatically reached for the proffered coffee, remembering to adjust his Exsphere’s capabilities. Ah. Even without the absence of touch, he should have noted the lack of steam from the coffee…

“Drink it.”

Kratos raised his head at her. But her smile showed it wasn’t really a punishment.

“Stay up as well and talk with me tonight,” she said. “I’ve had a hard time sleeping anyway. Another voice would be good.” But something flickered in her expression then, something that pierced through him, but softly. “Unless you don’t need this coffee to stay awake.”

She knew more than she let on. It was those same searching eyes that drew him to her in the first place.

Kratos swallowed the coffee in one sip, his taste buds back in full degree. At least Anna had been happy.

.

.

.

---

Lloyd’s impatience was palpable, brimming in the air like the summer heat. But Kratos kept his motions in careful control, this time examining the pot, adjusting the flames of the campfire, stray embers buffeted by a brief wind. He had practiced ever since that night.

There were several mugs at the foot of the fire, much of them plain and bought quickly for travel. But Kratos noted two kinds; one made of wood that looked weathered, unpolished, but sturdy. It had been crafted well and would last for several more years to come. The other was of expensive porcelain but nicked on one side, patterns of swirling blue near its rim. Kratos handled this one carefully, for it would only be more damaged if it was dropped, if it would even survive the fall.

By the time he had finished pouring the coffee into both, he stood up to face Lloyd, who still looked impatient and a little peeved, but blinked at the proffered mugs.

“Take these for yourself and the Chosen,” he said. The steam rose from the mugs, only to quickly dissipate with the wind.

Lloyd looked at them, then back to Kratos, confused. “Coffee? This late? Why?”

Memories come up when you least expect them to. But he was careful not to let anything show. It was not a burden that Lloyd needed at this time. He would have plenty more to come.

“To stay aware of our surroundings,” he had said, looking back out into the distance, for he was on watch, after all. “Assassins chase after the Chosen. Keep an eye on her.”

For Lloyd’s eyes, like his mother’s, were sharp. Not everything would be hidden from him for very long.

“…Okay,” Lloyd finally said, taking the mugs. “And… thanks.”

The boy (their son) finally left, heading towards the west, towards the small hill where the Chosen stood. He spared a quick glance to see her turn at the sound of Lloyd’s footsteps. The smile she gave was familiar, he felt, and only given the moment her eyes settled on Lloyd coming close.

Kratos thought at first about listening in, to understand the moment of Lloyd’s discovery. But instead, he minimized his hearing, so that all he could hear was the gentle crackling of the fire before him.

“This night is colder than I thought… I think your coffee has frozen my insides.”

“Well, I have also now suffered the same fate. But as long as we stay near the fire, we should warm up.”

A brief shift, her traveling cloak brushing against his side. “This cloak is warm however. I don’t mind sharing this if you needed it.”

Kratos closed his eyes. He still remembered the taste of the coffee.

[youngandhungryent]

Kyrie Irving Creates $1.5M Fund For WNBA Players Skipping The Season

Source: Jim McIsaac / Getty

Kyrie Irving has made no secret that he’s against NBA players returning to the court to finish out the remainder of the season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that’s claimed the lives of 140,000+ Americans. So when it got out that many women from the WNBA league had decided to continue to shelter in place instead of participating in the season (forfeiting a year’s worth of salary in the process), the Brooklyn Net’s star point guard decided to put his money where his mouth is and is financially helping the women who are sitting out this year’s games.

Blavity is reporting that Irving lunched the KAI Empowerment Initiative this past Monday (July 27) and committed $1.5 million of his own money to help take the financial burden off of players who aren’t risking their health to play ball in front of empty stands.

According to a statement on the KAI Empowerment Initiative website, the program is designed to provide financial support for WNBA players “who are active but will not play in the 2020 WNBA season due to personal, professional, health, and/or safety-related reasons.”

“The KAI Empowerment Initiative is fully funded by Kyrie Irving who has committed $1.5 million to these efforts. In addition, the program will give all WNBA players access to a comprehensive financial literacy program provided by UBS,” the website states. 

WNBA players Natasha Cloud and Renee Montgomery are among the athletes who have opted to focus on social justice reform instead of playing this season. According to NBC Sports, some other players who chose to skip the season for health or social justice reasons are Rebecca Allen and Asia Durr of the New York Liberty, Kristi Toliver and Chiney Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks, Jessica Breland of the Phoenix Mercury, Tiffany Hayes of the Atlanta Dream and Liz Cambage of the Las Vegas Aces. 

Monster props to Kyrie for helping those who aren’t just protecting their health, but also looking to initiate change at a time when racism, inequality, and right-leaning hatred seem to be reigning supreme.

It’s been a wild start to the season for the WNBA as is what with players calling for Republican Senator and Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler to step down after she criticized the Black Lives Matter movement and suggested it would “destroy” America. Not only has Loeffler refused to leave her post, but she’s also refused to apologize for her statement.

Things really went up a notch on the court this past weekend when players for both the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm not only walked onto the court with Breonna Taylor’s name on their jerseys but also walked off the court during the National Anthem in a show of solidarity for social justice.

Whether or not the Atlanta Dream take similar action to send a message to Loeffler remains to be seen, but if they do best believe we’ll be riding right alongside with them.

—

Photo:

source https://hiphopwired.com/891898/kyrie-irving-wnba-fund/

[illfatedvoyage]

Mya could hear screams in the distance, but for now, her mind was focused on the people in front of her. Her friends, her family--the one she made, the people she chose. Everyone she loved, putting their lives on the line for her. They were under no obligation to be here, they didn’t have to risk their lives, but here they were, anyway, for her. For Ferelden, for the world. 

And now they were all looking at her. Damnit. She was expected to lead them into battle. Tightening her grip on her sword, Mya shook away her thoughts and straightened her back. Sucking in a deep breath, she lifted her chin and began giving orders. “Loghain, Morrigan, Zevran, you’re with me. Sten, I’m putting you in charge of the main gate. You hold this position and you let nothing through, understood? Shale and Oghren will be right behind you--Leliana and Wynne, I want you on the walls, firing down. Keep your distance and manipulate the battlefield--funnel enemies towards whoever’s available, like we planned.”

Everyone nodded before saying their goodbyes. There were hugs and well-wishes, threats and promises of survival, and at least one awkward goodbye. Just as she was turning to follow her party towards the Market Square, Mya felt something butt against her hip. Looking down, Lockjaw stood at her side, jaws open and tongue lolling with a big smile on his face. “No, Lockjaw. You stay here at the gates, with Sten. He needs you. Stay.”

Mya turned to walk off again, except Lockjaw grabbed the belt at her waist, tugging her back with a whine. Gritting her teeth, she turned and dropped to her knee, putting her swords on the ground. Lockjaw sat whining until she ran her fingers through his short fur, scratching at his neck and behind his ears. They perked as she began speaking. “Lockjaw, you listen to me. I need you here, holding this gate. I need you to be brave, because I’m not right now. I need you to protect the people I can’t. Can you do that for me boy, can you watch out for them?”

Lockjaw whined, licking gently at Mya’s chin before giving a low woof. He stood and padded towards the party staying at the gate, pausing to look over his shoulder as Mya stood. He whined as she wiped her eyes, but she managed a smile as she picked up her swords. “Lockjaw, you’re Sten’s second. You’ll take the right side of the gate while Sten guards the left, Shale and Oghren dead center. Understood?”

At the mabari’s bark, Mya nodded, turning back towards her small group. Jogging towards them, she passed Zevran, not quite able to meet his eyes. “Let’s go.”

She only stumbled a little at hearing a howl behind her.

She was alive.

People were already saying she was blessed by the Maker himself, that she’d been chosen by Him to give the killing blow to the Archdemon and because of her faith, she lived. Morrigan wasn’t around to scoff and take her credit, but Mya rolled her eyes at the claims at least once in honor of her friend.

The true miracle was that the party at the gate was alive as well. They all slowly gathered in the Throne Room in Denerim’s castle, trailing in one by one. Zevran and Loghain had been with her, helping her to the nearest bench. Her ribs were broken still, and there was a partially healed gash on her side from the Archdemon’s spiked tail, but she’d live. As she took her seat on a bench, she cast her gaze around the room to see who all had made it. First Enchanter Irving and Knight Commander Greagoir were conferring with each other, while Eamon and Teagan shared an embrace. Across the room, she caught Alistair’s eyes for a brief moment, pain lancing through her chest when he turned away first to talk to Anora. 

Sten and Leliana were the first to arrive from the gate. Sten was sporting a cut on his cheek, and Leliana was cradling her arm, but she broke into a grin when she saw Mya. Even Sten looked a little pleased, the corners of his eyes crinkling in an invisible smile. Mya heard Shale before seeing here, the sound of stone-on-stone too unique to mistake. She was following Wynne, the two chatting about Maker-knows-what as they entered the hall. Upon laying eyes on the injured parties, Wynne let out a put upon sigh, tsking Leliana as she took her arm in her hands. Oghren was the last to meander into the hall, somehow toting a whole barrel of beer, to the excitement of all the soldiers who had amassed in the hall.

The room quickly filled with the sounds of a celebration, laughter filling the air after what seemed like days worth of hellish screaming and an Archdemon’s screeching roars. But Mya felt off kilter, a frown slowly forming as she continued to look around the room. When Wynne approached to look at her side, Mya reached out and grasped her wrist to stop her. “Where’s Lockjaw?”

Her friends turned to look at her, then around at them. The mabari was nowhere to be seen. Mya’s gaze jumped to Sten as he spoke. “The gates were overrun with darkspawn. Lockjaw leaped at a hurlock general, and then I heard a yelp, but I could not find him when I turned to help.”

All eyes turned back to Mya as she paled. She didn’t feel Wynne’s hands on her side, knitting flesh back together, nor could she tell whose hand rested on her shoulder to steady her. 

“Oh.” She opened and closed her mouth. Slowly her gaze slipped away from Sten and down to her hands, brows creasing as she kept trying to find words. “I--I--”

Her breath hitched and a sudden sob broke her, hands coming up to press hard into her eyes as she tried to stem the tears coursing down her dirty face. Mya’s shoulders shook with each new sob, and it wasn’t long until she felt like she couldn’t breathe, like she couldn’t catch her fucking breath--

“I have to--I can’t be here--I just--” Unable to meet anyone’s gaze, she pushed past her companions, ignoring the curious looks of soldiers as she made her way towards the front of the hall. The doors were wide open, but there were few people on the steps, for which she was thankful. Mya sat down hard on the stone, wrapping her arms around her waist, ignoring the faint pain as she bent forward with a keening sob. She could hardly catch her breath, each one loud and sharp to her ears as she tried to breathe around the snot coming from her nose and the vice on her chest.

She barely heard it above her sobs. A high pitched whine, more air than sound. Mya struggled to open her eyes, prying a hand free from her side to swipe tears away and clear her watery vision. The gait was unfamiliar--as if the creature’s front left leg didn’t quite work--but the kaddis--the kaddis--

“L-Lockjaw?” Mya snuffled, rubbing her nose against the back of her hand, the other furiously pushing tears away from her eyes. If only they weren’t caked in blood and dirt, she could see if it was really--the creature managed a low woof as it limped forward, the panting somehow louder in her ears despite the fact that the dog was still at the bottom of the stairs. 

She knew.

Scrambling from the top of the stairs, Mya half-fell, half-sprinted towards the bottom steps, sobbing again when the hound at the bottom gave a weak wag of his tail and tried to limp up the steps. She barely made it to the bottom when the hound--her hound, her Lockjaw--toppled her to the ground, licking incessantly at her face as she drew the mabari into her lap, arms wrapping so tightly around Lockjaw that it he’d never be able to escape. Sobs were pushed from her chest as relief flooded her lungs, tears quickly licked up by the happy hound in her lap.

They made it. 

They made it.

[dramabus2-blog]

DeAndre Jordan, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul Invest In Plant-Based Food Company Beyond Meat - Forbes

New York Knicks center DeAndre Jordan is one of three NBA stars who have invested in Beyond Meat, the company announced Wednesday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York Knicks center DeAndre Jordan is one of three current or former NBA All-Stars, including Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving and Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul, investing in Beyond Meat, a plant-based meat substitute Jordan couldn't stop raving about in an exclusive interview.

“I believe in the product and it’s something that I really do care about," Jordan said, "and hopefully it’ll be a company that other people care about in the future."

Jordan, Irving and Paul join a growing group of investors for Beyond Meat, which has raised $122 million so far, according to CrunchBase, and could soon be looking to go public.

Over the last several years, Jordan's dabbled in cutting red meat out of his diet during the summer. He went pescatarian one summer before going full vegetarian for two straight summers. At that point, Jordan thought "I should be able to do this for an entire season."

But Jordan and his trainer were worried about energy levels, “me being able to sustain endurance and not lose my strength and be able to go through a full 82-game season plus playoffs with practices and flights and not have my body breaking down."

After doing a slew of tests with his trainer and nutritionist, the results were actually the opposite of what Jordan thought they'd be, and he's averaged 11 points, over 13 rebounds and just over a block per game this season on a plant-based diet. And Beyond Meat provides palatable protein that can be hard to find in vegan or vegetarian diets.

Photo courtesy of Beyond MeatPhoto courtesy of Beyond Meat

“It’s been great for me this season," Jordan said. "Now that I look back at it, the red meat definitely weighed me down a little bit and it takes a long time to break down. Each person’s body is different, but for me I lost a lot of what I would say was bad weight.”

About two or three years back Beth Moskowitz, the executive director of Sports Spectacular, a non-profit "dedicated to linking world-class athletes and innovative medical research to advance healthier futures" told him about this plant-based Beyond Meat burger at a time when Jordan was looking to switch his diet up. Moskowitz raved about it to Jordan and he wanted to try it and hear a little more about it.

“I tried it and it was so good, and now I have my family and some of my friends eating it," Jordan said. "It’s just something I definitely believe in.” 

Now Jordan is putting his money where his mouth is, though he and Beyond Meat declined to disclose the amount he’s investing or whether he’s receiving an equity stake in the company.

Jordan is far from the only NBA player who's experimented with cutting red meat. A 2017 Bleacher Report article profiled Kyrie Irving's vegan diet and also mentioned fellow players including Damian Lillard, Wilson Chandler and Enes Kanter who have all gone either vegetarian or vegan. In fact, after the B/R article came out, Beyond Meat reached out and sent Irving some of its product.

Kyrie Irving is one of three NBA stars investing in Beyond Meat, the company announced Wednesday.Photo courtesy of Rick Bern

"It was good timing as I was struggling to find quality plant-based foods that still had a lot of flavor," Irving said in a press release. "After I tried their products, I knew immediately that this was a company I wanted to be involved with."

Jordan said that he and Irving both discovered Beyond Meat individually and didn't speak to Irving or Paul until he was already fully involved with the company.

"I believed in it from the beginning," Jordan said. "It was something that I wanted to change for myself, my body and my career. Just my overall lifestyle."

Jordan said he’s unsure whether he’ll be in Beyond Meat commercials or whether he’ll just be an investor behind the scenes, but wants to be "extremely involved" in getting the company out there.

“Whatever I could do to help spread the word and be a positive voice for it, not just somebody who invests money," he said. "I’m going to be involved as much as I can be, because it’s something that’s in my refrigerator non-stop, and I love it. So I want to get other people to at least try it and give it a chance.”

New York Knicks center DeAndre Jordan misses a dunk during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)ASSOCIATED PRESS

"I believe that this movement toward plant-based meats among athletes, for the dual purpose of supporting performance and advancing broader social and environmental objectives, holds tremendous promise for shifting behavior in this and future generations," said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat's founder and CEO.

Jordan was traded from Dallas to New York on Feb. 1 in the Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster and while he's enjoyed the city, the biggest adjustment he's had to make is wearing a coat to practice because of the cold NYC winter.

“The organization has so much history, and New York fans are extremely involved. That’s a definite positive," he said. "They love their team. They root for the team if they’re up 20, down 20, if it’s a winning season, a losing season. They’re diehard fans, and that’s something you could appreciate.”

Jordan also happens to be close with Kevin Durant, whose free agency status after the season, and rumored interest in the Knicks this offseason, has overshadowed nearly every other NBA storyline either on or off the court.

“He’s one of my best friends," Jordan said, "but we’re not talking about that right now.”

Jordan said he doesn't press Durant about these issues.

"If it’s something that comes up, then we talk about it. If not, we don’t talk about it," Jordan said. "But our relationship goes beyond basketball. I guess at some point, if we talk about it then we talk about it."

Team LeBron's Kevin Durant, of the Golden State Warriors receives the MVP trophy after the NBA All-Star basketball game as NBA commissioner Adam Silver, left, looks on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, in Charlotte, N.C. The Team LeBron won 178-164. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jordan, a free agent himself after the season, found a rental in the city that he likes rather than living out of a hotel for the rest of the year. He said he's focused on building the culture Knicks head coach David Fizdale wants the team to have, while Durant is focused on helping the Golden State Warriors win yet another championship.

"Like I said, we’re really close friends," Jordan said. "So we talk a lot. We hang out a lot. I wish him nothing but the best with what he has going on in Golden State. He’s a free agent after this year, I guess, we’ll see what happens. That’s not something that we talk about.”

What Jordan and Durant may talk about more easily the rest of the season, is his investment in Beyond Meat and how more and more NBA players are embracing a plant-based lifestyle that increasingly cuts red meat out of the picture.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/shlomosprung/2019/02/20/deandre-jordan-kyrie-irving-chris-paul-invest-in-plant-based-food-company-beyond-meat/

[19980115]

Juyeon’s Childhood & School Days

Juyeon has a dad, mom, and a younger brother who is 4 years younger than him. His hometown is in Gwangju city, Gyeonggi province, South Korea. He lived there and went to school in Gyeonggi all the way until he graduated from high school. His dad used to raise two dogs at two different times, a Beagle and a Jindo dog. Both were named Lee Jumong (이주멍, 멍 is a cute way of calling a dog). Eric has seen the beagle one and expressed how Juyeon's hometown is located in such a natural countryside. His brother's name also starts with "Ju", so \"Lee Ju\" has always been a significant part of his family, embodied in the different members of the family. He also used to raise a rabbit and it was kept and fed in front of his house though it didn't have a name. He is very scared of praying mantis because once he accidentally stepped on a praying mantis that was eating an earthworm while playing with his friends... He is more of a cat person and it's not like he doesn't like dogs but when the dogs his dad raised grew bigger, he became scared of them. At his house now, they are raising a Long Coat Chihuahua that used to belong to a hyung (a guy he knows who is older than him) who moved out to the US. The name is Yong-i and that name was given by the previous owner.

Juyeon was rumored to be very good looking when he was young and people around him kept telling him so. Even during Valentine's Day, he would get a lot of snacks from his friends. There was a time that he got 100 Pepero snacks and he had a hard time bringing them back home. His mother really liked these traditions so during White Day she would make Juyeon bring candies to school and give them out to all his classmates. He used to learn Taekwondo until 3rd dan black belt, swimming but stopped before he learned butterfly style, and piano classes just for a bit. He also used to be good in Math, even getting 100 marks a lot, but it only lasted until junior high, after which he picked up basketball. During his primary school days (Chowol Primary School), Juyeon was the class president from 1st to 4th grade. In 5th grade he decided he won't be the class president anymore, but in 6th grade he became the school's president instead. He said that he used to be really smart and diligent at studying. Even during such a young age, he already really liked Bigbang and DBSK. He even already had Cyworld (Korean SNS) account since his junior year and his BGM was Last Farewell by Bigbang. He said at that time no other kids knew Bigbang or DBSK, it's just him (ㅋㅋㅋ)

The relationship of their family is very good, although after his grandmother passed away, they barely had time to get together. That's why he was very happy when they all went out to eat together during Chuseok in 2017 because it has been such a long time that they got together. He also ate together with his family and went to the sauna with his brother during Christmas in 2017. His hometown is a Greenbelt area, which means that there are restrictions on urbanization. It was in the mountains and there are a lot of hills. Near his house, there is a Vietnamese restaurant called “Phosai” that he frequents, especially for the rice noodles. He used to go fishing with his father in the valleys a lot and said that he always let the fish go after catching them because he feels bad for them. On top of that, his father used to take him around to find places to stargaze. His hometown has very little light pollution so the stars are extremely visible and he can even point out the Cassiopeia constellation with naked eyes. He's always really liked observing the sky. He is extremely close with his younger brother, Juhwan. They go out together a lot (just the two of them) and spend holidays in many different places (ski place and beach resort). They would also go to sauna rooms a lot and spend time there. During break a few months ago, his brother was just nearby when he went out with Jacob and Eric, so Juyeon called his brother to come over and they went to play sports together in a place named Sports Monster. As the oldest son, he felt that he received a lot of benefits and even felt sorry for his younger brother because Juyeon was able to do everything he wanted to his brother.

Juyeon's mother seems to love teasing or tricking him. Juyeon would actually believe every single thing his mom told him (such a filial and obedient son), even if it's actually really nonsensical... His mother used to feed him every morning until primary school grade 3~4. He said in the morning he's always very tired so even while being fed he would fall asleep. His Chinese zodiac is actually ox and not tiger, but he was a part of the Tiger VLIVE with Chanhee and Changmin so fans tried to ask and tell him in fansigns that his zodiac is cow but he replied with "But... mom said that... I'm Tiger...". Other fans talked about it to him after that and he said "Yeah... I heard that my zodiac is actually ox...". He seemed very sad about it because he really liked his Tiger zodiac... So fans have kind of given up and let him just think of his zodiac as Tiger. However, when fans gave him tiger-related accessories lately, he said that his Chinese zodiac is ox and even though fans convinced and reassured him he is a Tiger-born, he still insisted that he knew that he is Ox-born and that he was tricked by his mom. His parents once said that if Juyeon was a girl, they would have named him Jusoon. The fan whom he told about this was skeptical and asked if it isn't something that they just made up at the time, but he really believed that it was the truth. When Juyeon was in kindergarten, his teacher just told him about the Slit-mouthed Woman ghost. His mother once told him that she saw the ghost on the alley before. He had to walk back alone around 2-3 PM and he was so scared that he started humming out loud a made up song. Juyeon's mom's pregnancy dream was that she saw a tree full of ripe grapes and she picked all of the grapes His first memory was also related to his mom, when he was walking with his mother and came across a cat. He was scared at the time because of how the cat looked like but now he become very fond of cats and wants to raise a cool and chic type. The types he has mentioned are Turkish Angora, Scottish Fold, and Russian Blue cats.

He said that he was active and a bit on the playful and even the naughty side. He went to the amusement parks a lot and even had an annual membership in Lotte World. Because of that, he said he is very good with rides and his favourite is Gyro Drop. They have a garden in their house so he would play there a lot when he was young. Juyeon easily believed things that people told him. He used to believe that Santa existed until when he went to kindergarten, the kids there kept telling him that it doesn't exist but he didn't want to believe it and kept saying "No, that's not true, that's not true!". Juyeon even believed the myth that dragons live inside and can appear out of wells. In Juyeon's house, there used to be a lot of Hello Kitty dolls and that's why he got familiar with the character. Even his small desk (the one that you can fold) had a Hello Kitty image on it... There's an entertainment area called Yatap in Gyeonggi province and he used to go to the cinema there a lot to watch movies. He said it's so big (but according to the fan who shared this story, it actually isn't big at all... it's even on the smaller side). Juyeon has always really liked white milk from a young age, even until now. The brand that he used to drink is "Einstein". He said that he's always been tall since he was young even though his parents aren't on the taller side but his growth stopped at one point because he couldn't sleep well. His childhood dream was to become a pilot, and even until now a superpower he wants to gain is to be able to fly and he also once said that he wants be reborn as a vulture since it is strong and possesses a wide field of vision when flying.

Juyeon has always been quite popular in his school days. During high school, seniors would come to his class just to see him and sometimes when he walks in the corridors there would be juniors whispering to each other about how good-looking he is. His friend said that he used to receive a lot of confessions and gifts. He treats both his boy and girl classmates very nicely and equally so everyone was fond of him, especially because he laughs easily to everyone's jokes. Whenever his friends ask him to do something/go out together he would always agree right away. In the spring, the cherry blossom trees inside his school would be in full bloom and usually the students would go outside and not have class to enjoy the view and even take pictures together with the teachers. He would spend breaks talking with his friends or playing basketball. Since his high school did not serve meat, he didn’t really enjoy the meals but bought pizza bread regularly and ate them. Because of that as well, during lunch time that lasted for an hour, he would instead play basketball for 55 minutes and ran to eat for only 5 minutes.

He used to lead his class for the regular sports competition in his school for basketball and gained first place. He said he worked and practiced really hard for competitions, and so one of his best memories was when he scored a buzzer beater (scored right when the time left turns 0 second and match ends) during a competition in his province. He even received two MVP titles, one of which was in national competition. Juyeon would go to other schools to play basketball and his favourite seat in the class was the furthest at the back right beside the window because he likes watching students from other classes play basketball and football. He used to play as Small Forward, but lately he’s changed position to Shooting Guard. He used to really like Cleveland Cavaliers because both his favourite players, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James were in it, but because they transferred respectively to Boston Celtics and L.A Lakers, he also changed the teams that he supports. His favourite manga & anime is Slam Dunk, as he read the manga more than 3 times and watched the anime for more than 5 times. His favourite characters are Rukawa Kaede and Hisashi Mitsui. His number in The Boyz (11) is taken from the back number of Kyrie Irving in Boston Celtics, Rukawa Kaede in Slam Dunk, and his when he used to play basketball, as he thought of it as an ace number. The members also said he watches a lot of basketball videos, probably even more than he watches The Boyz videos, and that he is the one who plays the game console a lot especially NBA 2K. He used to join a choir group but dropped out only after two days.

Juyeon has always been known as someone who's conceptual and full of ideas (thinking type) by his friend and his speech is also very neat and proper. Rather than obsessing over him, lots of his friends had an admiration towards him like "Wah... Lee Juyeon... You're really...", that kind of feeling. This admiration especially comes from the fact that he was a trainee (starting from 2nd year of highschool, around mid-2015. His class in 2nd grade was Class #3). Juyeon was excused from classes sometimes because he had to practice but whenever he went to school, he never fell asleep, always wore his uniform properly, and finished all his exams. Because of that also he barely ate lunch in the school. His friend said that they never heard him curse. When he went to school he would wear earphones and sometimes bring a book and read it in school. He came across the book he reviewed in one of his individual broadcasts, Knulp by Hermann Hesse, after reading Demian, written by the same author during high school. Once when his class had Physical Education lesson in the gym, one of Juyeon's friends tripped and almost fell but he quickly grabbed his friend. Because of that he received a lot of compliments and his friend said it is a story that everyone in the class would remember. Juyeon is close to his History teacher who was also his homeroom teacher, who encouraged him to continue pursuing the path of becoming an idol when he was doubtful of it. He is also close to his Geography teacher with whom he consulted a lot about his problems. His favourite subjects were History, Physical Education, and English, especially because his English teacher was a really good teacher who knew how to make the class enjoyable. During KSAT, he took Korean History for the Social Science requirement. His teacher said he was a really cute and kind student. He is now attending university online, and said he has been listening to the courses well and enjoying them a lot as well as doing the works in the midst of the busy schedule, though he is not allowed to reveal his major.

Translated and compiled by @deobjeu / 19980115.tumblr.com. Please do not re-post to any other platform or re-translate into other language.

[junker-town]

Lonzo Ball never stopped shooting, and now it's paying off

After a rough start, the Lakers’ rookie has strung together a stretch of promising shooting games.

Lonzo Ball scored 16 points on 50 percent shooting from both the field and three-point range in the Lakers’ narrow 116-114 overtime loss to the Warriors on Monday night. After a rocky shooting start to his hyped-up rookie season, it appears the 20-year-old point guard may finally be rediscovering his stroke.

Los Angeles has lost three games in a row, but in four of his last five games, Ball has shot the ball with the efficiency of a highly-touted No. 2 overall pick coming off of an impressive offensive season at UCLA — an efficiency that was visibly lacking as he suffered through early shooting struggles.

Lonzo is averaging 12.2 points and shooting 46 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three since Dec. 7. He’s hit three triples in three consecutive games. That’s a far cry from the 8.7 points per game on 31 percent from the field and 25 percent from three that he shot before then.

“He’s definitely shooting with more confidence,” head coach Luke Walton said after the game, according to Sports West 1’s Bob Garcia. “He is putting in more work. He is more comfortable with the NBA game. I think it’s natural that his shooting percentage will go up.”

Lonzo Ball is finally settling in

Lonzo has done most things right offensively — except make shots. His poor shooting percentages have overshadowed the near triple double of nine points, seven assists and seven rebounds that he’s averaging on the season. He moves the ball. He makes the correct basketball play more often than not. He’s selfless, an attribute that’s been contagious on the court. And he’s been quiet, head-down working, even while his father has run his mouth off the floor.

Now, it finally seems Ball has reclaimed some of the shooting efficiency he had when he shot 41.2 percent from downtown as a freshman at UCLA. It’s just as he predicted in late November.

“I’m just missing shots. I definitely like the looks I’m getting,” Ball said during an interview on ESPN LA’s Mason and Ireland Show. “Most of them are wide open, people are going under screens. I feel like they’re going to fall. Just have to keep shooting and shooting with confidence.”

NBA players do this thing when they shoot the ball and know it’s going in. They leave their hand hanging high and/or backpedal with a cocky sort-of fervor.

Here’s Kevin Durant doing it:

.@KDTrey5 knocks down the three to open the scoring in OT (@NBCSAuthentic) http://pic.twitter.com/uek7AvKQVC

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 19, 2017

And here’s Klay Thompson doing it a few times, too:

.@KlayThompson ... he's so hot right now. (@NBCSAuthentic @NBAonTNT) http://pic.twitter.com/UcQS3G97wY

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 15, 2017

Now here’s Lonzo doing it against the Warriors on Monday night:

And against the Cavaliers on Dec. 14

And against the Knicks on Dec. 12

And against the Hornets on Dec. 9:

Ball’s been shooting with this type of ostensible confidence all season long, but the shots are finally dropping now. He had the same look on this pull-up 3 in late October.

Just like he did this on this one against Brooklyn.

Ball’s confidence has never wavered. He’s just needed time to put the work in, to get comfortable in the NBA and finally watch his jumper start to drop.

On Nov. 15, after missing all six of his three-point attempts in a loss to the 76ers — and the same night his brother was arrested for shoplifting in China — Ball hit the gym and spent time shooting the same shots he missed, according to The Orange County Register’s Bill Oram. That’s the same thing Kobe Bryant would do if he had an off game, and the same thing Kyrie Irving did after shooting 4-of-13 in a loss to the Spurs last season.

Now, the fruits of Ball’s hard work are finally starting to show in the form of efficient shooting games. And if you’re a Lakers fan, it’s been long overdue.

[djtrumpnetwork-blog]

Kerr: What Embiid did against the Lakers was terrifying

Yahoo Sports Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr labelled Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid as "terrifying" following his performance against the Los Angeles Lakers. Reigning NBA champions the Warriors held Embiid to 12 points and seven rebounds in their 135-114 win over the 76ers on November 11. But one week in a young player's development can mean a lot after Embiid scored 46 points and 15 rebounds in Philadelphia's 115-109 victory against the Lakers on Wednesday. Kerr may not be intimidated by Embiid, but he is more than aware of what can happen if the Warriors are not prepared for the 23-year-old. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push({}); "I think young players and young teams can kind of have breakthroughs and I think that may have happened with Philadelphia honestly," Kerr told reporters ahead of the Warriors' game at the 76ers on Saturday. "When we saw Embiid last week, he didn’t have a great game…but you can see his growth from one game to the next and what he did in L.A. was terrifying.” After playing Golden State just a week ago, Embiid will be ready for the double teams the Warriors plan to throw at him, Kerr anticipates. "We did a good job of it last time, but they're going to be more prepared for it," he said. Curry leads Warriors fightback after Sixers blitz

Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors goes after a loose ball against the Philadelphia 76ers Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors goes after a loose ball against the Philadelphia 76ers (AFP Photo/Rob Carr) Los Angeles (AFP) - Stephen Curry scored 35 points as the Golden State Warriorsbounced back from a disastrous first half performance to overpower the Philadelphia 76ers 124-116 on Saturday. Curry erupted in a one-sided third quarter for the Warriors after the Sixers had stunned the reigning NBA champions with an astonishing 47-point first quarter display at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center. The points haul was the most the Warriors have conceded in a single quarter since giving up 48 points in the fourth quarter of a game against Portland in November 1992. The Sixers led 47-28 after the first period and extended their lead to 74-52 at the break, leaving the Warriors staring at a potential blowout loss. However Steve Kerr's men came roaring back after half-time, and with Curry and Kevin Durant to the fore, put up their own 47-point quarter in the third. Curry rattled in 20 points alone in the third quarter as the Warriors erased a 22-point Sixers lead and quickly accelerated clear of their rivals. By the end of the third, the Warriors had raced into a 99-89 lead, a comfortable buffer they never looked like relinquishing throughout the fourth. Curry finished with 35 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Durant weighed in with 27 points five rebounds and three assists. "They played well in the first quarter so you've got to credit them," Curry said afterward. " "Sometimes when you get down like that it's not all our fault. We helped them a little bit with some turnovers and easy three-pointers, which gave them momentum, especially at home. "The second half, at the beginning of the third quarter we got some stops and that allowed our offense to take over. We executed better." - 'They bullied us' - Klay Thompson (17), Zaza Pachulia (10) and David West (14) also chipped in with double-figure tallies. Warriors power forward Draymond Green praised the way his team responded to the early onslaught. "They came out and punched us in the mouth but we were able to weather the storm," Green said. "First half they bullied us. We gave no resistance, they got whatever they wanted. In the third quarter we made some stops, Steph got hot and we started playing like ourselves." Ben Simmons led the scoring for the Sixers with 23 points while Joel Embiid had 21 points. Four other Sixers players -- Dario Saric, Robert Covington, J.J. Redickand Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot made double figures. The Warriors improved to 12-4 with the win while the Sixers fell to 8-7. Elsewhere Saturday, the Boston Celtics maintained their blistering form with a 15th straight victory, downing the Atlanta Hawks 110-99. Kyrie Irving scored 30 points and forward Jaylen Brown added 27 as the Celtics improved to 15-2 to head the Eastern Conference. Boston's current winning streak is the fifth-longest in franchise history, putting them within sight of the club record of 19 set in 2008. Irving went 10-for-12 from the field, including five three-pointers, with five assists and four rebounds. Brown made four three-pointers, and had four rebounds. The Houston Rockets meanwhile remained on top of the Western Conference standings at 13-4, one game ahead of the Warriors, after beating the Memphis Grizzlies 105-83. James Harden led the Houston scoring with 29 points while four other Rockets players made double figures. The Los Angeles Clippers were unable to break free of their form slump however, crashing to an eighth straight loss in their 102-87 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Kemba Walker had a game-high 26 points for Charlotte, with Dwight Howardadding 16 and Nicolas Batum 12. Young Sixers learn crucial lessons from 2 losses to NBA elite Warriors   Your browser does not support iframes. This time, it was a 124-116 loss Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center (see observations). Instead of taking silver linings and pats on the back, the Sixers are absorbing lessons, tried-and-true experience-based lessons from competing against the best in the league and watching it slip away. Play aggressive and smart at same time The Sixers committed seven of their 12 turnovers in the third, which led to 14 of the Warriors' 47 points. Ben Simmons echoed Embiid's opinion of needing to be more focused. The rookie point guard also noted the Sixers should have been better with defensive assignments and played more aggressively. The Sixers shot 1 for 7 from long-range and didn't get to the foul line once in the third. Simmons only attempted one field goal in the quarter. Brett Brown noted he played Simmons the entire second quarter and the first eight minutes in the third. The combination of a shorthanded eight-man rotation and the effects of coming off a West Coast road trip factored in. The Warriors, meanwhile, stayed cool and collected in the face of a 22-point halftime deficit. They bounced back to shoot 62.2 percent from the field in the second half. The Sixers noticed the Warriors' unwavering self-assurance even as they fell further and further behind in the first half. "There's a confidence that they have in what they do and who they are that over the course of a full game," JJ Redick said, "if they play the right way, they're going to have a chance to win." Read the full article

[othersportsnews-blog]

LaVar Ball does all the talking but the criticism on his son grows by the working day

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/lavar-ball-does-all-the-talking-but-the-criticism-on-his-son-grows-by-the-working-day/

LaVar Ball does all the talking but the criticism on his son grows by the working day

LAS VEGAS — THE TWITTER RESPONSES are something you may possibly assume from Knicks admirers talking about Carmelo Anthony or Cavaliers admirers not long ago discussing Kyrie Irving.

Goodbye! Most overrated participant! I would loathe to be his teammate. Full rubbish. Child is a [expletive] loser.

And that’s just from the past 24 hours.

And it’s also not about Anthony or Irving.

It’s in reaction to tweets about LaMelo Ball, a five-star level guard dedicated to UCLA for the class of 2019. He just led the Adidas Summer season Championships in scoring for the week inspite of remaining young than the majority of his opponents, and then scored 56 details in Big Baller Brand’s ultimate recreation of the weekend.

Ball is only 15.

But he’s also the son of LaVar Ball.

And that’s wherever it starts.

Does this appear the experience of a kid who is bothered by the circus all over him, the 1 produced by his have father? Ethan Miller/Getty Photos

It’s Very Quick to make the situation that LaMelo Ball is the most popular large faculty athlete in more than a ten years.

He has two.3 million followers on Instagram and 188,800 on Twitter. He is been on WWE’s “Monday Night time Raw.” He dedicated to participate in basketball at UCLA when he was thirteen decades aged. His highlights have been on SportsCenter a number of instances. He scored ninety two details in a recreation in February.

LaVar Ball requires it 1 stage even more.

“He is the most popular large faculty athlete ever,” Ball explained to ESPN before the Adidas Summer season Championships began last week.

“You see how he’s working with it. Just walking by way of existence. As long as I bought his back again, he’s great. But he expects all this, like I inform him. If you a sorry cat and cannot participate in a lick, none of this will come to you. And when you the baddest 1 in the earth and you set new precedents on distinctive things, you gonna be that dude. We assume all this to come with it.”

Just the mere sight of LaMelo in Las Vegas this past week was more than enough to get crowds buzzing. They wished to see his patented 35-foot pull-up jumpers or 1-handed passes. His Big Baller Model workforce had to depart fitness centers at instances by way of back again exits so LaMelo wouldn’t get hounded for images or autographs. He gave the sneakers he wore on Saturday to new admirers who ended up there to watch him.

“He is had more consideration on him because he’s been a infant,” LaVar explained on Sunday. “He loves it. This is what he does. He is an entertainer. He is gonna go tough. Earn or get rid of, he’s gonna give you a great present.”

Whilst LaMELO Staying THE MOST Renowned large faculty athlete ever is up for debate — Simone Biles and other Olympians could make a situation — you will find a distinctive argument that is very easily settled.

The Big Baller Model AAU workforce — led by LaMelo and LaVar Ball — was knocked out of the Adidas Summer season Championships in Las Vegas on Saturday after a 116-ninety five decline to Group Lillard.

LaVar Ball explained Saturday after his workforce was eradicated from the Adidas Summer season Championships that his responses Friday about a woman referee ended up not a gender problem.

It began so effectively, with crowds and consideration for an function that generally would not get those people crowds or that consideration. Then things went downhill. That’s how it operates with LaVar Ball. He simply cannot aid himself. It has to be about him. That’s a trouble.

two Connected

LaMelo Ball is the most hated large faculty athlete of all time. And it’s not close.

And it’s also not fully his fault.

The negativity stems largely from people’s dislike of LaVar. The continual boasting and braggadocio that LaVar has done for the past eight months has turned some people today off, and they take it out on his son on social media.

Then you will find the method LaMelo’s large faculty and AAU groups operate. Online video of his ninety two-level general performance confirmed a ton of cherry-buying and lazy protection. But that’s the design and style Chino Hills and Big Baller Model has played because Lonzo was managing the present: go for a steal early defensively, leak out on created baskets and take a ton of 3-pointers.

A late May well general performance went viral for LaMelo’s missed photographs and turnovers — and the number of people today who took pleasure in looking at him struggle had it trending on Twitter for a limited time.

When your 2k MyPlayer is a fifty five but shooters shoot pic.twitter.com/Y0naJdDxJM

— #Mickstape (@MickstapeShow) May well 28, 2017

Video clips like that make people today think LaMelo is just a gimmick, a merchandise of a scoring-happy method. In actuality, he is 1 of the most effective level guards in the 2019 class. He grew from 5-foot-8 to six-foot-3 over the last calendar year, and appears to be to nonetheless be growing into his overall body. LaMelo has uncanny really feel with the ball in his fingers, showing some of the exact same passing potential and vision that his brother Lonzo possesses. He would not have blow-by quickness, but utilizes a floater efficiently to end in the lane. And of training course, you will find the shooting assortment.

1 of the difficulties is the issue of getting a great evaluation of him. For illustration, LaMelo had a showdown from elite 2018 level guard Immanuel Quickley on Friday morning. Within minutes, LaVar received a technical foul, the recreation was delayed, a referee was replaced and the sideline antics overshadowed what really should have been a good head-to-head matchup.

Hoopla apart, nevertheless, LaMelo is supremely talented and a legit five-star prospect.

“In the long operate, he’ll be the coldest 1,” LaVar explained. “Due to the fact his thoughts is super solid. Melo is executing what ever he can do, bought people today commenting on the outdoors, his mind’s solid. I get on him on intent, just to see if he’s gonna split. That fool will not split. He is 15. Visualize what he’s heading to do when he’s sixteen, 17. His thoughts recreation be so solid. Individuals never realize what I’m getting him all set for it ain’t for the subsequent working day. It’s for the total treatment method. Everything’s heading to sit in him. Will never nothing bother him at all.”

LaMelo Ball went for 56 details in his ultimate recreation this week in Las Vegas. It was much from a boring week. Mark J. Rebilas-Usa Nowadays Sports

THERE Would seem TO BE A DISCONNECT concerning the public and non-public LaMelo Ball. LaVar describes an exceptionally outgoing persona, a wild kid usually making an attempt to get concerned and communicate.

On the court docket, LaMelo would not present a lot of that. He places on a present with his recreation, but would not continually communicate trash or pound his chest after a created basket.

And after the recreation? He scarcely talks. Like, at all.

Here’s the whole unedited interview concerning two reporters and LaMelo on Sunday:

Dilemma: Do you really feel like you will find tension to come out and conduct each time? Reply: No, not at all.

Dilemma: Do you like the consideration that you get? Reply: Yeah, it’s great.

Dilemma: What goes by way of your thoughts because you are so popular but so disliked? Reply: Almost nothing. I’m just hooping out right here. That’s it.

Dilemma: You never really feel like you have a focus on? Reply: Nah, I never treatment.

Dilemma: In the spring, you had that recreation wherever you didn’t participate in effectively and the movie went viral. What did you think? Reply: It was just a bad recreation. Everybody bought 1.

Dilemma: How do you deal with your father obtaining so a lot consideration? Reply: I just be me. And he be him. That’s it.

That’s the entire point.

It’s in stark distinction to the boisterous LaVar. And it’s also in stark distinction to the LaMelo that LaVar describes.

“Melo’s the entertainer,” LaVar explained. “He is gonna entertain your ass, both with something he suggests, something he do, the way he participate in. He is heading to entertain. He is usually been an entertainer. He would come in in the middle of the night, dead asleep. If he hears me talking to some people today, he come in executing this [dancing]. I say, ‘Melo, go back again to mattress.'”

LaMelo did present some of that exciting facet in the course of his visual appearance with LaVar and Lonzo on WWE’s Monday Night time Raw last month. He also was caught on a reside microphone jokingly expressing “Conquer that n—a ass” to his LaVar, who was arguing with The Miz.

“He is wild like me,” LaVar explained. “You see his hair, he communicate insane, you gotta [include] his mouth. Here’s the point: just about anything arrives out a fourteen, 15-calendar year aged kid. Just like when they explained it was a racial slur. But what did they assume? If I’m in the ring, on the lookout like I’m about to battle, he never know it’s faux. He was like, ‘Dad, let’s get it!” That’s Melo. Melo bought my back again, but he’s wild.”

LaMelo Ball is a five-star prospect on the court docket. What his fathers suggests off it? He would not appear to be to treatment. He just performs. Mark J. Rebilas-Usa Nowadays Sports

LaMELO IS A Authentic Movie star at this level, and that’s not heading to modify for the rest of his large faculty job. He nonetheless has two more decades of this at the large faculty stage, and now he has an older brother taking part in for the Los Angeles Lakers.

LaMelo is heading to be hounded by admirers for selfies and Snapchats, he’s heading to be on TMZ, he’s heading to be the centre of consideration. He is also heading to be targeted by opponents, scrutinized and hated on by people today on social media.

But if this past week is any indicator, the drama is just not heading to period him.

“He never like the consideration at all,” LaVar explained. “He loves that [expletive].”

Resource connection

[dentalartistryirving]

Defend Your Head: Exploring the Role of Mouth Guards in Concussion Prevention

In the realm of sports and physical activities, safety is paramount. Athletes, whether engaged in high-impact contact sports or recreational activities, often face the risk of injuries, with concussions being a significant concern. While helmets and other protective gear are commonly associated with safeguarding the head, the role of mouth guards is an emerging and crucial aspect of concussion prevention.

Understanding Concussions

Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that result from a sudden blow or jolt to the head. The brain, a delicate organ, can suffer various degrees of damage upon impact, leading to a range of symptoms, from headaches and dizziness to more severe cognitive impairments. Athletes in sports like football, hockey, and even soccer are particularly susceptible to concussions due to the nature of their activities.

The Mouth-Brain Connection

Recent studies have shed light on the intricate connection between the mouth and the brain. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles surrounding it play a crucial role in absorbing shock during physical activities. Mouth guards, originally designed to protect the teeth, have proven to be effective in reducing the impact force transferred to the head during a collision. This secondary benefit of mouth guards has sparked interest in their potential role in concussion prevention.

How Mouth Guards Work

Mouth guards act as shock absorbers, dispersing and reducing the force of a blow to the jaw and head. By providing a cushioning effect, they help minimize the risk of the jaw transmitting excessive force to the skull, ultimately lowering the chances of a concussion. Additionally, mouth guards contribute to stabilizing the head and neck, reducing the likelihood of whiplash injuries that can exacerbate the impact on the brain.

Scientific Support for Mouth Guard Efficacy

Several scientific studies support the effectiveness of mouth guards in concussion prevention. Research has shown that athletes wearing properly fitted mouth guards experienced a lower incidence of concussions compared to those without this protective gear. The biomechanics of how mouth guards absorb and disperse energy upon impact have been extensively analyzed, providing valuable insights into their role in enhancing head protection.

Beyond Traditional Protective Gear

While helmets are synonymous with head protection in sports, they primarily focus on safeguarding the skull itself. Mouth guards, on the other hand, offer a comprehensive approach by addressing the interconnectedness of the jaw, neck, and head. Integrating mouth guards into the standard gear for athletes has the potential to revolutionize concussion prevention strategies, offering a more holistic and multi-dimensional approach to player safety.

The Cultural Shift

As awareness of the importance of mouth guards for concussion prevention grows, there is a cultural shift in how athletes and sports organizations approach safety. Coaches, parents, and players are increasingly recognizing the value of incorporating mouth guards into the standard equipment ensemble. This shift is not only confined to professional sports but also extends to amateur and youth leagues, where establishing good safety practices early on is crucial.

In conclusion, the evolving landscape of sports safety demands a comprehensive approach to concussion prevention, and mouth guards in Irving are proving to be an integral component of this strategy. As scientific research continues to validate their efficacy, the cultural shift towards recognizing the importance of mouth guards is gaining momentum. By understanding the mouth-brain connection and the biomechanics involved, athletes can better defend their heads against the risks of concussions, making sports a safer and more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/2017-nba-finals-cavaliers-far-giving-hope-warriors/

2017 NBA Finals: Cavaliers far from giving up hope with Warriors

Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers took Game 4 of the NBA Finals from the Golden State Warriors, many are already writing them off, but they were in a similar position last year. Granted the Warriors are a much tougher team this season, but they've been able to pull it out when they needed it most. Go ahead, back them into a corner. Call them names. Write them off. The Cavaliers don't care. For the fourth time in two years, Cleveland fought off elimination in the NBA Finals by winning just when it appeared their season was over. On Friday night, the Cavs turned to anger over some comments made by Golden State's motor-mouthed forward Draymond Green into energy and their best performance this season. They broke scoring records in a stunning 137-116 victory that shoved this "Three-match" between new-school rivals to the West Coast for Game 5 on Monday. And while most teams would prefer not to live on the edge, the Cavaliers seem to thrive there. The only team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals, LeBron James and his buddies are basketball's high-wire, high-risk act with no net to break their fall. It's dangerous, and not for the faint of heart. "I don't like it," James said, drawing laughter after surpassing Magic Johnson in the record book with his ninth career Finals triple-double. "It causes too much stress, man. I'm stressed out. Keep doing this every year. But listen, at the end of the day we just got some resilient guys." The Cavaliers are still alive and have a chance to do what no other team has ever done in the NBA playoffs - rally from a 3-0 deficit. It's been done on big stages in other sports, perhaps most famously by the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who strung together four wins over the New York Yankees to win the AL pennant on the way to their first World Series title since 1918. But in the 126 instances where NBA teams have fallen behind 3-0, none have recovered to win the series. Zero. That's 0-126. Maybe these chaotic Cavs are just the team to do it. Stack up the odds, Cleveland conquers them. "We're a resilient group, resilient team," said Kevin Love, who made 6 of 8 3-pointers and scored 23 points. "We have been in this situation before. Every year's different, every playoff series, every game, but we just are a team that never count ourselves out. "We feel like any game that we walk on the floor we have a great game plan, and we expect to win. But we just continue to have that fire, continue to be resilient, but right now it's just becoming one game at a time "One quarter, each possession being huge for us, because that can make or break a team." But beyond their resiliency, the Cavs have displayed a mental toughness through all kinds of adversity. Over the past three years since James returned from Miami, the Cavs have handled injuries, constant scrutiny, drama - much of it self-inflicted- and even a midseason coaching change. There doesn't seem to be anything that rattles them, so it should be no surprise that on the verge of being swept by a Warriors team James called a "juggernaut" and "beast" before the Finals began, Cleveland dug down deep again. Kyrie Irving knocked down seven of Cleveland's 24 3-pointers - one of their three Finals scoring records - and had 40 points as the Cavs stopped Golden State's 15-game postseason winning streak and lived to see another game. The All-Star point guard, who made several Golden State defenders look silly with his darting moves, excels when things seem darkest. However, he can't explain the defending champions' ability to bounce back. "Every game is do or die, and we understand that," he said. "We're ready to live in it." On Thursday, Green, whose suspension from last year's Game 5 for hitting James in the groin helped swing the series to Cleveland, said he was looking forward to celebrating on Cleveland's home floor for the second time in three years. And while the comments didn't come across as excessively brash given that they were from Green, Irving said the Cavs were offended and inspired by them. "It's part of the game," Irving said. "But we knew what we were faced with. But then you add, of course, some chatter in there, and that adds some extra motivation. That taste wouldn't have been the same if we would have lost tonight and they would have celebrated on our home floor. So I'll just leave that at that." The Cavs were also well aware that in the final minutes of Game 3 that Stephen Curry stopped on the floor and squatted in what many perceived to be an insulting gesture. The bottom line is that Cleveland has gotten these Finals to 3-1, a familiar situation that must give them a little comfort. James, though, wouldn't concede the Cavs have the Warriors right where they want them. "No," he said. "They got us where they want us. At the end of the day, we want to just try to put ourselves in position to play another game, and we did that, and hopefully, we can do it Monday night where we can come back here. So our mindset is try to go up there and get one."

Movie TV Tech Geeks News

[buddyrabrahams]

Five most important matchups of the 2017 NBA Finals

Just as the prophecy of the ancient scrolls foretold many moons ago, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers are once again on their way to an NBA Finals collision course. Will this Episode 3 be the Revenge of the Sith or the Return of the King? Here are the five crucial matchups that will likely be the biggest determinants for this year’s Finals.

1. LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant

If you’ll recall last year, one of the primary turning points of the Finals series came when Tyronn Lue, his Cavs facing an 0-2 deficit, shifted James onto Draymond Green for Game 3. A shrewd tactic that essentially neutralized the Stephen Curry-Green pick-and-roll that had incinerated opposing defenses whole to that point of the postseason, Cleveland won Game 3 by 30 points and went on to win three of the final four games of the series as well (also benefiting from a timely Green suspension in Game 5).

That luxury will not be available this time around.

Glaring across the floor at James from the small forward spot is a Slim Reaper-sized beast who still hungers to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time. Durant hasn’t forgotten the James-induced suffering of the 2012 Finals, back when they still sported the colors of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat.

Yes, Durant will ensure that James has zero margin for error or lethargy on defense and will use every inch of his Frankenstein wingspan to disrupt The King’s airspace and passing lanes alike. At the same time, James should be game to pester the Durantula for all 94 feet up the floor and punish his wiry frame on the block and in transition. Two all-time greats going at it while still very much at the peak of their powers, microcosmic of the once-in-a-lifetime appeal that this rubber match between the Cavs and the Warriors, basketball giants in every sense of the term, holds. Prepare your bodies, hoops fans.

2. Stephen Curry vs. Kyrie Irving

The Chef vs. the Uncle. Who can ever forget last year’s iconic image of His Majesty, Kyrie Eleison raining down his angelic aerial strike from the right wing over the outstretched arms of Curry to clinch the epic Game 7 slugfest? There’s just something about going up head-to-head against the reigning back-to-back MVP that always seems to bring out the best in Irving.

Perhaps he can smell the blood — Curry’s production (27.3 points and 7.1 assists a game) and efficiency (47/41/90 shooting splits) in the 2017 playoffs are actually at or near his lowest totals since the end of the Mark Jackson era (though that slightly decreased output may have something to do with the addition of a certain decent teammate to the Golden State lineup this season).

With Irving’s 42-point eruption in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals possibly the beginning of a postseason reawakening, Cleveland fans will hope the stars align in their favor at the point guard position once again this year.

3. Tyronn Lue vs. Mike Brown

We know that Brown, whose steady hand at the helm of the S.S. Warriors has helped them weather the storm of Captain Kerr’s absence, will be taking this matchup against his former team quite personally. He has also apparently been trying to go Joe Budden on his cross-sideline counterpart in Lue.

Vendetta narratives aside though, Brown has actually flashed a surprisingly intuitive feel for the flow of the game this postseason. Whether it be starting JaVale McGee situationally, trusting the likes of Patrick McCaw and Ian Clark for heavier burn, or giving his All-Stars a longer leash to help buoy the second unit, his moves have paid off.

Getting the better of Lue, who himself has become an underrated in-game tactician with some strong strategic calls these playoffs (e.g. trotting out lineups with LeBron James at the 5, bleeding Channing Frye’s minutes in favor of podcasting partner Richard Jefferson, etc.) will be absolutely imperative, even despite the superstar-driven nature of this series.

4. Defense vs. rebounding

On paper, the largest gap between these two teams is easily on the defensive end. The Warriors defend at an elite level. The Cavs sometimes goes through entire possessions looking like Rip Van Winkle. How can they best address that disparity? [cups hands over mouth] “ON THE BOA-ARDS!” [clap, clap, clap, clap, clap] “ON THE BOA-ARDS!” [clap, clap, clap, clap, clap]

The basic blueprint for slowing down the Dubs dynamo is largely predicated on denying them any and all second-chance opportunities. Turnovers notwithstanding, a defensive trip down the floor is never complete until the rebound is ultimately collected. That’s where Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, who averaged a combined 20.3 of them per game during the regular season, come in. Love began to return to Minnesota levels of glass-munching in the Boston series, and Thompson has long been a thorn in Golden State’s side with his interior activity and box-out fundamentals.

How can the Warriors respond? Draymond Green and Kevin Durant are strong rebounders for their position but are nonetheless undersized, and neither the big bones of Zaza Pachulia nor the pogo-stick-with-a-rattail athleticism of JaVale McGee effectively translate into sustainable performance on the boards. Limiting the opposition to one-and-done possessions while securing precious extra 24-second intervals via their own offensive glass may be Cleveland’s best chance to overcome their cheapjack defensive play.

5. Paint vs. perimeter

Contrary to what might be popular belief, the Cavs hit more three-pointers than the Warriors do and the Warriors score more points in the paint than the Cavs do. Both sides are masterful at leveraging a strength on one portion of the floor to open up a useful chunk of real estate on another portion of the floor, albeit on very opposite ends of the offensive spectrum.

But even that has its limits — overreliance on the three-ball arguably helped contribute to Golden State’s downfall in last year’s Finals, particularly down the stretch of Games 5, 6, and 7. Meanwhile, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving can’t possibly hope to just respectively Tonka truck and tap dance their way through the Warriors’ ferocious team D on every other possession, as they often did through the first three rounds.

Find the better-balanced overall offensive attack, and there will likely lie your winner.

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2r2spdq

[etoft21]

Been Awhile

It’s been awhile.  When I first started doing this the goal was 3 times a week, but last week cause of work it was just too hard.  But I’m back will have Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posts and will throw in an extra post here and there.

  Stanley Cup Finals are tonight; we are sitting on the Preds +1700 from the beginning of the year.  I like how the defense and goalie from the Preds are playing and think they will able to take away the speed of the Pens forwards.  Plus, I don’t trust any of the Pens goalies.  Also the Pens have played a lot of hockey this post season and are the defending cup champions I think that fatigue will start to set in.  My prediction is Preds in 6.

 Brutal just lost another photo.  The game of sports betting/horse betting is a brutal game. You can be right and still lose. That’s why I hate when people use the world lucky, when you win a bet I don’t consider myself lucky at all, and can name a million bad beats that would support that.  But I make money money doing this so I can’t complain.  But sometimes I think if I had some luck wow would be impossible.  My favorite thing about this is game is when people do get lucky they act like the right side won.  Example the Astros today, had no business winning that game but the Twins bullpen gave up 14 runs in the last two innings.  14 runs!! Log on to twitter and someone will be running his mouth. Like you capped the game and said hey I just need to get to Twins bullpen.  

 Warriors and Cavs series should be fun.  I love all the hot takes, that media is rolling out with.  But yet in my eyes the most important thing isn’t being talked about.  Last year the Warriors continued to run pick and roll plays with Curry to get the switch to Thompson.  Curry’s PPP (points per possession) with Irving guarding him were better then when Thompson was guarding. So with that said why did the Warriors keep running pick and roll if Kerr is this great coach?  Neither of these coaches aren’t great IMHO, will have to look at more info before I make my predictions

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[thebreakdown-blog]

The case for and against everyone’s MVP campaign

LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers - SF - 4x MVP

For:

Where else to start? Everyone already knows LeBron is the greatest player on the planet, even you Pop. Each and every year since his first MVP trophy, he has forced his name into the mouths of the public when discussing the current MVP. And he’s done it again. Many NBA experts have problems with not giving LeBron the MVP every year. Colin Cowherd would be a great example. Besides, he is the greatest player in the NBA. He consistently puts up staggering numbers effectively, plays great defense (sometimes), and he’ll win you some games. Oh, did I forget to mention he’ll most certainly take your team to the NBA Finals?; I guess that’s pretty important. LeBron increased his points per game average, and had career-highs in rebounds and points per game at the age of 32 - pretty unheard of. On top of this, in the 23 games LeBron hasn’t played in the last three years of the regular season, the Cavaliers’ win percentage barely hovers over 20 percent. A team that still has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. If that doesn’t scream MVP, then what does?

Against:

The MVP trophy has typically been given to players who had the best individual performance (with a successful team record), rather than the best basketball player in the game. Take the time that Karl Malone won MVP in ‘97 or Barkley in ‘93 back when NBA fans had the luxury of saying that Michael Jordan was still playing in the league. Based on that, both Harden and Westbrook put up bigger numbers than James. And if the Thunder’s record isn’t impressive enough then look at how far James Harden led his team. Additionally, LeBron had two other All-Stars on his team whereas everyone else on this list didn’t have any - resulting only in a 51-31 record in the lesser-talented Eastern Conference. That was eclipsed by 4 teams and was tied with another 3. Huh.

Numbers: 26.4 ppg 8.6 rpg 8.6 apg 1.2 spg 0.6 bpg on 54.8% FG and 36.3% 3PT FG

Kawhi Leonard - San Antonio Spurs - SF

For:

It is simply remarkable to see how much Kawhi has progressed in his time in the NBA. During his tenure so far, he has increased his points per game each year while slowly yet surely easing into the franchise player of the Spurs. Out of all the candidates, Kawhi put up the least amount of points, rebounds and assists this season. But as we have learnt with the Spurs, win > numbers. And it shows. Although Kawhi doesn’t always blow up the stat sheet, his team had the highest win percentage in the NBA excluding the four-All-Stars-in-one-team Warriors. Leonard’s profile is far from raised in San Antonio but he gets the job done in an effective manner shooting the ball at a high percentage. On the other end of the floor is where he is undeniably superior to everyone on this list. Kawhi is an elite defensive force in the NBA winning back-to-back DPOY honours. He’s the best two-way player with the best record on this list… MVP?

Against:

Kawhi has the worst numbers. We've seen this sport of numbers before and their coach is Popovich who has led a team to the playoffs since humans have existed. Kawhi may have cemented his spot as one of the best players in the league but his individual performance may not be enough to sway the voters regarding other candidates’ performance. On top of that, he has the same body and size of LeBron James and is still visibly inferior as a player, as is everyone I guess.

Numbers: 25.5 ppg 5.8 rpg 3.5apg 1.8spg 0.7 bpg 49.5% FG 38.8% 3PT FG

James Harden - Houston Rockets - PG

For:

If Westbrook hadn't conveniently averaged a triple-double, Harden’s numbers would have been the main talking point of the season. He's averaged the same amount of points as last year on top of 8 rebounds and around 11 assists. From a player who was considered as a ball-hog last year, he is averaging the most amount of assists in the country. He has also augmented his team's record from 41-41 to 55-27 while losing Dwight Howard - something that was probably good for the organisation. His argument is a lot like Westbrook, individual brilliance, except he added another 10 wins to claim the third seed in the wild Western conference. A leader, an MVP?

Against

Historically, the MVP has nearly always been given to a player that is part of a team that finishes in the top two of their respective conference seeming as this year’s frontrunners for the award seem to be Harden and Westbrook, that may not be the case after all. However, Harden looks to have got the worst of both sides. His numbers are only comparable to Westbrook but amazingly yet blatantly slightly less impressive seeming as he didn’t average as many boards nor points and his 55 wins is great but doesn’t quite match Kawhi’s Spurs. Most importantly however, is his coach. Mike (no D)’Antoni. D’Antoni hasn’t always excelled as a head coach but as we learnt with the Suns, if it works then it works. It is known that D’Antoni focuses on offense where the point guard is involved in all plays which a lot of the time, end up with someone chucking up a three. Point guards in particular thrive from the system seeing their numbers inflate. His shooting numbers aren’t incredible either.

Numbers: 29.1 ppg 8.1 rpg 11.2 apg 1.5 spg 0.5 bpg on 44% FG and 34.7% 3PT FG

Russell Westbrook - Oklahoma City Thunder - PG

For:

Westbrook is unbelievable. He marvellously does the unthinkable in the most breathtaking way we have seen. No one scored 57 points in a triple-double? Russ is on it. No one recorded more than 41 triple-doubles in a season? Russ has got 42. In fact, Russell Westbrook has 12 individual NBA records. That is 12 things nobody in the history of the world has ever achieved - a lot of them having been achieved this season. Russ�� triple double feat alone should speak volumes about his talent and performance this season. He was ranked first in ppg this season as well being ranked 10th in rpg despite being 7 inches smaller than the next smallest player in the top 10, and 3rd in assists per game. He has also proved to some degree that his triple doubles count for something as the Thunder have won to close to three fourths of their games when he records one. Despite the shedload of work he does, he ‘only’ averaged 34.6 mpg during the regular season which is below the likes of LeBron and Harden.

Against:

Westbrook may have set some staggering records but there was a reason for it. This was the reason Durant left Oklahoma. Russ is shooting around 42 percent from the field and 34 percent from three and considering the latter is respectable, his field goal percentage is abysmal compared to the likes of the league’s best. He is also being tasked with carrying the team due to the lack of structure around him as Sam Presti had to throw a team together after Durant’s departure. This is resulting in a usage rate higher than anyone’s ever before. And if Harden’s record wasn’t quite good enough for you, don’t even start with the Thunder’s record. They didn’t manage to catch up with the Clips or the Jazz resulting in a first-round matchup against the Rockets that they lost 4-1. An MVP or a freakishly athletic guard with too much room to operate in?

Numbers: 31.6 ppg 10.7 rpg 10.4 apg 1.6 spg 0.7 bpg on 42.5% FG and 34.3% 3PT FG

Next five:

5. Isaiah Thomas - Boston Celtics - PG - 28.9 ppg 2.7 rpg 5.9 apg

6. Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks - SG - 22.9 ppg 8.7 rpg 5.4 apg

7. John Wall - Washington Warriors - PG - 23.1 ppg 4.2 rpg 10.7 apg

8. Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors - PG - 25.3 ppg 4.5 rpg 6.6 apg

9. Demar Derozan - Toronto Raptors - SG - 27.3 ppg 3.9 rpg 5.2 apg

[madpicks]

New Post has been published on https://www.madpicks.com/sports-betting/nba-star-weekend-2017-odds-three-point-slam-dunk-contest-betting-lines-preview/

NBA All-Star weekend 2017 odds: Three-point, slam dunk contest betting lines, preview

Klay Thompson and Aaron Gordon enter as the betting favorites at the sportsbooks in the three-point and slam dunk contests in New Orleans on Saturday night.

Klay Thompson has performed well in the three-point shooting contest in recent seasons, winning the event in 2016 and finishing in third place in 2015. With teammate Stephen Curry deciding to sit out this year’s event, Thompson is a clear favorite to defend his title this Saturday night.

Thompson is a +110 betting favorite on the odds to win the three-point contest in New Orleans at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Golden State has so many mouths to feed on offense that Thompson’s output has predictably dipped a bit this season, but he still ranks seventh in the league in three-point percentage at 42.2 percent and fifth in three-pointers made with 182.

Thompson’s 42.2 percent from behind the arc is the highest among any of the shooters in this competition.

Kyrie Irving’s three-point numbers don’t pop off the page, as Cleveland’s point guard ranks 21st in the NBA in three-pointers made and 37th in three-point percentage. But Irving (+400 to win) has a history of success in the three-point contest, with a second-place finish in his last appearance in 2015 and a win in 2013.

Kyle Lowry (+900) ranks third in the NBA in three-pointers made this season with 185, behind only Curry and James Harden. Eric Gordon (+900) is right behind him at No. 4 with 184 makes from downtown. The rest of the field includes C.J. McCollum (+800), Nick Young (+900), Kemba Walker (+1100), and Wesley Matthews (+1100)

Last season, Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon put the slam dunk contest back on the map with a dazzling performance. A season-ending knee injury to LaVine unfortunately prevents a rematch this season, but it paves the way for Gordon to have a clear shot at the title as a -155 favorite on the odds to win the slam dunk contest.

This is expected to be a two-horse race between Gordon and Phoenix Suns rookie Derrick Jones Jr. (+130), who is an excellent dunker with outstanding hops. Bettors hoping for an upset can take their chances on DeAndre Jordan (+800) or Glenn Robinson III (+900) to win the slam dunk contest, but these two will have trouble matching the range and athleticism of the event’s two stars this year.

Three-Point Contest Odds

Klay Thompson +110

Kyrie Irving +400

C.J. McCollum +800

Kyle Lowry +900

Eric Gordon +900

Nick Young +900

Kemba Walker +1100

Wesley Matthews +1100

Slam Dunk Contest Odds

Aaron Gordon -155

Derrick Jones Jr. +130

DeAndre Jordan +800

Glenn Robinson III +900

[buddyrabrahams]

Five most important matchups of the 2017 NBA Finals

Just as the prophecy of the ancient scrolls foretold many moons ago, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers are once again on their way to an NBA Finals collision course. Will this Episode 3 be the Revenge of the Sith or the Return of the King? Here are the five crucial matchups that will likely be the biggest determinants for this year’s Finals.

1. LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant

If you’ll recall last year, one of the primary turning points of the Finals series came when Tyronn Lue, his Cavs facing an 0-2 deficit, shifted James onto Draymond Green for Game 3. A shrewd tactic that essentially neutralized the Stephen Curry-Green pick-and-roll that had incinerated opposing defenses whole to that point of the postseason, Cleveland won Game 3 by 30 points and went on to win three of the final four games of the series as well (also benefiting from a timely Green suspension in Game 5).

That luxury will not be available this time around.

Glaring across the floor at James from the small forward spot is a Slim Reaper-sized beast who still hungers to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time. Durant hasn’t forgotten the James-induced suffering of the 2012 Finals, back when they still sported the colors of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat.

Yes, Durant will ensure that James has zero margin for error or lethargy on defense and will use every inch of his Frankenstein wingspan to disrupt The King’s airspace and passing lanes alike. At the same time, James should be game to pester the Durantula for all 94 feet up the floor and punish his wiry frame on the block and in transition. Two all-time greats going at it while still very much at the peak of their powers, microcosmic of the once-in-a-lifetime appeal that this rubber match between the Cavs and the Warriors, basketball giants in every sense of the term, holds. Prepare your bodies, hoops fans.

2. Stephen Curry vs. Kyrie Irving

The Chef vs. the Uncle. Who can ever forget last year’s iconic image of His Majesty, Kyrie Eleison raining down his angelic aerial strike from the right wing over the outstretched arms of Curry to clinch the epic Game 7 slugfest? There’s just something about going up head-to-head against the reigning back-to-back MVP that always seems to bring out the best in Irving.

Perhaps he can smell the blood — Curry’s production (27.3 points and 7.1 assists a game) and efficiency (47/41/90 shooting splits) in the 2017 playoffs are actually at or near his lowest totals since the end of the Mark Jackson era (though that slightly decreased output may have something to do with the addition of a certain decent teammate to the Golden State lineup this season).

With Irving’s 42-point eruption in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals possibly the beginning of a postseason reawakening, Cleveland fans will hope the stars align in their favor at the point guard position once again this year.

3. Tyronn Lue vs. Mike Brown

We know that Brown, whose steady hand at the helm of the S.S. Warriors has helped them weather the storm of Captain Kerr’s absence, will be taking this matchup against his former team quite personally. He has also apparently been trying to go Joe Budden on his cross-sideline counterpart in Lue.

Vendetta narratives aside though, Brown has actually flashed a surprisingly intuitive feel for the flow of the game this postseason. Whether it be starting JaVale McGee situationally, trusting the likes of Patrick McCaw and Ian Clark for heavier burn, or giving his All-Stars a longer leash to help buoy the second unit, his moves have paid off.

Getting the better of Lue, who himself has become an underrated in-game tactician with some strong strategic calls these playoffs (e.g. trotting out lineups with LeBron James at the 5, bleeding Channing Frye’s minutes in favor of podcasting partner Richard Jefferson, etc.) will be absolutely imperative, even despite the superstar-driven nature of this series.

4. Defense vs. rebounding

On paper, the largest gap between these two teams is easily on the defensive end. The Warriors defend at an elite level. The Cavs sometimes goes through entire possessions looking like Rip Van Winkle. How can they best address that disparity? [cups hands over mouth] “ON THE BOA-ARDS!” [clap, clap, clap, clap, clap] “ON THE BOA-ARDS!” [clap, clap, clap, clap, clap]

The basic blueprint for slowing down the Dubs dynamo is largely predicated on denying them any and all second-chance opportunities. Turnovers notwithstanding, a defensive trip down the floor is never complete until the rebound is ultimately collected. That’s where Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, who averaged a combined 20.3 of them per game during the regular season, come in. Love began to return to Minnesota levels of glass-munching in the Boston series, and Thompson has long been a thorn in Golden State’s side with his interior activity and box-out fundamentals.

How can the Warriors respond? Draymond Green and Kevin Durant are strong rebounders for their position but are nonetheless undersized, and neither the big bones of Zaza Pachulia nor the pogo-stick-with-a-rattail athleticism of JaVale McGee effectively translate into sustainable performance on the boards. Limiting the opposition to one-and-done possessions while securing precious extra 24-second intervals via their own offensive glass may be Cleveland’s best chance to overcome their cheapjack defensive play.

5. Paint vs. perimeter

Contrary to what might be popular belief, the Cavs hit more three-pointers than the Warriors do and the Warriors score more points in the paint than the Cavs do. Both sides are masterful at leveraging a strength on one portion of the floor to open up a useful chunk of real estate on another portion of the floor, albeit on very opposite ends of the offensive spectrum.

But even that has its limits — overreliance on the three-ball arguably helped contribute to Golden State’s downfall in last year’s Finals, particularly down the stretch of Games 5, 6, and 7. Meanwhile, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving can’t possibly hope to just respectively Tonka truck and tap dance their way through the Warriors’ ferocious team D on every other possession, as they often did through the first three rounds.

Find the better-balanced overall offensive attack, and there will likely lie your winner.

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2r2spdq