#maverick is from Dallas because:

[compacflt]

went through all of your three fics and omfggggg they're by far the best topgun fanfics out there. no contest. are you still posting here? cuz i have a small question. If your maverick grew up in texas, wouldn't he have a southern accent? does he repress it? has ice ever heard him speak southern?

not the same thing

[tgmsunmontue]

New headcanon incoming...

Maverick didn't get his callsign because he was a daredevil, he got it because he's the shortest height allowable for a Naval Aviator, and he's from Dallas, Texas, which is where the NBA Team Mavericks come from.

So other guys are joking around, asking him if becoming a Naval Aviator was a dream when he couldn't make it with the Mavericks, poking fun at his height CONSTANTLY.

Of course, other people take the name the other way, and he leans into it because people making fun of his height isn't something he wants. So the attitude came after the name.

[blazingstar29]

hollywolf wip, drabble, soemthing?

If you asked him if he’d won the lottery, Leo would say yes. He wakes up in this little apartment that is all his and the street below is filled with more people than he could ever imagine. Sunlight streams in through the windows because there’s no rooster to wake him up or horses to feed. And his father might not bang down his door anymore but he still wishes he would.

This quiet life of late nights bar tending and long days painting the wild horses that slowly fade from the memories in his mind, it suits him quite well even if the city feels to big and too small. And he yearns for something bigger than him, bigger than the whole world but in reality it’s just a small piece of Oklahoma.

On his days off he likes the way the boys try to steal his cowboy hat or reel him in by the belt buckle. It’s just a costume to them, they don’t know that the faded denim has seen more of the world than they have.

Then theres a boy who says his name is Hollywood and Leo just agrees. Becuase he’s not the only one paying dress up in this world. And Hollywood is a fine looking thing with big hands and—

It turns out Hollywood really is his name, his call sign at least. But he’s in the Navy and Leo doesn’t need his heart broken by this city. Not by a man who has to disappear for months on end and for what?

But Hollywood is full of surprises. He lives in Lemoore. Stationed in the base. They keep sleeping together, which turns into waking up together and getting coffee and pastries in the morning.

Which one day it turns into Hollywood introducing him to a couple of guys called Maverick, Ice and Slider. They come to his apartment because it’s the safest place to be. Ice is like Hollywood, but sharper. He squints more and doesn’t quite relax

His RIO is Slider who’s fucking enormous and it seems like he’s there to make sure Ice cracks a smile. Maverick is all over him like a rash. He admires the oil painting that sits on an easel in the corner and babbles on about growing up in Dallas and he’s the closest thing to a kindred spirit Leo’s ever felt.

Wood snakes an arm around his waist and pulls him close. Not long after it seems like the ice is finally breaking for the stone cold pilot. He settles into an easy chatter and Leo gets the idea he’s quite bright because he’ll mention soemthing about poltics or the flying they all do and it goes over his head.

Someone asks him if he’s got any family. Hollywood makes an exclamation about ordering food before it’s too late and no one asks again.

[crii-sis]

luka and booker - jealousy

Devin was in Dallas, sitting on the bleachers like some girlfriend, waiting for Luka to finish his workout. Ducking low when he saw some confused looks at his presence, Luka smiling like the devil at his embarrassment.

Luka invited him over to sit on the bench like a trophy, to show his teammates he had Booker. Devin wasn’t sure what he was walking into, but sure as hell wasn’t expected to be on display while some Maverick’s players worked out.

“I’ll be done in a minute, honey.” Luka said it with a familiarity they didn’t have, and Devin tried to convince himself it wasn't something he wanted. Luka was fucking with him, putting him in his place.

Devin flipped him off with a straight face, earning some chuckles from the room. One in particular stood out, louder then the rest and approaching him. Devin looked up to see Klay towering over him. It was like whiplash, seeing Klay on a different team.

“You let him screw with you like that?”

Klay was slick with a sheen of sweat, flexing his hands while he looked at Devin with an almost predatory interest. They had a complicated history, some trash talk on and off the court, but nothing Devin shied away from. He lifted his shirt up to wipe his face, purposefully flashing Devin his abs.

“Why, you wanna screw with me like that?” Devin pouted a little, leaning forward, head at crotch level.

He didn’t mean anything by it, but it may have been a dangerous invitation because Klay’s eyes went dark with desire. Luckily, they were interrupted by Luka who slotted himself between the two, putting a hand on Devin’s shoulders, almost possessively.

“Ready to head out?” Luka asked Devin, sounding like he was restraining anger, glaring at Klay as the older man back off, hands in the air.

Klay was laughing as he walked away like he was unaffected, and Devin watched him disappear behind the double doors of the gym, a little in awe of the confidence.

“Fix your fucking face.” Luka snapped, shoving Devin hard as he said it, almost toppling him over.

Devin’s pushed back, standing up and squaring his shoulders. Luka’s jaw was clenched, eyes creased with scorn when Devin realized it

“You're jealous?” Booker laughed, hand on his stomach to compose himself as little he could.

Luka gripped his bicep, dragging him away, grumbling under his breath in Slovenian. Devin couldn’t even find it in himself to stop. He was stumbling over the vinyl flooring, sneakers squeaking as he wasn’t even trying to keep up with Luka. The grip on his arm getting tighter the louder he laughed.

“I’m not jealous.” Luka sounded unconvincing. “He’s being so obvious. Its embarrassing.”

Devin snorted before pulling his arm back, the rest of the room was probably looking at them but Devin couldn’t have cared less, Luka invited him here to show him off so Devin was going to put on a show.

“Are you mad your teammates want to fuck me?” He didn’t bother keeping his voice down, eyes wide, batting his lashes, framing it like an innocent question.

Luka face twisted with a scowl, refusing to let go. Snaking one hand on Devin’s lower back, the other digging into his hips as he pushed him out the room.

“Next time, you sit there in my jersey.” Luka’s low voice sent a shiver down Devin’s spine. “So there’s no confusion that you are here for me.”

That shut him up immediately, the hunger in Luka’s eyes as he looked at him felt like a promise.

Ask is HERE

[hockeygossipdaily]

The Dallas wags are in fact very pathetic. I go to university at SMU (on academic scholarship I’m not a rich nepo baby) . Anyway we have a community reach out program and since the club is apart of SMU it’s well connected so we often get volunteer requests from sports organizations like Rangers, mavericks, cowboys etc. Last year the “Dallas wags” or whatever their club is called blew a volunteer opportunity they committed to once they found out one of the stipulations was that no photos or social media posts were allowed..I’m talking they canceled at the LAST minute right after the email with a form requesting a signature saying they agree to no photos or online mentions of the shelter was sent …..it was a domestic violence women’s shelter you can imagine why these rules are in place… It was obvious that the Stars organization knew the women had fucked up because the Stars PR team (not the wags) sent over a check in an Uber at 5am right before we were getting ready to board the bus (we had rented to accommodate all of them ) to the shelter.

^^^

[beardedmrbean]

A Black actor recently spoke out against diversity hiring practices in the workplace, calling them an "insult."

In a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter, Clifton Duncan detailed his story as an up-and-coming actor and how after 2020 he spoke with a friend who asked if he thinks being Black had anything to do with his success.

"That uncertainty gets to the heart of my issue with diversity hiring," Duncan wrote. "On one hand I'm certain I benefited due to my skin color. It's nice that people were looking to boost minorities like me. On the other hand people of all races have been in my corner since I was 16—long before "Wokeness" emerged. Everyone predicted I had a long career ahead of me, and I fulfilled that promise.

"And that's why I reject 'Diversity' hiring: I never needed it. It's an insult to any minority with a shred of self-respect. It casts a shadow over all I've done, because I'm not sure how much of my success is due to me, and how much is due to white guilt."

The post comes amid ongoing conversations surrounding diversity hiring practices that prompted an online argument between X CEO Elon Musk and Dallas Mavericks part-owner Mark Cuban. Musk recently criticized a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring effort made by United Airlines resulting in a response from Cuban and an ongoing argument between the two over the past few days.

In his post, Duncan explained that he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree "from the finest acting conservatory in the US," that accepts only 2 percent of applicants. According to his IMDB profile, Duncan attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond for his undergraduate degree and then was admitted to New York University's graduate program at the Tisch School of the Arts.

"I secured a great agent and was taking meetings with major casting directors before even finishing the program. Over the span of 10 years I managed to build a body of work spanning everything from musical comedy to Shakespearean tragedy," Duncan wrote. "I was working with stars, scoring award nominations, and winning praise from industry legends [including the late Stephen Sondheim—a moment I'll cherish forever]."

Duncan's IMDB profile shows he has starred in the 2020 film Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist, and several shows such as The Good Fight, NCIS: New Orleans, Elementary and Proven Innocent.

Newsweek reached out to Duncan via email and social media for comment.

[fruitbasketball]

nba playoffs recap 6/9

nba finals game 2

okay guys i’m doing this for you. the wound is still so fresh. every time the celtics win a basketball game i die a little inside.

not a single member of the dallas mavericks organization is taking this shit seriously except for luka, and luka can’t hit a fucking free throw to save his life. kyrie irving, you are not the man i thought you were. COLLECTIVELY these motherfuckers shot 16-24 from the line, and we lost by 8.

bro like you have to be kidding me. it’s just the fucking fundamentals bro, you gotta make your free throws!! you gotta play d, you gotta wait for a great shot and quit chucking em up holy fuck. so many times in this game where we needed to control the pace because obviously the c’s are gonna push us faster.

luka was gassed dude you can tell because he’s fucking CARRYING the goddamn team. this mavs d is awful. just AWFUL. how are you letting payton bitchard hit a buzzer beater IN Y’ALL MOUTH like that bro???? HE AVERAGES LIKE NOTHING NOTHING AND NOTHING A GAME!!!! HOLY FUCK!!! ARE YOU SHITTING ME RIGHT NOW???? CAN Y’ALL GET IT TOGETHER????

just ugly, ugly basketball yesterday. meanwhile, the celtics just play a complete game. i’m gonna be objective about this - even tho tatum is not playing his best, he doesn’t NEED to. brown steps up, holiday, even tingus pingus. and that ball movement is just gorgeous. just beautiful. meanwhile, luka is carrying a team WITH KYRIE IRVING ON IT. where are the rest of the dallas mavericks???? WHERE ARE THEY????

better show the fuck up in american airlines

mavs in 7.

[bennguintweets]

still playing basketball??

Thankfully, yes! Being a new dad, a student, and an athlete did not make my last two years of college easy, but your boy made it (thanks to my family). I decided not to enter the draft, because I can’t imagine not having the help from my dads, so I decided to try out for the Texas Legends. They’re the affiliate team for the Dallas Mavericks. Found out recently that I made the team, so I’ll be playing for them this season. Hoping to make it on the Mavs roster someday

-Dusty

[nothingunrealistic]

Extreme wealth, more often skewered than celebrated, dominates the chatter about television these days, from masters of the hedge-fund universe sparring with federal prosecutors on Billions to the familial power plays on Succession to the vacation foibles of the merely rich on The White Lotus. And the popularity of these shows—a subgenre that we’ve termed Helipad Drama—among the demographic they feature is linked directly to how well the art imitates life. 

[…]

With these shows’ binge-ability and viral moments, each visual choice is under a microscope, scrutinized online in single-frame screengrabs, from running tallies of every Aston Martin, Bentley and Ferrari driven by Damian Lewis’s Bobby Axelrod on Billions to the many watches worn—and occasionally discarded—on Succession. 

The bling is a bit more overt on Billions, to convey just how far Axelrod has come from his humble working-class roots. “It was really about trying to sell the amount of privilege people with extreme wealth have and the access and power that comes with that,” says Michael Shaw, production designer on the show’s first two seasons. “A lot of rich people can buy really nice wine, but not everybody can buy a football team.” Which explains why Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, makes a cameo in the second season as Axelrod considers buying his own pro franchise. 

[…]

Fanny Pereire, who worked on the pilots for Billions and Succession, has a full-time job securing art for TV and film. Her process starts with a wish list of original works. She then secures single-use permission to feature each piece from the copyright holders, generally by paying out fees to artists or estates. The works shown on-screen are mostly very good official copies of sometimes priceless originals, laser-printed on canvas and touched up by the show’s art department to add brushstroke texture. After shooting wraps, Pereire usually films herself slashing the approved fakes—she’s contractually obligated to destroy or return the works—and sometimes sends them back to the artist in pieces, as proof of destruction. 

Those works, often lurking in the background, subtly move the story forward, adding insight into a particular character or scene, whether it’s the Basquiat hanging ostentatiously outside Axelrod’s office or the giant photo of a melting glacier by Frank Thiel in the boardroom at the Roy family’s corporate headquarters.

“We’re telling a story, and hopefully if we do our job right, just as the production design or the costumes will tell you something about the character, the art will, too, without being part of the dialogue,” says Pereire.

[…]

Blue-chip art has been integral to setting the right tone for Billions from the beginning. Before designing the set for Axe Capital, Axelrod’s hedge-fund office in Connecticut, Shaw toured some investment firms for inspiration. “It seemed like everybody we would visit would have certain key artworks,” he says. “It was almost de rigueur that certain artists were represented—Koons, Basquiat, Warhol—because they conveyed status.” 

[…]

Driven individual: Not every rich guy has a chauffeur. On Billions, Bobby Axelrod frequently steers his own Range Rover Sport.

The interiors devised by the production-design teams on Succession and Billions often have an intentionally sterile, impersonal quality. “Early on, I wanted things to feel kind of staged,” Carter says. “You want to feel these aren’t people who have the time or inclination to spend the time actually decorating their own places. They have a team of people who are paid to do it, and they’re probably a little scared for their jobs, so they make choices straight out of the magazines everybody’s been looking at.” 

[…]

Billions’ power players always sit at the best table, as when Axe closes a deal at the Lobster Club in NYC.

[…]

The right food and drink add yet another layer. Both Axelrod and his nemesis, US Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), love to dine out in New York, visiting the city’s buzziest restaurants (some now shuttered), from Sushi Nakazawa and Momofuku Ko to Del Posto and Daniel. “In the first season, it was really hard to get in anywhere,” says Shaw. “After the show came out, the second season everybody wanted us in.” 

Art helps paint the picture. On Billions, David Lynch’s Broken Heart hangs in Mike Price’s office.

[…]

When you’re in the business of re-creating worlds with rigor and authenticity, there’s perhaps no greater achievement than dreaming up a simulacrum that outstrips reality. Like students surpassing their teacher, the Billions team created such a compelling backdrop when they built the offices of Axe Capital—shot on location in Rockland County, N.Y.—that an investment firm later hired Shaw to consult on its real offices, in Manhattan’s shiny Hudson Yards. 

“The owners of the company wanted the interior to feel like the Billions world,” says Shaw. “That was life really imitating art.” 

[thestarlightforge]

Katniss Everdeen was a redneck. Lucy Gray Baird was a redneck. This is, like, one of two good things about where I grew up. Don’t let the neo-Nazis fool you.

I grew up in Tennessee and Texas, and I am union strong down to my bones. My great grandfather, Frank Wilson—my Popo (like “Pawpaw”)—was a redneck from north Texas. He was an electrician basically all his life. He drove many a pickup truck—for his work. He started one of the first electrical workers’ credit unions in his area—it’s still active. When I was little and got my first wheelchair, he set aside his grabber tool and a favorite flannel specifically for me, so I could have my independence and stay warm and safe. (I was wearing that flannel the day I almost died in a wheelchair accident a few years ago. I still have the flannel—and my life.) To this day, I faintly remember watching the Dallas Mavericks on his knee in his and my Momo’s (like “Mawmaw”) house—before I could even really sit by myself, I think (I learned that late), but he didn’t mind—him explaining basketball to me; him teaching me how to crack pecans (collected by the trash-bag-full from his yard) in my grandmother’s old living room. He helped raise my mom, always made her brownies (even sent them to her at college in New Mexico), called her their sweet angel till the day he died. He was funny and strong and caring and brave. Sometimes he was cranky, but we all loved him. And he fought Nazis during WW2.

Because that is what real rednecks represent. ❤️

You can identify a fake redneck by their passionate support of “blue lives matter.” Real rednecks have been in at least one physical fight and/or high-speed chase with police officers and would do it again

[fronzennews]

NBA Power Rankings Week 5

Thanksgiving is the official beginning of the holiday season, though it’s never been one of my favorite holidays, mainly because I am never where I am supposed to be. But in the hustle and bustle that marks the time when we unleash Mariah Carey upon all of the elevators, I did find something I am grateful for, and that is the NBA Cup. I've really grown excited by these Tuesday and Friday nights in November. Teams are competing, and not blatantly exercising organizational priorities. In a culture where we’re waiting for the next "trades we want to see" piece to drop, I like that NBA Cup games take place just after the glorified feel-out games that mark the opening weeks of the season and wrap up just before all of those new contracts become tradeable. In essence, the NBA Cup is your “offseason paper championship,” given that the rosters you see now are the ones we spent from the NBA Draft to media day discussing. So, yes, I am grateful. With that said, let’s get on to the NBA Power Rankings and what these 30 teams are grateful for as the normalcy of November comes to a close. These NBA Power Rankings are going to be vital for understanding the direction of the season so far!

Week 5 NBA Power Rankings: Thanksgiving Edition

A reminder: These Power Rankings won’t just rank every team. We will retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers every week: - Top Contenders – Locked at five, these are the class of the league - In a Good Place – Could be one team, could be seven teams - The Bubble – Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack - Not the Tier to Fear – Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do - Basement Floor – Bringing up the rear Top Contenders This week's Top Contenders are unchanged. In a Good Place Teams like the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers continue to look like solid squads. The Dallas Mavericks are finally starting to show some real promise. The Bubble The majority of the teams remain comfortably in the middle of the pack, with some showing signs of improvement and others still struggling to find their footing. Not the Tier to Fear A few teams in this tier are showing some flashes of offensive and defensive brilliance. However, consistency remains a key challenge for them. Basement Floor A few teams are exhibiting consistent struggles, which might necessitate a change in strategy or personnel in the upcoming weeks. Win/loss records and statistics are through Monday’s games. Check back next week for more of my insightful NBA Power Rankings. Let me know in the comments what you think! Share this article with your friends! FROZENLEAVES NEWS ``` Read the full article

[bllsbailey]

CNBC Host Had the Perfect Question for Mark Cuban About Kamala Harris

Joe Kernen

Is Mark Cuban the worst surrogate for Kamala Harris? Why is this man supporting this woman because he’s against the core of her economic agenda, the parts we’ve been able to decipher among mountains of word salad? The billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks seems to be diametrically opposed to most of Harris' plans, especially on taxes. He got rolled on CNBC, which isn’t the first time a Harris supporter, surrogate, or adviser got roasted on the financial network. 

Taxing unrealized gains has sent many Kamala supporters into the graveyard on this network. With Cuban, he was asked about capital gains tax, giving illegal aliens free health care, and eliminating the filibuster—Cuban is against all of this. 

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 21, 2024

“So, what do you like,” said Kernen as Cuban tried to pivot away from Kamala’s left-wing insanity. Cuban has seemingly been appointed de facto tax policy man for the Harris campaign, as the vice president has gone on an unhinged tirade against Donald Trump, who has regained the momentum in this race. 

Recommended

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 22, 2024

[kingdomgracemedia]

Share4Christ - Stay in the Fight of Faith

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8

In the recent NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics were up 3 to 1 against the Dallas Mavericks. One game away from winning their first championship title in sixteen years, Celtics player, Jalen Brown, was asked if he wanted to come out of the game to rest. He responded, as long as my opponent is on the floor, I am on the floor. I said to myself, I like that. As long as my adversary is on the floor, I'm on the floor. As long as that slew-footed devil is seeking to steal, kill and destroy, I'm on the court, staying in the fight of faith until Jesus calls me home.

You will stay in the fight of fait. Let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. Jesus understood two things that kept Him on the cross until His job was complete. He understood His assignment and He understood what was at stake. My dear, today be reminded of your kingdom assignment and all that's at stake here. We are so close to Christ's return and as long as our adversary is on the prowl to destroy everything we care about, God wants us in the fight of faith and He wants us sober and vigilant. He wants us walking in the power and authority He delegated to us. Greater is He who is within us than he who is in the world.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for speaking directly to my heart. Remove all fear and give me strength and courage as I stay in the fight of faith until You call me home. Help me not be ignorant of satan's devices. Help me be sober and vigilant, understanding what Your will is in this hour. Keep at the forefront of my mind, my assignment and what is at stake. In Jesus Christ majestic name I pray. Amen.

1 John 4:4; 2 Corinthians 2:11

[mstexalicious1961]

DOTK

devotion by Kesha Trippett

You will stay in the fight of faith until Jesus calls you home.

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8

In the recent NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics team were up 3 to 1 against the Dallas Mavericks. One game away from winning their first championship title in sixteen years, Celtics player, Jalen Brown, was asked if he wanted to come out of the game to rest. He responded as long as my opponent is on the floor, I am on the floor. I said to myself, I like that. As long as my adversary is on the floor, I’m on the floor. I'm on the field. I'm the fight. As long as that slew-footed devil is seeking to steal, kill and destroy, I’m on the court, staying in the fight of faith until Jesus calls me home.

Let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. Jesus understood two things that kept Him on the cross until His job was done. He understood the assignment and He understood what was at stake. My sister, today be reminded of your kingdom assignment and what is at stake here. We are so close to Christ's return and as long as our adversary is on the prowl to destroy everything we care about, God wants us in the fight of faith and He wants us sober and vigilant. He wants us walking in the power and authority He delegated to us. Greater is He who is within us than he who is in the world.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for speaking directly to my heart. Remove all fear and give me strength and courage as I stay in the fight of faith until you call me home. Help me not be ignorant of satan's devices. Help me be sober and vigilant, understanding what your will is in this hour. Keep at the forefront of my mind, the assignment and what is at stake. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Read 1 John 4:4; 2 Corinthians 2:11

[hockeygossipdaily]

https://www.tumblr.com/hockeygossipdaily/768452976332488704/smu-dallas-wags-anon-do-you-know-what-dv-womens

It’s in the Oak Cliff area because it’s positioned for serving women of low socio economic backgrounds. It’s funded by a prominent church that is located in Preston hollow. I cannot say the name. Most women suffering in DV situations are at most risk during the time when they’re seeking resources to leave which is why this shelter is disguised as being a women’s self improvement center. But it speaks to who the Dallas wags are as people that they felt spending the day going to a low income neighborhood wasn’t worth it to help DV victims, since they couldn’t get a photo op. their savior complex wouldn’t be fed and their “our hearts were touched helping DV victims at the shelter” Insta post wouldn’t be possible. People show who they are when no one’s looking. These women genuinely had nothing else better to do-they’re all stay at home girlfriends or moms with round the clock childcare access. This was on a weekend, planned 3 mths in advance, set to go with no issues up until the day they cancelled. After details were finalized that morning everything was good. It wasn’t until the privacy agreement form was emailed later that night that there was suddenly a problem . They even made an attempt at negotiating if they could take group pictures helping and post without mentioning the name. Or take photos and blur out faces before posting…???Are you kidding? DV victims are paranoid / on high alert they do not want cameras in their faces or their children’s faces. The nerve. There’s really no excuses. Other wag groups have helped from Cowboys and Mavs with no problem. I haven’t been on outreach missions with the Rangers wags but I haven’t heard of any issues with them. The owner of the center is an older DV survivor herself and lives permanently at the shelter. She said Mark Cuban the mavericks owner donated to (her) shelter directly rather than to the church that helps fund it because he wanted ensure every penny went to the cause. She said even if all other donors stopped their donations today the donation Mark made to her is enough to fund the protection women at the shelter for as long as she’s alive so she sleeps well at night knowing that🙏. -That’s a positive sports related gossip I can leave y’all with 💙

Thank you anon

[dpinoycosmonaut]

CELTICS GET OVER HUMP, END 16-YEAR DROUGHT WITH RECORD 18th NBA TITLE

by Bert A. Ramirez / June 29, 2024

The Boston Celtics and their supporters pose with the Larry O’Brien championship trophy after clinching a record 18th championship.  (Photo by Charles Krupa of The Associated Press)

The 2024 Boston Celtics didn’t only have the burden of trying to win the franchise’s first title since 2008 but also disproving the notion that their two leading stars – Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – would never win together. This is because the All-Star wing duo had made the conference finals in four of their first six years together and lost in the end.

Exactly 16 years to the day a team led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen won the Celtics’ last championship on June 17, 2008, this squad led by Brown and Tatum finally won another, getting over the hump and proving many pundits wrong by dominating the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to clinch this year’s championship 4-1 and capture a record 18th title.

It took all of 16 years and many heartaches, including a heartbreaking seven-game loss in the 2010 championship series to the arch-rival LA Lakers and a six-game downfall to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 Finals, but when the Celtics finally won another title, there can’t be any greater high nor any better feeling for this bunch given the vindication that it gave.

“It means the world,” Tatum said after the Celtics received the championship trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver. “It’s been a long time. And damn I’m grateful.

"You know what it feels like to be on the other side of this and be in the locker room and hearing the other team celebrating, hearing them celebrate on your home floor,” Tatum continued, referring to their Game 6 loss to the Warriors two years back. “That was devastating. Now, to elevate yourself in a space that, you know, all your favorite players are in… It's a hell of a feeling. This is more – I dreamed about what it would be like, but this is 10 times better."

And he and Brown fittingly anchored the Celtics’ successful run, which finally ended a streak of 107 playoff games they have played together without winning a title, the longest in league history by any duo before finally clinching one. Along the way, these Celtics beat both the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers by a 4-1 count in the first two rounds, and then swept the Indiana Pacers in four games to make the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.

And the denouement saw the Celtics end up with a 16-3 postseason record and finish with an 80-21 overall mark, which was 15 victories more than any other team in the league, including both regular season and the playoffs. That .792 winning percentage ranks second in team history behind only the Celtics’ 1985-86 championship club that finished 82-18 (.820).

In this clinching contest, Brown and Tatum combined for eight points and, together with Sam Hauser’s three-point shot, sparked a finishing 11-3 run that gave Boston a 28-18 lead at the end of the first quarter. Brown and Tatum then combined for 19 more points in the second quarter even as Tatum passed for five of his game-high 11 assists in the period to keep the Celts in control.

The Celtics had erected a 46-31 lead with 7:08 left in the second quarter on a three-point play by Tatum, and when the Mavericks cut it to 48-39 a little more than two minutes later, the Celtics responded with a 19-7 spurt that was capped by a half-court buzzer-beater by Payton Pritchard, who was sent in precisely for such a possible play, to take a 67-46 bulge at the break. That parking-lot heave by Pritchard, his second such shot of the series, seemed to take the wind out of the Mavericks even as the TD Garden crowd erupted in a pandemonium

It's something taken out of Boston coach Joe Mazzulla’s playbook that told the Celtics to finish every quarter strong, and the Celts did precisely that. Over the last two minutes of the first and second quarters, the Celtics outscored the Mavericks 22-4, and that made all the difference in this game as the Mavericks never recovered and could not come nearer than 17 points before Boston took an 86-67 lead into the fourth quarter. The Celtics would then duplicate the biggest lead they took in the third, 26 points, with 3:40 left at 104-78, and Dallas coach Jason Kidd finally raised the white flag with 2:37 left and Boston up 106-85 when he took out Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Tatum had another double-double with a game-best 31 points (on 11-of-24 floor shooting but just 1-for-7 from three) and 11 assists, his third in the Finals (he also had a double-double in scoring and assists in Game 2, when Boston beat the Mavericks 105-98, and a double-double in scoring and rebounds in Game 1, when the Celtics set the tone for the series with a 107-89 blowout) on top of eight rebounds and two steals.

Jayson Tatum raises the championship trophy as the Celtics and their fans celebrate. (Photo by Charles Krupa of The Associated Press)

But Brown took the Bill Russell Trophy as Finals MVP after scoring 21 points (though he shot just 7-of-23 from the floor, his worst in the series) and collecting eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. It was Brown, after all, who dominated in the crucial Game 3, scoring 15 of his 30 points in the third quarter of a 106-99 victory by Boston, during which the Celtics took control of the game – and the series – by outscoring the Mavericks 35-19 in the period, while assuming most of the defensive job on Doncic.

That Game 3 victory afforded the Celtics an all-too-human letdown in Game 4, when Dallas scored an anomalous 122-84 walkover that sent the series back to Boston and enabled the Celtics to clinch it before a raucous home crowd.

“I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum,” Brown said after being awarded his Finals MVP trophy, the second hardware he has won in this year’s playoffs after also taking the Larry Bird Trophy as Eastern Conference finals MVP.

Jaylen Brown, the Finals MVP, drives against P.J. Washington of Dallas in Game 5 of the Finals, which Boston won 106-88 to clinch it.  (Photo by Charles Krupa of The Associated Press)

But these Celtics are not all Brown and Tatum as most everybody sent in by Mazzulla contributed to the victory to finally nail down that elusive 18th championship banner, which has given back Boston the distinction as the team with the most number of titles in NBA history by breaking a tie with the Lakers, who won a 17th title during the “bubble” season of 2020. This included an injured Kristaps Porzingis, who was sent in by Mazzulla midway through the first quarter and had five points and was a plus-8 in 16 minutes on the floor, Hauser, who had eight points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal, as well as Pritchard, who made that miracle three at the halftime buzzer that took the air out of the Mavericks’ sails.

Of course, the Celtics’ starters after Tatum and Brown that the team’s president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, has painstakingly put together over the last three years assumed much of the responsibility, as expected. Jrue Holiday, whom Stevens acquired before the season for Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III after being traded by Milwaukee to Portland, also had a double-double with 15 points, a team-high 11 rebounds, four assists and a steal for a game-best plus-21 plus/minus rating, White chipped a front tooth and was bloodied on the way to contributing 14 points on a team-best 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, as well as eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block, while Al Horford, who started at center the whole series with Porzingis hobbled, chipped in vital totals of nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals for a plus-20 plus/minus rating.

With the victory, Horford also ended a streak of 186 playoff games without a title, the second-longest streak in history behind only the retired Utah great Karl Malone’s 193. James Harden of the LA Clippers now holds the longest title-less streak among active players with 166 playoff games.

And the championship victory also made Mazzulla, the target of much criticism especially in his first year as head coach last year because of his unorthodox ways, which include not calling timeouts even when rival teams are in hot pursuit, the youngest coach at 35 to win a title since Celtics legend Bill Russell led the Celtics to the championship in 1968 at 34 as a player coach.

Stevens’ faith in Mazzulla certainly paid off. After all, it was he who put Mazzulla at the helm after erstwhile coach Ime Udoka was suspended in 2022 for violation of team rules, and liked Joe for his dedication to his craft and discipline, his analytical mind and, most of all, his passion.

"He may have been unproven to other people, but not to me," Stevens said. "He was put in a tough situation last year. But he grew from it, and this year he got a chance to really prepare for a season." “You have very few chances in life to be great,” Mazzulla said when it was all over.

But the historic triumph means the most to the two Jays, who finally achieved their ultimate goal after having been the target of much vitriol for their supposed inability to win the ultimate prize despite reaching the conference finals together four times in the previous six years and for purportedly being soft especially in crunch time. "I mean, this is going to be a night that I will remember for the rest of my life, from the game, the celebration, these moments," Tatum said of their landmark triumph. "Over the last couple years, we had some tough losses at home in the playoffs. We've lost the NBA championship at home in front of our fans. We had a chance to beat Miami in Game 6 a few years ago and lost that one.

"So to have a big win – the biggest win that you could have in front of your home crowd – I felt like that was really important to go out there and do everything in my power to make sure we won this game tonight."

"I can't even put into words the emotions," Brown, meanwhile, said. "It's just I'm blessed and I'm grateful. This was a full team effort. We had a great team. My teammates were great. They allowed me to lead us on both ends of the ball, and we just came out and performed on our home floor. It's just amazing.”

"I just think we had passed the phase where we'd both been All-Stars and been on All-NBA teams," Tatum noted of his partnership with Brown. "Not saying that (expletive) is not important, but we'd done it. And God willing, we'll keep doing it. But it was time to start sacrificing points or shot attempts or whatever to win and have the best team in the league.

"Just our growth together," the three-time All-NBA First Teamer, who in this year’s playoffs has passed erstwhile idol Kobe Bryant for the most playoff points in history before the age of 27 with 2,711 to Bryant’s 2,694, added. "We've been through a lot. We've been playing together for seven years now. We've been through a lot, the losses, the expectations. The media have said all different types of things: We can't play together, we are never going to win. We heard it all. But we just blocked it out, and we just kept going. I trusted him. He trusted me. And we did it together."

And on top of all that, Tatum and Brown must have also benefitted from that innate Celtic culture that long-time Celtics writer Marc D’Amico calls “Celtics Basketball,” which referred to a way of life, an approach to the game and a method of building a team that has been handed down for several generations from the time of Celtics patriarch and legend Red Auerbach.

“On the court, Celtics Basketball means playing with pride,” D’Amico said. “It means playing for each other. It means celebrating each other. It means giving all-out effort. It means being unselfish. It means buying into roles. It means putting a product on the floor of which the fans can be proud.”

These 2024 Celtics, with their two Jays and their core, personified all that, and the result was an unprecedented Banner 18.

Confetti rain down on the TD Garden floor as the Celtics and fans celebrate the championship victory. (Photo by Brian Fluharty of USA Today Sports)