Jumat, 31 Mei 2019
‘Rocketman’ review: Elton John movie has the hits, with a few misses - Global News
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May 31, 2019 at 07:30PM
Heavy Metal Singer Kicks Phone Out of Fan's Hands During Show - PetaPixel
Singer Rob Halford of the famous English heavy metal band Judas Priest is making headlines after he was caught on camera kicking a phone out of a fan’s hands in the middle of a song.
Planet Rock reports that Halford was performing at the Rosemont Theatre in Illinois on Saturday, May 25th, and that many fans in the sell-out crowd were shooting photos and videos with their phones.
But one particular concert-goer at the very front of the crowd was reportedly shining or flashing his phone’s LED light while shooting the performance, and the distraction got on Halford’s nerves.
The singer, without warning, ran to the front of the stage and gave the fan’s phone a strong kick “with great gusto,” sending the phone high into the air before it landed several rows back.
Halford has since released a statement defending his actions.
“The facts are we love our fans and you can film us all you like and watch our show on your phone rather than in the flesh,” the singer tells Loudwire. “However, if you physically interfere with The Metal God’s performance you now know what will happen.”
Many famous music artists have taken a stand against the widespread practice of shooting photos and videos throughout concerts rather than “fully enjoying the show” — rock star Jack White banned fan photos at his shows last year, announcing that attendees would need to have their phones put into locking smartphone pouches to ensure a “100% human experience.”
But performers generally don’t go so far as to kick phones and cameras out of their fans’ hands.
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June 01, 2019 at 12:16AM
New Jussie Smollett Documents Show Unreported Details On Drugs, Payments To Osundairo Brothers - WBBM NewsRadio
CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago Police have released more than 460 pages of documents related to the Jussie Smollett investigation — including some details previously unreported.
Police say Jussie Smollett claimed that, in addition to a threatening letter he received — with white powder stuffed inside — he also received a phone call, and a male voice made a homophobic remark.
This document release also suggests police believe Smollett was using at least one of the Osundairo brothers to procure drugs for him: cannabis, Ecstasy and possibly cocaine. Police concluded that payment from Smollett was “in fact not for training as captioned.”
Also new: Police believe Smollett used one of the Osundairo brothers to procure "marijuana, Ecstasy and possibly cocaine." @WBBMNewsradio
— Stephen Miller (@ssmiller) May 30, 2019
And that the author of one police report wondered why Smollett initially told authorities he was attacked by at least one white man — and Smollett later changed his description to "pale."
Smollett had been charged with making a false report. But prosecutors then dropped all charges against Smollett.
Last week, a judge ordered the massive police file unsealed.
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May 31, 2019 at 05:25AM
Blues' depth will be tested now that NHL has knocked Sundqvist out of Game 3 - STLtoday.com
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- Blues' depth will be tested now that NHL has knocked Sundqvist out of Game 3 STLtoday.com
- The Blues’ unlikely Game 2 hero wanted a second chance. When he got it, he made franchise history. The Washington Post
- Tim`s Travels: Tim helps the Blues steamroll over the Bruins KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis
- Bruins Lament Missed Opportunity In Humbling 3-2 Loss WBUR
- Tipsheet: Bruins hope their top forward line wakes up for Game 3 STLtoday.com
- View full coverage on Google News
https://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/blues-depth-will-be-tested-now-that-nhl-has-knocked/article_ae401156-d110-56f1-8b4a-e51bca64aa22.html
2019-05-31 15:35:00Z
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Mike D'Antoni breaks off contract talks with the Rockets – What now for James Harden? | Get Up! - ESPN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd1xJHUh_hw
2019-05-31 14:33:14Z
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How Michigan basketball players stuck together during coaching search - Detroit Free Press
Nearly two weeks ago, the Michigan basketball program was rocked by news of John Beilein's departure for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Players like center Jon Teske, who Beilein had recruited to Michigan, were shocked by the move.
"I couldn't really believe it," Teske said Thursday. "Obviously, I had no clue."
As the program embarked upon a nine-day coaching search, the players were left in an unfamiliar and uncertain position, awaiting the arrival of their next head coach.
Their wait ended May 22, when Juwan Howard was hired as head coach.
And although they could have considered other options or transferred to different programs during that nine-day period, Michigan's players chose to stick together.
How? A combination of constant contact among the players staying in Ann Arbor — and plenty of communication as a team.
“A lot of FaceTime calls, long calls, texts, group chats,” said jforward Isaiah Livers. “Just staying connected and making sure everybody’s good every day.”
According to Teske, the players who remained in Ann Arbor after the semester ended tried to take the coaching search "day by day, because we didn't really know what was going to happen."
Trending stories:
For Michigan, Juwan Howard's emotion doesn't mask Warde Manuel's gamble
Juwan Howard: Michigan's Fab Five banners will be revisited
Juwan Howard on Michigan State rivalry: 'Let's battle'
Those players worked out together every day and played pickup basketball. They hung out off the court, too.
“It actually made us closer," said wing Adrien Nunez. "We were all going over to each other’s houses, watching basketball games, cooking burgers and stuff like that, so it kinda just made us a more tight-knit group in the end, for real.”
While several players were missing from Ann Arbor, they were still kept in the loop through text messages, video conferences and phone calls.
For Teske, it was important to keep in touch with everyone — especially the younger players.
"A good majority of the younger guys are here," Teske said. "Just being with them every day helped a lot."
When Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel contacted Teske during the coaching search, Teske suggested Manuel talk to other players as well.
"Warde, he called me during this process, I told him it’d be good if he came in and talked to the younger guys, so he did," Teske said. "About the process. Keeping the young guys together, just through this tough time that it was.”
Some, like Livers, never wavered in their commitment to the program.
“Honestly, when I heard both the news, I’m a Michigan man,” Livers said. “There was no other place. It’s my junior year. There’s no reason to go. I have a great opportunity here, so I was excited.”
For now, Michigan has yet to experience any attrition as a result of the coaching search — which could be key for the future of the team, as the Wolverines already have three open scholarships for the 2019-20 season.
“I wanted to hear (what they were thinking)," Livers said. "Most guys were like, 'Oh, we’re just going to wait (to see) who comes in.' For now, it looks like everybody’s happy and nobody’s really going to make that decision (to leave). I told them if you are going to make that decision, just let me know so I can know ahead of time.”
Listen: The Michigan Rant podcast: The Juwan Howard era begins
While there was initially some uncertainty, that later gave way to excitement when the players found out Howard would be the next head coach. According to Livers, "everybody was happy."
After accepting the job, Howard called each player individually and began to develop relationships. Thursday morning, he talked in-person with the team for the first time during a meeting that took place about 10 a.m. According to the players, there wasn't much basketball discussed. It was mostly about getting to know each other.
A couple hours later, the players sat on the floor of Crisler Center and watched as their new coach teared up during his formal introduction. They watched as he took to the stage and cried some more.
It only left even more of a positive impression.
“It just made us even more excited," Livers said. "You’ve got your head coach up there crying, before he even gets called up there, that just shows he’s going to put in a lot of work. He’s really going to push his players to be great. Even off the court, he mentioned that earlier, he just wants our players to be good people. No matter what you do, he’s going to support us.”
Michigan's players are in the process of getting to know Howard. They're unsure of what the future will look like, especially when it comes to Xs and Os. But they're excited about what's next.
“I can’t get Coach B back. Obviously, I came here with his recruiting, but at the same time, I’m going to embrace the new situation," Nunez said. "Everyone’s like, 'How are you having such a positive outlook?' but we have Juwan Howard as our head coach.
"Who doesn’t want to play for a guy who’s part of the Fab Five, who coached at the Heat, who has so many connections in the NBA, knows so much about basketball? It’s a positive.”
Shawn Windsor: Here's what Juwan Howard can do that John Beilein didn't
Contact Orion Sang: osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter.
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2019/05/31/michigan-basketball-isaiah-livers-jon-teske-juwan-howard/1290689001/
2019-05-31 11:01:00Z
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'We've got to take it ourselves' - Nick Nurse's journey to the NBA Finals - ESPN
THERE HE IS, mouth agape on the sideline as the camera slowly zooms in on a prolonged expression of disbelief after Fred VanVleet is called for a three-second violation in Game 4 of the Toronto Raptors' first round against the Orlando Magic. There he is again, so animated in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals that he is totally oblivious to Drake applying a reassuring sideline mini-massage to his shoulders, igniting a controversy on the boundaries of celebrities and the proximity of fans to players and coaches.
Now watch him as the Raptors touch down in Milwaukee before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, descending from the team plane wearing Beats headphones and with a guitar strapped to his back like Bon Jovi on a world tour. We have discovered coach Nick Nurse through a prism of engaging postseason snippets.
And we haven't even discussed the buffalo plaid suits yet.
So, we wonder about this rookie head coach who has guided Toronto into the Finals, whose nomadic coaching journey included multiple stops in the British Basketball League, a duo of D League incarnations and a three-day stint as associate head coach at Iowa State that netted him hundreds of thousands of dollars (more on that later). The general consensus appears to be this dude is fun.
But you don't reach the NBA Finals just by being fun.
"Well, sure," responds Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. "Nick is very laid-back, very chill -- until you don't play hard."
No one was yukking it up when Nurse assembled his team in the film room the day after an embarrassing Game 1 loss to Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs. Nurse had been so jazzed the night before, he'd barely slept. He'd been ready.
Why weren't his players?
After forward Pascal Siakam bumped into Nurse before the session, he warned his teammates as he slid into his seat: "I could tell right away he was really upset," Siakam says. "You could see it in his face. Very tense. Unlike him. He was already riled up before he walked in."
Nurse, enraged by the subpar effort of a group that included veterans Lowry, Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and Danny Green, spliced together damning examples of Toronto's lackadaisical approach.
"I had 17 clips I was going to show," Nurse says. "I think I stopped at one. I thought they understood how hard we needed to play because it was the playoffs. Apparently, they didn't."
Nurse made it clear he would not tolerate that. He yelled so loud, and so long, that he lost his voice, his players report. His spittle spewed perilously close to the suddenly attentive -- and surprised -- NBA millionaires.
"It wasn't pretty," Nurse says now. "I don't do that very often. It was by far the biggest bullet I used."
"He lit a fire under us," Green says. "We needed it. Orlando prepared us for Philly, which prepared us for Milwaukee. He got us locked in."
And yet, five weeks later, there they were -- after trouncing the Magic in four straight and besting Philly's four-All-Star lineup -- down by 15 at home to the Bucks in Game 6, their inexperience revealing itself. It didn't help that Leonard had blanked on his first seven 3-point attempts. "I'm watching," confesses team president Masai Ujiri, "and I'm thinking, 'No way in hell we're winning this game.'"
With 5:47 remaining in the third and the score 65-52, Nurse called timeout. He reminded the Raptors that they had made up a deficit like this just days before. He implored them to relax. "He was very composed," reports Leonard, who also spoke in the huddle, encouraging teammates to embrace the moment.
Toronto roared back. The Raptors advanced.
"Nobody is giving us a thing," their coach declared. "We've got to take it ourselves."
NICK NURSE WAS born and raised in the city of Carroll, Iowa, some 90 miles northwest of Des Moines. He was the youngest of nine kids, with five older brothers, so competitive with them that it occasionally brought him to tears.
"At some point in your life, you try to self-reflect and ask yourself, 'Why do I want to win so bad?'" Nurse says. "Then you realize, in my house, if you [didn't] get up and start fighting in the morning, you [wouldn't] get any cereal -- or a bowl or a spoon."
When Nurse wasn't grappling for Grape-Nuts, he was absorbing blows from his older siblings in various athletic endeavors. They hardened him, and in 1985 he was the Des Moines Register Athlete of the Year, headed to Northern Iowa to play basketball, the guy who shouted "Follow me!" -- and everyone did.
"When I first took the job at Northern Iowa," explains his former coach Eldon Miller, "I called a team meeting. Five people showed up. Nick was one of them. I could quickly tell from that meeting that the four other guys looked to Nick to speak for them."
Nurse roomed with Greg McDermott, another Iowa boy. They became fast friends and snuck off in their free time to bet on the greyhounds or hustle guys on the golf course in two-ball tournaments.
The two helped lay the groundwork for a resurgence at Northern Iowa that culminated the year after they graduated in 1990 with its first NCAA appearance. Miller identified Nurse as the rare college player who didn't just learn the plays but actually took the time to understand why they made sense. McDermott recalls Nurse's precise shooting regimen, which never wavered. He graduated as the all-time 3-point leader in shooting percentage (.468) -- then plotted a way to stay in the game.
It came in the form of an overseas opportunity with the Derby Storm in the British Basketball League as player-coach. The team traveled to all its games in a creaky white van, but there was a problem: Nurse, at 23, wasn't old enough to secure the rental to take the wheel.
"I had to make my center Martin Ford drive," Nurse says. "He wasn't happy about it, either."
When he wasn't navigating the challenge of coaching players who were as many as eight years older, Nurse attempted to keep the van up and running. One evening after midnight, when it broke down on a deserted, winding road in the British countryside, Nurse took stock of his career choices.
"That was one of those moments that made you scratch your head," Nurse admits. "First of all, you're thinking, 'Where in the hell am I?' and second of all, 'What the hell am I doing here?'"
Regardless, in four years overseas, he compiled a 276-103 record. And during his travels, he came across a young Nigerian player who showed promise for Nurse's former team, the Derby Storm. His name: Masai Ujiri. "All I remember about Nick," Ujiri says, "was that he was really young and, if you listened to the people over there, really brilliant."
Nurse migrated back to the United States and, in 2007, landed a job in his beloved state of Iowa with the Iowa Energy D-League team. His old roommate McDermott was also climbing the coaching ranks, landing a job at Iowa State. Their mutual friends couldn't help but compare.
"I loved every job I had," Nurse says. "People asked me, 'Why aren't you doing something more important?' When I was doing well in the D-League, they were like, 'Why can't you get an NBA job? Or a college job?' I don't think people thought much of what I was doing. That's fine.
"I was learning. Not just X's and O's, but team dynamics."
One of the perks of the D-League was a chance for players to sign up for free continuing education. Nurse became the rare coach who cashed in, taking an online course from Michigan State on interpersonal communication and conflict management.
In 2010, after Nurse had netted a division title for the Iowa Energy, McDermott invited him to be his associate coach at Iowa State.
Nurse jumped at the chance and spent the next 24 hours in meetings and film sessions and booking trips overseas to recruit in England and Greece. The night before he left, he dined with McDermott in an Ames restaurant where the equipment manager showed up with his Iowa State swag -- sweatshirts, pants, polos and sneakers. "I told him, 'Throw it in my office; I'll get it when I come back,'" Nurse recalls.
Three days into his new job, after scouting two prospects in Manchester, England, Nurse got a call from McDermott. Creighton coach Dana Altman had accepted the job at Oregon, and McDermott had decided to replace Altman at Creighton, where his son Doug "Dougie McBuckets" McDermott would join him.
"Those guys from England? Tell 'em you're recruiting for Creighton now," McDermott informed him.
Nurse's head was spinning. Somehow, it didn't feel right. He canceled his trip to Athens, returned to Iowa and talked with Cyclones athletic director Jamie Pollard, who told Nurse that he had a candidate in mind to replace McDermott but that if that person didn't take the head-coaching job, Nurse would be considered for it.
"It was a wild 24 hours," Nurse says. "I had only been hired as the associate coach three days earlier, and now all the media is circling my house thinking I'm the guy."
He wasn't. Pollard tabbed Fred Hoiberg for the job, and suddenly, Nurse was unemployed. After an awkward negotiation, the school gave him a $175,000 buyout.
"He became the highest-paid state employee per day in Iowa history," McDermott says.
"Yeah," Nurse counters, "but I never got my gear."
NICK NURSE BELIEVES most things happen for a reason. Because the Iowa Energy hadn't found a replacement for him yet, he was able to return to his old job -- and lead them to a championship. He won another D-League title with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2013, and Dwane Casey hired him as a Raptors assistant on the strength of his offensive creativity.
"For the short time we were together at Iowa State," McDermott says, "we were running a bunch of different sets with a lot of counters to them. I showed them to Nick once, and I could see the wheels turning. Next thing I know, he's saying, 'How about if we move these two guys over here and invert the bigs..."
"I had been running that stuff for eight to 10 years, and he's tweaking it in a way that I hadn't considered before."
When Ujiri fired Casey last spring, he interviewed a number of candidates, Mike Budenholzer among them. But something kept drawing him back to Nurse, who, in a five-hour second interview at the Beverly Wilshire hotel unveiled his detailed vision for the Raptors, beginning with training camp all the way through to the Finals.
Upon accepting the job, Nurse asked to coach the team's summer league squad. Ujiri warned him that the team was "crap," designed to get OG Anunoby some offensive reps and not much more. "We had no chance from day one," Ujiri says, "but Nick starts ramping these kids up. They're playing so hard, and by the end, he had me so excited about watching them."
And that, according to his players and coaching peers, is the definition of Nick Nurse: a coach with a supple approach to a game that is constantly changing, and an ability to relate to players of all shapes, sizes and bank accounts.
"He's willing to try different things," Siakam says. "A lot of coaches aren't.
"Last year, I wasn't handling the ball. This year, Nick made it a priority. I'm not sure a lot of other coaches would give me that freedom or that trust."
"He's very good at adapting," Gasol says of Nurse. "Some of the things he does are eye-popping. He showed me some rebounding techniques that were really interesting. It sounds simple when you say it, but they make a difference."
While those folks who wanted him to do something "important" are now finally satisfied, Nurse insists basketball is basketball, regardless of the level. Leonard and Lowry are more gifted than his boys from Derby Storm, "but it feels the same to me," Nurse insists. "You learn from all of them."
What we've learned from a pulsating Eastern Conference finals is that Nurse, the offensive innovator, turned the series on its ear with his defensive adjustments. The Bucks ended up scoring just 0.96 points per possession after a made basket in the series, well below their regular-season average of 1.11 (tied for ninth best in the regular season), and Giannis Antetokounmpo, an unstoppable force in the previous round against Boston, was stymied by a wall of Raptors defenders, beginning with the smaller Leonard, Lowry and Green, who absorbed the initial contact from the 7-footer.
"One thing Nick did was challenge us in terms of the physical play," Lowry says. "He made it clear, 'Listen, you have to be here to help. You can't be afraid to get hit.'"
And so it is that the Raptors enter the Finals as heavy underdogs against Golden State, but McDermott is certain that Nurse has conjured up some new wrinkles.
"Nick believes you should throw stuff against the wall and see if it sticks," McDermott says, "because if you aren't throwing anything against the wall, nothing sticks."
Safe to say the guitar-toting, meme-inducing, spittle-spewing coach of the Raptors has found some traction of own. Ujiri claims there's no one (besides Kawhi Leonard) he'd rather have on his side down 15 with the season on the line.
"I say that because Nick really believes," Ujiri says. "So, you believe, too."
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26844126/got-take-ourselves-nick-nurse-journey-nba-finals
2019-05-31 11:27:13Z
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R. Kelly charged with 11 new sex-related crimes in Chicago - CTV News
Michael Tarm and Herbert G. McCann, The Associated Press
Published Thursday, May 30, 2019 3:59PM EDT
Last Updated Thursday, May 30, 2019 8:41PM EDT
CHICAGO -- Prosecutors charged R&B singer R. Kelly on Thursday with 11 new sex-related counts involving one of the women who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was underage, including counts that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, making them the most serious he faces.
Cook County prosecutors charged the Grammy award-winning singer with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim who was at least age 13 and under 17 at the time.
The four aggravated criminal sexual assault counts carry maximum terms of 30 years in prison. Kelly is due in court to hear the new charges next Thursday.
Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women over roughly a 10-year period that started in the late 1990s. Three of the women were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.
The new charges pertain to a single victim, identified in the court filing by the initials "J.P." Prosecutors didn't specify in the filing if she is the same person as one of the original four accusers who was also identified as "J.P."
R. Kelly's lawyer, Steve Greenberg, told The Associated Press the 11 sex-related counts "are not really new."
"They are the same conduct, just charged differently," Greenberg said. "Same alleged victim, same timeframe, same facts."
Greenberg has long said Kelly expected to prevail at trial and in his comments Thursday, he said he expects the "same results."
Kelly pleaded not guilty to the original charges and denied any wrongdoing after his February arrest. He has been free since Feb. 25, when a suburban Chicago woman posted $100,000 bond, or 10% of the $1 million bond the judge set in his case.
According to the new court filing, the first eight counts are from encounters that allegedly occurred between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2010. Three others pertain to alleged encounters between May 1, 2009, and Jan. 31, 2010.
Among other things, prosecutors allege that Kelly used force or threatened to do so to pressure the accuser into sex or to perform oral sex on him. She was underage at the time, extending the statute of limitations for bringing charges to 20 years from her 18th birthday, they wrote.
Kelly doesn't face federal charges, but attorney Michael Avenatti told the AP on Thursday that he expects the singer to face "serious federal charges" in the coming weeks.
Avenatti, who says he represents three Kelly victims, two parents and two whistleblowers, said he has provided "significant evidence" against Kelly to federal prosecutors in multiple U.S. attorneys' offices. He said he and his clients have been co-operating with prosecutors "for the better part of four months."
Greenberg said if Kelly ever does face federal charges, "we will deal with it." But he said Avenatti isn't a credible source for how the matter is unfolding.
"This man is accused of repeatedly stealing from his clients ... to fund an opulent lifestyle he hadn't earned," Greenberg said.
Avenatti, who said after Kelly's arrest that he had turned over video to prosecutors showing Kelly having sex with an underage girl, faces federal charges , including ones accusing him of trying to shake down Nike and cheating his most famous client, porn star Stormy Daniels, out of $300,000.
------
Associated Press writers Jim Mustian in New York and Caryn Rousseau in Chicago contributed to this report.
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May 31, 2019 at 07:41AM
Deal was in works with Jussie Smollett before charges dropped, documents show - CBC.ca
New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives a possible deal with the Empire actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.
The approximately 460 pages released Thursday reveal that Cook County prosecutors told the detectives investigating Smollett's case that a deal with the actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service.
Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the detectives did not pass the information to superiors "because they didn't know it [the case] was going to be handled the way it was."
Smollett was charged with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when he reported he had been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.
Then, in a surprise move, prosecutors dropped the charges against Smollett on March 26, without explanation and without the actor admitting guilt — a decision that outraged Chicago's mayor and police superintendent.
Decision to close case
In the newly-released documents, detectives say the Cook County state's attorney's office informed the Chicago Police Department on Feb. 28 that they could no longer investigate the crime. Smollett was indicted on March 7.
The lead investigators in the case met with assistant state's attorney Risa Lanier, who informed detectives "that she felt the case would be settled with Smollett paying the city of Chicago $10,000 in restitution and doing community service."
The detectives closed the case at that point because an arrest was made and the alleged offender was being prosecuted, according to Guglielmi.
Telephone calls to the Cook County state's attorney's office were not immediately returned on Thursday.
'Affront' to hate crime victims
Attorneys for Smollett were the ones who announced that charges against the actor had been dropped. At the time, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said he learned about the deal when lawyers announced it, adding he didn't think justice was being served. However, he didn't directly criticize prosecutors.
"My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the state's attorney," Johnson said. "That's what we did. I stand behind the detectives' investigation."
The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association said the dismissal of the charges was "an affront to prosecutors across the state" as well as police, victims of hate crimes and the county as a whole.
The City of Chicago is seeking $130,000 US from Smollett to cover the costs of investigating his false report to police. The city claims about two dozen detectives and officers investigated the entertainer's report that he was attacked, resulting in a "substantial number of overtime hours."
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May 31, 2019 at 08:53AM
Strength in numbers -- The Raptors beat the Warriors at their own game - ESPN
TORONTO -- When you are champions, you stick with what got you here. For the Golden State Warriors, the formula in these 2019 playoffs had been fairly transparent: identify the best player on the opposing team -- see James Harden and Damian Lillard -- and harangue him into a night of frustration and disappointment.
Thus, the blueprint against the Toronto Raptors was to reduce Kawhi Leonard's basketball life to misery, or at the very least considerable discomfort. Blitz him, double him, triple him if necessary, force him to give up the ball and dare the others to beat you.
It was a sound strategy on paper -- except the "others" were not only expecting it, they were aiming to exploit it. So, it was a collection of "complementary" Raptors who vaulted Toronto to win Game 1 of the NBA Finals 118-109 in a raucous Scotiabank Arena, delivering a roundhouse right to a team that so often has seemed invincible.
On a night when Leonard, who had been the most transcendent player in the playoffs, was a mere mortal, players such as Pascal Siakam happily filled the void. Siakam, the 24-year old forward who once was on a path to the priesthood -- until a visit, on a lark, to a summer basketball camp in his native Cameroon detoured him on an improbable basketball journey -- scored 32 points on 14-of-17 shooting. It was a prolific performance that would have been unthinkable two short years ago, when he was a raw, unpolished player who couldn't shoot.
At all.
"I was joking with him the other day," teammate Fred VanVleet told ESPN. "We used to shoot together in my rookie year, and me and the guy rebounding used to duck sometimes because his shots would come off the rim so hard.
"He had some bad misses. But what you are seeing now is the result of a lot of hard work. You can just see his confidence soaring."
The same can be said of VanVleet, who struggled mightily in earlier rounds of the playoffs but, following the birth of his young son, has rediscovered his shooting stroke.
Then there's center Marc Gasol, who heard all the chatter about how this was a poor matchup for him, particularly if DeMarcus Cousins found his way onto the court (he did, in an unremarkable eight-minute cameo). Gasol was also a benefactor of the exorbitant amount of attention paid to Leonard, scoring 20 points and stretching the floor for his teammates on what Warriors coach Steve Kerr termed "dare shots."
"Dare, no dare, if you are open, you shoot them," Gasol said.
Said Van Vleet: "Kawhi has been having such an unbelievable playoff run, I think it would have been disrespectful not to give him a lot of attention. We know that. We've been dealing with that all of these playoffs.
"You can see teams try to balance it -- 'should we help too much; are we not helping enough?' For the rest of us, it means we've got to be ready for the opportunity when the kickouts come."
Even Danny Green, who hadn't drilled a 3-pointer since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, hit three of them Thursday night.
And yet, in a spirited Raptors locker room after the game, the topic of discussion was not their marksmen, but a collective defensive effort that held a terrifying Golden State lineup in check.
Stephen Curry (34 points), per usual, got his, but the Raptors took turns bumping and chasing him and his Splash Brother Klay Thompson. They weren't stopped, but contained, and that was good enough.
"We've tried to hang our hat on our defense all year,'' Kyle Lowry said. "One thing about Golden State is you can't give them space. When we did, Steph and Klay made every shot."
It was Curry's 11 first-quarter points that kept Golden State within striking distance in the opening frame. In fact, for all the good vibes the Raptors' shooters were experiencing, the Warriors were constantly lurking. Because the defending champions can score so quickly and in such explosive fashion, even when Toronto pushed the lead to double digits, it never quite felt safe.
But as Siakam continued to wreak havoc in transition, the Raptors were able to maintain their lead wire to wire.
The most critical shot of the night came courtesy of VanVleet with 3:20 to play, shortly after the Warriors had cut the deficit to 10, 108-98. With the shot clock ticking down, VanVleet found himself pinned in the corner and let one fly. The shot rolled halfway down, halfway back up, and finally settled on counting after all.
"Klay didn't leave me as much as I thought he would, so I didn't have a clean look right away,'' VanVleet said. "By the time I thought about it, there was only one second left, so I got a little separation, a little look, a little bit of luck.
"About time, you know? I was in a little slump, but now I've got some of those in the bank."
The Warriors were hardly devastated by the events of Game 1, though they were most certainly irritated by them. They once again exhibited their maddening tendency to be careless with the basketball, and the Raptors transformed their 16 turnovers into 17 points.
Golden State also recognizes it needs to do a better job of limiting Siakam in the open floor and identifying Toronto's shooters.
"Our transition D was horrible,'' Draymond Green said. "You give guys those type of shots, they get comfortable and it's a different beast."
Said Curry: "You can't give [Siakam] any dare shots, and you can't give him any straight-line drives to the basket. That's just an effort thing we all can be more mindful of."
No coach wants to hear their players admit they need to be mindful about more effort; the Warriors' swagger has always been their greatest strength -- and their greatest weakness. And while acknowledging being up 1-0 is better than being down 1-0 -- something this group has never experienced in the Finals -- Shaun Livingston insisted his team embraces these moments. "I like the vibe," Curry said.
The Game 1 loss did one thing, for sure: It quelled the notion the Warriors will cruise to a title with or without Kevin Durant, who probably will miss Game 2 as he continues to heal from his calf strain. Toronto expects to see KD at some point in the series -- and will plan accordingly. As Leonard pointed out, "[Durant] can score 30 in his sleep."
After Thursday, the Raptors can be sure of one thing: The champions might have been slumbering before. But they are most definitely awake now.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26860014/strength-numbers-raptors-beat-warriors-their-own-game
2019-05-31 07:08:51Z
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Kamis, 30 Mei 2019
R. Kelly faces 11 new sex-related charges in Chicago - CBC.ca
Prosecutors in Chicago have charged R&B singer R. Kelly with 11 new sex-related counts, including some that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Cook County prosecutors filed the new charges against Kelly on Thursday.
Among the new charges are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim between the ages of 13 to 16. The charges apparently pertain to a single victim.
The four aggravated criminal sexual assault counts carry maximum terms of 30 years in prison.
Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.
Kelly's defence attorney, Steve Greenberg, didn't immediately respond to an email from the AP seeking comment. He told the Sun-Times that he had received word of new charges from prosecutors but hadn't seen any filings in the case. He did say he understood that the allegations are "from years ago."
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May 31, 2019 at 03:18AM
Court Documents Surrounding Jussie Smollett's Alleged Homophobic Attack To Be Released - HotNewHipHop
Last week a judged ruled that all the documents and files that have to do with the police investigation surrounding Jussie Smollett's alleged homophobic attack would be unsealed. The judge in the matter heard arguments from both sides, where Media attorney Natalie Spears' arguments eventually won the judge over.
“There is no way to secrete the fact of Jussie Smollett’s arrest. At this point it is widely and publicly known from here to Helsinki and back,” Natalie stated. “No potential employer, let alone anyone with a pulse, does not know about Jussie Smollett’s arrest at this point.”
Page Six now reports that authorities are rounding up all the evidence in the case, including notes on why all of Jussie's charges were dropped and the information will be made public by the end of next week.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images
“The root of this problem is not Mr. Smollett,” Brian Watson, Jussie's lawyer, argued. “The root of this problem is that the media, Mrs. Spears’ clients, created publicity, and now her clients want to use that against someone who wants to get their rights back.” Clearly, his argument didn't hold up and only time will tell how much the media will expose the documents.
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May 31, 2019 at 12:28AM
Snooki Now Has Three Mini Meatballs - MTV.com
Nicole Polizzi is a mawma of three!
The Jersey Shore star and hubby Jionni LaValle welcomed son Angelo James on Thursday, May 30, she happily confirmed to People. According to the magazine, he arrived at 2:30 a.m. weighing 7 lbs., 8 oz. Lorenzo and Giovanna have a brand-new playmate and fellow mini meatball.
“So thrilled to welcome baby Angelo into our little family! He is so sweet and a spitting image of Lorenzo as a baby,” Nicole told People. “Jionni and I can’t wait to see how being outnumbered turns out!”
Nicole announced her pregnancy on Thanksgiving with an image of her two kiddos holding a framed photo of the sonogram, adding, "what I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving." From there, she divulged -- with a baseball-themed gender reveal -- that this munchkin would be a boy. The undisputed baby bump selfie queen then took a bunch of snaps of her nuggets bonding with their baby brother. Now all three can fistpump play together!
Give Nicole, Jionni, Lorenzo, Giovanna and Angelo some love in the comments, and stay with MTV News for all baby updates!
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May 30, 2019 at 10:19PM
Cousins to be active for Warriors in Game 1 - ESPN
Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins, sidelined since mid-April with a torn left quad muscle, will be active Thursday night for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made that clear after shootaround, as the Warriors prepare to face the Toronto Raptors.
Cousins has been out since April 15th after suffering what was thought to be a season-ending injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Clippers. Cousins has participated in a few scrimmages over the last week, but Kerr declined to reveal exactly how Cousins will be used in the series.
Kerr said he knew what Cousins' role would be, but said "I'm not going to tell you."
Cousins, who made his season debut on Jan. 18 after missing almost an entire season while rehabbing an Achilles injury, started in all 30 of the games he's played in this year. The 10-year veteran has never played in an NBA Finals.
"He's playing well," Warriors backup center Kevon Looney said. "His conditioning's getting better every day. I think he's almost ready for the game. His body, he knows when he's ready to go out there and compete. I look forward to his return."
As for Warriors star forward Kevin Durant, he continues to get individual rehab work in behind the scenes on his injured right calf, but he will not play in Game 1 and is likely out for Game 2 as well.
Kerr said it was a "long shot" that Durant would be cleared for practice during the Warriors' stay in Toronto.
"He was on the court yesterday," Kerr said. "I believe he was on the court this morning. And then he's in the training room, he's getting all kinds of treatment. Strength [and] conditioning stuff.
"So the next step would be to practice with the team but we don't know when that's going to be. He'll continue with the individual workouts, ramping that up as our training staff sees fit."
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26856347/cousins-active-warriors-game-1
2019-05-30 16:50:27Z
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MLB 'Continuing Efforts' to Protect Fans After Girl Was Struck By Foul Ball - TMZ
MLB 'Continuing Efforts' to Protect Fans ... After Girl Struck By Foul Ball
5/30/2019 8:23 AM PDT
EXCLUSIVE
Major League Baseball says the injury to the little girl struck by a foul ball at the Houston Astros game is "extremely upsetting" ... and insists the league is focused on finding more ways to protect the fans.
The little girl was in the stands at Minute Maid Park in Houston when Cubs star Albert Almora Jr. ripped a line drive foul ball down the 3rd baseline that struck the child directly.
The girl was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was treated for injuries -- but she's reportedly doing okay.
Check this out! It was a SCARY & JARRING moment @MinuteMaidParks last night during #Cubs-#Astros game, when a 4 YO girl was hit by a foul ball! It happened when Cub's player, Albert Almora Jr. hit a foul line drive into the stands. Fortunately, she's OK. #khou11 #htownrush pic.twitter.com/xvrxwmV5c5
— Michelle Choi (@MichelleKHOU) May 30, 2019
Almora Jr. was visibly shaken after the incident and appeared to be crying. He was consoled by his teammates and later vowed to get in touch with the girl's family to offer his prayers and any other assistance he could provide.
Now, the MLB is also weighing in ... telling TMZ Sports, "The events at last night’s game were extremely upsetting. We send our best wishes to the child and family involved."
A spokesperson added, "Clubs have significantly expanded netting and their inventory of protected seats in recent years. With last night’s event in mind, we will continue our efforts on this important issue."
Before the start of the 2018 season, every MLB club agreed to put up netting in dangerous areas in their ballparks ... but clearly, more work needs to be done.
https://www.tmz.com/2019/05/30/mlb-foul-ball-fan-astros-albert-almora/
2019-05-30 15:23:00Z
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Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland Park - Global News
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May 30, 2019 at 09:11AM
Alex Trebek shares 'mind-boggling' pancreatic cancer update - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News
LOS ANGELES - "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek says his doctors say he's in "near remission" of advanced pancreatic cancer and his response to the treatment is "kind of mind-boggling."
The 78-year-old TV personality tells People magazine he's responding very well to chemotherapy and the doctors have told him "they hadn't seen this kind of positive results in their memory." Trebek says some of the tumors have shrunk by more than 50%.
Trebek announced his diagnosis in March, but said he intended to keep working. He said he planned to beat the disease's low survival rate with the love and support of family and friends and with prayers from viewers.
The American Cancer Society estimates 3% of patients with stage 4 pancreatic cancer are alive 5 years after being diagnosed.
Trebek says he still has several more rounds of treatment to hopefully get into full remission.
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May 29, 2019 at 08:57PM
Tori Foles reveals heartbreaking reason Nick hasn't been at Jaguars practice this week - AOL
Nick Foles has not been with his Jacksonville Jaguars teammates for this week’s OTA practices. The team announced on Tuesday that his absence was for personal reasons and coach Doug Marrone said the team’s “thoughts and prayers” were with Foles and his family.
Let’s make it clear from the outset: This round of OTAs is voluntary, so Foles was under no obligation to take part. But Marrone’s words gave a hint that it was something significant and possibly tragic, and unfortunately we now have confirmation that it is both.
‘We are grateful for all the love, support and prayers’
On Wednesday night, Foles posted to his Twitter account, asking people to read an Instagram post from his wife.
“Tori has written a beautiful heartfelt post explaining what we have gone through this week. We are grateful for all the love, support and prayers,” he wrote.
He closed with “2 Cor 12:9.” That Bible verse reads, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Virus and miscarriage
Tori Foles’ Instagram post, under a photo of herself and Nick with another couple (Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Press Taylor and his wife Brooklyn and two adorable toddlers), explains the heartbreaking story: She lost the couple’s son to miscarriage.
“So thankful for this family right here and miss having them right down the street!” she begins. “Our weekend together was not quite as planned, but blessed by their presence and the help they provided us with an unexpected set of circumstances that nick and I suddenly found ourselves in.
“As several of you knew, we were about 15 weeks pregnant with our 2nd baby. Early Sunday morning after a rough couple days fighting a ‘virus’ of some sort, I went into sudden labor and knew something was wrong. Not long after we learned we had miscarried our baby boy.
“To fully labor and deliver and even see our baby boy was a pretty devastating process. Come to find that I had contracted an infection of pneumonia in the blood. The emotions go back and forth from immense and overwhelming sadness, confusion and anger to a firm belief that God has this fully in his hands and will use this for good. We cannot always understand or explain, but we know that is true.
”We’ve endured some unique challenges as a couple so far, but never quite knew what something like this felt like and now we do. We have so much compassion and sensitivity to those who have gone through a miscarriage at any point and in any circumstance. We know they all happen very differently.
“We are finally home from the hospital and recovering physically from the infection with antibiotics (already much better) as well as emotionally from this traumatic loss. This will take time.
“So many thanks to everyone who has reached out to us and who has been praying for us. Thank you Taylor family for being here this weekend. We had a pretty fun weekend planned, and it was turned upside down, but God knew we needed you.”
She also thanked the doctors, nurses and staff at Baptist Medical Center Beaches, the Jacksonville hospital that treated her.
It is unclear when Nick Foles will return to practice with the Jaguars, though obviously taking care of his wife and family are a priority.
More from Yahoo Sports:
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2019/05/30/tori-foles-reveals-heartbreaking-reason-nick-hasnt-been-at-jaguars-practice-this-week/23737473/
2019-05-30 13:40:32Z
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Chicago Cubs batter breaks down after his line drive strikes 4-year-old girl - 10TV
Protective netting at ballparks is once again under scrutiny after a young girl was hit by a foul ball at a Wednesday night game between the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros. The 4-year-old took a line drive during the fourth inning, causing the entire stadium to fall silent.
Moments after Chicago Cubs batter Albert Almora Jr. ripped a line drive into the stands, he knew exactly what happened.
"As soon as I hit it, the first person I locked eyes on was her," Almora said in a post-game interview.
A shaken Almora fell to his knees and began crying when he realized what had happened. His teammate and manager came over to console him.
"Just praying. I'm speechless. I'm at loss of words. Being a father, two boys," Almora said.
In a photo captured after the incident, you can see the young girl in tears, but alert, being held by a man believed to be her father. She was immediately taken to the hospital. Fans were visibly distraught. One woman covered her mouth in shock. After several minutes, Almora went back up to the plate.
"I had to try to keep my composure during that at bat, but when that half inning was over, I just couldn't hold it anymore," Almora said.
Almora went over to the stands to check on the girl, and broke down again, crying in the arms of a security guard. He said when the child feels well enough, he wants to reach out to her.
"God willing, I'll be able to have a relationship with this little girl for the rest of my life. But just prayers right now. That's all I really could control," Almora said.
The extent of the young girl's injuries is unclear at the moment but she is expected to be okay.
While the exit velocity of the swing was not made public, Statcast reported that it traveled 160 feet in 1.2 seconds – meaning it was going at least 90 mph.
https://www.10tv.com/article/chicago-cubs-batter-breaks-down-after-his-line-drive-strikes-4-year-old-girl-2019-may
2019-05-30 13:25:15Z
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The most important shots for the NBA Finals' most important players - ESPN
The 2019 NBA Finals pits a dynasty against an upstart franchise making its historic debut on basketball's biggest stage.
The Golden State Warriors enter Game 1 (Thursday, 9 p.m. ET on ABC) as the favorites in part because they are led by three of the best jump shooters on the planet. The Toronto Raptors have Kawhi Leonard, the first non-LeBron star to get his team out of the Eastern Conference since 2010. And both teams boast top-five offenses thanks to terrific shooting.
In a make-or-miss league, these two teams are still standing because their stars make a ton of big shots. Let's highlight the six shot types that will swing the NBA Finals -- the most important looks for each each team's most important players.
Don't let Steph get looks on the left wing
Inside Stephen Curry's most important shot:
Curry's keys to the Finals
Since Kevin Durant went down against the Houston Rockets, we've witnessed the resurrection of the full Steph Curry experience, which is electrifying to watch and terrifying to try to stop. Just ask the Portland Trail Blazers. They watched Curry break the NBA record for points scored in a sweep by averaging 36.5 per game.
Portland had no answer for Curry out on that left wing or in the pick-and-roll. Curry orchestrated more than 31 picks per game against Portland, yielding a ridiculous 1.23 points per chance, per Second Spectrum tracking. Toronto has to do better than that, and it starts on the perimeter. If Curry is getting his 3s, the Warriors are very difficult to beat. If he's not, Toronto could shock the world. Golden State is 37-8 in playoff games when Steph hits five or more 3-pointers, but just 38-23 when he makes fewer than that.
Who will spend the most time defending Curry? Over the past three seasons, no Raptor has checked him more than Kyle Lowry. Curry is averaging 33 points per 100 possessions when that happens and the Warriors are generating 124 points per 100 as a team, according to Second Spectrum tracking. That's not good enough. But until KD comes back, the Raptors have one less superstar to worry about, and they can allot more defensive resources to the Splash Brothers.
In Durant's absence, Toronto may choose to put Lowry on Andre Iguodala and devote a bigger, longer defender like Danny Green to Curry. Green has a ton of experience against these Warriors and should be able to suppress and contest some shots that Lowry can't.
The Raptors have a lot of good options for a tough situation, especially if Durant is sidelined. Nick Nurse made the biggest adjustment in Canadian basketball history when he pivoted Kawhi Leonard to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 3, stifling the world's best interior force for the rest of the series. Nurse and the Raps now must find ways to shut down the league's best perimeter scorer.
Could we see Leonard take a shot at defending Curry in crunch time?
Then there's Klay on the right side
Inside Klay Thompson's most important shot:
Thompson's keys to the Finals
As if those Curry 3s weren't scary enough, the Raptors also have to worry about Klay Thompson.
The Splash Brothers fit together like a glove, and opponents must confront the terrifying symmetry of their long-range shooting. Just as Curry led the NBA in scoring from the left-wing 3 area, Thompson led the NBA in scoring from the right-wing 3 area. It's not fair that one team has both of these fellas! Just ask the Blazers, who watched as the Steph and Klay averaged more than 27 points per game on 3s alone in the Western Conference finals.
Stopping Thompson means preventing clean catch-and-shoot looks. Again, easier said than done, but if Toronto can find ways to clog passing lanes and stay close to Klay off the ball, they'll have a chance of hindering his production from downtown.
Yet another side effect of the Durant injury is how Klay gets his looks. Nobody assisted on more Thompson 3s this season than Durant, whose passes led to 67 of Klay's made triples, according to Second Spectrum data. With Durant out, Draymond Green has been the primary assister on 3s for both backcourt stars, so any efforts designed to suppress splashes need to account for Draymond's dishes. If the Raptors fail to contain them, their chances are bleak -- the Dubs have a 12-3 playoff record when Curry and Thompson score at least 25 points each.
Between the regular season and the playoffs, the Splash Brothers have combined to sink more than 5,000 3s. While many teams have designed defensive game plans to slow down these daggers, few have ever succeeded.
What about KD?
Inside Kevin Durant's most important shot:
Durant's keys to the Finals
The Splash Brothers are the most dangerous 3-point shooting duo the league has ever seen, and they are scary enough by themselves. But another thing that makes this dynasty so nasty is they also have the world's best 2-point scorer in Kevin Durant.
Recall, Durant was the leading scorer in these playoffs before getting hurt. If Durant plays, the Raptors have three guys to throw at him. While Durant is dangerous coming off those midrange picks, Toronto can at least try to switch between these dudes:
Toronto and Golden State played twice early in the season. One was a Raptors blowout win without Leonard, the other an OT victory for Toronto. There's only so much we can read into these two games -- Marc Gasol was still in Memphis, for instance -- but Durant was unstoppable.
He scored 81 points on 53 shots. Those points came from all over the floor. The Raptors forced him into tough looks, and it just didn't matter. The average player would have been expected to shoot a 46.1 effective field goal percentage (eFG) given the shot quality, but KD had a 64.2 eFG, per Second Spectrum tracking. So even if the Raptors open this series with some answers for the best shooting duo in NBA history, KD will present his own kind of problem whenever he's back.
Curry (No. 1), Durant (No. 2) and Thompson (No. 5) made up three of the top five players in quantified shooter impact this season, according to Second Spectrum tracking. This means that of the 52 NBA players who attempted at least 1,000 shots, Golden State's star trio was among the very best at producing a significantly greater eFG than expected given the shot quality.
The Raptors can't let these guys get to their favorite spots.
Kawhi right in the midrange
Inside Kawhi Leonard's most important shot:
Leonard's keys to the Finals
Leonard is by far the Raptors' most important player on both sides of the ball. On defense, he saved their season by stifling Antetokounmpo in the last four games of the Eastern Conference finals. On offense, he is averaging 31.2 points per game in the postseason. No other Raptor is even averaging 20. To call him their MVP would be a massive understatement.
Leonard's shot chart is similar to Durant's -- he can and will score from everywhere. How will the Warriors try to contain him until KD returns?
In the playoffs, Leonard's 55.9 overall eFG falls to 46.0 percent on isos -- and that number gets even worse when he's forced into a jumper (39.2 percent), per Second Spectrum. Iguodala, Thompson and Draymond Green need to do their best to keep Leonard out of the paint when they're left alone against him.
The same goes when Kawhi is the ball-handler in pick-and-roll -- a play that lead to 1.09 points per chance for Toronto (trailing only Steph Curry among players with at least 200 postseason picks). Leonard can hit that midrange pull-up, but if it's contested it might be the least bad of the evils facing Golden State's defense.
Lowry's egalitarian shot creation
Inside Kyle Lowry's most important shot:
Lowry's keys to the Finals
If the Raptors have any chance against the Warriors, players other than Leonard need to be great. Even if Durant doesn't play, Golden State still has two incredible scorers that we know can get it done in the playoffs. Who will be Toronto's second fiddle?
Lowry is a good candidate. After all, he's a five-time All-Star. However, Lowry is not a big-time scorer, and he's nursing a thumb injury. Lowry is averaging 14.7 points per game in the playoffs while shooting worse than 45 percent from the field. His greatest impact happens elsewhere -- all those assist opportunities, a great 30.1 assist rate, Toronto's second-best net rating.
As a shooter, Lowry is most active at the top of the arc. During the regular season, over a third of his shots come from that area. But out of 44 players who tried at least 200 3s from up top, Lowry ranked 41st in efficiency. So while he loves that look, it's an unrequited love affair.
That's his personal swing shot in this series.
Siakam's tricky corners
Inside Pascal Siakam's most important shot:
Siakam's keys to the Finals
Lowry's favorite target as a passer this postseason has been Siakam, a man with a simple shot chart. Blending corner 3s and rim attacks is a strange mix, but it's a combo that has propelled Siakam to new heights. He's the Raptors' No. 2 scorer and a matchup problem if he can find that corner range.
He'll also be critical to Toronto's pick-and-roll defense, which has been the best of any team in the playoffs.
The Raptors are giving up a postseason-best 0.74 points per chance on 1,038 total picks. Leonard, Siakam and Danny Green are the primary defenders on ball-handlers, and all three of those guys are terrific ball-screen stoppers. If Siakam nails his corner 3s and slows down Golden State's screens on the other end, Toronto can hang.
Leonard is the postseason MVP, but Toronto needs to generate shotmaking elsewhere to have a chance at an upset. Siakam and Danny Green must hit corner 3s, Lowry can't disappear and role players such as Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet must provide meaningful contributions.
There's no room for error against these Warriors, but there wasn't much against the Bucks either.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26845517/the-most-important-shots-nba-finals-most-important-players
2019-05-30 13:22:01Z
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