GALLERY
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The NBA playoffs are winding down with the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Finals in full swing. In the east, the Boston Celtics are now down 0-3 in their best-of-seven series against the Miami Heat, with the Los Angeles Lakers sharing the same record against the Denver Nuggets.
In NBA lore, few teams are as notable as the Celtics and Lakers given the long length of their rivalry and dominance on the court in different eras. In fact, it was expected by some that the two teams would meet in the 2023 NBA Finals, but both teams are on the brink of elimination.
On Sunday (May 21), The Celtics headed down to Miami to face the Heat in a must-win game after going 0-2 at their home arena. It was expected that the trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart would have an offensive explosion.
Instead, it was Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Gabe Vincent, who led all scorers with 29 points, owning the night. It was also a night that saw Tatum and Brown shoot 33 and 35 percent from the field respectively, and they didn’t get much help elsewhere although Grant Williams did give 12 off the bench. Butler scored 24 for the Heat but did so on 5-13 shooting, and got to the line seven times and sinking six.
On Saturday (May 20), Jamal Murray went off for 37 points against the Lakers, with Nuggets big man passing wizard Nikola Jokic dropping 24 with eight assists. The Lakers have been competitive in spurts but each game in the series has been huge swings and momentum changes that LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and coach Darvin Ham haven’t been able to figure out.
Tonight, the Lakers will take on the Nuggets in a win-or-go-home game for King James and Los Angeles. Even still, they would need to win four games to climb out of this major hole they’ve built for themselves. On Tuesday, the Celtics and Heat resume their series in a must-win for Boston.
On Twitter, the reaction to how the NBA Playoffs are currently playing out is all over the place. We’ve got reactions from NBA fans below.
[h/t NBA.com]
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Summer Walker is one of the premier vocal and songwriting talents of her era as evidenced by her loyal fanbase who pack out her shows and support the projects she drops. With the release of her latest body of work in Clear 2: Soft Life, Summer Walker is getting some comparisons to a legendary songstress known for the heady vibes after fans gave their first impressions.
Summer Walker, 27, delivered her third EP, Clear 2: Soft Life, on Friday (May 19), a 9-song offering that features J. Cole and Childish Gambino. The EP is the sequel to Clear, released in 2019, and is the first release in two years since Walker’s Still Over It album. Steve Lacy and Solange Knowles add their production touch to the EP’s outro, “Agayu’s Revelation.”
After its release, fans of Walker began comparing the album’s vibes to the great Erykah Badu, who is still very much a leader in the music space and serves as a living inspiration for several other artists. Along the way, the comparisons then morphed into praise for Badu but fans made sure to center Walker as she embarks on a new audio journey.
From the reactions, it appears that Walker is moving away from the vibes of Over It and Still Over It, although the track “New Thoughts” harkens back to some of that earlier material in its own way.
Check out the project below and keep scrolling to check out reactions from Twitter.
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LeBron James is no stranger to criticism after a tough loss considering he remains as one of the most recognizable figures in the NBA. After the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals, fans on Twitter are giving LeBron James and Anthony Davis the business.
Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is the top name for Denver but it was the exploits of Jamal Murray that lifted the team over James and company. Murray poured in 37 points in a fourth-quarter explosion where he scored 23 points after his team was down in the second half. Jokic, continuing his uncanny triple-double production, dropping 23 points on 9-21 shooting and hauling in 17 rebounds with 12 assists.
On the other side, James scored 22 points on 9-19 shooting and dropped 10 assists, and pulled down nine boards. Davis made just four of 15 shots to score 18 along with 14 rebounds. Austin Reaves, once again showing expert poise went eight for 16 from the field with 22 points and was joined by Rui Hachimura who dropped 21 points.
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone expressed some frustration on how his team has been covered in the press with all the attention going towards the Lakers. While Los Angeles remains to be a marquee team, few analysts predicted them to be squaring off with anyone this deep into the playoffs.
After Nikola Jokic’s monster game in the opener, his pick-and-roll partner Jamal Murray took the spotlight in the Western Conference finals Thursday night.
“You win Game 1 and all everybody talked about was the Lakers,” Malone said. “Let’s be honest, the national narrative was, ‘Hey, the Lakers are fine. They’re down 1-0, but they figured something out.’ No one talked about how Nikola just had [a] historic performance. He’s got 13 (playoff) triple-doubles now, third all-time. What he’s doing is just incredible.”
On Twitter, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are getting blasted for their performance. We’ve got the tweets below.
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Victor Wembanyama will have all eyes on him after it is widely understood that the French basketball phenom will be selected first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft this summer. On Tuesday, the NBA Draft Lottery concluded with the San Antonio Spurs landing the top pick and NBA fans have plenty to say.
Victor Wembanyama, 19, currently plays for the French professional basketball team Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A. Wembanyama, who is listed at 7-foot-4 although online reports list him at ranges of 7-foot-5 and 7-foot-2, is thought to be the greatest basketball prospect to emerge in quite some time. Despite his long frame, Wembanyama has the dribbling and passing skills of a guard which had every team in the NBA hoping to land the big man.
The good fortune experienced by the Spurs couldn’t have been more timely considering that the team, coached by Gregg Popovich, isn’t the elite team it once was during the David Robinson and Tim Duncan era. Under Popovich’s tutelage, the Spurs won five NBA championships, the last coming in 2014. It should also be noted that the last time the Spurs had the top pick of the draft, they selected Duncan.
With Wembanyama all but certain to be selected by the team, the fortune of the Spurs is expected to change almost immediately. It will be interesting to see how Wembanyama plays alongside the young core of Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, and Devonte’ Graham.
On Twitter, both Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs see their names trending with all kinds of reactions. We’ve got the best of them listed below.
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George Soros, the target of several conspiracy theories from right-wing critics and pundits, finds himself at the opposite end of Elon Musk‘s wrath this week. After the investment firm owned by George Soros sold off its Tesla stock holdings, Musk seemingly went on the offensive and referred to the billionaire businessman as Magneto of X-Men fame.
On Monday, Soros Management Fund sold off its Tesla stock holding after the company reported a high rally of its stock position in the first quarter. In what was probably a savvy business move in contrast to a personal preference, it was expected that the Soros family business would enjoy hefty gains as a result.
While it isn’t known what Musk meant by referring to Soros as Magneto via Twitter, Musk was quickly schooled about Magneto by Twitter users who explained that the conflicted supervillain believed in the liberation of mutants due to his experiences as a Holocaust survivor, similar to Soros.
Journalist Brian Krassenstein attempted to give a lesson in a tweet but was met with a muted response from Musk.
“Fun fact: Magneto’s experiences during the Holocaust as a survivor shaped his perspective as well as his depth and empathy. Soro, also a Holocaust survivor, get’s attacked nonstop for his good intentions which some Americans think are bad merely because they disagree with this political affiliations,” Krassenstein tweeted.
Musk responded, “You assume they are good intentions. They are not. He wants to erode the very fabric of civilization. Soros hates humanity.”
As it stands, what Musk said in response to the tweet mirrors many talking points from conspiracy theorists who believe Soros is behind a number of left-leaning organizations and funnels money into groups to stamp out conservative ideals and the like. Further, the jab reads as an antisemitic dog whistle to some
On Twitter, the reaction to Elon Musk’s jab at George Soros is ongoing. We’ve got the reactions listed below.
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Jonathan Majors was at the moment of superstardom after a show-stealing turn as Kang The Conqueror in Marvel’s latest Ant-Man film and a major role in the boxing drama, Creed until domestic violence allegations surfaced. Amid the drama, it is being reported that Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good are now dating, prompting some reactions from Twitter.
TMZ was the first to exclusively report that Jonathan Majors, 33, and Meagan Good, 41, are romantically involved. Sources tell the outlet that Majors and Good are spending time in Los Angeles and aren’t hiding their romance from the expected paparazzi.
Dating back to March, Majors is still facing criminal charges after he allegedly slapped and harmed his ex-girlfriend after an altercation got physical. He faces three counts of attempted assault along with assault, one count of aggravated harassment, and a single count of harassment.
Folks online believe the timing of the budding relationship is curious considering the legal hill Majors will have to climb as the case in New York continues to take shape. It isn’t clear how dating Good helps Majors as some might allege, nor does it explain where his case is headed.
Still, the comments online are all over the place regarding Majors and Good as a couple and we’ve got all those reactions below.
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Ben Simmons is definitely persona non grata in the city of Philadelphia after flaming out as a member of the city’s professional basketball team. The former Philadelphia 76ers star has Twitter talking after fans took notice of Ben Simmons taking in Game 7 of his former squad taking on the Boston Celtics in a loss and speculation is high that he was throwing shots.
Ben Simmons, who will be 27 this summer, is now a member of the Brooklyn Nets after a disappointing stint with the Sixers ended with a whimper. Simmons didn’t go on to resume his former glory with the Nets but he’s still considered a player with the potential to turn around his basketball fortunes.
What has Twitter reacting to at the moment is an image from Simmons’ Instagram story feed featuring the Australian player taking in the Sixers-Celtics game without any further context. Why that has sparked such curiosity is an unspoken and largely unconfirmed beef between Simmons and the Sixers considering the strained relationship between him and the team.
Adding to this, the Sixers lost in explosive fashion in the semifinal contest against the Celtics and looked poised to take the series at one point. However, 51 big points from Tatum and 25 from co-star Jaylen Brown nullified Joel Embiid, James Harden, and the rest of the Sixers. In fact, Tobias Harris led all Sixers with 19 points.
On Twitter, folks are assuming that Simmons is smoking on that Sixers pack. We’ve got the reactions below.
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Joel Embiid, the current Most Valuable Player of the NBA winner, and his Philadelphia 76ers squad looked poised to make their way to the Eastern Conference finals. However, after falling to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the series on Sunday (May 14), Joel Embiid is catching the wrath of NBA fans questioning his mettle.
Joel Embiid, 29, had a strong playoff run with the scoring heroics of James Harden aiding him when the points weren’t coming as easily for the big man. Even after suffering an injury, Embiid showed incredible grit in the paint and on the perimeter, proving why he won MVP honors this season.
That said, the Celtics, featuring the core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart, were heavy favorites heading into the Eastern Conference finals and proved why on Mother’s Day. Especially Tatum, who led all scorers with 51, followed by Brown, who poured in 25. In contrast, the 76ers’ leading scorer was Tobias Harris with 19, followed by Tyrese Maxey, who dropped 17, and Embiid with 15. Harden, who has been lights out for much of the series, scored 9.
In the postgame press conference, Embiid put himself and Harden above the team in his comments and seemingly took shots at his supporting core by saying they didn’t show up. In fairness, Embiid also put the blame on himself, especially as he gave wider context.
Given Embiid’s offensive output and the way the Celtics rolled over them in a win-or-go-home matchup, Embiid’s comments invited a barrage of criticism. Further, given the recent firings of NBA head coaches such as Monty Williams in Phoenix and Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee, many believe 76ers coach Doc Rivers could be on the chopping block next.
Make no mistake. Joel Embiid is an elite NBA big man and one heck of an all-around player. The 76ers just ran into a prepared, hungry, and focused Celtics team on their home floor. Still, many on Twitter aren’t as forgiving and the tweets prove it. We’ve got them listed below.
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Janelle Monáe has always been a beautiful person and they have long proven that their aims in music were often beyond being superficial. With the release of their new video, Janelle Monáe really hammers home the concept of her new album by way of her racy NSFW video, “Lipstick Lover,” and Twitter’s thirst levels are crazy now.
On Friday (May 12), Janelle Monáe’s name was trending heavily after the release of “Lipstick Lover,” which is a single from her upcoming album, The Age Of Pleasure. The lead-up to the video and single featured clips of Monáe wearing revealing clothing in a pool that barely hid their assets. Further, Monáe is leaning into the sex symbol image and flashed a crowd during a recent concert wearing the same “Pleasure” shirt from the video.
In a recent Apple Music interview, Janelle Monáe, who identifies as nonbinary but uses their own “free ass motherf*cker” pronoun along with they/them and her/she, revealed that The Art Of Pleasure is their attempt to examine through music the things that please her and that she’s ready to experience this side of life by actively chasing.
This mindset is evident throughout the video and reggae-backed groove of “Lipstick Lover,” which features the singer cozying up with a bevy of shapely beauties in bikinis and various stages of undress.
It is a visually arresting video that has sparked tremendous levels of thirst on Twitter, which we’ve captured below. Please sound off in the comments section if we missed any key reactions.
We should also note that while we won’t be posting the age-restricted video in this post, we will urge you to click here and witness “Lipstick Lover” for yourself.
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Anthony Davis is one of the most talented big men in the NBA but a cloud hangs over him regarding his durability given his past injuries. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley had a moment on Inside The NBA analyzing Game 5 of the Lakers-Warriors playoff series after Davis suffered a head injury which prompted the legendary big men to crack up on air.
Anthony Davis, 30, is having an exceptional playoff series for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are up 3-2 against the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors. On Wednesday (May 10), the Lakers were on the losing end on the Warriors’ home court with the final score reading 121-106.
In the waning moments of the game, Davis was accidentally hit in the head by Warriors center Kevon Looney while both were going for a rebound. The hit was apparently hard enough that Davis needed to be wheeled out of the Chase Center.
At the conclusion of the game, Inside The NBA analysts were recapping the game, and in one segment not seen on camera, a sheet of paper could be heard being crumbled while Ernie “E.J.” Johnson Jr. broke down the footage of the Davis injury.
As the cameras cut back to Kenny “The Jet” Smith inside the TNT studio, O’Neal, and Barkley attempted to stifle their laughter and lost all of their cool after it was revealed that Davis left the floor in a wheelchair.
O’Neal and Barkley, both in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, can be tough on NBA big men given the impact of their careers. However, some on Twitter found the reaction to Anthony Davis hitting the deck a bit offensive while others joined in on the ribbing. NBA sideline reporter Chris Haynes and Lakers head coach both reported that Davis appeared to be on the mend.
We’ve got reactions from all sides below.
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