Oklahoma Metropolis acquired right into a rhythm early and carried that momentum for 48 minutes.

The Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 124-92 to take a 2-0 lead. The Thunder rode huge nights from Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who mixed for 59 factors.

Oklahoma Metropolis struggled to regulate the glass within the opening minutes however managed to out-rebound New Orleans 37-35. New Orleans additionally dedicated 17 turnovers, resulting in simple alternatives for Oklahoma Metropolis.

Each Thunder starter scored in double figures, together with 21 factors from Jalen Williams. He helped break the sport open within the second half, scoring 15 after halftime.

After a troublesome offensive night time in Recreation 1, the Thunder shot 59% from the ground and 48.3% from 3-point vary. Wednesday’s win additionally gave Oklahoma Metropolis its first 2-0 collection lead because the 2013 first spherical towards the Houston Rockets.

Let’s dive into three classes that may be discovered from yesterday’s recreation.

Lu Dort is constructed for playoff basketball

The playoffs decelerate and are about physicality, toughness and protection. Contemplating these cliches maintain some fact, it must be no shock that Dort excels as a 16-game participant.

Dort has pressured the Pelicans into robust pictures and unhealthy selections in each video games. Brandon Ingram has been affected most by Dort’s depth, taking pictures 10-of-27 via two video games. 

In Recreation 2, Dort drew offensive fouls and wreaked havoc going round screens, which helped Oklahoma Metropolis rating 22 factors off turnovers. He was additionally a big a part of the group’s offensive assault.

Dort made a game-high 4 3-pointers on his technique to 15 factors.

OKC can stay with Valanciunas’ manufacturing inside

Jonas Valanciunas posted a gaudy stat line in Recreation 1, with 13 factors and 20 rebounds. That included 9 offensive rebounds, which was seen as a significant space of concern going into Recreation 2.

Within the opening minutes of Recreation 2, Valanciunas imposed his will and scored New Orleans’ first 11 factors. Nevertheless, Oklahoma Metropolis was greater than prepared to stay with Valanciunas post-ups creating nearly all of New Orleans’ offense.

Valanciunas completed the sport with 19 factors and 7 rebounds whereas turning it over twice. The Pelicans have been outscored by 14 factors in his minutes however solely by seven factors in Larry Nance Jr.‘s minutes.

Nance has been a extra versatile defender towards the Thunder, however along with his damage within the third quarter, his standing for the remainder of the collection may very well be in jeopardy.

Gordon Hayward shouldn’t be playoff materials

Getting back from an damage after the Thunder traded for him, Hayward understandably struggled in his first few video games. Nevertheless, he seemingly has not overcome these early points.

The Thunder traded for Hayward to be the kind of participant who might win 1 / 4 within the playoffs. Contemplating that concept comes from his scoring capacity, Hayward posting zero factors in two video games is regarding.

After not taking pictures in Recreation 1, Hayward missed a mid-range jumper on his solely shot in Recreation 2. The Thunder have higher, extra versatile defenders than Hayward, so his minutes don’t make sense with out offensive manufacturing.

Regardless of having comparatively current and impactful playoff minutes, Hayward may by no means be that participant for the Thunder.

With a 2-0 lead, Oklahoma Metropolis can put a stranglehold on the collection in New Orleans. No group has ever come again from an 0-3 deficit, and Mark Daigneault’s insistence on a 0-0 mindset might assist his group take a commanding lead.

The Thunder shall be in New Orleans for the following two video games, with Recreation 3 tipping off Saturday afternoon.

Need to be part of the dialogue? Like Contained in the Thunder on Fb and follow us on Twitter to remain updated on all the most recent Thunder information. You may also meet the group behind the protection.

Aaron Gordon had 29 factors and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 factors, 15 rebounds and 9 assists, and the Denver Nuggets moved to the brink of the second spherical with a 112-105 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Recreation 3 of their first-round sequence Thursday evening.

Jamal Murray scored 22 factors because the defending NBA champion Nuggets gained their eleventh consecutive assembly with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating model.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 factors for Denver, which took management within the third quarter and cruised via the ultimate minutes to its fifth straight street win over Los Angeles, beginning with its sweep of final season’s Western Convention finals.

Recreation 4 is Saturday evening in Los Angeles. No NBA group has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Anthony Davis had 33 factors and 15 rebounds, and James added 26 factors and 9 assists within the Lakers’ seventh consecutive postseason loss to Denver over the previous two years. Los Angeles hasn’t crushed the Nuggets since Dec. 16, 2022.

Austin Reaves scored 22 factors for Los Angeles, which surged into the postseason with largely excellent play because the holidays, capped by a powerful play-in win over New Orleans to grab the seventh seed.

However the Nuggets are the identical nightmare matchup for the Lakers — or any opponent, actually — that they have been a yr in the past within the convention finals.

Davis and James have been excellent as soon as once more, however they cannot do it alone. The Lakers missed 15 of their first 16 3-point makes an attempt in Recreation 3, going almost 34 minutes between 3-point buckets.

D’Angelo Russell went scoreless in 24 minutes of play for the Lakers, who acquired solely two assists out of their inconsistent third choice on offense. Russell missed all seven of his pictures, together with six 3-point makes an attempt.

In the meantime, Gordon had his highest-scoring recreation within the Nuggets’ previous two playoff runs, highlighted by 10 factors within the third quarter whereas Denver took management. Jokic made 9 of his 13 pictures and barely missed his seventeenth profession postseason triple-double.

The second-seeded Nuggets started their title protection with two wins in Denver, pulling away late in Recreation 1 earlier than snatching Recreation 2 with a livid comeback capped by Murray’s profitable jumper on the buzzer.

After blowing a 20-point lead within the second half of Recreation 2, the seventh-seeded Lakers have been left feeling annoyed, outmanned — and sometimes confused, in line with Davis, who stated the Lakers generally do not know what they’re doing when confronted with Denver’s offensive versatility.

None of these issues had been alleviated in Recreation 3, and now the Lakers are one loss away from the top of James’ outstanding twenty first NBA season. Los Angeles hadn’t performed a house recreation in 16 days, and it has gained simply as soon as at dwelling since March 24.

The Nuggets went 16-4 in final season’s playoffs, they usually seem able to one other steamroll via the postseason after comfortably dealing with the proficient Lakers via three video games.

A matchup with Denver is brutal even with the Lakers’ regulars all enjoying nicely, and Russell’s disappearing act was compounded by one other quiet recreation from starter Rui Hachimura, who had solely 5 factors whereas taking 4 pictures in 28 minutes.

Denver turned a small halftime deficit right into a 10-point lead with a 24-10 run to start out the second half led by Gordon and Murray, who mixed for 19 factors within the third quarter. The Lakers by no means acquired nearer than eight factors down the stretch within the fourth quarter.

Whereas the Lakers’ followers left the constructing within the closing minutes, a small group within the Lakers’ finish chanted “Hearth Darvin!” towards Lakers coach Darvin Ham.

Whereas the struggles of Hachimura and Russell made it irrelevant, Spencer Dinwiddie had eight factors because the Lakers lastly acquired bench scoring from somebody apart from Taurean Prince, the one Los Angeles reserve to attain in these two video games in Denver.

Lakers swingman Jarred Vanderbilt did not return from the sprained proper foot that has stored him out since Feb. 1. Cam Reddish and Christian Wooden additionally remained out with accidents, however Ham stated the group can have important updates Friday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Eminem is again, however the actual Slim Shady may not arise for for much longer.

On Thursday night, the Grammy Award-winning rapper introduced the discharge of his upcoming album entitled The Dying of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). 

The album, which is Eminem’s twelfth, shall be launched this summer time.

Eminem (actual identify Marshall Mathers), 51, introduced the discharge with a playful video promoting a pretend true-crime present concerning the demise of Slim Shady, Eminem’s longstanding rap alter ego.

“Via his complicated and oft-criticized, tongue-twisting rhymes, the anti-hero often known as Slim Shady has had no scarcity of enemies,” against the law reporter narrates for the non-existent Detroit Homicide Recordsdata.

Rapper 50 Cent cameos within the video and says Slim Shady “will not be a buddy. He’s a psychopath.”

The reporter then tells the digital camera Slim Shady’s “impolite lyrics and controversial antics” might have introduced on his demise. On the video’s conclusion, Eminem  reveals himself from behind a censor blurring his face and says, “I knew it was only a matter of time for Slim.”

Slim Shady, a personality usually attributed for Eminem’s darker, vulgar and extra violent lyrics, emerged from the rapper’s 1997 Slim Shady EP.

The one My Identify Is launched listeners to Slim Shady, who opens the track by rapping, “Hello, children, do you want violence? / Wanna see me stick nine-inch nails via every one among my eyelids?”

Eminem introduced his upcoming album simply earlier than making an look on the NFL Draft in Detroit. (He was featured within the draft’s chilly open alongside NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.)

His final album, Music to Be Murdered By, was launched with none promotion in January 2020.

In October, Eminem launched a line of jarred pasta sauces, appropriately named Mother’s Spaghetti, in reference to the rapper’s 2002 hit single Lose Your self. 

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‘Lose your self’ in Eminem’s new ‘Mother’s Spaghetti’ jarred pasta sauce

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Shares in Meta plunged Thursday, because the Fb proprietor’s plans to “make investments aggressively” in synthetic intelligence spooked buyers.

The inventory fell as a lot as 15% to $421.40 when the Nasdaq opened, wiping $183 billion off its market worth. The selloff, which began in after-hours commerce Wednesday, got here as buyers regarded past bumper first-quarter earnings to deal with the large prices to the corporate of constructing an AI future.

Meta (META) is competing head-to-head with Microsoft and Google to unlock the large potential of AI. Whereas the payoffs could possibly be big, the corporate’s most up-to-date earnings underscored that constructing one of the best instruments is expensive and can take time.

Meta, which additionally owns WhatsApp and Instagram, stated Wednesday that first-quarter revenue greater than doubled year-on-year, whereas income was up 27%. However a rise of as a lot as $5 billion in projected AI investments — and the chance of additional will increase in subsequent years — made shareholders uneasy.

“The language round spending plans has grow to be bolder as soon as extra, and this could possibly be what’s spooking markets,” Sophie Lund-Yates, lead fairness analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, wrote in a notice Thursday.

“For all Meta’s daring AI plans, it might’t afford to take its eye off the nucleus of the enterprise — its core promoting actions… Meta’s sources are huge however not infinite, and its digital promoting market share wants defending in any respect prices,” she added.

Meta stated full-year capital expenditure could be within the vary of $35-40 billion — up from earlier steering of $30-37 billion — because it continues to speed up infrastructure investments to assist AI.

“We anticipate capital expenditures will proceed to extend subsequent yr as we make investments aggressively to assist our formidable AI analysis and product improvement efforts,” the corporate added in an announcement.

On a name with buyers, CEO Mark Zuckerberg targeted most of his feedback on AI. He stated Meta desires to be “the main AI firm on this planet” and “ought to make investments considerably extra over the approaching years to construct much more superior fashions.”

Meta would improve spending “meaningfully earlier than we make a lot income from a few of these new merchandise… On the upside, as soon as our new AI providers attain scale, we have now a robust monitor report of monetizing them successfully,” he added.

Weaker than anticipated steering for the present quarter may be weighing on the inventory. Meta has forecast income of $36.5-39 billion, versus analyst expectations of $38.2 billion.

“A barely decrease income forecast than anticipated contributed to investor issues concerning the firm’s future efficiency,” stated Stephen Innes, managing associate at SPI Asset Administration.

Analysts at JP Morgan on Thursday minimize their December 2024 worth goal for the inventory to $480 from $580.

This text has been up to date after the market opened.

The true Slim Shady can’t rise up proper now. Why? ’Trigger he’s lifeless! Eminem introduced his new album, The Demise of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), with a true-crime clip investigating the homicide of his alter ego. “By way of his advanced and oft-criticized tongue-twisting rhymes, the blond antihero referred to as Slim Shady has had no scarcity of of enemies,” our host says. “The identical impolite lyrics and controversial antics could have finally led to his demise.” There’s even a cameo from 50 Cent, noting that Slim’s “not a pal, he’s a psychopath.” Em dropped the information simply hours after repping his Detroit Lions on the NFL Draft, held in his residence metropolis. Who knew the person was holding it collectively amid a homicide investigation?

The Demise of Slim Shady is Eminem’s twelfth studio album and first since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By. Since then, he’s bulked up his résumé, performing on the Tremendous Bowl in 2022 alongside mentor Dr. Dre and getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame. Discover out who killed Slim Shady this summer season.

Wooden framing is beginning to rise above the concrete podium of a mixed-use residential improvement in Carthay.

The undertaking from Wiseman Residential, positioned at 6055 W. Pico Boulevard, will finally encompass a six-story constructing that includes 125 flats above 4,000 sq. toes of ground-floor industrial house and semi-subterranean parking.

Positioned at Pico’s intersection with Crescent Heights Boulevard, the condominium complicated was entitled utilizing Transit Oriented Communities incentives, which allowed for a bigger construction than in any other case permitted by zoning guidelines. In change for the bonuses, Wiseman is required to put aside 13 of the brand new flats as deed-restricted inexpensive housing on the extraordinarily low-income stage.

Uriu & Associates is designing the 6055 Pico, which has been described as combining Spanish influences and conventional supplies. Plans name for facilities together with a courtyard and a pool deck.

The undertaking website sits simply two blocks west of the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Level View Avenue, the place Los Angeles-based Cityview not too long ago accomplished  building of an analogous mixed-use constructing that includes 123 flats above retail house.

Wiseman, along with its Carthay undertaking, has additionally developed a number of initiatives alongside Pico within the neighboring Mid-Wilshire group.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs traded up for a dynamic offensive weapon.

The Chiefs traded up from the thirty second decide to the twenty eighth decide with the Buffalo Payments to take Texas large receiver Xavier Worthy within the first spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Chiefs now have these picks: 28, 133 (4th spherical), 248 (seventh spherical)

Buffalo has these picks: 32, 95 (third spherical) and 221 (seventh spherical).

Worthy led the group with 75 receptions, 1,014 receiving yards (13.5 per), 5 receiving TDs, and ranked second within the FBS with 16.9 yards per punt return in 2023.

The Chiefs now add to an offense that already added speedy Hollywood Brown to an arsenal that’s headed by Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

A Pico neighborhood mainstay for 20 years, Anne Carmack shall be going from serving plates at Lo/Cal Espresso & Market to serving up one of the best in native literature in a newly-created metropolis place.

In March, Carmack started a two-year time period as town’s Poet Laureate, a public outreach place that seeks to focus on Santa Monica’s various and vibrant literary arts scene and promote native arts training by way of numerous occasions. This system was spearheaded by Mayor Phil Brock after assembly related poets representing the Los Angeles space, with Metropolis Council passing a decision to implement the place in August 2023.

Carmack’s introduction to the neighborhood passed off on April 20 with a workshop and reception on the Santa Monica Fundamental Library, and he or she shall be a presence at this Saturday’s Arts and Literacy Pageant at Virginia Avenue Park.

“We’re a spot filled with vibrant arts and tradition and I’m thrilled to see Santa Monica have its personal Poet Laureate,” Brock stated. “I look ahead to the neighborhood occasions … as town commemorates April as Nationwide Poetry Month and Arts Month, in addition to seeing the nice contributions Anne Carmack will present to our neighborhood.”

Carmack embraced writing and poetry from a younger age, as her dad and mom purchased her a typewriter as an avenue to launch her ideas into the world.

“I had plenty of vitality … and so I really feel my dad and mom simply [thought] oh, she likes to jot down, [and said] sit right here, sit down [at] this typewriter and write one thing, and poetry simply got here to me,” Carmack stated. “Not good poetry by any means, like rhyming love poems and issues like that, however I’ve all the time written poetry and given poetry as items.”

Embracing the written phrase, Carmack moved to Los Angeles after having screenwriting goals residing within the St. Louis space, ultimately calling the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica house after stints in Colorado and Arizona. As a part of her new function, she shall be giving again to Pico by way of a singular poem celebrating the Pico Department Library’s tenth anniversary, utilizing particular phrases given to her by locals throughout the Arts and Literacy Pageant.

“This particular neighborhood simply actually embraced me, it was only a fantastic place to be a teenager and my neighbors had been [so] form and the neighborhood was so form and all people sort of saved an eye fixed on me,” Carmack stated. “It was simply actually [a] heat and loving welcome.”

Whereas screenwriting, Carmack nonetheless had poetry on the mind, sharing her works on social media and having fun with the moment suggestions versus a extra drawn-out scripting course of. When the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her hospitality work at The Ambrose Resort, she sought poetry as a inventive apply that “felt probably the most comfy” throughout a tough time for everybody.

“It was one thing that I may share in a approach that I [thought] might be of service, which sort of sounds lofty and tacky, however … [it was] one thing I may do with all of the feelings that everyone was feeling, all of the worry and all that type of hopelessness,” Carmack added. “I may write poetry, and I may share poetry, and I may hear from folks [that said] that poem lifted my spirits … so it was actually useful for me.”

Carmack’s phrases had been useful for a lot of, as her debut poetry assortment My Personal Physique Respiration grew to become an Amazon best-seller inside a day of its 2020 launch. Just a few years later, she discovered herself within the working for the Poet Laureate place, believing she can be “a protracted shot” after sending in samples of her work and letters of advice.

Throughout an interview course of carried out by native library workers, a key accomplice within the place’s creation, Carmack was in a position to discuss herself and the artwork kind she beloved, and he or she referred to as ultimately receiving the chance “the peak of success” as a result of she will share her skills with town she loves.

“When she left the room, we had been so excited and [all we] needed to do was discuss poetry,” stated Santa Monica Library Supervisor Karen Reitz. “Although we’re librarians, we’re not essentially naturally drawn to the world of poetry … however simply her enthusiasm, her thoughtfulness [stood out].”

That enthusiasm translated to a profitable workshop on short-form lyric poetry, the primary workshop throughout Carmack’s time period and her first time main a workshop generally. Although it was a wonderful Saturday afternoon outdoors, over 50 folks selected to spend time along with her within the library crafting their very own written works.

“I believed it was so stunning as a result of I sort of anticipated folks to be just a little shy … however folks needed to share, folks needed to inform us what they needed to say, so it was an incredible occasion,” Carmack added.

Carmack will proceed her work at Lo/Cal as a prepare dinner whereas beginning to prepare dinner up workshops and different endeavors for aspiring poets, a stability she is enthralled to have.

“Proper now it’s similar to this combined bag of sudden issues,” she stated. “I by no means thought I might be a grill prepare dinner, I by no means thought I might be a Poet Laureate in such an iconic, extremely cool metropolis. It’s a enjoyable time.”

thomas@smdp.com

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