Author: GoneTrending

After stealing Game 4 in Dallas on Monday night with an incredible come from behind win, the Thunder returned home for a pivotal Game 5, deadlocked at 2-2 with the Mavs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance in Game 4 seemed to lift the Thunder’s spirits, but unfortunately any hopes from the MVP runner-up that his effort would help settle down his teammates and get more out of them back home were dashed with yet another woeful shooting performance in a 104-92 loss to the Mavs.

The game followed a similar script to Game 4, with OKC falling behind early due to an inability to put the ball in the basket, as Dallas’ defense continued to swarm shooters and deny any decent looks at the rim. On the other end, Luka Doncic looked to be moving much better after appearing very bothered by his right knee issues in Game 4. He not only shot the ball well, but was absolutely dealing to set up his teammates with open shots and lobs, as the Mavs continually punished the Thunder with finishes at the rim.

After PJ Washington starred in Dallas’ two wins earlier in the series, it was Derrick Jones Jr. who picked up the hot hand for the Mavs in Game 5, scoring 19 on 7-of-9 shooting, knocking down three triples and finishing some vicious dunks. Thanks to Doncic and Jones Jr., the Mavs took a 10-point lead at the half in an eerily similar situation to Game 4 in Dallas.

Much like in the last game, the Thunder kept hanging around and never let the Mavs fully run away and hide, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way with 30 points, seven assists, and six rebounds.

However, unlike in Game 4, Doncic was much more active in the second half and that proved to be the difference. He led a big run to open the fourth quarter and the lead ballooned out near 20 after one of his five threes on the night.

The Thunder weren’t done just yet and would whittle the lead down to as few as seven, as they finally got some contributions from beyond Gilgeous-Alexander and looked like they might be able to pull off another late game heist.

The Mavs were able to put an end to the threat this time, though, with a phenomenal defensive effort and timely buckets, with Jones Jr. producing the exclamation point with a block on Chet Holmgren leading to a dunk on the other end.

Doncic, who had 31 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, getting that lift from Jones Jr. was the separator on Wednesday night, as the Thunder’s supporting cast simply couldn’t do the same for Gilgeous-Alexander. As a team, Dallas was sharper, shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three, compared to a 42.9/26.3 percent split for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City’s inability to knock down shots has clearly impacted their confidence, and for a team that let it fly all year, they’re record-scratching an awful lot of pretty good looks right now. That pursuit of the perfect look is playing into the Mavs hands defensively, as Dallas is able to force OKC into a lot of late-clock situations and even tougher shot attempts. That’s kept the Thunder out of rhythm, and going into Game 6 in Dallas they are going to have to find a way to get rolling around SGA. If they don’t, their season will likely be coming to an end, because Doncic looked much better in Game 5 — and seemed less engaged with the referees, compared to earlier in the series.

Now the series shifts back to Dallas where the Mavs can punch their ticket to a second Western Conference Finals in three years with a Game 6 win on Friday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will begin their offseason on Thursday after losing in five games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. While Cleveland did win their first playoff series without LeBron James in over 30 years, it’s hard to categorize the season as a major success. This was a team that expected to be a legitimate threat in the East, but instead appeared to stall out after a rapid ascent a year ago.

Their core group of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen all missed time this season, with Allen and Mitchell watching in street clothes to close out their second round series. On the rare occasion they were all together, they never established a real rhythm together, with their backcourt stars especially struggling to be at their best at the same time.

A lot of the power lies in the hands of Donovan Mitchell, who can dictate how the Cavs approach their future. Mitchell is extension eligible, but has not firmly indicated he’ll sign on long-term in Cleveland. The All-Star guard has never gotten a chance at exploring free agency, and might prefer the opportunity to see what opportunities are out there for him. Cleveland is acutely aware of the risk that comes with a top star hitting free agency and walking for nothing, and if Mitchell won’t sign this summer, many expect the Cavs to look to trade him with plenty of interested suitors.

The other option is Mitchell does sign an extension, but even if that happens the Cavs won’t be free of trade rumors. According to The Athletic, Darius Garland’s representation at Klutch Sports, led by Rich Paul, would have discussions with the Cavs about exploring trade options to get him into a different situation.

Furthermore, rival executives believe the Cavs will have to seriously evaluate the fit of Mitchell and Garland and ultimately may have to choose one or the other. Should Mitchell decide to stay long term, sources briefed on the matter say Garland’s representation, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, would have a conversation with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star.

It certainly sounds like the Cavs will be deciding between Mitchell and Garland this summer, although it might be more accurate to say Mitchell will make that choice for them. A max extension is firmly on the table for Mitchell, and it’s up to him whether he accepts it or not. If he does, Garland would be available and with many teams looking for point guard help this summer, he’d likely have plenty of suitors, even coming off of a down year.

The issues don’t appear to be personal between the two guards, as evidenced by Mitchell’s pep talk to Garland during Game 7 against the Magic. The issue is in fit on the court, Garland has never quite found his place alongside Donovan, especially in the playoffs where he’s struggled to make the kind of impact Cleveland has needed from him. However, Mitchell’s absence late in the Boston series didn’t suddenly pull Garland back out of his shell, and he’ll need to prove he can get back to the All-Star level he achieved in 2021-22 before Mitchell arrived. Whether he gets to prove that in Cleveland or somewhere else will get sorted out this summer.

Billie Eilish intentionally did not release any singles ahead of her Hit Me Hard And Soft album release, though she has dropped snippets here and there. On Wednesday, May 15, Eilish hosted an album listening party at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and such publications as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety circulated videos of Eilish dancing to her unreleased music and generally appearing happier than ever.

In one video, Eilish addressed the audience, saying, “I could sh*t myself right now! Do we wanna hear something? Alright, dudes, so I’m gonna play you the entire album — front to back — and I’m not gonna pause it in the middle, and I’m not gonna talk. Well, I don’t know. Maybe I will. But I’m trying not to talk. I’m doing my best.”

Other videos capture Eilish prancing around uninhibited to the previously teased tracks “Lunch” and “Birds Of A Feather.”

Hit Me Hard And Soft, Eilish’s third studio album, is due out on Friday, May 17. It will arrive nearly three years after Happier Than Ever. Eilish will host several more album listening events in California.

See clips from Eilish’s Barclays listening event as well as Eilish’s Instagram Story posts about future listening events below.

The NFL’s schedule release has become an event on the league calendar, as teams spend weeks crafting elaborate videos to unveil their upcoming season’s schedule. One of the social teams that continually stands out is that of the Los Angeles Chargers, who aren’t afraid to get weird with their annual offering.

This year, the Chargers decided to create their schedule release video using ‘The Sims’, putting their opponents in the game in various skits. It’s honestly an incredible bit of world-building and storytelling on the part of the Chargers social and video team, who have John and Jim Harbaugh pillow fighting, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift hopping on a jet, a Kirk Cousins DJ set getting ruined by the arrival of Michael Penix Jr., and a whole lot more.

While each of the team vignettes are great, the most incredible part comes in the credits, as they couldn’t resist a last minute update after Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s off the rails commencement speech over the weekend at Benedictine College in Kansas. In that speech, he said “the majority” of the women in the room were most excited about their futures as being wives and mothers.

That, along with a number of other political grievances aired by Butker, became national news, and the Chargers couldn’t help but put Butker in the kitchen for their credits scene. It’s some terrific work from the Chargers, especially given it had to be added to the video this week, which is probably why they didn’t have it in the actual schedule portion and as an add-on in the credits.

The Boston Celtics are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth time in eight years. After finishing the year with the NBA’s best record, the Celtics polished off the Miami Heat in five games and moved on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. After once again splitting the first two games in Boston, the Celtics were able to win both games in Cleveland, outlasting a banged up Cavs team to set up a closeout situation in Boston on Wednesday night.

With Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert all out with injury for Cleveland, the Celtics were heavy favorites to cruise to a win, but it turned out to be a much more difficult closeout situation than most anyone expected. Despite missing three key players, the Cavs came out and were game from the jump. Marcus Morris Sr., who had seven points all series coming in, doubled that total in the first half, while Darius Garland, Max Strus, and Evan Mobley combined for 26 points to give Cleveland the offensive lift it needed to not just hang around in the first half, but take the lead late in the second quarter.

The Celtics were able to close the half strong, as Derrick White was their best player in the half, scoring 15 points in the first two quarters and hitting some big shots while the stars got settled.

Jayson Tatum then finished the half with a flurry, getting a breakaway dunk off an Al Horford steal and then hit a three to close the half and give Boston a six-point cushion.

The Cavs would get the lead back down to one, but Boston finally looked like they were ready to snuff out Cleveland’s hopes as they went on a run to open up a double-digit lead.

However, the Cavs kept competing, with Mobley and Morris playing extremely well to keep Cleveland attached.

Ultimately, much like in Games 3 and 4, the Celtics were just too good for the Cavs to keep up with, even with Boston not firing on all cylinders. Every time Cleveland would go on a mini-run in the fourth quarter, the Celtics found an answer to push the lead back out to double digits, eventually polishing off a 113-96 win.

The Cavs gave an inspired effort considering the circumstances, with Mobley putting up his best game of the playoffs (and really of his playoff career) with 31 points on 14-of-23 shotoing, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Morris added 25 off the bench, but without Mitchell, they did not get enough from their backcourt in the second half, as Garland and Strus combined for just 5 points in the final 24 minutes. Going forward, Cleveland will face a very interesting offseason, with some decisions to be made about this core and who should be a part of it long-term.

For the Celtics, it was again not their prettiest performance, but they did what was needed to get the win and advance to the conference finals. All five starters reached double figures, with Tatum leading the way with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Al Horford gave a huge lift with 22 points and 15 rebounds, and Derrick White added 18 points and six assists, with most of his damage coming in the first half. It may not have been a dominant performance from Boston, but they showed in the fourth quarter they have that gear they can get to when needed, as they finally were able to put their foot on Cleveland’s neck.

Without Kristaps Porzingis, they’re not at their best on either end, but still are a talented two-way group and proved that again this series. If they can get him back and find that next level, they’ll undoubtedly be a formidable title contender.

Nothing is safe from eventization during the NFL offseason, including the annual schedule release. For several years, teams have used the opportunity to cleverly reveal next season’s opponents on social media, and the Los Angeles Chargers usually win the unspoken contest for Funniest Schedule Release. The Chargers brought their A game again on Wednesday night, May 15.

The Chargers’ chose to reveal their 2024 schedule with a The Sims-style video, and their social media team took the opportunity to poke fun at their AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs will travel to Los Angeles in Week 4. To confirm the matchup, the Chargers video shows Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce hosting an episode of their wildly popular show, New Heights, and discussing Kelce’s now-famous April 2011 tweet about feeding a “squirle a piece of bread.” An animated Taylor Swift waves at Kelce through the window, and he’s clearly swooning while standing in front of Swift-themed posters from her albums Fearless, 1989, and Lover. Kelce and Swift scamper outside to board her private jet.

Kelce and Swift began dating last summer but confirmed their relationship publicly when Swift attended the Chiefs’ game against the Chicago Bears on September 24. Swift was also present at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri when Kelce went off for 179 yards and one touchdown on 12 catches in a 31-17 win over the Chargers on October 22. In fact, Swift supported her All-Pro tight end boyfriend at most Chiefs games during last season, including Super Bowl LVIII, where Kansas City became the NFL’s first back-to-back champions since the 2003-04 New England Patriots.

Avril Lavigne is kicking off her The Greatest Hits Tour later this month, and yes, it will be Avril Lavigne on stage — not a body double named Melissa.

For years, a conspiracy theory has circulated that claims Lavigne died in 2003, after releasing her 2002 Grammy-nominated album Let Go, and replaced by a doppelgänger named Melissa. On this week’s episode of Call Her Daddy, Lavigne addressed the wild rumor with an endearing sense of humor.

“It’s just funny to me,” Lavigne said around the 42-minute mark. “On one end, everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God, you look the exact same. You haven’t aged a day,’ but then other people are like, you know, there’s a conspiracy theory that I’m not me.”

Host Alex Cooper cracked up laughing when Lavigne threw up a sarcastic thumbs-up. Lavigne continued, “Honestly, it’s not that bad. It could be worse, right? I feel like I got a good one. I don’t think it’s negative or anything creepy.”

Cooper interjected, “Avril, this conspiracy theory about you is a little creepy. Come on.”

Lavigne wasn’t convinced, shrugging and saying, “I don’t know. It could be worse. I mean, obviously, I am me. It’s so dumb.” Lavigne playfully jabbed Cooper and sarcastically said, “I mean, I feel like you might believe it?”

Ultimately, Cooper said she has “empathy” for Lavigne having to be the subject of such an absurd rumor and asked Lavigne if she cares about it, which she does not. At all.

Elsewhere in the episode, Lavigne shared that she’s “f*cking awesome” in a relationship and expertly avoided directly confirming whether she dated Tyga. She also opened up about being cheated on in the past and explained what she looks for in a partner.

Watch clips from Lavigne’s Call Her Daddy episode below.

The 2024 NBA Playoffs have not been Kenny Smith’s finest when it comes to his halftime runs to the video board on TNT. After proclaiming on the first night he wouldn’t lose a race to the board in the playoffs, he promptly lost to both Shaq and Charles Barkley in back-to-back nights in the first week.

From there, Smith started getting jumpy and even fell going up the stairs, leading to plenty of jokes at his expense from the rest of the desk and people watching at home — which they naturally put up on the board to the delight of Charles, Shaq, and Ernie. At one point, Chuck offered to pay to put one of the chair lifts they put on staircases for old people, leading to lots of laughs.

That was a couple weeks ago, and in the meantime Kenny’s had a couple other near stumbles, so on Wednesday, with Charles and Shaq back after a night off, they unveiled their newest addition to Studio J: a chair lift to the board.

I’m not sure Charles Barkley has ever been happier than seeing them follow through on his joke, and Kenny was a good sport and hopped onto the lift and rode it part of the way up before realizing if he waited for it to get to the top they might run out of time at the half. While there’s the potential for TNT to lose the NBA in the current rights negotiations, we can’t allow that to happen. If nothing else, they won’t get enough use out of the chair lift they just installed.

In early March, The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) acknowledged the expiration of its license with TikTok in late April by sending a letter to its members. “At this time, we do not anticipate that there will be an option to renew or extend the current NMPA licenses or participate in a new license with TikTok through NMPA,” it said, in part, as relayed by Billboard.

On Wednesday, May 15, the NMPA shifted its attention toward Spotify. According to Variety, the NMPA issued a cease-and-desist to Spotify due to Spotify’s “use of lyrics in its recently launched video function and podcasts, and its remix feature that enables users to speed up or otherwise edit songs to create derivative works. The trade association claims that such uses are copyright violations and must be paid for.”

Variety additionally notes that the NMPA and Spotify “are also at odds over Spotify’s new premium subscription plans that combine music and audiobooks, which will mean a lower mechanical royalty rate for songwriters on those plans, although Spotify claims that earnings for creators will continue to rise due to increased volume.”

The NMPA is demanding Spotify remove unlicensed lyrics, videos, podcasts, or remix features to avoid copyright liability.

A Spotify representative issued a statement, as relayed by Variety, in which the rep calls the NMPA’s actions “a press stunt filled with false and misleading claims.”

Read the full report here.

Legendary New York graffiti artist Futura is teaming up with Nike this week for a new SB Dunk adorned with his artwork. Without a doubt, this is the dopest sneaker dropping this week, and that’s saying a lot considering this week also brings the return of the Jordan 11 Space Jam (more about that in this week’s SNX).

The sneaker features an unbleached canvas upper with overlays sporting a swirling psychedelic color scheme. Rounding out the design are embroidered details throughout, custom tongue labels, two-tone laces, and Futura’s signature at the heel, along with the artist’s Futura Laboratories studio logo. It’s a dope design that leans more toward the style of Futura’s contemporary art gallery offerings.

If you want a pair, good luck, this one is being released in ultra-limited quantities and you’re pretty much going to be competing against every fashion-forward skatewear fanatic in the country. Luckily, the playing field is as even as it can be in our modern sneaker market.

Currently, there is a raffle at the Futura Laboratories website (raffle closes at 5:00 pm on May 15th), but your best bet is probably hitting up skate shops in your area. For the full list of participating Nike SB stockists, hit the store list here. A wider release is set to hit the Nike SNKRS app on May 22nd.

If all else fails, you can try picking up the collab at aftermarket sites but be prepared to pay far higher than the modest list price of $135. For a closer look of the Futura SB Dunk, check out the photos below.