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Friday, May 27, 2016

New Zealand vs Australia: Steven Adams against Andrew Bogut with the Western Conference title on the line

Steven Adams The Kiwi Way documentary Thunder NBA

Last August, the FIBA Oceania Championships took place with a spot in this August"s Olympics on the line.

Australia was the overwhelming favorite. But New Zealand stood as optimistic challengers, hoping that its young, giant phenom could neutralize Australia"s massive longtime advantage in the matchup Andrew Bogut.

"On paper, Steven Adams is the only Tall Black who could reasonably be expected to tussle with Bogut in single coverage," a New Zealand news report read in late July.

But Adams chose not to compete and Australia rolled to two straight double-digit wins, securing the automatic bid.

Nine months later, on the other side of the world, that anticipated clash of centers from rival countries has materialized in the opposite hemisphere. The young Adams has morphed into a vital piece for the Thunder. The aging but cagey Bogut proved huge in the Warriors Game 5 season-saver.

An Olympic bid isn"t at stake, but a Western Conference title is on the line. There are plenty of factors to follow on Saturday night in OKC. But one of Game 6"s biggest storylines: the battle down under between a New Zealander and an Australian.

These two countries, separated by a three-hour flight over the Tasman Sea, have peaceful relations. Except when it comes to sports. They are heated rivals in everything, but particularly rugby and cricket.

Made fun of him when we won in cricket a while back, Adams joked of Bogut. But that was my first year. Last year we got kicked (in cricket) so I didn"t talk to him from then on. We got destroyed. It"s bad stuff.

Despite being from a similar area of the world, the two don"t know each other. They"re nine years apart. Bogut is 31, Adams is 22. When Bogut was drafted first overall in 2005, Adams was a 12-year-old with little to no basketball knowledge or experience.

I just know he"s from New Zealand, Bogut said. That"s about it. We didn"t play against each other or anything like that.

After one year at Pittsburgh, Adams was the 12th overall pick in a thin 2013 draft. The selection didn"t generate buzz around the league, but it was a national story back in New Zealand. Adams became the country"s first-ever first-round pick.

Despite the proximity, though, that meant little to Bogut.

Is it good for Australia that a New Zealander got drafted? Bogut said. I couldn"t really care. He"s not from Australia. That"s like asking if it"s good a Canadian got drafted for America.

Adams" growth was steady through his first three seasons in the league. But in these playoffs showing improved touch and admirable toughness Adams has burst into the national spotlight.

He dominated an overmatched Mavericks frontline in the first round, then completely outplayed Tim Duncan in the Spurs series, possibly ushering one of the league"s most legendary players to his retirement.

So many positive factors have collided for the Thunder during this surprising postseason run. Dion Waiters is more reliable than ever. Andre Roberson is hitting 3s. Billy Donovan has pushed all the right buttons. The two stars have committed to the defensive end.

But perhaps most influential is the evolution of Adams from a promising young talent to a physically imposing, suddenly polished two-way force at the center spot.

That emergence continued in the first four games of this Warriors series. Adams averaged 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds, while anchoring a strong defensive effort. Meanwhile his Australian counterpart, Bogut, was basically a non-factor, averaging 3.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 fouls.

Before Game 5, Steve Kerr publicly called out Bogut. In Game 5, Bogut responded, going for 15 points and 14 rebounds, while patrolling the paint and forcing a ton of errant Thunder layups.

The big fella was amazing tonight, Draymond Green said. At both ends of the floor.

Adams gave decent minutes, but battled through some early foul trouble and was beat to a few rebounds by Bogut. For the first time this series, Australia outplayed New Zealand.

As this clash shifts to Game 6, the Thunder looks to flip that back in its direction. The battle down under will be crucial.

Source: http://newsok.com/article/5500876

Hiroshima, Mark Salling, Tom Hiddleston, Lilly Wachowski, Ramsay Bolton, Aristotle: NEWS

Mark"s Tribute to his Glee Family

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs Golden State Warriors - Game 1 - Full Game Highlights | 2016 NBA Playoffs

OAKLAND (AP) Were not going home! Were not going home! Stephen Curry screamed at the top of his lungs.

No, his Golden State Warriors are going back to Oklahoma City, after keeping their title reign and the winningest season in NBA history alive for at least one more game.

Curry scored 31 points, raising his arms in the early moments to awaken Golden States raucous crowd, and the defending champions staved off elimination with a 120-111 victory over the Thunder on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

For all the speculation about the current state of Currys beat-up body that troublesome ankle, sore knee or tender elbow he did it all.

I thought he looked like 91 percent, coach Steve Kerr cracked. He came out and played a really good game. Thats all I can tell you. Hes going to compete every night. He had an excellent night and helped us get it done.

The MVP made a snazzy layup late and dished out six assists, while Klay Thompson added 27 points as Golden State sent the best the best-of-seven series back to Oklahoma City for Game 6 on Saturday night. Golden State trails 3-2 and is trying to become just the 10th team to rally from a 3-1 deficit.

None of us want to go home, Thompson said. Were having too much fun out there.

Kevin Durant scored 40 points and Russell Westbrook added 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals for the Thunder, trying for the fifth NBA Finals appearance in franchise history and chasing just the second championship after the 1978-79 Seattle SuperSonics won it all.

Hes a tornado, Kerr said of Westbrook.

The record-setting, 73-win Warriors, coming off their first back-to-back defeats all season, had been blown out in two losses at Oklahoma City by a combined 52 points.

Durants 3-pointer with 4:34 left got the Thunder within 103-98, then Curry answered with a three-point play.

Curry scored seven points in a 58-second stretch of the second quarter, but the Thunder didnt go away easily.

I liked our will, I liked our fight, Kerr said. We were embarrassed in OKC the last couple games.

Trailing 58-50 at halftime, Oklahoma City came out of the break with a 9-2 run. Westbrooks 3-pointer with 6:06 left in the third put Oklahoma City ahead 68-67 for its first lead of the night. But Golden State led 81-77 going into the fourth and began the final period with an 8-0 burst.

We didnt shoot a particularly good percentage when we got into the lane and got into the deep paint, Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. We had our opportunities.

Curry shot 9 for 20 and also had five steals, while Thompson had his 11th 20-point game for the second straight postseason despite shooting 2 for 9 from 3-point range. Draymond Green had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Kerr figured his Warriors might have an edge against the percentages of teams having trailed 3-1 because theyre the defending champs and were playing at home, where they have been nearly unbeatable.

He wasnt surprised to see this team respond so well.

We played with great desperation, Kerr said. I knew how we would play. This is a championship team.

Kerr called for center Andrew Bogut to do more and the 7-footer delivered with a playoff career-high 15 points and 14 rebounds for his second double-double this postseason and seventh of his career.

Marreese Speights had a pair of three-point plays on follow shots and a 3 in the second quarter to give Golden State a nice lift off the bench. He had nine points in four minutes during that stretch and 14 points overall for his fifth double-digit scoring game this postseason.

With his 1,248th career postseason point in the third, Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain (1,246) for second place on the franchises playoff scoring list.

Thats who he is, thats what hes done, thats whats made him a very good player, Donovan said.

Coach of the Year Kerr sent a message to Warriors fans Wednesday on social media requesting they arrive on time Thursday and bring their best.

The always-raucous supporters obliged.

Its a big game. We need our crowd behind us, Kerr said beforehand.

Source: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/05/26/warriors-slam-thunder-stay-in-the-western-conference-final/

Thunder"s Steven Adams: Hauls in double-digit rebounds in Game 5 loss

Steven Adams Elbows Shaun Livingston in the Face | Thunder vs Warriors | Game 5 | 2016 NBA Playoffs

Adams supplied eight points (4-6 FG), 10 rebounds, an assist and a block over 31 minutes during Thursday"s 120-111 loss to the Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

The 22-year-old big man hauled in double-digit boards for the third time in the series, and made the most of his limited opportunties on offense. Adams is not quite the contributor on offense he was in the semifinals versus the Spurs, but he"s still managed averages of 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds over the first five games against the Warriors.

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Source: http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/thunders-steven-adams-hauls-in-double-digit-rebounds-in-game-5-loss/

Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League final: what should we expect from Real Madrid star?

UEFA Champions League Final Highlights | 1995 - 2015 | 20 Year Special

He then saw his rival Messi score in the second half to secure Barcalona the trophy. He was booked late on, as he took his anger out on Carles Puyol with a barge. This was his last game for United before he left for 80 million pounds to Real Madrid.

The all-time Champions League goalscorer made his third appearance five years later.

Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid AET, May 24 2014 Lisbon in Portugal

There were doubts over Ronaldos fitness, with him sitting out Reals final two La Liga games with a thigh injury. Real were seconds from losing this one beforeAtletico led beforeSergio Ramos equalised in stoppage time.

Ronaldo then assisted Marcelo, after Bales header before he got in on the act for the fourth from the spot and celebrated by ripping his shirt off Hulk-style, for which he received a yellow card.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/27/cristiano-ronaldo-in-the-champions-league-final-what-should-we-e/

With "X-Men: Apocalypse" and "Game of Thrones," Sophie Turner is coming into her own

X-Men: Apocalypse | The Extraction [HD] | 20th Century FOX

Sophie Turner is due for some apocalyptic developments. At the tender age of 13, Turner booked her first big gig in HBOs Game of Thrones. She was cast as Sansa Stark, the oldest daughter of the noble Stark household; a red-headed beauty with wide-eyed plans for the future.

Sadly, her wide-eyed optimism wouldn"t last. By the end of the firstseasonher father was decapitated. As "Game of Thrones played out Sansa would be shackled to not onebut twoof the biggest sadists in all of Westeros. The character would be raped, slashedand humiliated. The abuse would get so bad that in 2015 a great wave of think pieces rose up, demanding the return of some sort of agency for the fictional teenager.

But seven years and six seasons later, the power dynamic has shifted for Turner in more ways than one.

She may have started on Game of Thrones as the little dove but today she"stransformed into a wolf, on both the small and the big screen. This weekend the actress will continue to (in her own words) prove the haters wrong on HBO while simultaneously starring in her firstsizable movie role in X-Men: Apocalypse.

And this isnt just any old spandex and cape part, Turner is playing what many consider to be the most powerful mutant in all of Marvel, the telepathic, telekinetic Jean Grey, whose gifts surpass those of even her mentor, Charles Xavier(James McAvoy). In the Marvel comics, Jean"s powers eventually consume her, turning her into the formidable Dark Phoenix.

This mutanthas been portrayed previously several times in the X-Men franchise by actress Famke Janssen, but despite the character"s long legacy inthis mutant world,Turner will be revealing a side of Grey in "X-Men: Apocalypse" audiences havent seen before. In the first three movies, Jean is a full-fledged human being, Turner explained in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. She has her [stuff] together. She has her life planned out. She can kind of control her powers until it gets too "Dark Phoenix" and weird. But this Jean is different. Shes very vulnerable. She has no idea how to control her powers. Shes too strong for her own good.

The English actresswas first made aware of 1980s mutant period piece thanks to a modern convenience: social media. Once word broke that Fox studios was looking for a younger version of Grey to fit in with the prequel timeline set up in Matthew Vaughn"s "X-Men: First Class,"Turners inbox was flooded with youd-be-perfect-for-this-role type emails and twitter shout-outs. Turner humbly blames her auburn hair for the attention, but nevertheless the push from Game of Thrones fans and friends encouraged her to reach out for an audition that would land her a coveted spot on Xaviers class roster. Also enrolled in the new class of teen mutants were Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

We definitely were the newbies, but I personally didnt feel that new because we slotted in quite well with the golden oldies, Turner said referencing those X-Men veterans including Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Beast (Nicholas Hoult). They really welcomed us, we felt part of the old gang. I suppose Apocalypse is something of a conclusion to the X-Men saga,[but] its also the beginning of something new. It feels like theres something of a rebirth as well as a conclusion.

Despite the serious circumstances surrounding the plot, centering the story in the time of f***y packs and shoulder pads did lend a few moments for a little fun. So how does an actor transform into a child of the Day-Glo era? You start with the hair. We just had to really elevate it a bit, Turner said. I think the reference was Brooke Shields-y. And a lot of hair spray. The shoulder pads, the acid washed mom jeans. What shoes did I have? They were kind of like boat shoes, I dont know, they were just hugely uncomfortable.

All that"80s nostalgia somewhat lost on an actress born in 1996 was silly enough, but the ridiculousness was taken to another level by the fact that most of Turner"s filmingwasspent running around gesturing wildly whilewieldinginvisible mutant powers that wouldbe added in months later via visual effects. You do kind of feel like an idiot, Turner joked. Because you just have to maybe like squint your eyes a bit and hope the people realize that youre actually doing something. Thankfully, McAvoy -- a temple-pointing-and-squinting expert --was on set to offer telekinesis tips.

But the bulk of X-Men: Apocalypse was centered on the title dilemma, the end of the world. And Turners character plays an integral role in saving the planet from anancient, villainous mutant (Oscar Isaac) h**l bent on the kinds of things villains are h**l bent on. It"s an easy parallel to make with what Turner is grappling with in the entirely different fantasy world of Game of Thrones.

Theyre both kind of coming into their own, Turner said. I think that Jeans is less ofa progression, shes not working towards it. When Phoenix happens its her letting loose -- shes not building up to it. It just kind of happens. Whereas Sansa"s [evolution is] because of her circumstances. Its been building her and building her and building her and each time someone chips away at her, she builds herself up again differently. She is very consciously changing and adapting where, Jean its less of a conscious thing.

Despite playing characters with anunwieldy amount of mutant mojo oran army of wildlings at her disposal, it"s not actuallythepower that attracts Turner to parts like Jean Grey or Sansa Stark, it"s thestruggle."I prefer playing someone whos flawed," Turner admitted."I cant relate to Phoenix in the slightest. I wish I could, that would be nice."

Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-mn-sophie-turner-xmen-apocalypse-game-of-thrones-20160523-snap-story.html

Baylor"s move: Eight possible candidates to replace Art Briles

Art Briles Needed To Be Fired - "The Herd"

Where does Baylor go from here?

With the start of fall practice just over two months away, the search for anew football savior in Waco, Texas following the dismissal of Art Briles starts immediately for the Bears. After an interim coach is named, finding a long-term solution to keep this program in the national conversation is top priority.

Here are a couple candidates, most offensive-minded, the Bears should highlight during the search process:

Source: http://247sports.com/Gallery/Baylors-move-Eight-possible-candidates-to-replace-Art-Briles-45517449