Month: June 2022

After a year of incredible basketball, the NBA Finals have finally begun. The Boston Celtics are taking on the Golden State Warriors and it promises to be a truly awesome battle between two teams, both of whom have gone through hell and back this season. On one end, you have the Warriors who started out strong before faltering in the middle of the season, only to get back on track as soon as the playoffs started. Meanwhile, there are the Boston Celtics who were off to a bad start but finished strong with the best record of 2022.

No matter how this series go, there is no doubt that fans have been treated to some truly incredible series throughout the history of the NBA. Considering this is the league’s 75th anniversary, we believe it would be appropriate to count down some of the best Finals series of all time. From the 80s to the present, is is impossible to deny that generations of basketball have given us something to think about.

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10. Bulls Defeat Jazz (1997)

To kick this list off, we had to go with a series that involves none other than Michael Jordan. In 1997, he claimed his fifth title by going up against the Karl Malone and John Stockton-led Jazz. This was a dope back and forth series that was won in six games. Of course, the one game everyone remembers is Game 5 when Jordan took on the flu and still put up huge numbers to lead his team to victory. Everyone remembers the visual of Jordan being carried out by Scottie Pippen and there is no doubt that this is a scene that is embedded into the eyes of Bulls fans. Aside from the “Flu Game,” this was an epic series and it created a nice little late 90s rivalry.

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9. Rockets Defeat Knicks (1994)

While Michael Jordan was away from basketball, he was able to open the doors for teams like the Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks. The Knicks were waiting for a clear path in the Eastern Conference and the Rockets were on the cusp of the Finals. This series was great as both teams continued to go back and forth. It felt like there was no clear cut winner but in Game 7, Hakeem Olajuwon and company showed everyone why they would eventually become two-time consecutive champs. Not to mention, the epic collapse in Game 7 from John Starks proved to be a massive factor. One team cemented its legacy while the other helped contribute to a curse that is still ongoing.

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8. Lakers Defeat Sixers (1980)

This was an amazing series thanks to the fact that it was a coming-out party of sorts for Magic Johnson. This was his first season in the league and he managed to outshine Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the Finals. In six games, Johnson showed himself to be a superstar and he even got Finals MVP. This was his first of five NBA titles and if you’re a Lakers super fan, this series is probably one of your favorites.

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7. Bulls Defeat Suns (1993)

MJ is a frequent guest on this list but for good reason. His Bulls were on the verge of a three-peat in 1993 and this was the series in which he got to go up against his friend at the time, Charles Barkley. In the eyes of some historians, this was Jordan’s hardest Finals victory. It was his first three-peat and at the time, he was dealing with the fallout from his late nights of gambling. This was yet another series that went back and forth, with Barkley’s Suns showing numerous signs of life. It was a huge test for the Bulls, however, MJ, Pippen, and the rest of that Bulls team was more than ready for the challenge at hand.

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6. Lakers Defeat Pistons (1988)

The “Bad Boy” Pistons vs. the “Showtime” Lakers was an amazing series. This turned out to be the last championship won by the Lakers in that Magic era, all while the Pistons would go on to repeat as champions in 1989 and 1990. In this series, the Pistons forced the Lakers to seven games although they were eventually bested by Magic, Kareem, and some of the best role players in the history of the game. This was flashy yet defensive basketball at its finest and these two truly gave us a clinic on how basketball in the 80s was so superior to what we have now.

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5. Lakers Defeat Celtics (2010)

What more can be said than Kobe standing on the scorer’s table after winning his fifth title. This was a very special moment in the history of the Lakers, and it was that much more special because Kobe did against the team that beat him back in 2008. Kobe exacted his revenge and he did so in an epic seven-game showdown that saw him deliver an amazing performance in the fourth quarter of the final game. The Lakers always seem to produce a great series, and this is especially true when they go up against the Boston Celtics. Regardless, Kobe’s involvement here is what puts this series securely in the Top 5.

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4. Heat Defeat Spurs (2013)

In 2013, LeBron James was still trying to show people that he could repeat as champion. Sure, he beat the young Thunder squad in 2012, but could he beat a group of legends in the San Antonio Spurs. At first, the answer to that question seemed to be “no.” The Spurs were the better team for much of the series and by Game 6, the Spurs were just a few seconds from winning the title. That’s when Ray Allen changed everything with a corner three that sent the game to overtime, which allowed LeBron to take over and win the game. Once Game 7 came around, the Heat were in control and LeBron cruised to his second-career title. It was an amazing series and one that highlights the 2010s.

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3. Celtics Defeat Lakers (1984)

This was a huge series for the Celtics as their 80s rivalry with the Lakers was still in its infancy. Bird and Magic were the two biggest players in the NBA and they both represented very different things. They helped save the NBA with their superstardom and there was a ton of debate as to who would get the job done. In the end, the Celtics won the series in seven games, and while the Lakers made it a good series, their performance was marred by Magic Johnson’s horrific play on the court. He was nicknamed “Tragic Johnson” following this series and it had people believing Bird was the better player. No one could have seen Johnson’s poor play coming and that is precisely why this series was so captivating. Of course, the Celtics playing great basketball didn’t hurt either.

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2. Bulls Defeat Jazz (1998)

Michael Jordan’s final championship with the Chicago Bulls came against the Utah Jazz, whom the Bulls had defeated in the Finals just a year prior. This was a back and forth series and heading into the decisive Game 6, there was this feeling that the Jazz could get over the hump and pit the Bulls against the wall, especially with Scottie Pippen dealing with back issues. In typical MJ fashion, he put the team on his back and showed out in the Final game, capping it off with a walk-off final shot that will forever go down in history. The Bulls and Jazz gave us some incredible basketball in that series and the history behind it all just makes it that much more special.

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1. Cavaliers Defeat Warriors (2016)

This has to be first on the list and you should know exactly why. In the eyes of LeBron James, this is the series that made him the greatest player of all time. Down 3-1 against the 73-9 Warriors, LeBron led his Cavaliers all the way back to a Game 7 stunner that featured heroics from himself and Kyrie Irving. It is a series that will forever live in infamy as the moment that LeBron brought a championship to Cleveland, which was a goal of his ever since he got drafted by the team in 2003. He needed this series for his legacy and he was able to snatch it epic fashion. If you’re an NBA fan, you definitely shed a tear when you saw him win.

Let us know your favorite series, in the comments below.

Few figures loom as large over the NBA as Kobe Bryant. The late basketball legend serves as inspiration for many players. Before winning Game 7 against the Heat, Jayson Tatum texted Bryant’s phone number, writing, “I got you today.” Lamar Odom recently got a tattoo of Kobe after having “vivid” dreams about him. Klay Thompson paid homage to Bryant after breaking one of his records.

It makes sense, then, that the jersey of someone as revered as Kobe would sell for a lot of money. And a lot of money it was: Mamba’s rookie jersey, which he wore during his first playoff series in 1997, sold for $2,735,546 at SCP Auctions.

Harry How/Getty Images

Bryant wore the purple and gold home jersey on at least five occasions, including two home games during the NBA playoff series against the Utah Jazz. The games helped anoint Bryant as a force to be reckoned with. During the first of the two home games, Kobe scored 19 points in under 20 seconds.

This isn’t the only valuable Kobe item that sold at SCP. A rare signed 1997 Precious Metal Gems Kobe card sold for over $403,000. Earlier this year, another Kobe card, a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems card printed in Emerald format, sold for $2 million at PWCC Marketplace. In 2021, a signed ticket from the final game of his career sold for over $40,000.

It seems Kobe fans are willing to pay an arm and a leg to get any Bryant-related memorabilia. The identity of the buyer of the rookie jersey is unknown, but whoever it is had almost $3 million laying around. Do you think it was worth it?

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Yesterday (June 4), rapper Slim Jxmmi and the mother of his child got into a heated argument on social media.

His BM, Kiara, took to IG and aired out their personal issues, claiming that the artist has been both physically and verbally abusive towards her. She came with both images and videos to back up her allegations against the Rae Sremmurd member, stating, “He physically assaulted me while pregnant… he’s [broken] my phones in front of his team, screamed at me and pushed me around in front of them.”

Nonetheless, Slim, whose real name is Aaquil Iben Shamon Brown, came back with receipts of his own. He uploaded screenshots of Kiara stating that she would cause harm to their child, along with video evidence of police officers taking their son away from her. The “Black Beatles” artist wrote, “Mothers only lose the baby when they are a danger to the child.”

After everything boiled down and they deleted their posts, the two parents issued a statement filled with high hopes. Both of them posted similar messages on their Instagram stories, starting with, “After everything that has transpired and went public out of anger, we have both decided that we’re going to get family therapy for the sake of our son.”

Further into their post, they gave each other props, Kiara said, “Jxmmi is not a horrible person,” and Slim added, “Kiara’s a great mother and has never caused any harm to Aaquil.” The two said that they’re both simply “broken” and “need healing.”

Read their full statements below.

Of the countless couples in Hollywood, one we didn’t think that we’d be sharing any breakup reports on any time soon was Lori Harvey and Michael B. Jordan, who were together for a little more than a year when their separation was announced yesterday evening (June 4).

The gossip was shared with PEOPLE by sources close to the duo, with reports seemingly claiming that the Just Mercy actor, who is 35, was ready to settle down and get more serious but his model partner, only 25 years old, wasn’t quite there yet.

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Both parties are said to be “completely heartbroken” over the matter, and some internet sleuths even noticed that Harvey has already removed most of the evidence of Jordan from her Instagram feed.

“Lori Harvey has removed every single picture of Michael B. Jordan from her IG page since the news broke. Yeah… She’s DONE done,” one user wrote, while another shared screenshots of the comments under one of the Black Panther star’s couple pictures which have yet to be removed. “DELETE THIS N*GGA!” and “She took yo pictures down fast as hell boi, tighten up n*gga, get back on yo shit,” are among what people wrote.

While some shared tweets specifically reminding people not to psychoanalyze a relationship that has nothing to do with them, others did just that. “Not Michael B. Jordan thinking Lori Harvey was gonna waste her good body years on him,” someone speculated. “That very wealthy girl is gonna freeze her eggs, go and live her best life and possibly settle down in her 40s.”

Check out more Twitter reactions below, and tap back in with HNHH later for more pop culture news updates.

It’s well known that 2 Chainz is a big sports fan. The rapper starred in promos for this year’s Superbowl. He bought 100 pairs of shoes for a children’s basketball fundraiser. He spearheaded an East Coast vs. West Coast All-Star basketball game with Snoop Dogg.

It looks like the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. 2 Chainz just released the first episode of his new talk show Me & Halo, which features him and his son discussing a variety of topics, including life updates, the women in their lives, and sports.

In the video, 2 Chainz announces himself as the “co-host,” letting his son take the wheel. “This is really your show,” 2 Chainz says to Halo. As such, the rapper mainly sticks to asking his son questions. When 2 Chainz asks him about the series between the Warriors and the Mavericks, Halo replies, “I’m a Warriors fan right now.” 2 Chainz is upset with this response, reminding Halo that he “just got an autograph from Luka.”

2 Chainz pivots the conversation to predicting the outcome of the NBA Finals match up. “If it’s Boston versus Golden State,” 2 Chainz begins, only to be cut off by Halo, who very quickly says he’s Golden State all the way. He’s confident, too, saying that he’s willing to bet five thousand dollars on his call.

Check out the full first episode of the series below. The father-son duo definitely have good chemistry, and also seem to have a very similar taste in style. Let us know what you think of Halo’s picks in the comments- does Golden State have what it takes?

 

The dispute between Mo’Nique and D.L. Hughley isn’t quite over yet. What started as a contract issue, has now become a full-out social media quarrel. While on stage at a comedy show last weekend, Mo said some hurtful words about D.L. and stated that she was supposed to headline the event. From there, everything went haywire.

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

For days, the two comics went back and forth on Instagram. From posting receipts, to arguing with each other, to even bringing others into the mix, both entertainers did everything they could to prove each other wrong. 

Of all the negative words the comedians stated against each other, many believed Mo’Nique took it too far when she mentioned his family. In an Instagram post, Mo made some pretty harsh allegations about his child, stating, “I find it funny that DL will call out… myself, etc. but he won’t call out the name of the person that violated his daughter.”

Hundreds of social media users felt this was taking it too far, but one person, in particular, decided to face the issue head-on. Hughley’s oldest daughter, Ryan Nicole Shepard, decided to give Mo’Nique a piece of her mind in an Instagram comment. She started by introducing herself and then said, “You’ve now publicly disrespected my mother– who I love and care for very much– and my baby sister– who I love and care for very much– to get back at my father…”

Ryan went on by stating that Mo decided to take this route in hopes for her family to step out of character. She also said, “You are adding to the historical and systematic disrespect and trauma of other black women… who you claim to love. And for what? A check?”

Ending off her message, Ryan stated that she’d gladly give Mo her address if she wanted to chat in person.

Read her entire comment below.

Jim Jones and Maino have been in synch recently. The two New York heavy hitters teamed up to form The Lobby Boyz, and dropped an album under the same name last month. As the project highlighted, their lyricism and flows match perfectly. Now the two are showing off their teamwork in an entirely new medium: dancing.

Jim Jones went on Instagram to post a video of himself and Maino practicing their two-step. Jones captioned the video, amused by their own antics: “Lol naaaah they caught us practicing our #sturdy2step lol.” He then cracked a joke, “Lookin’ like the Temptations trying to get our dance moves right lol.”

 Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images

It’s clear they’re having a good time in the video, even if their choreography isn’t exactly as good as their rapping. The two shout directions at each other as they try the two-step a few times.

Jones and Maino’s Lobby Boyz has seen a lot of acclaim. The album includes features from Benny The Butcher, Fivio Foreign, Styles P, Capella Grey, Fabolous, Young M.A., and more. The two released a few hard-hitting singles off the project before it dropped, including “Lobby Boyz Anthem” and “Slide,” which featured Fivio. Jones was certainly proud of the record, taking to Instagram and writing, “God is good u can’t stop greatness @thelobbyboyz bring the city out.” Fittingly, the album cover shows the two superimposed over their hometown’s skyline.

Watch Jim Jones and Maino show off their moves below. What do you think- do they nail the two-step?