basketball

Stephen A. Smith Goes Off On Peter Rosenberg In Unhinged Rant After Caitlin Clark Criticism

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Stephen A. Smith has been at the forefront of the Caitlin Clark discourse for the past few weeks. Yesterday, he called the decision to leave Caitlin Clark off of Team USA for the Olympics “stupid.” Additionally, he has gotten into heated arguments with several woman cohosts like Monica McNutt and Andraya Carter, both of whom are more informed about the WNBA than he is. Furthermore, Caitlin Clark is a political lightning rod for many people, and Smith is included in that number. Peter Rosenberg recently commented on the Caitlin Clark drama and mentioned Stephen A. Smith by name.  All in all, the comments seem to have really gotten to Stephen A.

Stephen A. Smith made a special rant before taking off for Dallas to cover Wednesday’s NBA finals game 3. He responds to Rosenberg by saying that Stephen A. has jumped on Caitlin Clark and is being treated unfairly. His point actually makes a lot of sense. Rosenberg said plainly that Caitlin Clark herself just wanted to play basketball. Nevertheless, she has become a symbol of something controversial for people like Stephen A. to latch on to. He says the idea that she is being treated unfairly is unfair to the other women of the WNBA, who are being treated like props. Additionally, Peter Rosenberg says that if that’s the angle you are going for, then maybe you don’t really care about the actual women’s game itself. Stephen A. took major offense. 

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Walks Back Will Smith Criticism Amid Massive Backlash

Stephen A. Smith Claps back at Peter Rosenberg

Peter Rosenberg believes that Caitlin Clark has unwillingly become the face of white fragility and that Stephen A. Smith has hopped on that train. Stephen A. is very upset if you watch the clip. He curses throughout the rant and is personally offended by the acquisition. Additionally, he clarifies his position about Caitlin Clark being left off the Olympic team. Smith says that she doesn’t deserve to be on the team. Nevertheless, Smith cares about marketing more than anything and says that the team needs Caitlin Clark to grow the sport. Nevertheless, Rosenberg’s point about actually caring about the games being played is reinforced by Smith’s own doubling down.

Stephen A. Smith does not take criticism well and personally went after Rosenberg in his 11-minute rant. It is pretty funny that Smith was literally about to hop on a flight and stopped everything to rant about a slight diss. Overall, Stephen A. Smith is not someone who admits they are wrong or changes their position. Ultimately, he cares about money and views more than anything, which is why First Take continues to push out Caitlin Clark’s debates. All in all, Peter Rosenberg will more than likely respond in due time.

Read More: Paul George To Join Stephen A. Smith And Crew As Analyst For NBA Finals

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Paul George To Join Stephen A. Smith And Crew As Analyst For NBA Finals

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Paul George, a nine-time NBA All-Star, will be a guest analyst on ESPN’s NBA Countdown broadcasts during NBA Finals Games 3 and 4, the network announced Monday. George, who plays for the Los Angeles Clippers right now, will join the i crew live from Dallas, Texas’ American Airlines Center. George will be on set with Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame columnist Michael Wilbon, senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, commentators Stephen A. Smith and two-time NBA Executive of the Year Bob Myers, and host of NBA Countdown Malika Andrews.

NBA Countdown will take place on Wednesday, June 12, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and on Friday, June 14, from 8 to 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, ahead of the NBA Finals Games 3 and 4. On ABC, both games start at 8:30 p.m. You can get NBA Countdown on the ESPN App as well. The 34-year-old, nine-time All-Star George appears to be preparing for a future in the media. He debuted his own program, “Podcast P with Paul George,” last year, and it has generated a lot of amazing viral moments.

Read More: Paul George Rejects Contract Offers From Clippers

Paul George Joins ESPN As Analyst For NBA Finals

Many are currently more intrigued by George’s free-agent status, even if it will be great to watch him hone his analyst skills on the biggest stage of the game. If George decides to leave the Clippers, the Philadelphia 76ers have been strongly connected to him; also, a new East playoff team has lately entered the race for him. Even while it will be amazing to witness George polish his analyst abilities on the largest stage of the game, many are currently more intrigued by his free-agent status. Additionally, the Philadelphia 76ers have a close relationship with George, and a new East playoff team has recently entered the race for him should he decide to leave the Clippers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have been arguably the most prominent team looking to acquire Paul George. However, don’t discount the Orlando Magic, Philly’s adversary in the Eastern Conference. The up-and-coming team is reportedly keeping an eye on some of the biggest stars in the NBA who may be available for free this summer. George is presumably one of them. Overall, Paul George is in demand. As an analyst and a superstar player.

Read More: Paul George Trolls PJ Washington After Lighting Up The Mavs 

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Kevin Durant Hilariously Claps Back At Fan Who Commented On His Legacy

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Kevin Durant is one of the best basketball players of all time, but he might be an even better poster. The star of the Phoenix Suns answered a fan on X. The fan said that the only way the future Hall of Famer “can redeem his legacy” is by going back to the Oklahoma City Thunder and winning a championship. Durant said the fan should be concerned about other matters at this time. KD left OKC for Golden State some years ago. The Thunder are now a great young team. Many fans and pundits think KD could go back and help them win a championship. 

Durant has distinguished himself on social media by making provocative statements or by just sharing rambling thoughts. He has also faced criticism from fans and members of the media. His candid thoughts provide a refreshing contrast to the majority of elite athletes, who have been rigorously trained to keep their comments under wraps. To the extent that the fan brought it up, Durant’s harsh reply likely demonstrates his contempt for discussing how his accomplishments would be interpreted and remembered once more.

Read More: Kevin Durant Slides Over Stalley’s “Scared Money” Track

Kevin Durant Claps Back At Fan

Kevin Durant has dealt with the moving of goalposts about his career for a long time. Firstly, it was about Durant needing a title to keep up with LeBron James. As well as the Thunder’s inability to win a championship. After joining a roster that was stacked and winning two titles with the Golden State Warriors, it still wasn’t enough for fans or the media. The topic of discussion has now switched to how, after building a superteam with Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the Brooklyn Nets and then paving his own route to the Suns, he appears to have failed to find the fulfillment he wanted.

The two-time NBA Finals MVP has been battling this war for at least a decade, so it should come as no surprise that he became defensive at another discussion of his legacy on the court. A reunion in OKC might be a god and sentimental move that would look to make up for past actions. His future in Phoenix is uncertain and it could be a real possibility he moves on sooner than later. Overall, do not come at KD on the internet, it never ends well. 

Read More: Wallo Tells NBA Superstar Kevin Durant Wild Story About Seeing Someone Drop The Soap In Prison

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Plies Asks Caitlin Clark Fans An Important Question

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Caitlin Clark is the hottest name in women’s sports right now despite her WNBA team, The Indiana Fever, being 3-10. Clark’s name is a lightning rod for controversy. She has her own fans who generally don’t care about the WNBA but only her being a part of it. There has been a lot of talk about Caitlin Clark growing the game, but is it really growing the game if it’s just one person people care about? That is the basic question rapper Plies posed to his timeline yesterday.

Plies asked a question, presumably while watching the Connecticut Sun blow out the Indiana Fever. He asked, “The 10,000 CC Fans At This Connecticut Game! Don’t Even Cheer For No Other Players That Scores Other Than Her. So How Is This Growing The Game??? (Not Being Funny Asking A Serious Question).” he observed that the fans at the game only cared about Clark and would rarely cheer for the other team or her teammates. The Fever was playing an away game, but the fact that some believe that the majority of fans don’t even care about anyone else may be a big concern. Plies is just curious about what fans think of the situation, hence the question.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith And Andraya Carter Get Into Heated Debate About Caitlin Clark Being Snubbed From The Olympic Team 

Plies Asks Caitlin Clark Fans An Important Question

Many fans replied to Plies’s question about Caitlin Clark. Many of the replies cite the record attendance and ratings for the WNBA and attribute it all to Caitlin Clark’s influence. One user compared her to Tiger Woods, who brought in millions of new golf fans. The big difference is that Tiger Woods was a dominant force in the jump, and Clark is still finding her footing in a physical league. The Caitlin Clark fans are seemingly more and more fans of the individual and could care less about the actual sport. This is why coverage of the WNBA leans so heavily toward talking about Caitlin Clark’s treatment in the league. Rather than the actual basketball that’s being played.

Overall, Plies asked an interesting question. Growing the game is the big thing fans keep bringing up, but from a neutral perspective, it seems like building a house on sand. What happens if Clark is just a middling player who can score and doesn’t dominate like she did in college? What if Caitlin Clark fans look at other teams like Sun, who are dominant, or the Las Vegas Aces, who have the best women’s basketball player on the planet? All in all, it’ll take some time to see if putting all of the WNBA’s eggs in one basket was a smart move. 

Read More: Caitlin Clark Breaks Silence On Olympics Snub: “It Gives Me Something To Work For”

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Kendrick Perkins Fires Shots At LeBorn, Calls Him Sensitive For Unfollowing Him

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Every time a prominent NBA player follows or unfollows another prominent NBA player, the Twitter account NBA Alerts announces the change. Throughout a season, there are many good reasons why media people and active athletes might follow and unfollow one another, but occasionally, an update sticks out. LeBron James reportedly made the decision to unfollow several users on X on Friday, including ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, Ben Simmons, and Blake Griffin. On Monday, the First Take crew made the perplexing choice to discuss LeBron James unfollowing ESPN commentator Kendrick Perkins on social media for 12 minutes.

On his podcast Mind the Game a few days prior to the NBA Finals, LeBron James gave Dallas Mavericks player Kyrie Irving kudos for reaching the championship round once more. James complimented him and said that although he was happy for him. In the 2016 NBA Finals, the two helped the Cleveland Cavaliers pull off an incredible comeback victory over the Golden State Warriors. Perkins called James out for purposefully interrupting the discourse, as Perkins understood the remark to be. LeBron apparently unfollowed Perk after this comment. Then, on Monday, First Take invited Perkins to discuss being unfollowed despite the NBA Finals going on.

Read More: Kendrick Perkins Goes In On Defensive Player Of The Year Rudy Gobert

Kendrick Perkins Calls LeBron James Sensitive For Unfollowing Him

“Imagine unfollowing me on Twitter, but you still gotta wake up and watch me on TV every day because I ain’t going nowhere any time soon,” Kendrick Perkins said. “That’s no. 1. No. 2, I think LeBron James got sensitive over the last couple weeks because I’ve been calling him out or have to speak on certain things that he may disagree with — like the firing of Darvin Ham or the coaching search for the Lakers, or even having to touch on the Bronny James situation when it comes down to dealing with the draft.” Perkins clarified that he was dissatisfied after years of publicly defending James.

Kendrick Perkins said, “Bron, I’ve been knowing you since 1999, brother.” He continued, “We played AAU basketball together… We played in the McDonald’s All-American Game together. We were in the same draft. You have my phone number! If you had a problem with anything I said, we could’ve picked up the phone and had a conversation, but instead, you took to the public. You knew the world was gonna see it, eventually, that you unfollowed me because they have all these stalkers that have their stuff on alert. We’re living in weird times.” Overall, Big Perk might be the most sensitive person in this situation.

Read More: Kendrick Perkins Says He Wishes LeBron James Would Retire

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Shannon Sharpe Reveals Why LeBron James And JJ Redick’s Podcast Is Destined For Failure

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Shannon Sharpe has two successful podcasts, so he is familiar with what makes a good show. However, the success of Nightcap and Club Shay Shay is not really due to anyone’s intelligence of any specific subject matter. Of course, Sharpe has an edge and offers insight and understanding about football that goes beyond the surface. The same is true for Chad (Ochcino) Johnson. However, each show’s entertainment value is its primary selling point. Shannon Sharpe said on First Take today that Lebron’s podcast with JJ Redick won’t survive because it is solely about Xs and Os and not entertainment.

For this reason, Sharpe provided his evaluation of the Mind the Game podcast with LeBron James and JJ Redick. On Monday’s First Take, Sharpe contended that James and the Los Angeles Lakers’ prospective head coach would need to change their conversational approach from discussing Xs and Os. Sharpe appears to believe that the podcast won’t last very long if that’s all they talk about. The podcast is more of a mission of educating and celebrating the game of basketball by sharing knowledge, but Shannon Sharpe does not care and says it won’t last long doing that.

Read More: Ray J Disgusts Himself After Giving Shannon Sharpe Some NSFW Intel About Kim Kardashian

Shannon Sharpe Says LeBron James And JJ Redick’s Podcast Will Fail

“I know you said that he and JJ had that podcast — Mind the Game — and it’s supposed to be Xs and Os,” Sharpe said. “Let me tell you something: if you ever want to start a podcast, and this is what I tell Stephen A., you’ve got to be able to adapt. You’ve got to be able to branch out. Because if all you talk about is Xs and Os, it ain’t gonna last very long.” Smith concurred, pointing out that Kendrick Perkins has been making similar statements for months. Even if a video of them drawing Xs and Os from three days ago on the account’s official YouTube channel has 428k views as of the writing of this piece, a basketball podcast about basketball seems like a bridge too far.

Even if a video of them drawing Xs and Os from three days ago on the account’s official YouTube channel has 428k views as of the writing of this piece, a basketball podcast about basketball seems like too unique a notion. The podcast probably won’t appeal to everyone, but James would have launched a podcast much sooner if he felt the need or wanted to discuss other topics. Not to mention Redick’s incredibly popular podcast, The Old Man and the Three. Overall, Shannon wants more hot takes and opinionated arguments in his podcast consumption.

Read More: How Many Kids Does Shannon Sharpe Have?

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Stephen A. Smith And Andraya Carter Get Into Heated Debate About Caitlin Clark Being Snubbed From The Olympic Team

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Stephen A. Smith is doubling down on his Caitlin Clark takes, proving no matter what expert on women’s basketball he speaks to, he will not change his mind. First Take addressed the news that Clark has been left off of Team USA’s roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics, as was to be expected on Monday’s broadcast. Though Smith joined the discussion after Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike, and Shannon Sharpe offered their opinions, it wasn’t for lack of passion or interest; rather, the ESPN personality chastised USA Basketball for failing to take into account the commercial benefits of having Clark on its roster.

“This is about what I will personally label ‘The Idiocy of Team USA Women’s Basketball.’ How dare you make this decision. It’s stupid,” Smith said. “Caitlin Clark does not deserve a spot ahead of any of the players on this roster — if we’re talking just basketball. You know we’re not.” Stephen A. Smith continued, addressing Ogwumike and Carter in particular, both of whom had supported USA Basketball’s choice, drawing comparisons between Team USA’s roster selection process and his creation of First Take.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Says Fans Aren’t Ready To Support Will Smith After Chris Rock Slap Despite “Bad Boys: Ride Or Die” Making $100 Million

Stephen A. Smith And Andraya Carter Get Into Caitlin Clark Debate

“I think y’all are spectacular. But as spectacular as you are about talking the game of basketball, is that why you think I call for you to be on First Take?” Smith said. “It ain’t just because of your expertise. It’s because you’re great television. You matter. You draw an audience… you make decisions marketing.” He continued, “I want people watching. I want eyeballs. I want advertising dollars. Why? Because [Sharpe] will get paid. Y’all will get paid. And guess who else will get paid? You see where I’m coming from? That’s what it’s about. Stop acting otherwise. We know this.” he concluded, saying, “You don’t sit up there and pass on Caitlin Clark. Team USA, it was a dumb decision.”

Carter remained steadfast in her belief that Team USA had the right to put basketball before marketing. However, that only made Stephen A. Smith want to give the former Tennessee guard some uninvited career advice. “Andraya, I strongly suggest you re-think such positions, especially when it comes to you. Because marketing matters,” he said. “I am telling you right now you are going to be underpaid for the rest of what I believe will be an illustrious career unless you get your mind right about that marketing. It matters.” Andraya Carter replied swiftly, “I hear you, Stephen A. But I will not sacrifice my basketball knowledge and my integrity in terms of the game for marketing,” she said. “My marketing is doing just fine.” Overall, it was a heated debate today on First Take.

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Dan Hurley Shockingly Turns Down $70 Million Contract Offer From Lakers

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It seems like the Lakers have missed out on their top choice to replace Darvin Ham. Despite being offered a six-year, $70 million contract, Dan Hurley made the decision on Monday to stay at UConn and decline Los Angeles’ offer to become the team’s next head coach, according to ESPN. Hurley expressed he was “extremely impressed” with owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka to ESPN on Sunday, saying the Lakers presented a “compelling case.” Along with his wife Andrea and UConn assistant Luke Murray, the two-time national champion was in Los Angeles on Friday to meet with the Lakers. Hurley has rejected the massive offer from the Lakers.

According to early reports, the Lakers were looking to add more bench stability to their team by pursuing JJ Redick, an ESPN NBA analyst without any prior professional coaching experience. The Lakers were reportedly “zeroing in” on the former NBA guard as the front-runner for the position, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Coincidentally, Redick and LeBron James of the Lakers co-host a podcast. Now we will see if the Lakers give JJ another look now that Dan Hurley has passed on the job.

Read More: JJ Redick Apparently Not The Frontrunner For Lakers Head Coaching Job, Dan Hurley Enters The Fray

Dan Hurley Turns Down The Lakers

The Lakers had been interested in Hurley, the two-time NCAA Tournament champion coach, since the start of the hiring process, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Despite Shams claiming that JJ Redick was the front-runner, it was apparently Huelry all along. According to the NBA insider, Pelinka and Buss were very excited about the UConn coach. They believed Hurley had excellent player development tools at his disposal and could develop young players. LeBron James was also someone who has been impressed with Hurley. Hurley signed a $32.1 million contract extension with UConn that spans through 2029 following his first national championship victory.

Dan Hurley has become the most sought-after coach in the sport following his historically successful back-to-back national title seasons. Hurley’s team dominated college basketball and produced the first repeat champion in 17 years. The return of a preseason top-five squad raises the prospect of a third consecutive UConn championship. Despite losing some talent, this seems to be a great opportunity to pass up. Overall, The Lakers have missed out on their guy.

Read More: JJ Redick Breaks Silence On Lakers Head Coaching Rumors

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James Harden Goes Viral With Hilarious Reaction To His Girlfriend Paije Speights Catching Bouquet At Wedding

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Thanks to his response when his girlfriend Paije Speights accidentally caught the bouquet at retired NBA player Rajon Rondo’s wedding this past weekend, James Harden is once again headed for legendary meme status. The film of the humorous reception scene, in which Speights caught the bouquet of white flowers that almost fell at her feet, started making the rounds on the internet amid the happy news that Rondo had married his longtime partner Latoia Fitzgerald. The Clippers guard looked at her as if she had seen a ghost, and her man gave her a dumbfounded look.

Since collecting the bouquet is thought to indicate you’ll be the next to get married, fans couldn’t help but express their reactions to Harden seemingly seeing his life flash before his eyes. But as soon as Paije gave him an embrace, Harden’s eyes widened, and he became still. There’s a new meme circulating on social media that features Harden receiving a forehead kiss while staring emotionless. On Sunday, Paije shared her thoughts about the popular video on her Instagram Story.

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James Harden’s Girlfriend Paije Speights Catches Responds To Catching Bouquet At Wedding

As previously mentioned, Paije commented on the viral video on Sunday on her Instagram Story. “I wasn’t even participating, lol. I’m standing outside the circle in the back. The bouquet landed right at my feet. Hey, a win is a win,” she wrote. “I do this sh*t with no effort,” she added hilariously. Following their September 2022 engagement, Rondo and designer Latoia Fitzgerald tied the knot on Friday, June 7, on Lake Como in Italy. A star-studded guest list and family bopped along to Future’s “March Madness” as the pair entered their opulent location, reveling in their love. The two also swayed to the soothing sounds of smooth jazz after dancing to Usher’s “Superstar.”

It appears like James Harden and Paije are a real couple. In addition to forging her own path in fashion, Paije is a Detroit-born vocalist. In contrast to Harden, who is childless, Paije is the mother of Prynce, a four-year-old son from a previous committed relationship. Overall, James Harden has once again provided the internet with another classic reaction meme.

Read More: Kodak Black Posts IG Video Of James Harden Signing His Jersey

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Jayson Tatum Roasted For Weak NBA Finals Performance Despite Celtics Domination

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The Boston Celtics have taken a commanding 2-0 lead on the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Despite the two straight wins for the Celts, their star player, Jayson Tatum, has had an underwhelming Finals, as many fans have pointed out. Last night, the Celtics won a close game in convincing fashion, beating the Mavs 105-98. Jayson Tatum finished the game with 18 points, most of his scoring happening in the second half. NBA fans were roasting him all night after he missed several layups and generally wasn’t effective scoring the ball. 

The Celtics victory was led by Jrue Holiday, who had one of the most efficient 26 points in NBA finals history. Kristaps Porzingis had another great game coming off the bench after being out for almost 40 days. Jaylen Brown had strong moments, especially on the defensive end against Luka Doncicn and Kyrie Irving. For Much of the game, Jayson Tatum wasn’t the dynamite scorer that everyone knows he can be. Many fans recognize that the Celtics are so good that Tatum doesn’t have to score the ball at an elite level for his team to win. However, his potential to dominate the game is undeniable, and this is a point of discussion among fans and media, who often view the team sport as an individual game, and they are insinuating Jayson Tatum is coasting during the Finals when he should be dominating.  

Read More: NBA Finals Prediction: Can The Mavericks Knock Off The Super Team Celtics?

Jayson Tatum Roasted For Weak NBA Finals Performance

Fans were frustrated with Jayson Tatum during game 2, especially in the first half, where he only scored 5 points and had a lot of missed shots. The good news for Boston is twofold. They are up 2-0 on the Dallas Mavericks despite their best player not having a great series Additiioanklly, Jayson Tatum will eventually have a great scoring game. His all-around game has not been bad at all. He is playing good defense and mixing it up with the Dallas big men’s rotation, grabbing boards at a high rate. He is also passing the ball extremely well, given all the attention he draws when he is aggressive. Overall, Tatum doesn’t need to play like Luka Doncic for the Celtics to win, and that’s probably a good thing for Boston.

The Mavs will look to get their first win of the series in Dallas on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving has been hounded by the entire Celtics roster. He has not played well, and it’s because of the dogged defense the Celtics are playing. Luka isnt 100% healthy but is still putting up serious scoring numbers despite the losses. Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis may have tweaked the injury that kept him out the entire playoffs, so that is something to monitor for both teams. Overall, I would bet that Jayson Tatum will have a great game sooner or later. 

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