E-40 was in Chase Center when the Boston Celtics went up 1-0 in the NBA Finals. Was he worried? No! He still told TMZ the Dubs would take home the series in 6 games.
“This gonna be a good series, but I got us in 6. And if it goes 7, we’ll win,” 40 said. “We had them. 4th quarter come, them boys would not stop hitting 3s.”
He added another reason to his Warriors’ support, “As long as they shooting like that throughout the whole series we gonna be straight. That was very rare. They was hitting and we was bricking.”
The Warriors would pop out in Game 2 and run the Celtics out of the building. In the early parts of the fourth quarter, the Warriors were up 29 points.
The Warriors would win 107-88 after a dominant 35-14 third quarter and Stephen Curry scored 29 points.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) game between the Hamilton Honey Badgers and the Scarborough Shooting Stars will be live-streamed on Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Bleacher Report. The Shooting Stars’ lineup will include the multi-talented J Cole, who has now appeared in three CEBL games after previously appearing in three games for the Rwanda Patriots BBC in the Basketball Africa League. The unique live stream event will be available only on the B/R app in the United States, and it will be Bleacher Report’s debut CEBL broadcast.
J. Cole warming up before his first pro game in Canada @JColeNC
Rod Black, Warren Ward, and Savannah Hamilton will cover the game. This is the Scarborough franchise’s first home game, as they take on Hamilton for the first time in CEBL history.
Fans using the B/R app will be able to use the platform’s features to interact with other B/R app users in real-time while watching the game. All of the action will be covered and amplified by Bleacher Report’s #1 most engaged social platform.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Bleacher Report to deliver a CEBL live game experience to their vast audience. The exposure of the CEBL and our entertaining brand of basketball through B/R will ensure fans everywhere have access to watch NBA and top-level international talent on a platform that fits so perfectly with the cultural and global component of our game,” said Mike Morreale, CEO & Commissioner, CEBL.
Forbes reports the other two NBA billionaires are Michael Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant, both of those legends received the status in retirement. King James is still lacing them up for the Los Angeles Lakers while he crosses the billi threshold.
Along with racking up 100s of millions for his work on the hardwood, James owns the SpringHill COmpany, which produced his version of Space Jam, invested in Blaze Pizza, and is an owner of Fenway Sports Group, and more.
Recently, Hov’s homie Kanye West recently signed Boston Celtics shooting guard to DONDA sports, after the game Jay-Z fully embraced Jayson Tatum, after Boston defeated the Warriors 120-108 in San Francisco.
Is Jay-Z aiming to sign J.T to his Roc Nation Sports agency? Who knows? What we do know is Jay-Z is a huge sports fan and he has a sports business, so it’s not a surprise to catch the music and business mogul court-side.
Of course, we all know that Jay-Z was once part-owner of his hometown Brooklyn Nets, but had to give his shares up because of a conflict of interest with Roc Nation Sports. Regardless of whether Jay went to the Warriors game for business purposes of not, he witnessed a great show.
In Boston’s 120-108 win, Jayson Tatum finished with 12 points and 13 assists. Stephen Curry finished with 34 points, including going for 21 in the first quarter off of six made 3-pointers.
Will Hov be at game 2? Only time will tell. The next game will be back in San Francisco in the Chase Center.
If someone said Stephen Curry would have six 3-pointers in the first quarter and Jayson Tatum would only have 12 points, you would think the Warriors would win, right? Well, that didn’t happen. Despite an aggressive start for Curry, the Boston Celtics still stole game one of the NBA Finals, 120-108.
The young Boston Celtics, who collectively have zero finals experience, leaned on a combination of energetic youth athleticism and veteran leadership. The 15-year season vet, Al Horford, led the Celtics with 26 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers.
“I felt like the guys kept finding me time after time. Also, Derrick White hit some tough shots there, too,” said Horford, who turns 36 on Friday (June 3). “I was just getting the looks, knocking them down. That’s that.”
The Warriors put on a show scoring 38 points in the third and led 92-80. The former San Antonio Spur, Derrick White, added to the 3-point mirage. White finished with 21 points and shot 5-8 from behind the arc. Going into the fourth quarter, the Celtics trailed by 12.
However, in the fourth quarter, Boston beat the Warriors at their own game. They hit their first seven 3-pointers en route to a 40-16 fourth quarter. That fourth-quarter exposition for the Celtics led them to take the game in San Francisco. Stephen Curry, who finished the first quarter with 21-points, finished the game with 34.
Tatum, despite having only 12-points, played a role as a play-maker. He finished with 13 assists, and his running mate Jaylen Brown, the new addition to Kanye’s DONDA Sports, finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
The collaboration between Louis Vuitton and the National Basketball Association continues (NBA). The Virgil Abloh-designed collection, which debuted in 2020 and is now in its third season, is inspired by travel. This new collection, dedicated to baggage, continues to honor the basketball ideals Virgil Abloh adored and mirrored in all of the pieces he designed for the Maison: an appetite for challenge, team spirit, messages of camaraderie, and universality.
This season, the Christopher bag, famous Keepall 55, Dopp Kit, and Pocket Organizer all appear, along with two remarkable pieces: an eight-watch case and the distinctive Malle Courrier, all of which are dressed in NBA colors for the first time. All of the bags are made of Monogram-embossed electric blue Taurillon leather and include a new enormous LV trademark in the shape of a basketball, which is colored to match the NBA emblem.
For the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Trophy, the pinnacle of basketball performance, Louis Vuitton has produced an amazing new Official Travel Trunk. The artisans at Louis Vuitton’s famed Asnières workshop, just outside Paris, carefully handcrafted a brand-new Louis Vuitton Travel Trunk for the NBA’s revamped Larry O’Brien Trophy to secure it in style. It boasts an exterior coated in emblematic Monogram canvas with heavyweight brass fasteners and fittings and an interior lined with soft microfibre and featuring the NBA’s 75th Anniversary logo, based on the trunks the Maison has been creating for over 160 years. The trunk’s folding doors are hand-painted with a V – for victory – in the NBA’s red, white, and blue and a basketball emblem containing Maison’s initials, a mark of Louis Vuitton’s affiliation with the league.
You can see the new pieces from Louis Vuitton below.
The second annual circuit of two Chris Paul HBCU events, the Boost Mobile HBCU Tip-Off and the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge was announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Four Historically Black Colleges and Universities will compete in the Boost Mobile HBCU Tip-Off on November 15 and 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Clark Atlanta University, Virginia Union University, Johnson C. Smith University, and Xavier University of Louisiana will compete in the two-day double header.
Four HBCUs will compete in the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge on December 17 and 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Texas Southern University, and North Carolina A&T State University will compete in the two-day double header.
“Chris Paul has been a committed supporter of HBCUs and has diligently worked to create opportunities for the student-athletes at these institutions,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame is excited to build on last year’s success, and we look forward to watching both of these tournaments in an exciting two weekends of basketball.”
Paul, a philanthropist and entrepreneur, has long been a supporter of historically black colleges and universities. Paul was a logical fit for Boost Mobile, whose purpose is to deliver inexpensive wireless coverage to all areas. He was just named to President Joe Biden’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Advisory Board. Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball and Why Not Us: FAMU Football on ESPN+ were executive produced by Paul. In addition, Paul teamed with Harvard Business School to deliver its Entertainment, Media, and Sports program to a number of historically black colleges and universities in order to create a pipeline for students interested in jobs in those fields. He started HBCU voting initiatives to encourage students to vote in the recent election, and he teamed up with Sour Patch Kids and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to launch The Mischief for Change Scholarship, a college scholarship fund with a $1 million commitment over the next five years for students attending historically black colleges and universities. Paul is a student at Winston-Salem State University, where he is pursuing a degree.
“We are so excited for the second year of our HBCU Challenge. It is great to work with our partners to give these student athletes a national stage they may not otherwise have,” said Paul. “I hope these events gives these players an experience that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. I sincerely appreciate the collaboration of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Mohegan Sun and MGM. We love Boost Mobile as a partner because of their commitment to HBCU schools and athletes in partnership with this event.”
“At Boost Mobile, we’re always looking to align with individuals and brands that are truly making a difference for under-represented communities. This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate our love for basketball, and aligning with Chris Paul and giving HBCU student-athletes a national stage is something we are proud to a part of,” said Andrea Henderson, vice president of brand marketing, Boost Mobile. “I cannot wait to see the looks on the student-athletes faces when they get the chance to compete on this national stage. That to me will be worth it all.”
The Boost Mobile Tip-Off and the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge, both hosted by Chris Paul, are two of the Hall of Fame’s collegiate events, which are growing in an effort to promote basketball outside of the museum’s doors. The Chris Paul Family Foundation and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame cooperated on these two events.
Ticket information, game times and television broadcast details will be released at a later date. For more information, please visit www.hoophall.com.
New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard CJ. McCollum will be doing double duties as a player and now as an official ESPN employee. McCollum will begin his new gig at game 1 of the NBA Finals.
As part of his analyst role, McCollum will work closely with ESPN to develop a new podcast that will be available on all streaming platforms throughout the year. Additionally, McCollum will serve as game analyst for ESPN’s coverage of NBA Summer League, while also contributing studio analysis on a year-long basis.
“It is my honor to be joining the ESPN family in this new role and I am excited to bring what I feel is my unique perspective, based on my vast knowledge of the game that I’ve gained during my nine years as a player in the NBA,” said McCollum. “To have an opportunity to put my journalism background to use on the largest stage with the many talented professionals at ESPN is a dream come true.”
McCollum joins the likes of Draymond Green, juggling media jobs while continuing to play in the NBA at a high level. McCollum and the Pelicans gave the Phoenix Suns a tough first round series. With a healthy Zion Williamson next season, McCollum and the Pelicans should expect a much longer NBA Playoff appearance.
The first day of June is #MaddenDay, a special day that remembers the introduction of John Madden Football on that date in 1988. There’s no better way to honor Coach Madden and his famous career in sports and entertainment than to commemorate the day he permanently revolutionized the gaming industry. Electronic Arts is honoring Coach Madden in various ways, including a new cover, an update on the $5 million John Madden Legacy Commitment to Education, and the dedication of a refurbished field.
Coach Madden has been synonymous with the sport of football for more than 50 years, and he returns to the cover of Madden NFL 23 for the first time in more than two decades to celebrate his legacy for the next generation.
Three separate Madden NFL 23 covers honor different aspects of Coach Madden’s illustrious career. As a video game legend who helped develop the love of NFL football around the world, Coach is highlighted in the Madden NFL 23 All-Madden Edition, which includes artwork done by a popular artist in sports culture, Chuck Styles.
“As someone who grew up loving football, playing in the suburbs of West Philly, it’s a full-circle moment to now be able to contribute to the culture of the sport by honoring an icon like John Madden, who has influenced generations of football fans through his passion for football and unmistakable energy, through my art,” said Chuck Styles.
His tenure as a famed NFL broadcaster known for bringing the “BOOM” and his career as one of the most beloved and respected coaches in history are commemorated in additional essential imagery. Visit EA.com to see all of the covers.
The Madden NFL development team has always been grounded by Coach Madden’s football principles and expectations on the field, as they represent what fans desire from the best 11v11 simulation football experience. The first interactive experience in Madden NFL 23 will feature two versions of Coach Madden leading opposite teams of “All Madden” athletes facing off in the 1970s Oakland Coliseum when it hits later this summer. In addition, in remixed audio samples from his iconic days as a commentator, Coach Madden’s memorable voice returns during the game.
In the coming weeks, EA SPORTS will disclose other ways Coach Madden will be remembered in Madden NFL 23.
In honor of #MaddenDay, Electronic Arts provided an update on the $5 million John Madden Legacy Commitment to Education, which was announced earlier this year.
College Track, Mission Bit, StreetCode Academy, and Girls Who Code will receive $2.5 million from Electronic Arts’ John Madden Legacy Commitment to Education over the next five years to support programming for the following four nonprofit organizations focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) education: College Track, Mission Bit, StreetCode Academy, and Girls Who Code. These organizations are well-established and well-proven partners dedicated to providing students with the technology skills, mentoring, and development support they need to succeed in college and beyond.
The remaining $2.5 million from the John Madden Legacy Commitment to Education will establish the EA Madden Scholarship in collaboration with the UNCF (United Negro College Fund), which will help students at 12 historically black colleges and universities graduate prepared for the next step in their careers.
“Coach Madden was a lifelong believer in the importance of education, and we’re privileged to support these amazing organizations that are creating opportunities for the next generation to pursue their dreams in his honor”, said Cam Weber, EA SPORTS EVP and GM.
At Electronic Arts’ worldwide headquarters in Redwood City, CA, today is also the official dedication ceremony for “John Madden Field,” which will celebrate Coach Madden’s impact on the firm. EA CEO Andrew Wilson and Madden NFL Executive Producer Seann Graddy, along with leaders from the Madden family and hundreds of EA employees, will inaugurate the newly rebuilt field. On the new field, EA will also host four Bay Area young flag football teams from NFL FLAG, one of the country’s largest flag football organizations.
The EA Tiburon studio in Orlando, the Madden NFL flagship studio, just erected a permanent commemorative painting in Coach’s honor at the new facility in Downtown Orlando’s Creative Village, painted by local Orlando artist Andrew Spear.
Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, Mozzy and Lil Poppa announced the release of their new joint single “Big League,” which is currently available to stream on all platforms.
“Official song of the NBA Finals to coincide with Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors,” Gotti wrote on Instagram alongside a clip of the basketball-themed hit. With his songs, the Memphis mogul also pays homage to Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant: “Hit a Ja Morant shot, get ’em big mad.”
Murda Beatz produced the new album, which comes after CMG was named “The Hardest-Working Label in Hip-Hop” and featured on the cover of Billboard. CMG CEO Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, EST Gee, Mozzy, Blac Youngsta, and Lehla Samia were among the cover stars.
You can hear the new single below and check for it during NBA Finals coverage.
