Archive May 6, 2025

Gordon, Jokic lead Nuggets past Thunder in Game 1 of NBA playoffs

The Denver Nuggets defeated the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 in a thrilling NBA Western Conference second-round series opener with Aaron Gordon’s stunning 3-point performance and Nikola Jokic’s stunning 42-point masterpiece.

With four seconds left, Nuggets forward Gordon drained a 25-foot effort from outside the arc to take the win on Monday against a Thunder lineup that had already scored up to 14 points in the third quarter at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder held on to a double-digit lead for the majority of the fourth quarter, but their advantage came to an end when Jokic scored 18 points.

In addition to his 42-point tally, the towering three-time NBA MVP finished with 22 rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and a steal.

With 10 seconds left, Chet Holmgren’s team were defending a slim 119-118 lead before conceding two missed free throws.

Denver rebounded and launched the final offensive offensive exercise that culminated with Gordon’s impressive 3-pointer.

The all-around power of Gordon, who finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds, was praised by interim Denver coach David Adelman.

He is a Denver Nugget, the soul of our team, Adelman said, “I’m looking at ball-handling, responsibilities, leadership.” It’s cool to see him in that kind of a situation.

Gordon claimed that the Nuggets’ unflinching resolve had helped them win the game.

He claimed that “many guys stepped up.” No matter what the circumstances were, we had the conviction that we would prevail.

Jamal Murray scored 21 points for Gordon and Russell Westbrook, who added 18 points for Jokic.

With eight rebounds and eight assists, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 33 points, five three-pointers, and 20-point scoring from the bench.

On Wednesday, the second game of the best-of-seven series will take place.

In Game 1 of their Western Conference, second-round series, Denver Nuggets relegated NBA MVP Nikola Jokic #15 to the line with 42 points. [Sam Hodde /Getty Images via AFP]

From Timothee Chalamet to Dua Lipa – books are the hottest new accessory

A new wave of celebrities launch book clubs and are spotted by the paparazzi holding the hottest books is not just for nerds. A mainstream revival of this cherished pastime is on the horizon.

Popular book-clubs like Reese Witherspoon’s prove reading is cool again(Image: reesesbookclub.com)

Bookworms unite: reading is finally cool again. With everyone from Timothee Chalamet to Bella Hadid getting papped with paperbacks in their hand, it seems having your head in a book is the new hottest look. A recent Reddit thread showcasing famous figures reading books has gained over 5K upvotes, showcasing the hobby’s surge in popularity.

Reese Witherspoon’s Reese’s Book Club, which launched in 2017 and has since gained over 2.9 million Instagram followers, is undoubtedly unavoidable. Dua Lipa, the pop icon who founded Service95’s book club in June 2023 with the intention of presenting a variety of stories around the world, is yet another well-known example. But why is this epoch that, let’s face it, has been viewed as a form of nerdy making a mainstream comeback?

Dua Lipa’s Book club
Dua Lipa holding a copy of Just Kids by Patti Smith(Image: Instagram)

READ MORE: ‘I reversed my social media ‘brainrot’ after picking up this common hobby’

After all, many of us can recall the days when books were associated with being introverted and geeky. Additionally, less of us are currently reading because, according to a YouGov poll, 40% of Brits haven’t finished a book.

However, the trend of posting images of Timothee Chalamet, a classically attractive Timothee Chalamet reading Frank Herbert’s Dune on the New York Subway online served as a cultural reset. Being caught pouring over a novel on the bust had an undeniably avant-garde chic quality.

Hollywood sailor Jacob Elordi recently captured reading Jean Jocteau’s The Art of Cinema while on vacation. Bella Hadid, a high-fashion model, was also spotted wearing Stephen King’s The Outsider, which added a very trendy pop of red to her gray suit.

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Some celebrities have even used them to make political statements, but it goes beyond just aesthetics. When Canadian musician Grimes walked out in front of the cameras in 2021 with a copy of The Communist Manifesto in her hands as a “troll” the media, it’s hard to forget.

Of course, reading is also attractive. Perhaps no better example of this is superstar US athlete LeBron James, who regularly posts half-dressed pics of himself glued to a novel on Instagram – including the dystopian bestseller The Hunger Games.

It also has a cultural significance for “men who yearn,” or sensitive, romantic men. Over 60K TikTok posts contain clips of Jane Austen characters eloquently expressing emotions under the hashtag “yearning.” Celebrities with the likes of Cillian Murphy, who are renowned for having sincere public faces, also appear frequently.

Pedro Pascal has publicly endorsed LGBTQ and trans rights, as has Pedro Pascal. The Last of Us actor was caught reading a queer love story called Rosewater by Liv Little.

Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal, who has publicly stated his support of LGBTQ and trans rights, reading Rosewater by Liv Little, a queer love story(Image: Instagram)
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Reading a book, especially a good book, has a certain je ne sais quoi that the reader feels a certain way. The activity may have been a result of the timelessness of the 18th-century poets’ longing for love, which were also a part of the romantic era.

Or maybe it’s the aura of mystery that a book contains. It’s harder to interrupt someone who is reading a book versus someone who is on their phone. There is generally a shared understanding that the reader is enveloped in their own world, that their thoughts, at least for the moment, are their own.

‘Calamity keeper’ or ‘human wall’ – which Donnarumma will Arsenal face?

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A calamity keeper or the human wall? Which version of Gianluigi Donnarumma will face on Wednesday in France could determine Arsenal’s Champions League fate.

Will the giant Italian’s long arms, which saw Paris St-Germain escape Emirates Stadium with a 1-0 win, prevent them from being thwarted once more by the shot-stopper extraordinaire we saw in last week’s semi-final first leg?

Or could we see the return of the error-prone flapper who was left clutching at thin air as the Gunners scored from two crosses in a group-stage victory in October, where the 26-year-old put in the kind of unconvincing display that has put his entire future at the club in doubt?

Arsenal must score at Parc des Princes to be out, so Donnarumma’s form has improved significantly over the course of their dazzling Champions League campaign, which means they must score.

However, his pretended to be flaws have persisted for longer during PSG’s domestic campaign, with their only exception being their loss to Nice last week, which put an end to their unbeaten Ligue 1 campaign with only four games left.

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He has performed plenty of heroics down the years, but PSG fans don’t just remember Donnarumma for his big saves because, since he arrived on a free transfer from AC Milan in 2021, there have been plenty of bad errors too.

In any case, a modern goalkeeper should have much more than just squandering the ball out of the net, and his footwork is seen as another area of weakness.

So, when we consider who is the best keeper on earth, does that put him in the wrong place, or is he just further evidence that there isn’t a perfect all-around player for his position?

His positional awareness is unmatched.

Gianluigi Donnarumma saves a penalty in PSG's shootout win over LiverpoolGetty Images

At 6ft 5in, Donnarumma’s sheer size makes him an imposing figure, physically.

When he is facing a penalty, it is obvious that that is helpful, but it is where he uses his enormous frame when dealing with shots or onrushing strikers in open play that more impressed Robinson than anything else.

Robinson told BBC Sport, “He’s massive, but his positional awareness in his box is excellent. “That’s down to the depth perception he has when he is reading a through ball and his understanding of where his line is.

Many goalkeepers are conned into running off their line to try to close the angle and the shot, and they believe they are better positioned to be further away from the goal. Sometimes I did it myself, and you find that the shot is already past you.

Gianluigi Donnarumma's save from Arsenal's Leandro Trossard - picture one in a sequence of three
Gianluigi Donnarumma's save from Arsenal's Leandro Trossard - picture two in a sequence of three
Gianluigi Donnarumma's save from Arsenal's Leandro Trossard - picture three in a sequence of three

Why might PSG sell him? ‘ They enjoy Chevalier.

Although his performance has fluctuated, Donnarumma’s contract situation is primarily what will keep him from having a difficult future.

He has one year left on the five-year deal he signed when he joined PSG, and has reportedly been in talks about an extension.

Donnarumma wants to stay, according to his agent, Enzo Raiola, but he has also been linked to a Milan-Internal summer return, and it seems PSG may have other options in mind.

According to French football journalist Laurens, “The club are taking their time to decide what to do.”

Lille goalkeeper Lucas ChevalierGetty Images

Chevalier, 23, is considered the future of French goalkeeping because of his passing prowess and saving skills. At the end of 2024, he made his senior debut for Les Bleus, but he hasn’t yet done so.

” PSG have not made their minds up, “added Laurens”. Can Donnarumma really get them an upgrade, and if so, who is Chevalier?

What do they do if they receive money for Donnarumma, which might be between £25 and £30 million, as a result of their pure profit?

” The problem they have with Donnarumma is not on his line, where he is great – everyone at the club recognises that. Simply put, I believe that Luis Enrique, the PSG boss, prefers to have a capable goalkeeper who can move the ball more quickly.

He still carries his worst experience with him.

Donnarumma is caught on the ball by Real Madrid's Karim Benzema during the second leg of PSG's Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid in 2022Getty Images

Some PSG fans have grown weary of Donnarumma’s errors, which have made him subject of the French media, with one performance in particular coming away as difficult to forget.

“He got some criticism recently for Harvey Elliott’s goal against Liverpool, which was bad, then he made a mistake when they lost to Nice too, when their first goal went under his arm”, Laurens said.

Kai Havertz scores for Arsenal in their Champions League group-stage win over PSG in OctoberGetty Images

He has tried to improve that, just like he has tried to improve with the ball at his feet, but none of his flaws have much improved.

“I think also he still carries with him his worst moment, the Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid in 2022.

With 30 minutes left, PSG were 1-0 up at the Bernabeu after winning the first leg, which was also won by 1-0, but Karim Benzema kind of barged into Donnarumma, got the ball off him, scored, and then Benzema scored two more goals quickly to send PSG out.

How does he compare to the world’s best?

Donnarumma may have some critics, but statistics show that he is superior to any other goalkeeper in the world in recent research.

The CIES Football Observatory Index measures the quality of domestic chances, including how many goals are anticipated in those chances are compared to how many are conceded, as well as the level of games played and results obtained.

Gianluigi Donnarumma in action for AC Milan against Manchester United in the Europa League in 2014Getty Images

Robinson came up with an alternative top three, which included Donnarumma and Alisson, using a different criteria, including his eyes.

Alisson is the best goalkeeper in the world, Robinson said, “because he hasn’t forgotten the fundamentals of goalkeeping, which are keeping the ball out of the net.”

“Commanding your box, communicating with your back four, stopping shots and dealing with one on ones are all part of that, but he can adapt to the modern way of playing out from the back too, without taking it to the next level like Ederson does.

You can put Ederson, Jan Oblak, and Donnarumma in the same category because they are “the best with his feet,” but Alisson, Jan Oblak, and Jan Oblak at Atletico Madrid, all come in the same category.

Donnarumma embodies the tenet “to be the very best you need the right mindset.” He has played so many games since his debut for AC Milan aged 16 that he is much more experienced than most keepers his age.

He is comfortable on the biggest stage because of his maturity, which he has already demonstrated many times.

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Ex-Celtic team-mates meet in Premiership play-offs – watch on BBC

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Partick Thistle vs. Ayr United in the Scottish Premiership play-off quarter-final first leg

In the Premiership play-off semi-finals, a rampant Partick Thistle wiped out Ayr United 8-0 on aggregate.

This time around, they are more likely to be one-sided than they are as they prepare to meet once more, this time in the quarter-finals.

In fact, this time around, Ayr United should be in favor of Ayr United.

The table was finished third by Scott Brown’s side, eight points clear of Thistle.

Add to this the fact that the Honest Men already had a play-off spot after resting several players against Airdrieonians on Friday.

Partick Thistle, in contrast, had to battle valiantly to secure their play-off spot at Livingston.

That was well-executed by a close fight to win 1-0, but a Thistle side had to be at full throttle to endure it.

Over the years, we have seen how the pressure of a demanding workload can strain Championship teams looking to reclaim their Premiership.

However, Thistle’s sheer will should not be underestimated with Brian Graham serving as the frontrunner.

The club’s captain and interim co-manager, Mark Wilson, will want to appoint evidence to the public that they are capable of advancing the organization.

Bottom line: Partick Thistle would benefit financially from a return to the top flight, given that the club has recently made significant budget cuts.

However, Ayr United also has a strong will to win. With Scott Brown in charge, how could it not be?

Under the leadership of Ayr United’s chairman and construction tycoon David Smith, something significant is being steadily being built. However, the question persists: Is it too soon for the Ayr United team to rise to the top?

Additionally, Partick Thistle have won two of their previous four games at home this year, making it worthwhile to mention that they have slightly better results. One home victory and one draw were recorded at Somerset Park.

Ayr only managed two victories out of their last nine, which is also worth mentioning.

Although Partick Thistle’s previous two matches featured victories over Falkirk and Livingston, Partick Thistle’s form had been a little inconsistent. However, you have to wonder how much of them that was taken.

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Is the risk that Mercedes took with Antonelli paying off?

Graphic image of, from left to right, Alex Albon, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Jack Doohan and Oliver Bearman. It is on a blue background with 'Fan Q&A' below the drivers
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In a McLaren one-two, Oscar Piastri defeated teammate Lando Norris to claim the victory in Miami, bringing the three victories in a row to three.

Norris now leads Piastri in the drivers’ championship by 16 points.

Meanwhile, Ferrari were embroiled in a controversy over team orders after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both asked to swap positions.

What on earth is wrong with Ferrari, exactly? – Jonathan

Following the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s team-order debate dominated the news conference of Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur.

Vasseur expressed some resentment toward this, saying in the end, “It’s not the story of the day,” noting that the only difference was the driver’s seventh and eighth-place finish.

“I would be much more keen to speak about why we finished one minute behind McLaren”, he said.

Ferrari paid the price for their poor grid positions, according to Vasseur, who claimed that the car’s pace was comparable to that of Max Verstappen’s and Mercedes-Benz. He acknowledged that McLaren was “on another planet.”

Charles Leclerc qualified eighth and Lewis Hamilton 12th, Ferrari’s worst qualifying result of the season, and that was largely because they were struggling to get the best out of new tyres.

In the second set of qualifying, Hamilton and Leclerc ran on second-hand tires. Everyone improved between 0. 5 and 0. 6 seconds between being scrubbed and new, according to Vasseur, and we lost 0. 2 to 0. 3 seconds.

Asked why Ferrari struggled with tyres in Miami, he said: “That’s a good question. We would have fixed it between Q2 and Q3 if I knew the solution.

You must operate the tires in a very small window, they say. It’s different from track to track, it’s different from compound to compound, from track temp to track temp. And you always respond, “OK, I could have done something else,” after the session. ” “

But that was just Miami. Ferrari’s overall problem is that, after running McLaren so close to winning the constructors’ title last year, the car is not where it should be.

Ferrari simply needs to make the car faster, especially McLaren, which made more progress over the winter.

On average, it is the slowest of the top four teams, and Ferrari have scored only one grand prix podium, thanks to Leclerc in Saudi Arabia.

Hamilton and the team appeared to have found a good setup after just one practice session in China, while others did not, and then gained from fresh air at the start of the race.

Lewis did an outstanding job, Leclerc once said. Maybe some drivers didn’t put everything together in (sprint) qualifying and he managed to do that and managed to outperform the car a bit.

When you start in front, everything comes to you a little more, with tire degradation being a big deal. On Friday and Saturday, Lewis made a difference.

There are what Vasseur calls “some small upgrades” coming at the next two races in Imola and Monaco. Vasseur hopes that the stricter front wing deflection regulations that will be implemented at the following race in Spain will help.

In Barcelona, he declared, “Everyone will have a new front wing.” “By definition and by regulation. Perhaps it will be a resumption of everyone’s performance, in my opinion.

The result is that McLaren can profit from exploiting this phenomenon. McLaren themselves say they expect it to make little difference to them.

After challenging initials, Ferrari made good progress with upgrades in both 2023 and 2024. Vasseur is confident that this year they can do the same.

Is the risk that Mercedes took bringing Kimi Antonelli into the team now rather than later paying off? – Callum

Kimi Antonelli’s debut Formula 1 season started out well, and he claimed his strategy was to build slowly and avoid making major errors.

In Miami, the 18-year-old for the first time showed a glimpse of the high potential Mercedes believed him to have, and which persuaded them to throw him in at the deep end this year.

He was a confident driver from the beginning and consistently led the Mercedes over a lap.

Pole’s outstanding performance in the sprint race earned him a third place finish on the grid for the grand prix. Neither race went as well, but team principal Toto Wolff believes that was evidence of Antonelli’s continued need to learn in the complex world of F1.

Wolff referred to the qualifying performances as “another example of his talent and a promising future outlook.”

It’s challenging in the race because it’s so challenging to locate the appropriate reference here. The medium (tyre) stint, quick enough, you know, with George (Russell) holding on in the back on the hard tyre.

“And then, when he entered the difficult, he simply lacked the necessary experience to manage it.”

“We’re trying to guide him and find the appropriate references, but it’s not simple to do that in that car.” It’s just part of the learning curve”.

Wolff has always said that Antonelli’s adaptation to F1 will take time, which is exactly how it is going.

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Given that he hasn’t yet scored a single point, how can Fernando Alonso turn things around? – Andrew

It’s fair to say that Fernando Alonso is not having his best season, and it’s highly unusual to see that he has scored no points while team-mate Lance Stroll has scored 14 points and is 10th in the championship.

The Aston Martin is a poor car overall. Despite making a few errors, Alonso and Stroll have both had positive effects from the circumstances.

Alonso is still comfortably faster than the Canadian – the two-time champion is 7-1 ahead across all qualifying sessions at an average advantage of 0.321 seconds.

He crashed on gravel at Turn Six despite being well-versed in the wet and finishing sixth overall in Australia. Stroll’s strong driving and maneuverability helped her move up and take sixth place because of the chaos in the race.

Stroll then benefited from the disqualification of both Ferraris in China, and was promoted to ninth place. Alonso immediately retired there, his brakes in gear.

Stroll benefited from the chaos in the Miami Sprint, where Alonso was safely driving and on point when he was struck by Liam Lawson.

His spin in the grand prix, while uncharacteristic, “didn’t change anything”, he said.

“I lost five seconds, and then ten more seconds later, I caught the same group of cars, stayed put, and then profited from the virtual safety car.”

Even with that, today’s cars aren’t moving as fast as the cars in front. We need to get better for Imola. Despite our best efforts, we are all trying to keep our pace at this.

Andy Cowell, the Aston Martin team manager, praised Alonso’s outstanding and impressive qualifying performance in Jeddah. But with no retirements, Alonso finished just out of the points in both races.

The car is actually eighth fastest on average in qualifying, and it was fastest in Miami. Therefore, it’s always challenging to get points.

Cowell said in Miami that Aston Martin were” not a happy camp and we’re trying to work out (what has gone wrong) “.

Aston Martin had rejected Alonso’s request for a previous change to slicks in the Saturday sprint in Miami, but Alonso expressed disappointment and said, “I am trying to do my best behind the wheel.”

“I nailed Japan, P11,” the singer said. Jeddah was nearly perfect. When chaos occurs, you have three or four chances to score points, as I previously mentioned.

“Two people were present this year already. Australia, and I had the mistake and went on the gravel and went off. I had my brakes on fire on lap one in China, with three or four cars disqualified.

“And yesterday the track had dry tires, and we stuck to the inters for too long.”

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Knicks comeback stuns Celtics in semi-final opener

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In the first games of their Conference play-off semi-finals, the Boston Celtics were humiliated by the New York Knicks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder were defeated by the Denver Nuggets.

In the opening game of their Eastern Conference best-of-seven series, the Celtics, the reigning champions, were facing a 108-105 overtime defeat at home.

The Knicks rallied from a 20-point deficit in the third quarter with 29 points from Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.

Tom Thibodeau, the coach of the Knicks, said, “This team has been a pretty good road team all year.”

“It’s a game,” The play-offs have a lot of emotional highs and lows, but you have to keep moving forward no matter what happens.

With three more seconds left in regulation, Brunson missed a layup, and Jayson Tatum, who had 23 points for the Celtics, missed a long-range shot at the buzzer before the Knicks won in overtime.

Coach Joe Mazzulla for the Celtics, “We left some of their good shooters open.” There is “detail stuff” that needs improvement.

On Wednesday, Boston will host Game 2 of the series at 19:00 local time (2:00 Thursday BST).

The Thunder, who finished in the top division, were defeated 121-119 by a visiting Nuggets team, who had been inspired by Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon.

After Chet Holmgren missed two free throws for Thunder, Jokic scored a game-winning three-pointer in the closing seconds while Gordon went up the other end and added six more points.

With 22 points and 14 rebounds, Gordon came out on top.

Denver put up a 19-6 run to end the series, which they had been 13 points apiece at one point in the fourth quarter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top scored for the Thunder with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, “I didn’t think our execution was as flawless as it can be.” However, we will take its lessons. It’s a series, really.

On Wednesday, Oklahoma will host Game 2 of the series at 21:30 local time (03:30 Thursday BST).

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