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Friday, January 15, 2016

NBA scores 2016: Spurs triumph in opening round of NBA"s power struggle

NBA Recap Cleveland Cavaliers vs San Antonio Spurs | January 14, 2016 | Highlights

San Antonio convincingly beat Cleveland at home in a month that will feature matchups between the NBA"s three foremost contenders.

Ring the bell, sound the alarm, notify the press. The San Antonio Spurs have just landed the first successful blow in a three-way contender"s battle that will define this NBA season.

The Spurs" 99-95 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on their home floor Thursday was the first of three upcoming meeting between the NBA"s three true contenders in the next 11 days, a list made up of those two and the NBA"s best Golden State Warriors. All three teamswill play each other in January, starting with San Antonio"s surprisingly dominant extermination of Cleveland.

The Cavaliers won just one quarter, the first one, but they won it big, holding a 32-20 lead after the opening 12-minute salvos were exchanged. After that, San Antonio turned the game into a steady grind, slowing climbing back into the action before finally charging ahead with a strong push to begin the final frame. After that, they didn"t give up the lead again.

Tony Parker, the biggest question mark coming into the year for San Antonio, continues to make us wish we"d never doubted him. He dropped 24 points on 18 shots on Thursday, continuing a fantastic season in the smallest role San Antonio has asked him to play yet. He"s still crucial, of course, make no mistake, but there"s plenty others who can step in when Parker doesn"t have it, just like a retro performance from the French blur like Thursday"s can cover up others" inequities. Against Cleveland, Parker was making up for LaMarcus Aldridge, who only scored six points on seven shots. The old Aldridge would be mortified by such a performance, as would we, but facing some fabulous Tristan Thompson defense, the Spurs" chances weren"t harmed by a team-first Aldridge taking a backseat. That"s the Spursian way, one that has never been easier to implement with this stacked roster.

The only exception is Kawhi Leonard, who has graduated from his place as a rotating star and taken on the burden of nightly expectations that used to be Tim Duncan"s. Nobody"s filling in for Leonard, but nobody needs to. On Thursday, Leonard had an evening just like any other: 20 points on 14 shots, 10 rebounds, five assists and the smothering, asphyxiating defense that still makes our eyes pop sometimes even after seeing it for years now. Most of it was directly at LeBron James" expense, but he didn"t even need to be guarding him directly to get in The King"s head -- all while recovering to abuse poor Richard Jefferson anyway.

Welcome to the new Spurs, which are basically the old Spurs except deeper and scarier than ever. I mean, Gregg Popovich got 13 points from David West in Thursday"s win. He played Jonathon Simmons nine minutes and Kyle Anderson five! Eleven-man rotations don"t typically make appearances in games like this, not with the playoff atmosphere of the AT&T Center that still hasn"t seen a loss this season, but Popovich used it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

The Spurs will meet the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Jan. 30 and there"s a great chance we"ll see a different result. While there"s other teams that could factor into the race for the Larry O"Brien trophy -- the Thunder, mostly, but it"s still a bit early to rule out the Clippers or Bulls -- we"re all pretty sure it"s going to be either these two or the Warriors still standing at the end of it. And while Golden State"s still lurking on the sidelines, it was San Antonio that just landed a convincing punch.

3 things we learnedJimmy Butler decided to score 53 on one leg

Butler was going to sit this game out. It was just the Philadelphia 76ers that Chicago was playing, after all, the NBA"s worst team. But Butler doesn"t like to sit, especially since he has a bet with a trainer that he was going to play all 82 games this year. And so, as the Bulls decidedto practically disintegrate around him, Butler started scoring and really never stopped. After Philadelphia took their first 20-point lead of the season, Butler just about single-handedly forced overtime, scoring 51 in regulation before E"Twaun Moore"s seven points took Chicago home in overtime. (Wait, what the h**l did I just type.) What a showing from Butler,with dunks and and-one jumpers and so, so many free throws helping him tie Stephen Curry for the top scoring output in the NBA this year.

Let"s pour one out for the Detroit Pistons

In December,Matt Barnes pulled up for half-court shot with multiple seconds left in the game with Memphis down two. His coach was screaming for a timeout. His teammates were yelling for a better shot. It went in anyway, because f*** it, he"s Matt Barnes and that"s just the weird things that happen when you"re Matt Barnes. The Grizzlies won.

So yeah, if I"m the Pistons, that"s at least a sore wound. Really a buzzkill way to lose a game. And then on Thursday, Memphis saw that, pulled up in a fire truck and hosed down the wound with hydrogen peroxide with this finish right here.

Mario Chalmers with the fading, falling game winner

What a night in the NBA because we"re not even going to get to Stephen Curry, who hit eight triples, giving him more games with that many threes in his last 72 games than Ray Allen has in his career. Nor will we touch on a pretty fun Raptors win against Orlando that also went to overtime. Why aren"t we going to touch on those?Because Rudy Gay won the d**n game for Sacramento.

Beating Utah is pretty important in the Kings" push for the Western Conference"s eighth seed, so props to Sacramento. They"re just a game out now!

Play of the night

Tony Parker, capping off his sensational night with this absurd move.

4 fun things

Tristan Thompson"s 15-foot free throwwent about, uh, 12 feet?

Jonas Valanciunas is straddling the line between aggressive inbounds defense and ... I don"t even know. Please, I"m a poor, underappreciated millennial and I don"t understand the jokes people keep making about this and now the Suns" owner is probably going to yell at me.

Jerry West wants to euthanize Kobe Bryant.Well, OK, something like that.

We also got another Pop-Craig Sager interview, which are always delightful:

Final scores

Spurs 99, Cavaliers 95 (Pounding the Rock recap |Fear the Sword recap |SB Nation recap)

Raptors 106, Magic 103 (OT) (Raptors HQ recap |Orlando Pinstriped Post recap)

Bulls 115, 76ers 111 (OT) (Blog a Bull recap |Liberty Ballers recap)

Grizzlies 103, Pistons 101 (Grizzly Bear Blues recap |Detroit Bad Boys recap)

Kings 103, Jazz 101 (Sactown Royalty recap |SLC Dunk recap)

Warriors 116, Lakers 98 (Golden State of Mind recap |Silver Screen & Roll recap)

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/2016/1/15/10773198/2016-nba-scores-spurs-win-cavaliers-kawhi-leonard-machine-san-antonio

Twitter responds to Alan Rickman, David Bowie and Lemmy Kilmister"s deaths

10 Unforgettable Lemmy Kilmister Moments

Defiantly giving a middle finger salute, this poignant photo of three British icons has tugged at the heart strings of fans after being mocked up as a message to cancer following Alan Rickman"s death.

It features the Harry Potter and Robin Hood actor alongside glam rock legend David Bowie and rock star LemmyKilmister - all of whom have passed away from cancer within the space of just 18 days.

The image has so far been shared more than 10,000 times following the announcement of Golden Globe winner Rickman"s death earlier today.

Defiant: Offering a one-finger salute, this poignant photo of British icons Lemmy Kilmister, David Bowie and Alan Rickman has tugged at the heart strings of fans after being mocked up as a message to cancer

It sparked a flurry of responses from fans, many of whom posted their own defiant messages on Twitter

His secret battle with the disease was revealed just days after it emerged Bowie had kept his own liver cancer fight private before passing away on Sunday.

A picture of Rickman sticking his middle finger up on the set of 1999 film Dogma was posted alongside similar ones of Bowie and Motrhead frontman Lemmy, who died 48 hours after being told he had an aggressive form of cancer.

The heavy metal icon had celebrated his 70th birthday just four days earlier.

The image was tweeted by the music website Gigwise.

It sparked a flurry of responses from fans, many of whom posted their own defiant messages.

One, using the Twitter @rocky-styles, posted: "f*** cancer", while Jessica Humphreys wrote: "Brilliant. Heart, broken."

Another user tweeted: "It"s ridiculous find a cure."

In the wake of the deaths of both Alan Rickman and David Bowie this week, cancer charities have said that as people live longer, deaths from the disease will rise.

It features Harry Potter actor Alan Rickman (left) alongside glam rock legend David Bowie (right) and rock star Lemmy Kilmister - all of whom have passed away from cancer within the space of three weeks

Motrhead frontman Lemmy (pictured) died last month after being told he had an aggressive form of cancer

John Newlands, senior Macmillan cancer information nurse said: "We"re very sad to hear the news about Alan Rickman and David Bowie. Our thoughts are with their family and friends.

"Sadly the number of people with cancer in the UK is growing rapidly and half of us will face a cancer diagnosis at some point in our lives.

"But the reality is also that more people than ever before are living much longer with cancer.

"It has never been more important that everyone gets the emotional, practical, physical and financial support they need throughout their experience of cancer.

"Macmillan offers a range of support for anyone affected by cancer including through our website or free support line."

In the wake of the deaths of both Alan Rickman and David Bowie this week, cancer charities have said that as people live longer, deaths from the disease will rise. Cancer Research UK also tweeted their condolences

Cancer Research UK said that more than four in ten cancer cases could be prevented through a change in lifestyle.

Dr Claire Knight, Cancer Research UK"s health information manager, said: "An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with cancer, mainly because the disease is more common as we get older and we"re all living much longer than we used to.

"Around 160,900 people die from cancer each year in the UK, but the good news is that research, earlier diagnosis and better treatments have helped to double survival over the last 40 years.

"More than four in ten cases of cancer in the UK could be prevented largely through lifestyle changes.

"Not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, enjoying a healthy balanced diet and cutting back on alcohol can all help lower the risk of developing cancer - they"re not a guarantee you won"t develop cancer, but they help stack the odds in your favour."

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3399661/Giving-cancer-finger-Internet-responds-three-iconic-British-stars-die-cancer-just-18-days.html

Thursday, January 14, 2016

49ers pick up Chip Kelly as head coach

Chip Kelly is the new head coach of the San Francisco 49ers - "The Herd"
RENO, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) -- The 49ers have reportedly hired Chip Kelly as their head coach, according to a tweet and statement sent out by the Bay Area franchise Thursday morning.

Kelly will become the 20th head coach in franchise history and carries with him 26 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience, 49ers representatives said.

Here"s a snapshot of Kelly"s career:

Offensive Coordinator at the University of New Hampshire (1999-2006)
Offensive Coordinator (2007-08),Head Coach(2009-12)at the University of Oregon
Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-2015)

The Eagles released Kelly as head coach in late December of last year.

Stay with News 4 for more developments.

Source: http://www.mynews4.com/mostpopular/story/49ers-pick-up-Chip-Kelly-as-head-coach/hvgJy10IO0aJfmV1De3LLg.cspx

Alan Rickman revealed he married childhood sweetheart Rima Horton in secret ...

Alan Rickman & wife Rima Horton

ALAN Rickman revealed hemarried his partner of 50 years Rima Horton shortly before his death.

It was announced today that the Harry Potter actor has tragically lost his battle with cancer.

Alan Rickman and long-term partner Rima Horton [Getty]

A family statement read: "The actor and director Alan Rickman has died from cancer at the age of 69. He was surrounded by family and friends."

The much-loved actor revealed he"d wed his long-term partner in a secret private ceremony last year, 50 years after they first started dating.

Related article: Alan Rickman dies aged 69

Related article: Alan Rickman marries girlfriend of 50 years!

In an interview with Bild, last year, the Snape actor said: "We are married. Just recently. It was great, because no one was there. After the wedding in New York we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and ate lunch."

He jokinglytold the mag he bought his wife a $200 dollar ring "that she never wears."

The couple were last pictured in August at Goodwood Festival [Getty]

The couple met in 1965 when Rickman was 19 and Rima was 18.

They lived together from 1977 until his untimely death.

Rima served as a Labour Party councillor from 1986-2006 and worked as an economics lecturer at Kingston University.

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Source: http://www.ok.co.uk/feature/alan-rickman-dead-actor-married-childhood-sweetheart-50-years-rima-horton-last-year

Jakarta Attacks: At Least 4 Dead in Gun and Bomb Attacks in Indonesian Capital

Video Detik-Detik Ledakan Bom Di Pos Polisi Sarinah Jakarta

Body bags cover victims outside a traffic police outpost as officers secure the area after a series of explosions hit central Jakarta on January 14, 2016. (Credit: Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images)

Jakarta Attacks: At Least 4 Dead in Gun and Bomb Attacks in IndonesianCapital

Body bags cover victims outside a traffic police outpost as officers secure the area after a series of explosions hit central Jakarta on January 14, 2016. (Credit: Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images)

At least four people, including a policeman, are dead after militants carried out a series of apparently coordinated gun and bomb attacks in the heart of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

Authorities fear the toll will rise.

There have so far been no claims of responsibility, but one analyst likened the timed attacks to the Paris massacre where ISIS struck several locations at the same time.

The attack is the first major one in Jakarta since the 2009 simultaneous attacks on the J.W. Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels, which killed seven.

With the operation to contain the attackers still going on, several things were unclear: Exactly how many gunmen were involved, and how many locations they struck.

Embassy advisory

The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta asked Americans to stay away from the area, saying the situation continues to unfold.

One of the targets of the Thursday attacks was a police station, next to a busy shopping center, the Sarinah Thamrin Plaza.

Gunmen used grenades and engaged in a firefight with officers, Indonesian National Police spokesman Anton Charliyan said.

The dead comprised of an officer and three civilians, police said.

A Starbucks coffee shop in the nearby Skyline Building appeared to have been another target. The windows of the cafe had been blown out.

Amateur video, posted on Twitter, appears to have caught one of the explosions outside the shop.

Ongoing situation

Police poured into the Skyline Building, looking for other gunmen.

You couldnt get much more central in Jakarta if you tried. Its basically right smack dab in the central business area, said Jeremy Douglas, who works in the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, located in the area.

If you wanted to make an impact, and get visibility for what youre trying to do, this is the place to do it.

Christian Hubel, a witness, told CNN he and his colleagues heard five or six explosions in succession. Their office building was locked down.

It looks like the whole street, the whole location is still locked down. Nobodys moving to the scene, he said. A lot of police, rescue cars are parked there. But nobodys moving, so it seems as if its still going on.

Echoes of Paris

CNN security analyst Bob Baer, said the attack bears the signature of ISIS.

It sounds like the Paris attack to me, Baer said. A lot of these fighters are getting combat experience in Iraq and Syria, many of whom have experience handling and detonating explosives, he said.

Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world but it has a secular government. That has made it a ripe target for extremists. And ISIS high-profile extremism has gained it a small following there.

The biggest worry is Indonesians fighting in Syria and Iraq will return home with the training and combat experience

In recent weeks, police have been on high alert, while military operations focus on hitting the East Indonesian Mujahadeen, which has pledged support for ISIS.

On Thursday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the nation will remain unbowed after the attacks.

We should not be afraid and defeated by acts of terror like this, he said.

Source: http://ktla.com/2016/01/13/jakarta-attacks-at-least-4-dead-in-gun-and-bomb-attacks-in-indonesian-capital/

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Ratings: "Pretty Little Liars" Strong, "Shadowhunters" Premiere Solid in ...

Shadowhunters - 7 Minute Sneak Peak

ABC Family officially transitioned to Freeform on Tuesday night with continued strong ratings for the winter premiere of Pretty Little Liars and a promising start for new drama Shadowhunters, which seemed to benefit from facing the wall-to-wall coverage of the State of the Union on the broadcast networks in much of the country.

The network will release live plus-3 estimates next week, but in same-night Nielsen estimates, Pretty Little Liars opened things for Freeform as the nights No. 1 cable program in adults 18-49 (1.06 rating), up a bit from last years midseason premiere (0.95). Its 2.25 million total viewers was also up vs. last year (2.01 million). The show, which fast-forwarded its storyline by five years, had finished last summers season especially strong, hitting a nearly two-year high in 18-49 (1.39) and a 19-month high in total viewers (3.12 million).

Liars stood as Tuesdays No. 1 telecast in adults 18-34 (963,000/1.4 rating), women 18-34 (758,000/2.2 rating), viewers 12-34 (1.45 million/1.6 rating) and females 12-34 (1.20 million/2.6 rating).

See More:Pretty Little Liars Premiere: Clues on Uber A, Whos Dead in Season 6B

It was followed by the debut of Shadowhunters (0.76 rating in 18-49, 1.82 million viewers overall), which retained a good 72% of its Liars lead-in among adults 18-49. The fantasy drama about a human-angel hybrid who hunts demos also out-rated other recent premieres behind Pretty Little Liars including Stitchers last June (0.53 in 18-49, 1.28 million) and Twisted in 2013 (0.52 in 18-49, 1.60 million).

Shadowhunters (pictured) didnt hold as much of Pretty Little Liars in the 18-34 age group (55%, 0.78 vs. 1.41), but its rating in the demo makes it the No. 4-rated scripted cable launch of the past 12 months behind only AMCs Fear the Walking Dead, Better Call Saul and Into the Badlands.

It also brought more men and older adults to the network. In fact, Shadowhunters actually built on its veteran Liars lead-in among men 25-54 (0.54 vs. 0.49).

See More:Shadowhunters Star Katherine McNamara Talks Edgier, Darker Freeform Series

ABC Family opted for the name change to cultivate a fresh, hipper brand, network president Tom Ascheim told reportersat this months TCA tour stop in Pasadena.

The social media-savvy network celebrated its transition with a daylong virtual event and partnerships including a Social DNA Project with Twitter; a live stream of events via Periscope; a Vine booth; a BuzzFeed Facebook Live chat and a custom Pretty Little Liars Facebook icon; Instagram content and talent takeovers; and a Pretty Little Liars Snapchat filter.

Freeform was the most talked about TV network across social media Tuesday, garnering more than one-quarter on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google + and Tumbler (26.9%) and delivering. It also delivered the top two most-social entertainment series across Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter with Pretty Little Liars (5.8 million engagements) and Shadowhunters (1.1 million engagements).

Source: http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/pretty-little-liars-shadowhunters-premiere-freeform-1201679238/

Will ABC Family Cancel Nicki Minaj Show After Profane Twitter Beef with Teen Mom?

Shadowhunters Sneak Peek 1 | Coming 2016 to ABC Family

Nicki Minaj has never been big on apologies but she might have to get one ready if she wants to keep her new TV show.

Last year ABC Family announced they had greenlit a new comedy series based on Nickis life. The untitled project, which Nicki will executive produce and appear in, focuseson her life growing up in Queens after immigrating from Trinidad andher rise to stardom.

But will ABC executives have a problem with Nickis latest controversy?

The foul-mouth feud started over the weekend when apparently Nicki was watching a Teen Mom marathon and then took to her social media platform to share her thoughts.

Was using the C word really necessary, Nicki?

Well, Farrah didnt think so and she fired back quickly

Farrah went for the knockout punch by retweeting a post discussingNickis own family drama.

Ouch

And if that werent enough Farrah then posted a video of her young daughter calling Nicki a total loser!

Getting into a Twitter disagreementis par for the course for celebs these days but this back-and-forth between Nicki and Farrah clearly crossed some lines.

Stay tuned to see if the family-oriented network wants to continue with Nickis series.