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Maybe you eat, sleep and breathe basketball.
Maybe you don’t.
Regardless, you should at the very least know the result of last night’s game and be able to make an educated comment or two about the 48 minutes that preceded hit. Thusly, we’re teaming up with Samsung on Courtside Commentary, a quick-and-dirty NBA Finals primer delivering you six nuggets of Naismith-ian knowledge throughout the series.
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Chalk up another blowout to the most lopsided playoffs in league history, as the Cavs took themselves off life support with a 120-90 victory last night. The Warriors’ big three combined for just 35 points while the home team rallied behind a 32-point, 11-rebound performance from LeBron James to avoid going down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Further reading:
Is something wrong with the Warriors?! No. They lost a game. They’re still really good at this.
Is something wrong with Steph Curry? Yes. The Cavs’ defensive game plan against him is working.
And for you econ buffs: Eight Key Moments in the League’s Quest for Global Domination
THIS IS THE FUTURE OF RETAIL
“A scene from TRON.” “The playground of the future.” “An experiential wonderland.” Those are but three of the phrases our NY editor once used to describe 837, a Meatpacking District experiment in retail hosted by our friends at Samsung. Inside: virtual reality roller coasters, a fully loaded recording studio, a sci-fi kitchen and a three story screen made of 96 55-inch screens. The kicker: nothing is for sale. Want to check it out for yourself? Head to 837 Washington Street.
MAD LIB: PJ HAIRSTON
Forward, Memphis Grizzlies
PHOTO BY MADDIE MEYER | GETTY IMAGES
Playing pro ball is awesome. I never thought it would be this fast paced. Sometimes when I play in Atlanta I like to visit Gladys Knight’s Chicken & Waffles because their chicken and waffles are delicious. When I’m on the road, the show I most like to binge watch is Law and Order SVU. My favorite character is Olivia Benson. She is crazy. If there’s one thing I can’t live without during the season, it is my phone and video games. Without it I’d be bored.
SUMMER SERIES KICKOFF
Last week, Samsung 837 shut down two New York City blocks to kick off their jam-packed Summer Series with a concert by Gwen Stefani and Diplo. Dubbed “A Galaxy of Possibility,” the performance showcased the release of the Samsung GearFit2 as well as the unbound potential of the space itself. Phantogram, Tegan & Sara and St. Lucia are all scheduled to appear later this summer; check out the full events program (and register to attend) at the official 837 site.
FROM THE TRAINING ROOM …
A legend on and off the court for his work with greats like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Tim Grover now runs Attack Athletics. He is author of the best-selling books Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable and Jump Attack: The Formula for Explosive Athletic Performance, Jumping Higher, and Training Like the Pros. Here’s his three-step formula for whipping your butt into pro-level shape (well, for attempting to, at least).
RELENTLESS FAT LOSS
“Good nutrition and weight control can be so simple; people make it complex with dramatic diets that have no chance to succeed. Make the transition slowly, in stages, gradually introducing changes you can live with. Identify one thing you can give up: soda, fries, chips, ice cream…whatever you can get rid of. After a week, get rid of something else. Find one thing you can improve on—late-night eating, skipping breakfast, drinking every night—and make that adjustment. Small changes lead to big results.”
RELENTLESS TRAINING
“I use these Bridge Walkouts as a warm-up for my athletes, to activate everything from the ankles to the hips. Lay on your back, knees bent. Feet on the floor, hip-width apart, with your heels on the floor, toes pointed up. Elevate your hips as high as possible. Glutes stay contracted. Arms at your sides. Use your heels to walk your feet away from you for six alternating steps (three on each side) until your legs are as straight as possible but your butt doesn’t touch the floor. Pause and walk back to the start position, using the same six alternating steps. Repeat three times.”
RELENTLESS MINDSET
“It’s time to stop listening to what everyone else says about you, telling you what to do, how to act, how to feel. Let them judge you by your results; it’s none of their business how you get where you’re going. Mental toughness means there’s no halfway, no could or should or maybe. Decide. Commit. Act. Succeed. Repeat.”
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A Visual Compendium of Sneaker by Pop Chart Lab
A full-color, 24” x 36” print documenting the 100-year history of the sneaker, from the humble Chuck Taylor to the birth of Air Jordan to Steph Curry’s 2015 “MVP” edition by Under Armour.
