Cavs' Lue wants aggressive start from LeBron

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue implored LeBron James to start Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers more aggressively Wednesday and hinted at lineup changes.

In Cleveland’s 98-80 Game 1 loss on Sunday, James did not attempt a shot until there was 1:52 remaining in the first quarter, at which point the Cavs already trailed 25-8.

“He has to be aggressive and set the tone early,” Lue said Monday. “We talked about that today … being aggressive early, setting the tone, especially for these new guys, bringing these guys along. He understood that, but once again, he’s always a guy trying to get his teammates off early, get them guys going, then try to feel the game out. But be ready to set a tone.”

James explained Sunday that he was, in essence, taking what the defense was giving him.

“That’s just how the game was being played,” James said after totaling 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in 44 minutes. “Guys had great looks and they just didn’t go down. … There was two on the ball at times. I was assisting and guys just couldn’t make shots to start the game, so it was just how the game was going on.”

Lue said James was in good spirits after their talk Monday.

“He felt good,” Lue said. “His body felt good. I know he played 40-some minutes, but he said his body felt good. He’s in a good place. (James) just said, ‘We got to be more aggressive offensively, me being aggressive.’ That’s about it.”

Beyond James’ part in turning things around for the Cavs in Game 2, Lue was asked if he was contemplating changing up his lineup.

“We’re looking at it but I’m not going to talk about it,” Lue said.

Lue might have showed his hand when asked about how the remaining role players from Cleveland’s 2016 championship team — JR Smith and Tristan Thompson — can help.

“We’ve been talking about it as a staff,” Lue said. “I just know those guys have been through everything with us the last four years and we won a championship, went to three Finals. Tristan and JR played a big part of that. We understand that and trust me, we know that.”

Lue’s lineup adjustments could be born out of necessity as much as schematic invention. George Hill, who was cracked in the back by a Trevor Booker screen on Sunday, was still feeling the effects Monday.

“Stiff. Stiff. Couldn’t do a lot today,” Lue said. “Getting a lot of treatment and see how he feels going forward.”

Kyle Korver, who was already on a minutes restriction heading into Game 1 because of a sore right foot, missed Monday’s film session and walk-through because of an illness, the team said. Korver played just four minutes in the series opener, going 0-for-3 from the field.

Of course, as much as the Cavs may have been done in by inefficient lineups on Sunday, the fact of the matter is they shot just 38.5 percent overall as a team (including a 23.5 percent mark from beyond the arc) and 60 percent from the free throw line.

Jeff Green, the biggest culprit after shooting 0-for-7, acknowledged his role in the loss.

“Just missed shots,” Green said. “Just chose the wrong game to miss shots. That’s about it.”

There was also the issue of shot distribution in Game 1. Kevin Love went just 3-for-8 from the field.

“It’s not enough,” Lue said, adding that he had addressed Love on Monday. “He had small guys on him and he’s floating out to 3. He’s got to demand the ball in the post. He said he has to be more aggressive. They’re trying to be physical with him on his post-ups, but he’s seeing that a lot of times before. We’ve got to do a better job of getting into him because they’re playing a hard three quarters, so our guards got to be able to deliver the ball on target and he has to be aggressive when he gets it.”

Overall, Lue said that the film session didn’t make Game 1 seem like such a nightmare.

“We just got to do a better job offensively scoring the basketball and taking care of the basketball,” Lue said. “We can’t give up 21 points in transition. That’s where they thrive. If we can take those little easy points away, I think we’ll be fine.”

Or, as Rodney Hood put it: “We’ll play a lot better, I know. We can’t play any worse than we did.”

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Cavs' Lue wants aggressive start from LeBron
Cavs' Lue wants aggressive start from LeBron
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Kendrick Lamar Wins Pulitzer Prize for 'DAMN'

Kendrick LamarWins PulitzerDAMN, This is Awesome!!!

4/16/2018 1:25 PM PDT

Breaking News

Kendrick Lamar might find it harder to be humble — his “DAMN” album just won a prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

The Pulitzer committee made the unprecedented announcement Monday … hailing Kendrick’s album as “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”

Translation: That s**t is dope.

With the win, Kendrick becomes the first non-classical or jazz artist to win a Pulitzer since they started awarding them for music in 1943.

A lot of people feel Kendrick was snubbed at the Grammys for Album of the Year (Bruno Mars took that statue), but with the Pulitzer peeps … game recognize game!

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Kendrick Lamar Wins Pulitzer Prize for 'DAMN'
Kendrick Lamar Wins Pulitzer Prize for 'DAMN'
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Source: TMZ

Hole in roof puts Royals-Jays game at risk

The Toronto Blue Jays‘ home game Monday against the Kansas City Royals is in danger of being postponed because of a hole in the Rogers Centre roof created by falling ice from the nearby CN Tower.

The Blue Jays announced that they are working with Toronto police and the CN Tower to evaluate the “viability of playing tonight’s game.”

Multiple reporters have posted photos on social media of the hole, which has caused leaking onto Rogers Centre’s turf field.

Police say they blocked off the area directly under the CN Tower and the stadium. “Relatively large” blocks of ice have been tumbling onto the streets and sidewalks. Authorities say no injuries have been reported.

A weekend ice storm resulted in power outages, canceled flights and car crashes. More than 120,000 customers across much of Ontario remained without power.

If the hole in the roof forces a postponement, it would be the third straight for the Blue Jays, who also had games against the Indians postponed Saturday and Sunday because of inclement weather in Cleveland.

Six games were postponed Sunday across Major League Baseball and two more (Orioles-Red Sox, Cardinals-Cubs) were postponed Monday, bringing the season total to 23.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Hole in roof puts Royals-Jays game at risk
Hole in roof puts Royals-Jays game at risk
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Khloe Kardashian Names New Baby Girl True Thompson

Khloe KardashianBaby Girl’s Name RevealedWelcome, True Thompson

4/16/2018 12:20 PM PDT

Breaking News

Khloe Kardashian is following in her sisters’ footsteps when it comes to unconventional baby names … the name of her baby girl is True Thompson.

“Our little girl, True Thompson, has completely stolen our hearts and we are overwhelmed with LOVE,” Khloe wrote.

“Such a blessing to welcome this angel into the family! Mommy and Daddy loooooove you True!”

It’s interesting she used Thompson as the baby’s last name — which she didn’t have to do. Also, the fact she says “our” in the post makes it seem like she’s still in a relationship with Tristan … despite all the cheating.

Our Kardashian sources say the name runs in the family. We’re told True was the name of Kris’ grandfather, Khloe’s great grandfather.

It’s Khloe and Tristan Thompson‘s first kid together. Tristan has a son from a previous relationship.

TMZ broke the story … Khloe gave birth early Thursday morning — around 4 AM EDT — at a hospital outside Cleveland. Kourtney, Kim, Kris and Khloe’s BFF Malika were by her side during the birth. Tristan was also there. 

The lead-up to Khloe giving birth has been rocky, to say the least. As we first reported … Tristan cheated on Khloe back in October when she was only 3 months pregnant. He was caught on video making out and motorboating 2 women at a hookah lounge outside of D.C.

And just last week … Tristan was seen taking a woman back to his NYC hotel. 

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Khloe Kardashian Names New Baby Girl True Thompson
Khloe Kardashian Names New Baby Girl True Thompson
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Source: TMZ

Linden, Kawauchi win Boston Marathon

BOSTON — Desiree Linden splashed her way through icy rain and a near-gale headwind to a Boston Marathon victory on Monday, the first American woman to win the race since 1985.

The two-time Olympian and 2011 Boston runner-up pulled away at the end of Heartbreak Hill to finish in 2 hours, 39 minutes, 54 seconds. That was more than four minutes better than second-place finisher Sarah Sellers, one of seven Americans in the top 10, but the slowest time for a women’s winner since 1978.

“It’s supposed to be hard,” said Linden, who wiped the spray of rain from her eyes as she made her way down Boylston Street alone. “It’s good to get it done.”

Yuki Kawauchi passed defending champion Geoffrey Kirui in Kenmore Square to win the men’s race in an unofficial 2:15:58 and earn Japan’s first Boston Marathon title since 1987. Kirui slowed and stumbled across the Copley Square finish line 2:25 later, followed by Shadrack Biwott and three other U.S. men.

On the fifth anniversary of the finish line explosions that killed three and wounded hundreds more, Linden and Kawauchi led a field of 30,000 runners through a drenching rain, temperatures in the mid-30s and gusts of up to 32 mph on the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton.

“For me, it’s the best conditions possible,” Kawauchi said through an interpreter and with a wide smile.

In Copley Square, crowds thinned and muffled by the weather greeted Linden, the California native who lives in Michigan, with chants of “U-S-A!”

Lisa Larsen Weidenbach’s 1985 victory was the last for an American woman — before the race began offering prize money that lured the top international competitors to the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon. Linden nearly ended the drought in 2011 when she was outkicked down Boylston Street and finished second by 2 seconds.

Marcel Hug of Switzerland earned his fifth wheelchair victory, and American Tatyana McFadden won the women’s wheelchair race for the fifth time, pushing though puddles that sent the spray from their wheels into their eyes.

“It was just tough, it was so freezing,” Hug said through chattering teeth as a volunteer draped a second towel around his shoulders. “I’m just very glad that I made it.”

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Linden, Kawauchi win Boston Marathon
Linden, Kawauchi win Boston Marathon
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Source: ESPN SPORTS

Stormy Daniels Tells Judge Trump Has No Reason to Delay Lawsuit

Stormy Daniels Trump has No Reason to Delay Lawsuit

4/16/2018 10:01 AM PDT

EXCLUSIVE

Stormy Daniels has just filed legal docs responding to Donald Trump‘s request to put her lawsuit on ice.

Daniels’ lawyer, Michael Avenatti, says the case should go full steam ahead for 3 reasons.

  — He says neither Trump nor Michael Cohen have submitted declarations explaining why going to trial would be unfair to them.

  — Avenatti says Cohen, who has suggested his 5th Amendment rights might be compromised, has made a number of statements since the FBI raid, so he can’t be afraid of speaking out.

  — He says Trump is going after Stormy for $20 million, and it’s unfair to make her live in limbo under those circumstances. 

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Stormy Daniels Tells Judge Trump Has No Reason to Delay Lawsuit
Stormy Daniels Tells Judge Trump Has No Reason to Delay Lawsuit
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Source: TMZ