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gibsonsflowofthoughts · 7 years ago

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The Spurs reportedly are ready to trade Kawhi Leonard. Now what?

The San Antonio Spurs hoped they’d be able to keep the best player the franchise has had since Tim Duncan’s prime, but according to The New York Times’ Marc Stein, the franchise is ready to move on from Kawhi Leonard, who has expressed his desire to play elsewhere next season, specifically his hometown Los Angeles Lakers.

Leonard played in only nine games last season while skepticism over his health status after a nagging quadriceps injury led him to seek independent doctors in New York. While away from the team, his relationship with San Antonio management fractured. And even though Leonard reportedly had a sit-down meeting with Spurs’ officials, including head coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford, it appears the franchise is no longer willing to sit idly while their superstar forward publicly expresses he wants to go somewhere else.

The Spurs still made the playoffs without Leonard last season, but he’s an all-world talent who, when healthy, is the best two-way player in all of basketball. He is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year who also averaged 25.5 points per game on efficient shooting percentages two seasons ago. After all, it was the Spurs who led the Warriors by 20 in the opening game of the 2017 Western Conference Finals, only to blow that lead and subsequently get swept after Leonard’s injury on Zaza Pachulia’s foot.

But he and the Spurs haven’t appeared to reach common ground since he left the team in the middle of the season to find a new group of doctors to examine his injury. And if his future in San Antonio is over, his options are outside of his control ... at least for now.

Leonard still has one year left on his contract

He could opt out and become an unrestricted free agent, but the biggest draw to staying with the Spurs is the financial impact. If he stays in San Antonio, Leonard can sign a five-year supermax contract worth $219 million, the final year of which would pay him an obscene $49.9 million. The most he can get anywhere else is four years worth $139 million.

That’s almost $80 million he’s appearing to leave on the table by leaving San Antonio this summer, but the belief is he wants to play in a big market where he can make that money up tenfold through endorsement opportunities off the court. The Spurs could sign him to the supermax, then trade him to another team, and according to USA Today’s Sam Amick, they weren’t interested in trading the star forward to a Western Conference team at first.

But now it appears the options have been cut down to two

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Spurs are engaging with the Celtics and the Lakers. The Celtics can offer any number of their stockpile of attractive assets or players, including Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, possibly even Kyrie Irving, as well as their future draft picks, which could include any one of the 76ers’, Clippers’, Grizzlies’, Kings’, and/or Boston’s own 2019 first-round pick.

The Spurs are fully engaged in trade talks with several teams on Kawhi Leonard, including the Lakers and Celtics, league sources tell ESPN. Boston has long had the assets that the Spurs most covet in a potential Leonard trade.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2018

The Lakers’ offer wouldn’t include as many potential lottery picks, but their attractive young players include budding star Brandon Ingram, young point guard Lonzo Ball, breakout three-and-D wing Kyle Kuzma, rookie stretch four Mo Wagner, shooting guard Josh Hart, and their own future first-round picks.

But the question in any Leonard deal is whether a team can convince him to stay despite his public desire to play in Los Angeles.

A Leonard trade for the right package can give San Antonio the young players and draft assets it needs for a head start into its rebuild. It could be the first domino that sends LeBron James and maybe even Paul George to the Lakers to form a legitimate Big 3. It could also be the trade the solidifies the Boston Celtics as Eastern Conference juggernauts for the next five years.

Dope article from sbnation.com

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emergingkarachi · 12 years ago

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Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi

Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, is situated on Shahrah-e-Iraq, formerly known as Clarke Street, located near the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan.

The first church in Sindh (except for possibly one in Thatta) was initially built on the grounds of this cathedral in 1845, and was called St. Patrick’s Church. It was in April 1881 that the present cathedral was opened, since the Christian community grew in number, and the need for a larger place of worship became apparent. Despite the construction of the new building, the little church continued to function until it was destroyed by a storm in 1885.

The present-day cathedral is built in Gothic Revival architecture; it measures 52 metres by 22 metres, and has the capacity to accommodate at least 1,500 worshippers at the same time. It was designed and realized by three members of the Society of Jesus: The design of the cathedral was conceived by the architect Father Karl Wagner, SJ and the construction was supervised by the lay Brothers George Kluver, SJ and Herman Lau, SJ.[1][2][3]

The Gazetteer of the Province of Sindh provides a description of the cathedral:

"Its exterior is not ornamental, though striking from a distance, but money and art have been lavished on the interior. The chancel, itself spacious, acquires a special impressiveness but its additional height, while the noble contours of the aspiring altar are seen to the best advantage. The whole interior is painted in oil and the windows are all of stained glass, the members of the congregation."

In 1978 the cathedral celebrated its centenary. The Pakistan Post Office issued special commorative stamps on the occasion. Pope John Paul I sent special greetings and blessings on the occasion.

In November 1991 the cathedral was visited by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro of Karachi also spoke on the occasion.[4]

A bomb exploded inside the Cathedral causing an injury and destruction. The explosion on December 22, 1998, occurred minutes after the congregation celebrated Mass. Most people had departed when the bomb went off. One woman was wounded and there was partial damage to the interior of the 120-year-old Cathedral.[5]

The cathedral's grounds are adorned with a marble Monument to Christ the King, which was constructed in 1931 to commemorate the memory of the Jesuit Mission in Sindh. The Parish Priest in 1999 was Father Edward Joseph.

In 2003, the cathedral was declared as a protected monument because of its outstanding architectural beauty under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act. The Parish Priest at the time was Fr. Joseph D’Mello.[6]

The Cathedral, with a seating capacity of 2,000, used to be the biggest Catholic church in the country. On 9 November 2011 the apostolic nuncio to Pakistan Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra blessed St. Peter’s Church, Karachi, now the largest Catholic church in Pakistan. It can seat 5,000 people.[7]

In the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the Cathedral had a polyphonic choir of about thirty members; The members were: Sopranos: Jessie Fernandez Olive D'Costa Mary D'Silva Hilda Freitas Winnie Lobo Carol Lobo

Altos: Essie Menezes Emma Correa Nita Dias Maureen Rodrigues

Bases: Eustach Caldera Sonoo D'Abreo Austen Frietas Isaac Noronha R.C Fernandes

Tenors: Vincent D'Abreo Vincent Lobo Glenn D'Abreo Hector Lewis Joseph Moniz

The choir was conducted at first in the 20s and 30s by Carlos Fernandes, who was replaced by C.M. Lobo until the early 70s when he was replaced by his nephew Vincent Lobo. The organists for the choir had been C.M. Lobo before he took over the position of director and then Leo DeSousa who was followed by Fr. Ronnie Colaco until the choir folded in May 1974. It was never replaced by a polyphonic choral group of its previous capability.

#Sindh #Pakistan #Mother Teresa #Monument to Christ the King #Karachi #Gothic Revival architecture #Empress Market #Cathedral

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shervonfakhimi · 6 years ago

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The Merciful End of the Lakers’ Coaching Search

Thank the heavens the Lakers’ coaching search finally ended. It ended on Saturday, settling on former Indiana Pacer and Orlando Magic head coach Frank Vogel, but not until after one candidate took the Phoenix Suns job (Monty Williams), another candidate said thanks but no thanks (Tyronn Lue) and a hilarious protest broke out in front of Staples Center. And this laughable search has not even arguably been the most incompetent of the Lakers’ offseason, with Magic Johnson dropping a bomb before anybody in the organization knew that he was resigning. Can Frank Vogel fix this?

Let’s start basketball wise before we get to the dysfunction around him. Frank Vogel has a stout defensive reputation, with his Indiana Pacers ranking 10th, 1st, 1st, 8th and 3rd in the top 10 in defensive efficiency during his time in Indianapolis, per NBA.com. Offensively, on the other hand, was a little more hard to find, as his Pacer teams in the bottom third of the league for the majority of his tenure as well. Things didn’t go as well in his Orlando tenure either. Granted, Vogel dealt with numerous games missed due to injuries from his primary players, but they ranked 24th and 25th in offensive efficiency during his Orlando stint. Most notably, however, Orlando finished 24th and 20th in defensive efficiency during his tenure there. With the way the 3 point shot turned former Pacer all star big man Roy Hibbert extinct and Vogel’s inability to adjust in Orlando, that renders questions as to whether or not Vogel’s scheme can mesh in today’s changed NBA climate. Certainly with time off, he can look inward and find his weaknesses and adjust. But when Indiana assistant/defensive coordinator Dan Burke could not follow Vogel to Orlando, where Vogel’s defense slipped while Indiana’s defense still remained near the top of the league, questions arise whether he can maintain that type of stellar defense elsewhere. Especially when Orlando’s defensive efficiency rose to the top 10 of the league (8th) under new coach Steve Clifford and Vogel will not be able to pick his own staff….

Which gets us right to the incompetence and clown show the Lakers front office has become. They have hired Jason Kidd to be a top assistant to Vogel on his staff. This looks to be a gross oversight when you consider how staunchly Milwaukee has improved this season as opposed to during Kidd’s tenure as the Bucks head coach, how Kidd’s previous two stints as a head coach ended with on the losing end of a power struggle trying to strangle more power under his control, the LeBron James dynamic and how much the organization seems to have wanted him. The Lakers tried to force Jason Kidd onto Tyronn Lue’s staff when those negotiations were going, which was reported that Lue wouldn’t mind having Kidd on his staff. But it does seem odd that the Lakers basically handpicked Kidd as the man for *a* job…. but not *the* job. Surely he will help in regards to developing the Lakers’ young players (an area where plenty of current Milwaukee Bucks credit him) and being the one to hold LeBron James accountable and garner the trust of him and the other players (something former Magic players felt Vogel could improve upon). That sounds great and all, but, when you consider Kidd’s past and the past regarding LeBron-led teams with coaches that don’t have the buy-in from both him and the front office (Erik Spoelstra vs David Blatt and Luke Walton), it is very hard to look at this dynamic and not think that Jason Kidd won’t somehow find a path to usurping Vogel as the lead voice in the locker room. So if that happens, then why exactly was Vogel hired to be the head coach in the first place?

Which then leads us to the front office. Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka, the Rambii and everyone else involved in the organization have botched the coaching search from the jump. Monty Williams was in the running among those who initially got interviewed, along with Tyronn Lue, Juwan Howard and Jason Kidd (who initially got interviewed as a favor for his agent, who just so happens to represent current Laker Brandon Ingram). Except it was reported Monty Williams never got an offer and knew that it was more likely the Lakers would pursue Lue, so he took the 5 years in Phoenix. So that led the Lakers to Lue, right? There was no way they could mess that up, right? (*this is where the narrator interjects with a soft but firm ‘wrong!’) The Lakers thought they had the leverage over Lue, seeing that Lue had no other offers, therefore trying to force Lue to accept their head coaching job on their terms. Their terms indicating that he only coach for 3 years around six million dollars per year, nowhere near that of a championship coach. But where they thought they had leverage on Lue, Tyronn Lue had leverage over them. He is still being paid by the Cleveland for two more years. He didn’t have to accept a job he didn’t want to take, and the terms and conditions the Lakers offered him. Optically, it didn’t look very favorable either that not only did they make him look to be ‘the guy that can coach LeBron,’ but also that they waited until Monty Williams took the Phoenix Job, making it seem like they ‘settled’ on Lue with no other options rather than actively seek Lue out and allow him to dictate his own terms. So he turned it down, and good for him.

This adds even more layers of questions to the Lakers front office. Why take on Frank Vogel? In part because he got the seal of approval of Kurt Rambis and Phil Jackson, who nearly hired Vogel during his tenure running the New York Knicks (because that went extremely well!). The same self-inflicted issues gnawing at the Lakers for years are continuing to rear its ugly head; their insistence on running to the past to seek counsel for the future has left the present in clear danger. Instead of seeking out the best at setting a culture and running a franchise (Bob Myers, Masai Ujiri, Daryl Morey, Sean Marks, R.C. Buford, etc.) or looking to those with front office experience but haven’t had their shot to run their show (Trajan Langdon, Michael Winger, Troy Weaver, newly minted Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gerssan Rosas, etc.), the Lakers have settled on the idea of a former habitual line stepping agent who has run afoul of players, agents and front office personnel (the exact kind of people he needs to build sustainable relationships with!) and former Lakers who either have exactly zero experience in NBA front offices or minimal and unspectacular stints doing so. Part of why Vogel couldn’t find his footing in Orlando was the jumbled personnel his front office gave him. After the Lakers failed so spectacularly this summer and seemingly everybody still in tact outside of Magic Johnson so he can tweet gems like this again (though who am I to talk about tweeting), if Vogel couldn’t handle that, then how the heck can he handle this Laker job, especially if the Lakers don’t trade for Anthony Davis or acquire any type of secondary star to go to battle with LeBron James? The Lakers print money essentially, yet refuse to invest in it up top. They have every advantage imaginable over small market teams (location, a free agent destination, sustainable revenue), but penny pinch in the exact margin small market teams excel in.

This lack of direction in the present clouds the future as well. Throwing a laughable three year deal at Lue and then giving the same length of deal at Vogel indicates a lack of future plan. Sure, LeBron is under contract for only three more seasons (actually two plus a player option), but that doesn’t mean his impact can’t last farther than that. Instead of using LeBron as a bridge between winning now and building a sustainable culture that can last for far much longer, instead the Lakers looked for a coach seemingly just to ‘get through’ the LeBron years, as if he were a plague rather than arguably the greatest player in the world (which I still hold that he is, as awesome as Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Steph Curry, etc. are). Building a lasting culture is hard, that’s why so few have done it. But the Lakers had an opportunity to hire a top notch coach and give them the leeway to build that culture with LeBron and then build onto it after he is gone with the young core of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga and their 4th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Perhaps Frank Vogel really is the man for the job. Maybe they don’t even plan to do that at all. Maybe to max out LeBron’s last window means to trade the young core, whether it is Anthony Davis or not, an idea I absolutely shutter at given the incompetent moves this front office has made the last two years. Because at every step of the turn, it looks the Lakers have no idea what they’re doing.

The Lakers had an opportunity (again) to hit the reset button after Magic Johnson resigned. There was the chance to use their plentiful resources to hire the best of the best to run the basketball organization. There was the chance to hire the best of the best to coach the team after Luke Walton got thrown under the bus. They did neither (because who needs competence!). It may not matter; sign a star free agent or trade for Anthony Davis (or Bradley Beal!) and there’s no disputing the Lakers will be right up the top of the NBA’s contending bunch yet again. Who knows, it still is possible. James and Davis didn’t wreck their teams’ seasons because they *didn’t* want to play with each other. It may be hard to play with LeBron James (just look at Rodney Hood and George Hill flourishing in new environments after having their fair share of struggles in Cleveland), but he still is a draw. Unfortunately for them, even if that were to occur (which seems unlikely, as of now), even more questions will arise about this coaching decision/dynamic can handle that spotlight or if the front office can give the right support around them. Again, maybe Frank Vogel is the man to piece this all together. In a vacuum, he is an perhaps an unspectacular, but solid hire. Maybe Rob Pelinka is the one to supply LeBron with all the right pieces. Maybe Jason Kidd really can develop the young core. Maybe Jeanie Buss does know what she in fact is doing. Maybe all of this will work out and be maintained for the future. Frank Vogel deserves a fair and honest shot to prove he is the man to dispel all the incompetence around him, and I’m willing to give him the chance to prove it. I am very skeptical, however, that will be the case and that this scenario doesn’t blow up in everyone’s faces. Hopefully I am wrong. Because hope is all I got.

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piranot · 6 years ago

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Em Piracicaba, briga entre irmãos termina com um ferido e caso vai parar na Polícia Civil

Dois irmãos entraram em conflito na noite desta quinta-feira (14), em Piracicaba, após um deles, sob influência de drogas, discutir com a própria mãe. O caso aconteceu por volta das 22 horas, no bairro Vila Sônia, oeste do município.

Foto: Wagner Romano / PIRANOT.

De acordo com informações lavradas em Boletim de Ocorrência, policiais militares foram acionados à Vila Sônia para atender uma ocorrência de agressão entre familiares. Assim que os policiais chegaram no imóvel, constataram que R.C., de 38 anos, estava sob influência de drogas e, por conta disso, discutindo com a própria mãe. Ocorre que para dar um fim na discussão, V.C., de 41 anos, acabou agredindo o próprio irmão com um cabo de vassoura.

Ficou constatado que R.C. levou um golpe na cabeça, o que ocasionou numa lesão. Ele foi socorrido pelo SAMU (Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência) até a Santa Casa de Piracicaba, onde permaneceu internado sob observação.

A Polícia Civil esclarece ainda que “R.C. é usuário de drogas e quase sempre encontra-se alterado, sob efeito de substâncias psicomotoras”.

O Boletim de Ocorrência foi lavrado às 23h51 desta quinta-feira, na natureza de lesão corporal, conforme especifica o Artigo 129 do Código Penal Brasileiro.

QUALIFICAÇÃO PARA UM FUTURO MELHOR: conheça os 15 cursos profissionalizantes com inscrições abertas no CEPP (Centro de Educação Profissional de Piracicaba), da FUMEP, e se prepare para o mercado de trabalho. Clique aqui e saiba mais.

O post Em Piracicaba, briga entre irmãos termina com um ferido e caso vai parar na Polícia Civil apareceu primeiro em PIRANOT.

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buddyrabrahams · 7 years ago

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10 NBA teams that have improved the most this offseason

Fans and analysts knew this NBA offseason could be crazy, with a number of big-name players potentially changing uniforms — and the league hasn’t disappointed. So far, we’ve seen the unsurprising (LeBron signed with the Lakers), moderately surprising (Paul George is sticking with OKC), and downright stunning (DeMarcus Cousins is headed to the Bay Area).

But the above moves are just scratching the surface of all that’s happened. Other teams improved through the draft and through signing players who aren’t household names but should still make a big impact.

Which squads have made the biggest leap over their 2017-18 iterations? Here’s our take on the 10 teams that have improved the most so far this summer.

10. San Antonio Spurs

The biggest move of San Antonio’s offseason, of course, has not yet happened: the trade of Kawhi Leonard, which seems all but certain to occur. And even though they’ve lost Tony Parker and Kyle Anderson, the Spurs have still had a good summer to date. Marco Belinelli won a title with the Spurs in 2014, and they’re happy to have him back. He was a key piece on the Philadelphia team that at times looked unbeatable late in the season, and he’s one of the league’s best shooters. Snagging him at $6 million a year is a real value. R.C. Buford lucked out landing Lonnie Walker, a cold-blooded creator from Miami, at No. 18 in the draft – one of my favorite picks. He’s shown shades of Dwyane Wade.

9. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets haven’t made any big, splashy moves, but they’ve quietly improved. They made one of my favorite signings: Joe Harris for two years at $16 million. Harris simply gets the job done; he’s a reliable outside shooter, a decent creator, and a solid defender. Last season he averaged 10.8 points per game while hitting 41.9 percent of his outside shots. Furthermore, Brooklyn added veteran big Ed Davis at a perfectly reasonable price: one year for $4.4 million. Though the Nets didn’t have any high picks, they did well in the draft. They landed Dzanan Musa, a mature scorer, at No. 29. In the second round, they got a 6-foot-10 athletic wing in Rodions Kurucs, who may spend another year or two in Barcelona but should eventually blossom into an impact player in the NBA.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder didn’t change all that much, per se, but they are overjoyed to have Paul George back on a four-year max deal. Sam Presti knows OKC’s title window is now; he’s lost two stars before, and he didn’t want to lose another. Though George and Russell Westbrook are an impressive duo (and should play better together with time), the Thunder need another piece to compete with the Warriors, Rockets, Celtics, and Sixers. I like OKC’s addition of Nerlens Noel at two years and $3.5 million — that’s a no-to-low risk proposition for a guy with tons of upside. He could flourish when he’s only asked to do the small things. Though the hefty Jerami Grant signing (three years, $27 million) was head-scratching, OKC’s offseason has been a major net positive.

7. Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets landed my favorite pick in the 2018 draft: Michael Porter Jr. at No. 14. He could have gone as high as No. 2, but his medicals gave teams pause. If his back doesn’t turn out to be a debilitating injury, we could look back on this pick and say, What were those other teams thinking? Like OKC’s Noel signing: low risk, high upside. Additionally, Denver brought back the much-improved Will Barton for four years (at $54 million). Barton is quietly the most explosive bench player in the entire league. He’s shown the ability to carry Denver’s offense when its stars are sitting. With Barton, Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray in the fold, Denver should return to the postseason soon. Now, if only the Nuggets weren’t paying $29 million a year to Paul Millsap…

6. New Orleans Pelicans

It might seem strange that the Pelicans allowed DeMarcus Cousins to take off, but it’s understandable. New Orleans played well with Boogie in 2017-18, but better without him. Despite his talent, the Pelicans could afford to let him go. They replaced him with another former Kentucky Wildcats big: Julius Randle, much to Anthony Davis’ delight. Randle’s style of play complements Davis far better than Cousins’ did. The Pelicans’ two bigs should be able to do beautiful things with Randle running the fastbreak and banging inside and Davis doing, well, everything. I also like the Pelicans’ move to bring in Elfrid Payton for one year at $2.7 million. Payton’s career hasn’t gone as planned, but this is a nice short-term bet on a guy who could replace Rajon Rondo and will at worst provide spot minutes on a playoff team. With the pressure off, he should flourish.

5. Dallas Mavericks

At long last, DeAndre Jordan is a member of the Mavericks. The ultra reliable center signed a somewhat odd deal (one year, $24 million) — it seems Mark Cuban is sick of losing. Dallas also brought back serviceable big Salah Mejri (one year, $1.6 million). But the Mavs are really on this list because of their draft. Luka Doncic is a potential franchise cornerstone – a guy who will have a real shot at Rookie of the Year – and Jalen Brunson should stick around the league for a long time. With Doncic, Brunson, and Dennis Smith Jr., the Mavs have the most intriguing young backcourt in the NBA. After a miserable 2017-18 season, Dallas will be a fascinating “League Pass” team.

4. Indiana Pacers

The Pacers took the Cavs to the brink but couldn’t quite get it done. Nonetheless, given Victor Oladipo’s continued emergence and Myles Turner’s expected development, Indiana is a real threat to Boston, Toronto, and Philadelphia this season. Drafting Aaron Holiday No. 23 wasn’t my favorite move, but the Pacers made two free-agency additions I loved. Indiana locked up Tyreke Evans for one year at $12 million; Evans can carry the offense when Vic takes a seat with foul trouble, as he had to during the Cleveland series. Indiana also added Doug McDermott, who continues to improve on defense, for three years at $22 million. He’s another big shooter – you can never have enough of those.

3. Golden State Warriors

I’ve harped on low-risk, high-reward transactions throughout this piece, and Golden State’s signing of Cousins is the ultimate example of such a move. How could you argue with the Warriors replacing JaVale McGee with a four-time All-Star? Sure, Boogie is coming off of a devastating injury, but he can take his time returning; Golden State’s in no rush. Sure, there are concerns around the league about his locker-room presence – but if any team can fix that, it’s Golden State (see: McGee and Nick Young). Cousins is a monumental upgrade over McGee and Zaza Pachulia, and the possibilities with him on this team (at $5.3 million!) are dazzling. Quieter-but-also-positive moves: re-signing Kevon Looney at one year and $1.6 million, a deal far below his value, and snatching Iggy 2.0, Jacob Evans, No. 28 in the draft.

2. Phoenix Suns

We all expected the Suns to have a big offseason, and they haven’t disappointed. After adding coach Igor Kokoškov, Phoenix selected Deandre Ayton, the most dominant big man the college game has seen in some time, and made another good draft-night move by trading for Mikal Bridges. Bridges was Villanova’s best player (it’s true!) and should contribute immediately. Phoenix isn’t going all-in on rebuilding mode, however: the Suns ponied up for Trevor Ariza, giving him $15 million for one year. Phoenix has its own 2019 pick as well as Milwaukee’s first-rounder, but don’t be surprised if the Suns actually try to win this year. The Suns still need a point guard, but it isn’t outlandish to suggest this team could see a 10-15 win improvement this season.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

It’s the obvious choice, but the only logical one. The Lake Show had plenty of young talent, but won only 35 games last season. Adding LeBron vaulted L.A. instantly into title contention. Some of the team’s other signings – JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson, Rajon Rondo, and re-upping Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – were dubious, but LeBron reportedly signed off on the moves, and there’s no question L.A. should make a big leap this season. Moritz Wagner and Isaac Bonga are both projects but were solid picks as their position; I like Bonga in particular. We shouldn’t expect the Lakers to flourish immediately, but they’re already Vegas’ second favorite, behind the Warriors, to win it all. Credit to Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson for revamping the roster – but more changes are likely to come.

Aaron Mansfield is a freelance sports writer whose work has appeared in Complex, USA Today, and the New York Times. You can reach him via email at [email protected].

from Larry Brown Sports https://ift.tt/2KJpqSC

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protohype2017 · 8 years ago

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what measures time in us.

“ Confronted with the vast diversity of brain areas recruited by timing tasks, Lewis and Miall (2003a) proposed that time can be measured by at least two distinct systems. One, the ‘automatic’ system involves structures associated with motor control (e.g. cerebellum, striatum and supplementary motor cortex). The other, the ‘cognitively controlled’ system, draws flexibly upon the pluripotent prefrontal and parietal cortices. These systems are not mutually exclusive but form a continuum, with some timing tasks recruiting elements from both, while other timing tasks draw much more clearly on one or the other. “

“ It is now well established that sleep plays a role in memory consolidation . Subconscious processing that occurs while we slumber is believed to allow the re-coding of new memories in different brain structures, as well as the integration of these memories into existing knowledge. Both the mechanisms by which such consolidation occurs, and how it differs for different types of memory, remain controversial. Several theories have proposed that sleep facilitates the transfer of episodic information from hippocampal representations to the neocortex (Cheng et al., 2008, 2009; Takashima et al., 2009). Sleep has also been shown to facilitate the transfer of procedural representations from hippocampus into structures that are more associated with motor control “

“ The observation of increased activation in the striatum, cerebellum and supplementary motor area (all associated with the automatic system) during motor timing, and in the hippocampus (more associated with the cognitive system) after sleep would then be in line with the idea that the mnemonic representations in both neural systems may have been altered as they gradually settled into the hardware available, producing two separate specialized representations instead of the original more flexible single representation. In other words, we are suggesting that temporal memories may become more and more specialised to fit the neural structures by which they are coded when they consolidate across sleep. “

references to check in weekend:

Albouy, G., Sterpenich, V., Balteau, E. et al. (2008). Both the hippocampus and striatum are involved in consolidation of motor sequence memory. Neuron, 58, 261–272.Aparicio, P., Diedrichsen, J. & Ivry, R.B. (2005). Effects of focal basal ganglia lesions on timing and force control. Brain and Cognition, 58, 62–74.

Bueti, D. & Walsh, V. (2010). Memory for time distinguishes between perception and action. Perception, 39, 81–90.

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