Latest news with #Round1
USA Today
01-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How Paul George helped the Thunder and Pacers reach the 2025 NBA Finals
How Paul George helped the Thunder and Pacers reach the 2025 NBA Finals At this point in the playoffs, teams parade around celebrities as their pseudo-mascots. You see it all the time with Los Angeles and New York. Smaller markets like Oklahoma City and Indiana rely on former players to show up and give home crowds an extra shot of energy. As the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers prepare to square off in the 2025 NBA Finals, they could make like a pair of divorced parents and share that honor with Paul George. In Game 1, he could be courtside at OKC. Game 3, the same deal at Indiana. While not intentionally, the future Hall-of-Famer helped both franchises reach this point. No matter who wins the NBA Finals, a franchise will experience its first championship. The Thunder punched their first ticket back to the championship round since 2012. It was an even longer gap for the Pacers from their last visit in 2000. Both NBA franchises are forever linked because of one player — George. The multi-time All-Star is one of the defining players of the 2010s. He was a consistent 20-plus point scorer who was viewed as one of the best defenders on several title contenders. But his biggest contribution to a championship may be his trade value. Not his on-court production. Both the Thunder and Pacers have had several George trades that catapulted them to this space. A modern-day Herschel Walker, here's how George helped OKC and Indiana get to the NBA Finals: The original PG trade Before we dive into George's contributions, let's look back at when he was first traded. The Thunder and Pacers shocked the NBA world when George was traded to OKC in July 2017. After openly flirting with the Lakers, Indiana did what was best for itself. George was traded to the Thunder for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. That's it. Fresh off his MVP season and a Round 1 exit, Russell Westbrook was paired back up with a perennial All-Star forward. The move was needed as the Thunder had no other way to upgrade their roster and not waste the prime of one of the best players. Meanwhile, the Pacers went with two franchise cornerstones with room to grow over draft capital. Oladipo was fresh off a bad year but was rejuvenated in Indiana. He enjoyed his best seasons there with two All-Star bids before injuries cut his career short. Sabonis grew from a forgettable rookie to one of the best players. How PG helped the Thunder On a one-year rental, the Thunder went out of their comfort zone and took a massive gamble. George was only under contract for his first season. He was set to be a free agent after the 2017-18 campaign. OKC understood the risk of him walking away with nothing in hand and had full confidence that its culture would be enough to convince him to stay in his year. The bet paid off. George stayed in OKC on a four-year, $137 million deal. The Thunder celebrated the massive franchise moment with a party. It was a bit of redemption, as only two years had passed since Kevin Durant left them at the altar. George went on to have a career season in 2018-19. He averaged 28 points and 8.2 rebounds, which was enough to finish third in the MVP award. Despite his individual success, the Thunder had another Round 1 exit. With the highest payroll ever, OKC felt cornered on what it could do to improve its roster. In comes the Clippers. Needing George to convince Kawhi Leonard to sign, LA gave up a historic draft package that headlined a blockbuster deal. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari were also part of the deal. Let's just say that LA didn't get its bang for its buck. It only had one Western Conference Finals appearance in the Kawhi-PG era. Meanwhile, the Thunder went out like bandits. Gilgeous-Alexander blossomed into an MVP winner. The Clippers gifted Jalen Williams to OKC with their 2022 lottery pick. We're still waiting out the final details of the five-year-old trade as the Thunder could still own LA's 2026 first-round pick. Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams are the Thunder's two best players. They were All-Star teammates. Both were given to them by the Clippers in the modern-day Herschel Walker trade. OKC is now four wins away from running another victory lap around Intuit Dome. How PG helped the Pacers This one takes a couple of extra steps. There's no direct lineage between George and the Pacers' current run, but he was the first part of a two-part transaction sequence that has led Indiana back to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. While Oladipo was the immediate prize, Sabonis quietly developed in the background. He eventually usurped his teammate as Indiana's best player. Turns out, OKC trying to make him a stretch four probably wasn't his best developmental plan. Sabonis turned into an old-school, back-of-the-basket player. His first two All-Star bids were with the Pacers. He turned into a double-double machine that could facilitate in the post. He averaged 16.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists at Indiana. Really solid numbers that put him among the 30 best players. Shaking things up, the Pacers shocked the NBA world again. They traded Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton in a multi-player deal. It was a soft rebuild for Indiana as tanking is a foreign concept to the franchise. Haliburton was in his second season. He finished third in Rookie of the Year. He was viewed as one of the best young point guards in the league at the time, but De'Aaron Fox's presence made it an awkward backcourt fit. The Kings pivoted and made a deal to bolster their frontcourt. The trade was viewed as a win-win for a while until Haliburton slowly sprinted past Sabonis among the NBA's best players. The two-time All-Star has been the Pacers' franchise player for the last few years. He's been one of the best playmakers in that period. He's averaged 19.5 points and 10.1 assists in Indiana. Catching fire at the right time, Haliburton has headlined the Pacers' miracle run to the NBA Finals. Late-game heroics and a scorching-hot offense have helped Indiana return to basketball's biggest stage. They also enjoyed a little bit of luck along the way.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Magnus not retiring anytime soon; Indians pose growing challenge: Henrik Carlsen
Stavanger, Henrik Carlsen does not believe his son Magnus, the world No. 1, will retire anytime soon though he is a bit concerned about how long the five-time world champion will be able to keep checkmating a rising group of mature young Indian players. At 34, Magnus is not getting any younger, with young players, especially from India, excelling on the international stage. The prime example is D Gukesh, who became the youngest world champion at just 18 last year. With R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and others rising from India, the world No. 1 is feeling the heat, and his father conceded it was time to be 'realistic'. 'You have to be realistic. You now have a generation of Indian players, which… let me say that one thing is the strength of the Indian players. That's a bit boring for the rest of us, but the real worry is that they are so mature. 'Their mental state is more mature than their playing level. That's really worrying because they are young, so they should still be lacking that , but they seem to . They seem to be psychologically prepared for becoming the top guys. "As the father of a competitor, that worries me because that used to be an advantage that Magnus had against this up-and-coming player. Magnus maybe still has a little bit of that intimidation factor, but it's not enough thought more about it because Gukesh is here. But in terms of preparations, well I shouldn't be revealing too much… but Magnus' way of preparing for tournaments are quite different from what you guys might expect. You have a regimen in a certain way. 'For Magnus, it's more about 'he's thinking about upcoming tournaments'. He's trying to adjust his tournament schedule so that it kind of fits into a pattern. He talks to his trainer a little bit; he has some ideas. He knows all the top-level games going on in the world. Always more or less, because he's following chess, he's a fan. 'So, it's more about structuring that information in a way that he feels is adequate and relevant for this tournament. Generally, I think, his thoughts are reflecting his way of looking at preparation for the tournament, irrespective of who is playing... I think Magnus is still, with all respect to Gukesh, the world champion. Magnus is still looking a lot at world ranking. And also the recent results.' Henrik, often present at Magnus' events, said his son playing Round 1 of Norway Chess was 'special'. 'I'm just trying to give my perception of what his thoughts are. And, of course, playing him in Round 1 was quite special,' said Henrik, of the thrilling match which Magnus won to earn three points. No plans for Magnus to retire anytime soon =============================== Henrik categorically said Magnus is not retiring anytime soon, despite some concerns that he might move away from Classical chess. 'He's not planning to retire yet. I shouldn't be making promises on his behalf. But I think, coming here this year was not a question,' said Henrik. 'He loves chess, playing, the history of chess, and the environment. He has his legacy in chess. He makes his money from chess, even though it's still kind of a hobby, which turned out to be lucrative and something he could live from. So chess is basically everything. 'To him it's an identity. He likes golf, he stays a lot . He follows football and NBA very closely. But chess is his life. I think he's quite grateful also to chess as a sport. That's his passion and hobby.' Magnus not arrogant; he's confident ========================== Henrik doesn't believe his son is arrogant. On the contrary, he says Magnus is confident and that trait has come because he has delivered. 'He's the same cocky young man. That's what I wanted to . He looks arrogant, but he's the sweetest person when you talk to him. That's why I can say a 'cocky young man'… well, I used to joke that, in our family, arrogant is not a negative word. 'If you have earned it, it's okay. He's not trying to put on a show. He has a certain level of confidence that can come across as arrogance. He's fairly confident because he has delivered…he's earned it.'
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Twelve Oaks Mall to get three new retailers in former Sears location
Three retailers have announced plans to fill the space formerly occupied by Sears at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Michigan. The mall owners said DICK's House of Sport, Primark and Round 1 will move into the site during 2026. "These new additions will bring unique experiences and entertainment options to the Novi community and will expand the shopping center's diverse mix of retail, entertainment, and dining," the press release statement said. DICK's House of Sport will feature athletic products along with in-store activities such as simulators and a batting cage for customers to try out items. Primark is a fashion retailer at value prices, featuring latest trends, essentials and housewares. This will be Primark's second location in Michigan, with the Novi store moving into the upper level of the mall. Round 1 is a family activity center with bowling arcade games, karaoke and food offerings. Sears left Twelve Oaks Mall in 2019 as part of a wave of its retail closures across the country.
Business Insider
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
I've made over $40,000 selling plush dolls I scoop from claw machines. Here's how I learned to beat the game and turn my hobby into a profitable side hustle.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Nay, a claw machine expert and plush reseller. It has been edited for length and clarity. What started as a pandemic hobby — messing around with a couple of claw machines I bought online — turned into a side hustle that's earned me over $40,000 in sales, so far. I source exclusive plush toys from arcade claw machines and resell them online through platforms like Mercari, eBay, and Poshmark. I sell between three and five plush dolls per day, averaging $20 per sale. However, I've sold more exclusive, collectible plushies for as much as $200. How I got started, and where the money is When I first got into claw machines, I wasn't thinking about revenue. I just wanted a fun distraction during lockdown. I bought my first claw machine from Alibaba for around $800, filled it with plush toys I won at arcades, and started learning all the tricks. People assume claw machines are all rigged or based on chance, but there's real strategy involved. I study the geometry of the plush, where it's positioned, the weight distribution, and the claw type. Each machine has different settings — operators can control the claw's grip strength and how often it actually pays out. Once lockdown restrictions lifted, I was back in the arcade, winning dozens of plushies that were taking up a lot of my shelf space. That's around the time I realized there was a lot of good resale value for these toys. At first, I listed a few on Mercari, which sold within hours. Once I noticed consistent demand, especially for Japan-exclusive plushies, I started to ramp up my sales. I've sold over 3,000 plush toys. Most costs me between $3 and $7 to win at arcades in chains like Round1 and Dave & Buster's. If I sell that item for $15 to $25, the ROI is significant, especially when I can win several in a single session. I usually walk into an arcade with $150 to $200 in arcade credits and come out with two large laundry bags full of toys. If the machines are paying out well, that haul can net me between $300 and $500 in resale value. On great days, I'll invest $400 to $500 in credits and earn between $1,000 and $1,500 in sales. I've trained myself to identify machines that are likely to pay out quickly. That way, I don't waste money on poor setups or high-difficulty wins. I don't typically pursue machines with a one-in-30 win ratio. I target the ones where I can usually scoop a prize in under five tries. I run market research like any online seller Before I head to the arcade, I check sold listings on eBay and Mercari to see what's trending. I follow other plush resellers online and stay active in Reddit communities where fans post about new arcade drops. Some plushies — like Round1 exclusives or limited-edition anime collabs — are highly collectible. I also closely track plush with cultural relevance, like any anime that has a new popular movie coming out. When I see those in machines, I'll spend more aggressively to grab them, because I know they'll move fast online. I treat my inventory like a retail business At home, I have a dedicated room, which I call the ar-cave (short for arcade-cave), where I have about 500 plushies that I've sorted in plastic bags by category: Pokémon, anime, holiday, video game, Squishmallows, etc. I also donate excess inventory to charities, especially around the holidays. If I win 10 plush in one session and can only sell six, I'll donate the rest. I've donated over 1,000 toys. It's good for the community and helps manage space. My long-term goal is to open a claw machine arcade The business has grown beyond what I expected. Between selling plush, running a TikTok channel called "ArcadeFriends," and getting recognized at arcades, this is now a meaningful part of my life and income. Eventually, I want to open my own arcade and stock it with curated plushies I know people love. I'll also set the machines so people can actually win. Until then, I'll keep running my plush side hustle, one claw at a time. Do you have a story to share about profitable side hustles? Contact the editor at jorwig@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Just How Early Could Jaxson Dart Start?
There is a distinct difference between drafting a quarterback in Round 1 and Round 2. For the New York Giants, that difference for now is No. 34, No. 99, and a 2026 third-round. But it will also manifest itself in the kinds of pressure facing both Dart and the Giants. Advertisement First-round passers get second chances that Day 2 passers don't. They are afforded the opportunity to be coach killers. Most importantly, they are expected to save the franchise and follow through on their heavy investment. Dart is in line for a redshirt season. He's viewed as a project passer, is coming from an impressively amateur Mississippi offense, and has two established veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. However, Chris Simms, the son of former Giants quarterback Phil Simms, says that Dart could start ahead of schedule. "I don't expect the Giants to be a super team here," Simms explained during Monday's edition of FanDuel TV's "Up & Adams," as shared by the New York Post's Christian Arnold. "I'm not picking the Giants to go to the playoffs. The amount of money they're paying Russell Wilson does not guarantee him the starting quarterback job. Advertisement 'Those are things I look at to go, if Jaxson Dart is phenomenal through training camp and (organized team activities) and has a really good preseason, and Russell Wilson is just, eh, just OK and doesn't look all that sharp, I don't think they'll be scared to start Jaxson Dart here." Wilson will almost certainly start in Week 1. As an accomplished Super Bowl champion and a 2024 playoff starter, he likely gives New York the best chance to win. The length of his leash might grow less certain as Dart and other circumstances come into play, but he's the kind of adult in the room that the Giants have lacked. "It sounds like the guy [Daboll] really wanted was Jaxson Dart," Simms said. "And when you got the head coach/playcaller in your corner and you're his guy, he's going to make sure you succeed and go in the right direction. I wouldn't be shocked Week 1. I think it would be, realistically, if you made me bet, I would say around Week 5 or 6 would be really the time I'd expect [Dart to play]." There are two paths to Dart playing by the October deadline Simms set – both the best- and worst-case scenarios in his development. Either he's ahead of schedule, a budding star, and a passer who gives New York an edge over the below-average play Wilson is set to provide, or he gets the nod out of someone's seat growing hot. Advertisement Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen are relatively safe, given the recent investment in a Round 1 quarterback. But that's a lot easier to say before losses mount. The only certainty is that the two won't go down without getting a look at their quarterback. Whether that's a decision made out of excitement or anxiety could help define Dart's rookie campaign. Related: NFC East Positional Rankings: Do Giants' Quarterbacks Matter? Related: Giants' Dart Timeline Has Three Main Possibilities
