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☆ Kevin Durant Signs Lifetime Contract With Nike
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Ginger Adams Otis | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Durant signs 'lifetime contract' with Nike
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 28 (Reuters) - Phoenix Suns' Kevin Durant has signed a 'lifetime contract' with sportswear giant Nike, the NBA star said on Friday, following in the footsteps of greats Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only basketball players to have lifetime deals. Durant, 34, has been with Nike since he made his NBA debut in 2007 -- the season he won the Rookie of the Year award -- and has released 15 different pairs of basketball sneakers. "When I first signed with Nike, I couldn't have dreamed of how far we'd go in this partnership. We've done amazing work creatively and philanthropically," Durant, a twice NBA champion and 13-times All Star, said in a statement via Boardroom. Nike has supported Durant's involvement in grassroots basketball by helping refurbish courts in communities across the world through the Durant Family Foundation.

☆ Tech giants are pouring money into A.I. as they cut costs elsewhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

He said Google is using AI to improve the conversion rate of ads and reduce the amount of "toxic text" that goes into AI models. "There will be a small number of companies that want to invest that time and money and we will be one of them at Amazon," Jassy said. A concept he's particularly excited about is "AI agents," which often refer to AI programs that can carry out goals. "At this point we are no longer behind in building out our AI infrastructure," Zuckerberg said. Zuckerberg said the company would need to "continue investing," but would do so after it launches its generative AI products and gets a better grasp on the resources required.

☆ NBA's Phoenix Suns sign new TV deal after broadcaster bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Dietrich Knauth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Apr 18, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) with guard Devin Booker (1) against the Los Angeles Clippers during game two of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsApril 28 (Reuters) - The NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury announced a new television and streaming rights deal for their basketball games on Friday, over the objection of the bankrupt U.S. sports broadcaster that currently televises Suns regular-season games. "Cord cutters, cable subscribers, fans with an antenna – everyone will be able to watch Suns and Mercury games," Ishbia said in a statement. The Phoenix Suns current television broadcast partner Diamond Sports Group said it would oppose the deal. The Suns and Mercury did not disclose financial terms of the new broadcast deal or the terms of the current Diamond Sports contract.

☆ Premier League title race not over, says Man City's Guardiola
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

City travel to Fulham having won nine of their last 10 league matches, most recently a 4-1 win against leaders Arsenal on Wednesday. A win against the London side would lift City a point clear of Arsenal with a game in hand. The Spaniard said the title race is not over and City will be wary of the threat posed by 10th-placed Fulham. Now we go to Fulham against an incredible team," Guardiola told reporters on Friday. Guardiola said Dutch defender Nathan Ake is improving after picking up a hamstring injury against Bayern Munich but is yet to return to team training.

☆ Manchester City Humbles Arsenal and Asserts Its English Soccer Dominance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Joshua Robinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne scored two goals in a 4-1 victory over Arsenal. Photo: Dave Thompson/Associated PressMANCHESTER, England—Even through the months when Arsenal seemed firmly in charge of the Premier League title race, the club knew that trouble was lurking toward the end of the schedule. There was one game in late April, a trip to Manchester City, that threatened to define its season. If it could dig in for 90 minutes and somehow produce a positive result, then Arsenal would prove that it had always belonged in this heavyweight fight. It was here to defend the work it had put in to hang with City over 32 grueling matches.

☆ Prescient bets by the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Serena Williams have triggered an explosion in tech investing among Europe's sports stars
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

European sports stars are following US counterparts, such as Shaquille O'Neal, in betting on tech. O'Neal, who also made early bets on Google and Lyft, has shown how sports stars can become successful venture capitalists once their playing careers end. He's not alone in the US, with the football star Tom Brady and the basketball stars LeBron James and Steph Curry all actively investing in tech. The tennis legend Serena Williams went a step further and set up her own fund, Serena Ventures. Shaquille O'Neal has proven to be a shrewd tech investor with early bets on Ring, Google, and Lyft.

☆ Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Mandating Code of Ethics for Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lindsay Wise | Jess Bravin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Angus King and Lisa Murkowski say their bipartisan bill might have a greater chance of passage in a divided Congress than Democrats’ proposals. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/ZUMA Press; Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—Sens. Angus King (I., Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) introduced a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would require the U.S. Supreme Court to create its own code of conduct within a year, following media reports that raise questions about whether Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch properly disclosed their financial activities. “It’s pitiful that we’re having to introduce this bill—it’s pathetic that the Supreme Court hasn’t done this itself,” Mr. King said.

☆ Senators to Introduce Bipartisan Bill Mandating Code of Ethics for Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lindsay Wise | Jess Bravin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Angus King and Lisa Murkowski say their bipartisan bill might have a greater chance of passage in a divided Congress than Democrats’ proposals. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/ZUMA Press; Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—Sens. Angus King (I., Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) will introduce a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would require the U.S. Supreme Court to create its own code of conduct within a year, following media reports that raise questions about whether Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch properly disclosed their financial activities. “It’s pitiful that we’re having to introduce this bill—it’s pathetic that the Supreme Court hasn’t done this itself,” Mr. King said.

☆ NBA roundup: Hawks use late rally to stay alive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Boston's Jaylen Brown (35 points) posted his second straight 30-plus-point game and Jayson Tatum had 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Jamal Murray scored 35 points, Bruce Brown and Aaron Gordon each had 14 and Michael Porter Jr. grabbed 10 rebounds for Denver. The top-seeded Nuggets are headed to the Western Conference semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons. Anthony Edwards put up 29 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 15 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Timberwolves. Kevin Durant scored 31 points and Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 11 rebounds for the No.

☆ Manchester City vs. Arsenal: Kevin De Bruyne inspires Premier League champion to key title race victory over Arsenal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

CNN —Manchester City landed a key blow in the English Premier League title race after the defending champion secured a 4-1 win against current leader Arsenal. The game encapsulated the differences between the two sides and showed where they are in their respective evolution. The home side took control of the game from the start and went ahead after just seven minutes through a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne goal from outside the box. Manchester City then missed big opportunities to double its advantage before John Stones headed home a De Bruyne freekick just before the interval. De Bruyne added a third in the second half, and although Rob Holding reduced the deficit, Erling Haaland completed City’s comprehensive win as he scored his 33rd Premier League goal of the season in stoppage time.

☆ Rampant Man City crush Arsenal with De Bruyne double
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Pep Guardiola's relentless side ran riot as they made it 12 successive league wins against Arsenal with a masterful Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice and Erling Haaland also on target as City seized control of their destiny. De Bruyne fired City ahead in the seventh minute and City bombarded Arsenal's goal before John Stones deservedly doubled their lead with a header in first half stoppage time. Guardiola's City, who have trailed Arsenal for almost the entire season, will go top if they beat Fulham at the weekend. City sensed Arsenal's fragility and went for the jugular, tearing through the visitors lines at will. Haaland then forced another sharp save from Ramsdale before Arsenal finally threatened with Thomas Partey shooting narrowly wide.

☆ Guardiola says destiny finally in Manchester City's hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANCHESTER, England, April 26 (Reuters) - Manchester City wrestled control of the Premier League title race from Arsenal with a 4-1 thumping in their top-of-table clash on Wednesday, to the thrill of manager Pep Guardiola, who said destiny was finally in his team's hands. "The threat, Kevin-Erling, Erling-Kevin is so, so important," Guardiola said. Manchester City are also chasing the treble having booked their berths in both the FA Cup final and Champions League semi-finals. Asked whether he considers City one of the best teams in any league, Guardiola said: "If we play like today we are an incredible, competitive team. The biggest compliment, Guardiola added, is that Manchester City, who are chasing their third consecutive Premier League title, are always in the thick of it at the end of the season.

☆ We suffered tonight, says Arsenal's Arteta, after Man City mauling
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Reigning champions City will go top with a game in hand if they beat Fulham at the weekend having trailed Arsenal for more or less the whole season. "For sure we have to lift the players up first because they suffered tonight. "The first 30 minutes all the basic things you have to do against a top team we didn't do it and we got punished," Arteta told reporters. "The stats at the start of the season said we'd finish sixth or seventh and we are where we are," Arteta said. The fact we are competing toe to toe with this City team is incredible."

☆ De Bruyne rises to the occasion again for superb City
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Arsenal came into the match stuttering from three draws while City, like all the great teams, were girding their loins for the last big push when the trophies are decided. And it was the Belgian midfielder who set the tone and then maintained it as City really should have reached halftime four or five up instead of 2-0. As is becoming the norm, De Bruyne was withdrawn by manager Pep Guardiola, as ever, looking disgruntled at the decision, as Holden pulled one back for the visitors before Haaland ensured City finished on a high. De Bruyne revelled in that freedom and City looked much more of a goal threat than so often when they patiently probe up and down the flanks trying to manoeuvre themselves into dangerous positions. “We know what people will say, but it is still seven games,” he said.

☆ NBA roundup: Anthony Davis, Lakers sprint past Grizzlies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Apr 22, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) shoots the ball against Memphis Grizzlies forward David Roddy (27) in the fourth quarter during game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. LeBron James added 25 points and nine rebounds as the Lakers took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference matchup. D'Angelo Russell had 17 points and Rui Hachimura scored 16 for Los Angeles, which led by as many as 29 points in the wire-to-wire victory. Desmond Bane (18 points) ended the Morant run with a 3-pointer that cut the Los Angeles lead to 108-99 with 1:24 remaining. James Harden collected 17 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

☆ LeBron James leads the Los Angeles Lakers to a 111-101 win and 2-1 series lead against the Memphis Grizzlies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Patrick Sung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and center Anthony Davis had strong performances to help lead LA to a big 111-101 win over the Grizzlies in front of a sold-out crowd at Staples Center on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven first round NBA Playoff series. Brooks was ejected from Game 3 for a flagrant 2 foul on LeBron James. Anthony Davis had a massive night, racking up 31 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesAfter the game, James said that the game wasn’t about making a “statement” to Brooks and the rest of the Grizzlies. Sixers forward Tobias Harris led the way for Philly with 25 points and 12 rebounds in what is Brooklyn’s second straight first-round sweep.

rushed to embrace a lucrative line of business it had denounced for decades as bad for the sport. The league on Friday handed down some of the strictest penalties it has ever issued, banning three players for at least the 2023 season for betting on N.F.L. games and suspending two others for six games for other violations of the league’s betting policy. The scale of the latest scandal and the terse verdict from the league rekindles questions about the precarious line the N.F.L. This week’s investigation ended with two more Lions players, receivers Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams, suspended for six games for lesser gambling violations that did not include betting on N.F.L.

☆ Manchester City cruises into FA Cup final with 3-0 victory over Sheffield United
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Manchester City’s treble hopes remain alive after defeating Sheffield United 3-0 in the FA Cup semifinal, thanks to a hattrick from Riyad Mahrez. Still, City is one of the best teams in Europe while Sheffield United is fighting for promotion in England’s second tier – the Championship – but it was not an entirely one-sided game. And then five minutes later, he had a hattrick – the first in an FA Cup semifinal since 1958 – latching onto Jack Grealish’s cross and making no mistake with the finish. “It feels very good (to score a hat-trick),” Mahrez told ITV afterwards. It’s a good team achievement and we took the game seriously.”City will face either Manchester United or Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup final on June 3.

☆ NBA roundup: Devin Booker leads Suns to series lead vs. Clippers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Apr 20, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives past Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Bones Hyland put up 20 points for Los Angeles. Andrew Wiggins finished with 20 points for the Warriors, who trail 2-1 heading into a game in San Francisco on Sunday. The 76ers, up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, can eliminate the Nets on Saturday in Game 4 in New York. Harden scored 21 before being ejected for committing a flagrant foul 2 when he elbowed Royce O'Neale late in the third quarter.

☆ NBA roundup: Devin Booker, Suns even series with Clippers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Apr 18, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half during game two of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center. Kevin Durant added 25 points, six rebounds and five assists as Phoenix rebounded from a Game 1 home loss. Kawhi Leonard registered 31 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals and Russell Westbrook added 28 points for the Clippers. Mitchell, the seventh-leading scorer in the NBA this season at 28.3 points per game, had just 17 points Tuesday but collected a career-high 13 assists. Mobley had 13 points and 13 rebounds while Garland scored 32 points, including 26 in the first half.

☆ NBA roundup: Heat best Bucks in injury-riddled Game 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bam Adebayo scored 22 points for the eighth-seeded Heat, who were playing less than 48 hours after qualifying for the playoffs by beating Chicago in a play-in elimination game. He stayed in the game for a bit before going to the locker room and returned briefly early in the second quarter before leaving the game for good. In his sixth career playoff game, Hachimura erupted for a playoff career high in scoring by shooting 11-for-14, including 5 of 6 from beyond the 3-point arc. Kevin Durant had 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in his first playoff game for the fourth-seeded Suns. Devin Booker scored 26 points, Torrey Craig added 22 and Deandre Ayton had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Suns.

☆ In renaming 'HBO Max,' Warner Bros. Discovery hedges its bets in streaming
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled its new streaming service Wednesday, featuring a combination of programming from HBO Max and Discovery+. Discovery logo is displayed on a smartphone screen and in the background, the HBO Max and Discovery Plus logos. Those who want HBO already know where to find it, and HBO Max will simply morph into Max on most platforms. Warner Bros.

☆ Haaland at it again as Manchester City cut gap to Arsenal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, April 15 (Reuters) - Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland reached yet another milestone in his incredible debut season in the Premier League when his two goals helped his side to beat Leicester City 3-1 and move to within three points of leaders Arsenal on Saturday. With Arsenal in action at West Ham United on Sunday, Manchester City seized their chance to apply more pressure by dismantling 19th-placed Leicester before halftime. City now have 70 points from 30 games with Arsenal on 73. Villa have 50 points, with Tottenham on 53 and fourth-placed Manchester United and Newcastle United both on 56. Newcastle and Manchester United, who face Nottingham Forest on Sunday, have played fewer games than Villa and Tottenham.

☆ James leads surging Lakers into playoffs, Bucks enter as favourites
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Apr 11, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates the victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves following overtime at Crypto.com Arena. By clinching the Western Conference's seventh seed, the Lakers earned the right to face electrifying guard Ja Morant and the No. He's going to get to the paint one way or another," ESPN NBA analyst JJ Reddick said on a conference call. "He's going to elevate. He's going to decide what the hell to do in the air and he's probably going to score.

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