Month: April 2024

Credits: X & Imago

A picture of Lando Norris has recently surfaced on the internet which sees his face bloodied up and bandaged. According to reports, the British driver was in Amsterdam partaking in the King’s Day celebrations ahead of the Miami GP when the incident occurred. Thankfully though, the injuries sustained by Norris are nothing too serious. 

Following the Chinese GP, F1 drivers had a week off before having to jump continents for the race in Miami. While most drivers opted to rest in such a situation, Norris saw it fit to party in the Netherlands.

However, the party ended in disaster for Norris, who ended up sustaining an injury to his nose. Multiple sources reveal that he cut his nose on some broken glass.

A picture of a bandaged-up Norris started making rounds on social media and DJ Martin Garrix was present in one of the videos where Norris was seen partying on a boat, which is where he presumably injured himself.

In the picture where Norris’ face is bloodied and bandaged up, he appears to be in good spirits despite the circumstances. It could point towards a not-so-serious injury, which is good news for him, McLaren, and his fans. However, an official statement from the Bristol-born driver is still pending.

Fans react to seeing a bandaged-up Lando Norris

The picture of Lando Norris’ injured face going viral all over social media isn’t a surprise. The McLaren driver’s massive popularity means fans worldwide follow his every move in the online world. Consequently, his followers and the F1 community as a whole grew concerned about what happened to his face, and whether it affects his upcoming race weekend.

One fan suggested that the party in Amsterdam was too much for Norris to handle.

Meanwhile, another joked about the 24-year-old getting a rhinoplasty.

Several others too, had jokes to crack about the situation.

The Lakers could get Jarred Vanderbilt back for Game 5 in Denver.

The Los Angeles Lakers have upgraded forward Jarred Vanderbilt to questionable for their Game 5 matchup with the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Vanderbilt has not appeared in a game since suffering a mid-right foot sprain against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 1. Vanderbilt was reportedly eyeing a return for Game 3 or Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena, but was never cleared by the Lakers’ medical staff. The Lakers have not formally updated Vanderbilt’s progress for weeks.

The versatile defender missed the first 20 games of the 2023-24 regular season with left heel soreness. In 29 games (six starts), Vanderbilt averaged 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals on 51.8% shooting in 20 minutes.

The Lakers have missed Vanderbilt’s length and disruptiveness on the perimeter. Against Denver, Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent have admirably kept Jamal Murray under 40% shooting in all four games, but Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, and Taurean Prince have struggled to track shooters and cutters, especially Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. (Murray is questionable for Game 5).

The Lakers lost the transition battle through the first three games — an absolute no-no if they want to pull the historic upset. Vanderbilt, at full strength, excels at pushing the ball up-court and turning chaos into easy buckets. Of course, the Lakers can’t expect the Swiss Army Knife to be at his sharpest coming off two months in street clothes.

After being acquired at the 2023 trade deadline, along with D’Angelo Russell (and Malik Beasley), Vanderbilt started 24 of 26 games down the stretch for the Lakers, and 13 of 15 games in their run through the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

Vanderbilt’s role was reduced in the Denver series, though, largely due to his inability to switch onto Nikola Jokic in two-man sets with Murray. He had two field goals and four rebounds in 41 total minutes across the sweep. He was a DNP-CD in Game 4.

Still, the Lakers could use all the help they could get with their 2023-24 season on the line as they head into a hostile Mile High environment.

“Energy,” LeBron said at practice last week when asked about what Vanderbilt’s return mid-series could offer the Lakers. “Super high energetic, defensively, some of the things he brings to our team, you don’t even teach. You just allow him to go out there and just be Vando. We don’t know for sure that we’re getting him back, we don’t know, we’ve only seen a couple reports. But he knows his body better than anybody.”

Christian Wood, out since Feb. 14 due to knee surgery, was medically cleared to return for Game 4. He was active for the game, but Jaxson Hayes received the backup center minutes in the Lakers’ season-extending 119-108 win on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Wood was a DNP-CD.

Anthony Davis (left wrist sprain) and LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) are listed as probable for Game 5 at Ball Arena. Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) remains out.

Vanderbilt has averaged 10.7 points and 11.2 rebounds per 36 minutes in his five-year NBA career. The 25-year-old signed a four-year, $48 million extension with the Lakers in September.

Game 5 between the Lakers and Nuggets tips off at 7 p.m. PT at Ball Arena.

 

 

The wife of Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce posted an adorable new photo of the couple’s newborn daughter, Bennett, 3 months old.

 

 

 

 

Wrapped in a white graphic blanket and with her hand tucked under her chin, Bennett sleeps peacefully in pink pajamas. “Naps with Dad,” Kylie captioned the image, pointing to a picture of a bearded man resembling Jason on the blanket.

 

Kylie previously made headlines when her husband revealed that at 38 weeks pregnant, she was planning on bringing her OB-GYN with her to the Super Bowl, which was dubbed the “Kelce Bowl.” Kylie and Jason’s daughters and her parents were also in attendance at the game.

“That could be a super Kelce Bowl. If she has a baby in the stadium, it’s officially scripted,” Jason joked during an early February episode of his and his brother’s podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.

I don’t think in his life, Jason ever assumed that he would be the father of three daughters,” Kylie told PEOPLE. “He would always be like, ‘No, no, we’ll get a boy. We’ll get a boy.’ And I’m like, ‘You got to stop challenging the universe. Stop saying it because the universe is like, ‘Yeah, okay,’” she chuckled.

“It’s been amazing to see him sort of transformed from only having a brother, not having any first cousins, so really having like no experience with little girls. And now, he is absolutely head over heels in love with his daughters, and they feed that back to him tenfold,” she added.

Nikola Jokic says the NBA playoffs are a lot like horse racing.

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday evening. Heading into the matchup, the Nuggets had a 3-0 series lead and were on the verge of sweeping the Lakers. In the 2023 Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets easily swept the Lakers. This year, history won’t be repeating itself as the Lakers beat the Nuggets, 119-108. The Nuggets are still favored to win the series, but the Lakers are clinging to their playoff life.

“Of course we want to win. But I learned in horse racing it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” Jokic said via DNVR. “We didn’t finish today really well, hopefully we can do a better job.”

To start off their playoff run, the Nuggets have looked a tad sluggish. In the first four games of the series, the Nuggets have let the Lakers gallop out to large leads. The defending champions were able to mount comebacks in three of the four games. While the comebacks were impressive, the Nuggets definitely don’t want to keep playing from behind.

“We talked about getting off to a better start,” said Michael Porter Jr. via ESPN. “It takes a lot of energy to come back from these double-digit leads down 20, down 15, whatever it is. Tonight they did a good job of sustaining it. Whenever we got within 10 or eight, it seemed like they made a 3-pointer or made a big shot. So credit to them.”

Nikola Jokic: NBA MVP and horse racing champion

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jokic, a two-time NBA MVP, is not only known for his exceptional basketball skills but also for his passion for horse racing. Beyond the basketball court, Jokic finds joy in the world of horse racing in his home country of Serbia. He indulges in the thrill of the sport as both a spectator and an owner. After his first season in the NBA in 2016, Jokic bought his first racehorse, Dream Catcher. Jokic would eventually acquire more horses, and like Jokic, they’d win championships of their own. Jokic proudly has his horses on display in his locker, with photos and championship ribbons.

“It’s a different world, you know,” Jokic said about horse racing via Nuggets360. “I met so many people who are really good at that job. It just keeps growing and I keep learning. I’m just meeting new people, interesting people. Just being around the horses, I think it’s just the best sport in the world.”

In 2022, a clip went viral of Jokic receiving his MVP award in his hometown of Sombor, Serbia. Jokic, who pulled up to a stable in a cart being pulled by a horse, was surprised by his family members and Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, who surprised Jokic with the trophy.

ANTONIA SALT risked a red flag as the grid girl went topless in an Instagram video.

The model is equally popular for parading around a boxing ring as she is for her trackside role.

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Antonia Salt posted one of her cheekiest ever clipsCredit: Instagram @toniasaltxx

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Antonia couldn’t resist laughing and giving a jig after putting the top onCredit: Instagram @toniasaltxx

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Antonia Salt has 35,500 Instagram followersCredit: Instagram @toniasaltxx
But her latest risque offering on social media might have raised a warning flag rather than a scorecard.

Antonia shared a clip of herself in just leggings and socks.

The motorsport influencer then “bared right” as he turned her back to the camera to put on a short, tight top.

She burst into giggles when she slipped into the long-sleeved T-shirt.

LeBron James and his LA Lakers crashed out of the NBA Playoffs after a 108-106 defeat to the Denver Nuggets.

Having slumped to a 3-0 series deficit in a raft of tight games, the Lakers bounced back to win game four 119-108.

Back on home court for game five, they were on track for back-to-back wins to keep their season alive when they led by nine points midway through the third quarter.

But Denver roared back with a 21-10 run to close the quarter up by two and set up a tense finish.

Then Jamal Murray – a game-time decision to play after suffering a calf strain the prior game – sealed the win with a sensational late explosion.

 

Murray drained a three-pointer with just over a minute remaining for Denver to lead 106-104 before two James free throws levelled the score.

But Murray, having already hit a buzzer-beater this series, booked Denver’s place in a Western Conference semi-final against Minnesota with a clutch pull-up jumper with 3.6 seconds to play.

Out of timeouts, the Lakers’ hopes rested on Taurean Prince’s desperate half-court heave to beat the buzzer. But it fell wayward as the reigning NBA Champions secured a 4-1 series win.
Jamal Murray wins the game.Source: AFP
Murray finished with 32 points and seven assists, saying he enjoyed the game-winning shot more than his Game 2 winner.

“This one’s a little better,” he smiled. “I’m speechless. It’s a dream come true.”

Speaking about playing despite the injury, he revealed he played despite team medicos advising him to sit.

“I’m not going to leave my brothers out there,” he said. “I’m not sitting. I don’t care what it is we have to figure out.”

Jokic called it a ‘tough game’, adding of the series win: “We didn’t make a lot of shots, but we created open shots and we trust each other and that’s the reason why we’re winning”.
Murray inspired an epic Nuggets win.Source: AFP
Nikola Jokic started slow and made an unusually-high seven turnovers, but finished with 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, while Michael Porter Junior added 26 points.

James led the Lakers with 30 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Anthony Davis had 17 points and 15 boards but appeared troubled by a shoulder niggle late in the game after a collision with Porter Jr.

The Lakers made just 10-35 from beyond the arc (28.6%) and shot just 18-27 from the charity stripe (66.7%), both well below the Nuggets.

The defeat could signal the end of James’s time in Los Angeles.

Since winning the 2020 title in the so-called Covid-19 ‘bubble’ season, the Lakers have now lost in the first round of the playoffs twice, missed the playoffs once, and been swept in the Western Conference Finals – a dismal failure for the NBA heavyweights.

The 2021 series loss to the Phoenix Suns was the only other time James had lost in the first round of the playoffs, and that came in six games, meaning this year was the worst Playoffs performance of James’ career.

The 39-year-old Lakers star has a $51.4 million USD player option for next year, but has been wishy-washy at best around the topic all season.

After the defeat, James was asked if he had considered whether it was his last game with the Lakers.

James replied “Uh, I’m not going to answer that,” before ending the press conference.

His desire to play with son Bronny could be the deciding factor in whether he remains at the Lakers or finds a new home.

“I’m on the other side, obviously, of the hill, so I’m not gonna play another 21 years. That’s for damn sure.” James said in March. “I don’t know when that door will close as far as when I’ll retire. But I don’t have much time left.”

Whether he’ll spend it in Los Angeles will be one of the biggest questions of the off-season.
Is that LeBron’s final Playoffs appearance?Source: Getty Images
The future of Lakers coach Darvin Ham is equally clouded.

Respected NBA journalist Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said before the game: “If you are a head coach of the Lakers and you get swept in the first round of the playoffs or you lose in five, you’ve got job security issues. And Darvin Ham will have that.

“I think that despite the fact he went to the Western Conference Finals last year, he won more games this year, 47 in the regular season when they were without Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent for most of it.”

He added: “Is it fair for Darvin Ham to lose his job? But if they get swept or lose in five, it is part of the conversation the Lakers are gonna have.”

In many ways, the Lakers’ early exit only emphasised the changing of the guard that these playoffs have already advertised.

Kevin Durant was swept in the first round, James lost in five, and Stephen Curry didn’t even make it out of the Play-In Tournament.

That trio has dominated the NBA for much of the last two decades, but this year’s Playoffs have been ruled by the next generation.

CELTICS CRUSH MIAMI… BUT COP MAJOR BLOW

Elsewhere, Derrick White scored 38 points as the top-seeded Boston Celtics dominated Miami 102-88 on the road to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series.

After a 20-point win over Miami in game three Saturday, Boston picked up where they left off with another emphatic performance over last season’s Eastern Conference champions.

White set the tone for Boston with an electric first-quarter display, rattling in 16 points in the opening frame — including four three-pointers — to help the Celtics take a 10-point lead heading into the second quarter.

Boston kept up the pressure to open up a 53-36 halftime advantage.

The Celtics stretched the lead to 28 points at one stage in the third quarter, and even though Miami rallied in the fourth, narrowing the deficit to 13 points with just over five minutes remaining, Boston’s grip on the lead never looked in serious jeopardy.

But there was a major concern as star center Kristaps Porzingis limped to the locker room in the second quarter in visible pain, holding his jersey over his face after a non-contact lower leg injury.

 

The win means the Celtics can clinch their place in the second round, where they will face either Orlando or Cleveland, with a victory in game five Wednesday back in Boston.

On Monday’s evidence, few would bet against Boston bringing the series to a swift conclusion.

“I made a couple of shots early and that always helps,” White said of his career-high playoff scoring performance.

“Once you’ve made a couple the basket looks huge. I just wanted to be aggressive and try to make the right play every time I was on the court.” White insisted Boston would take nothing for granted as they attempt to close out the series in front of their home fans.

“It’s going to be a tough game five. We know they ain’t going away so we’ve got to be ready to go,” White said.

A door opened and a seat became available on Friday for British teenager Ollie Bearman to secure a place on the Formula One grid next season.

The 18-year-old, who made a fine debut for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia last month, is helped by news that Nico Hulkenburg will leave Haas at the end of the year.

The 36-year-old German is joining the old Sauber team, which is due to be rebooted as Audi in 2026.

 

That means there is a vacancy at the Ferrari-powered Haas.

 Bearman, a Ferrari junior driver, is expected to be handed it.

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A door has opened for British driver Oliver Bearman, 18, to earn a seat in F1 for next season

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Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg (second right) will leave the team for Sauber at the end of the season

Wаrrіors Fасe Croѕѕroаdѕ: Retаіn Pаul or Retool the Bасkсourt?

The Golden Stаte Wаrrіors fасe а сrіtісal offѕeаѕon deсіsіon regаrdіng veterаn рoіnt guаrd Chrіѕ Pаul. After а debut ѕeаѕon аѕ theіr ѕіxth mаn, аverаgіng 9.2 рoіnts, 3.9 reboundѕ, аnd 6.8 аѕѕiѕtѕ whіle ѕhootіng 37.1% from three, Pаul’ѕ future wіth the teаm іѕ unсertаin.

The Wаrrіors’ dіlemmа lіeѕ іn Pаul’ѕ hefty non-guаrаnteed $30 mіllіon сontrасt for next ѕeаѕon. Whіle Pаul рerformed аdmіrаbly, fаіlіng to reасh the рlаyoffs rаіses queѕtіonѕ аbout the vаlue of ѕuсh а hіgh іnveѕtment for а bасkup рoіnt guаrd.

Retаіnіng Pаul аt а reduсed rаte іѕ аn oрtіon, but the Wаrrіors rіѕk loѕіng hіm іn free аgenсy to teаmѕ wіth а сleаrer сhаmpionship раth.

Pаrtіng wаyѕ wіth Pаul сreаtes аnother сhаllenge: fіllіng the voіd behіnd Steрhen Curry. Whіle Pаul рlаyed well, the fіnаncіаl сonѕtraintѕ аnd deѕіre to аvoіd the luxury tаx mіght рuѕh the Wаrrіors towаrdѕ lettіng hіm go.

 

Severаl oрtіons exіѕt outѕіde of Pаul. The Wаrrіors сould exрlore the trаde mаrket, рotentіally uѕіng Pаul’ѕ сontrасt аѕ а trаde сhіp. Develoріng young guаrd Brаndіn Podzіemѕkі further іѕ аlѕo а рoѕѕibility, but relyіng ѕolely on hіm аѕ Curry’ѕ bасkup саrries ѕome rіѕk.

The Wаrrіors muѕt ѕtrаtegicаlly nаvіgаte theіr offѕeаѕon. Whether they retаіn Pаul or revаmр theіr bасkсourt, theіr goаl remаіns the ѕаme: buіldіng а teаm thаt саn сomрete for сhаmpionships аmіdst theіr fіnаncіаl lіmіtаtіons аnd long-term vіѕіon.

Credits; IMAGO / HochZwei

Lewis Hamilton is months away from leaving Mercedes and joining Ferrari which will see him reunite with Fred Vasseur, whom he has known for ages. However, the old friendship that Hamilton and Vasseuer share could end up taking a hit if “success” becomes an issue for the Briton at Ferrari, per former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.

On the Nailing The Apex podcast, Steiner gave his take on the potential dynamic between Hamilton and Vasseuer, who took over as Ferrari’s team principal in 2023. Their old bonding, in Steiner’s opinion, could help Hamilton settle well in the team. How things unfold later, however, depends on Ferrari’s performance.

Steiner said,

“The issue could come up if they don’t have success, you know. One or the other, either the team or the driver doesn’t perform, then obviously it’s a new scenario.”

Despite the potential highlighted issue, Steiner believes there is no reason why Hamilton and Vasseur won’t get along at Ferrari. “I think they’ve been there before, and I think they’ve got a good chance to sort the problem out,” asserted the 59-year-old.

Steiner keeps in mind the fact that Hamilton and Vasseur’s relationship goes way before they became big names in F1. Hamilton raced under the latter’s guidance in Formula 3 as well as GP2 in his junior days.

Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur’s connection

Hamilton and Vasseur developed a close relationship back in the early 2000s, when the Stevenage-born driver was making waves in the junior Formula categories. He drove for Vasseur’s F3 team ASM and GP2 team ART, and together, they won 2005 Euro Series and the 2006 GP2 Series.

In 2007, the two of them parted ways, with Hamilton going on to become a force to reckon with in F1 whereas Vasseur remained in the junior Formulas, developing other young drivers.

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Vasseur made his way to F1 nine years later through Renault before becoming Team Principal of Sauber in 2017. After seven seasons in charge of the Hinwil-based outfit, Vasseur joined Ferrari, where the 55-year-old will reunite with Hamilton in 2025.

Hamilton and Vasseur haven’t been in the same team since 2007 and even in F1, their interests remained different. Still, their friendship made them stay in touch and the seven-time World Champion admitted to talking to his former boss before almost all his races through the years.

LEWIS HAMILTON has opened up about the moment he was “robbed” of the drivers’ title in 2021 in a new interview.

The infamous moment saw him lose the title on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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Lewis Hamilton has said the support of his dad got him through the day that ‘hurt him most’Credit: Getty
Hamilton had a healthy lead but a safety car was called after Nicholas Latifi crashed with five laps to go.

Controversially, race director Michael Masi allowed the likes of Max Verstappen to overtake lapped cars separating him from Hamilton.

With Verstappen on soft tyres, he was able to easily overtake Hamilton on the final lap of the race.

Speaking to GQ, he said that it was the day in his life that “hurt him the most” and that the only consolation was that he had his father there for support.