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‘Perfect role': Zach Lowe bullish on Kevin Durant's fit in Houston
‘Perfect role': Zach Lowe bullish on Kevin Durant's fit in Houston

USA Today

time3 days ago

  • Sport
  • USA Today

‘Perfect role': Zach Lowe bullish on Kevin Durant's fit in Houston

'I just think it's an absolute perfect fit,' veteran NBA media personality Zach Lowe says of the recent trade sending Kevin Durant to the Rockets. Now with The Ringer, longtime NBA media personality Zach Lowe is among many who are optimistic about the fit of All-Star forward Kevin Durant with the 2025-26 Houston Rockets. The future Hall of Famer was traded to the Rockets earlier this week in a deal sending Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and draft capital to the Phoenix Suns. On his latest podcast episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe said: There's something about the VanVleet-Durant-Sengun triumvirate that I really like on offense. I feel like it's just the right mix, for Durant, of guys who can do enough of the creative heavy lifting… but also not so much that he feels relegated to watching another star on his level just dribble all the time. Fred VanVleet will bend the defense, but he also gets off of it, willingly. Alperen Sengun is a super creative, big-man hub. Durant hasn't really played with a player like that, in terms of post-ups and drawing attention. They're both unselfish, and I think he (Durant) benefits them. Particularly Sengun, I think he will benefit from the spacing Durant provides, and having Durant as a kickout option. I just feel like it's the perfect role for him, in that he gets to do a lot, but not too much, and on terms that makes sense for him. And defensively, look, he's 37 (years old), so he's not the same defender that he was. I do think for the first two months of (last) season, he was defending at a top level for his age and ability, and you just wonder how much of the slippage there was just due to the fatigue and malaise, and the whole Phoenix thing just not working. Now he can offload all of those assignments, or many of them, to Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson, and whoever else. They can switch a lot, which can ease the burden of movement. I just think it's an absolute perfect fit. The complete episode can be viewed or listened to below. Co-host Rob Mahoney added kind words for the pairing of Durant and Thompson, in particular. 'I don't know that there are many better fits for Amen Thompson than Kevin Durant, in terms of the spacing and shooting that Durant's game opens up, and how it accommodates all of the delightful, productive weirdness of Amen Thompson's game,' Mahoney said. 'This is kind of like a dream pairing, as far as who I would want on the floor with Amen to facilitate his development.' As things stand, Houston's starting lineup will feature Durant, VanVleet, Thompson, Smith, and Sengun, with Eason, Steven Adams, and Reed Sheppard playing featured roles off the bench. The Rockets are projected by oddsmakers as among the leading championship contenders next season. More: With Kevin Durant in fold, Rockets' odds surge for 2026 NBA Finals

‘Rafael Stone is on an absolute heater': Rockets draw more praise for Kevin Durant trade
‘Rafael Stone is on an absolute heater': Rockets draw more praise for Kevin Durant trade

USA Today

time4 days ago

  • Sport
  • USA Today

‘Rafael Stone is on an absolute heater': Rockets draw more praise for Kevin Durant trade

'I thought it was an awesome trade for Houston,' The Ringer's Bill Simmons says of this week's Kevin Durant trade. 'I just loved it for them.' The early reviews of the Kevin Durant trade have been extremely positive for the Houston Rockets, and that includes podcast analysis from longtime NBA media personalities Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo. 'I thought it was an awesome trade for Houston,' Simmons said in Monday's podcast from The Ringer. 'I just loved it for them. They didn't give up Jabari Smith Jr. in the trade. That's a (expletive) miracle.' Russillo then tied in the Durant deal with others made by Rockets general manager Rafael Stone in recent years. 'I loved it,' he said. 'Stone is on an absolute heater. He's been incredible.' In recent weeks, Simmons had projected the Phoenix Suns to receive significantly more from the Rockets in a hypothetical Durant-to-Houston trade. The complete Durant trade segment with Simmons and Russillo can be viewed below. As for Stone, his Rockets have improved from 22-60 two years ago (and last place among 15 Western Conference teams) to 52-30 and No. 2 in the West during this past season — and now they're adding an All-Star forward and future Hall of Famer to that foundation. It's hard to argue with the results and speed of this drastic turnaround in Houston. One of Stone's only moves that some had questioned during those two years was the contract extension handed out to Green last October. But without that, the financial framework of this week's Durant deal wouldn't have been possible. So, that move ended up aging well, too. In the end, the Rockets now have an elite scorer in Durant and a veteran floor general in Fred VanVleet to guide a young and improving roster that features promising prospects such as Smith, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, and Reed Sheppard. It's a good place to be. More: NBA trade reaction: Rockets, Rafael Stone praised for Kevin Durant deal

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals: Scott Foster not among 3 referees assigned for Game 7
Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals: Scott Foster not among 3 referees assigned for Game 7

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals: Scott Foster not among 3 referees assigned for Game 7

Amid rumors that Scott Foster would be one of the officials for tonight's Game 7, the NBA announced the three referee assignments on Sunday morning and he was not among them. James Capers, Josh Tiven and Sean Wright are the officials assigned to the game, with James Williams serving as an alternate. David Guthrie will be the replay center official. Advertisement Foster was expected to be chosen for Game 7 with 18 NBA Finals series and 26 Finals games on his resume. He was the crew chief for Game 4 and the other officials who held that role in the Pacers-Thunder series' previous three games were all assigned a second game. Those referees are Game 1's John Goble, Game 2's Zach Zarba and Capers in Game 3. Gable went on to work Game 5, while Zarba was assigned to Game 6. Foster's Game 4 performance drew heavy criticism from Indiana fans, who noted that Oklahoma City shot 38 free throws compared to 31 for the Pacers. Among the most public detractors of Foster's work was The Ringer's Bill Simmons, who called his officiating "an abomination" on "The Zach Lowe Show" podcast following Game 4. 'It was a typical Scott Foster all over the map, just involved like weird stoppages, missed calls, like calling touch fouls, then not calling somebody getting clubbed in the head," Simmons said. "They had no control of this entire game. There was over 70 free throws." "Both coaches were mad. Both benchers were mad," he added. "Everyone was mad. There was no rhyme or reason.' Advertisement However, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defended Foster before Game 5, calling him "a great official." 'I think it's awful some of the things I've seen about officiating, and Scott Foster in particular,' Carlisle said last Sunday. 'I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He is a great official," he added. "He has done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times. The ridiculous scrutiny that is being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid.' Foster is consistently ranked among the NBA's top referees based on the league's ratings system that includes input from the 30 teams. Yet he's been a controversial figure among NBA fans for years, earning him the derisive nickname "The Extender" for questionable calls that have arguably extended playoff series. However, Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh provided analysis that disproved that assertion.

Lowe: Projected lottery pick Tre Johnson performing well in draft workouts
Lowe: Projected lottery pick Tre Johnson performing well in draft workouts

USA Today

time21-06-2025

  • Sport
  • USA Today

Lowe: Projected lottery pick Tre Johnson performing well in draft workouts

Former Texas guard Tre Johnson is reportedly performing well in workouts and improving his stock ahead of the 2025 NBA draft, according to Zach Lowe of The Ringer. Johnson was the SEC Freshman of the Year last season, averaging 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 33 games on 39.7% shooting from 3-point range. He was the 10th player in program history to be honored as Freshman of the Year. Though Johnson has been linked only to the Utah Jazz on the workout circuit, the 6-foot-5 standout is dazzling on the court in front of executives. He is having a strong showing ahead of the draft, which was discussed on the latest episode of the "Zach Lowe Show." I have heard that he is just killing workouts. People are coming away with like, 'Oh my god. We knew this guy could shoot but this guy can really freaking shoot.' ... He seems to be a name that I just hear more good stuff about as we come closer to the draft. Johnson scored in double figures in all but two games, becoming the sixth freshman in history to lead the SEC in scoring average. He finished with the highest scoring average by a Longhorns player since J'Covan Brown in the 2011-12 season (20.1). The 19-year-old is considered a possible top-five pick because of his dynamic scoring ability and potential to pull up from all over the court. He dazzled on offense by creating for himself and hitting difficult shots on the move or with his patented step-backs and side-steps. Johnson also boasts a 6-foot, 10 1/4-inch wingspan that will enable him to play on the wing next season in the NBA. He brings good size and projects to develop into a franchise cornerstone for the team that ultimately selects him in the first round on Wednesday.

28 Years Later: A quick guide to the sequel's dark universe
28 Years Later: A quick guide to the sequel's dark universe

Time of India

time19-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Time of India

28 Years Later: A quick guide to the sequel's dark universe

The long-awaited return of 28 Years Later hits theaters June 20. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the film dives back into the post-apocalyptic world of the Rage Virus , nearly three decades after the original hit. This third installment picks up in a quarantined Britain where survivors live on a remote island off the northeast coast. On low tide, a pathway opens to the mainland, overrun by infected beings now evolving in frightening ways. The story follows 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) and his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who journey inland to hunt their first infected as a rite of passage. They also seek a rumored healer, as Jamie's wife, Isla ( Jodie Comer ), has fallen ill. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Podiatrists Reveal What Actually Helps With Thick Yellow Nails Lunavia Learn More Undo Their trek leads them to the eerie Dr. Kelson , played by Ralph Fiennes, whose disturbing ritual blurs horror and empathy. Critics praise 28 Years Later for its emotional depth and visceral horror blend. The Ringer notes that the film is more than a genre reboot, it's a thoughtful piece that balances mourning and survival with brutal zombie action. Live Events Evolution Over Familiar Zombies Unlike the slow, shambling undead of other franchises, this film features both 'Slow-Lows', ground-crawling infected, and swift, brutal "Alpha" mutants. These variants add a fresh threat. Cinematography is a standout, using iPhones mounted on rigs to capture eerie landscapes and chaotic attacks. Shots switch from pastoral beauty to graphic gore, underscoring the horror of a world reclaimed by nature and infected alike. Going Beyond the Flesh This film isn't just about flesh-eating monsters. It's a meditation on grief, mortality, and the human cost of apocalypse. Critics call it more of a somber commentary than a pure zombie flick, arguably a 'post-apocalyptic anthropology' of death's ubiquity/ Moments of surprising tenderness—especially in the child-parent dynamic, elevate the story. Ralph Fiennes's eerie performance brings a philosophical weight that lingers. A Trilogy's Start 28 Years Later sets the stage for a deeper trilogy. A sequel, The Bone Temple, is filmed and slated for early next year. The final act leaves narrative threads deliberately unresolved, promising a continuation steeped in emotional and moral reckoning. This isn't your typical zombie film. It blends gore with grief, beauty with brutality, and family drama with ideological horror. Boyle and Garland resurrect the Rage-virus world with savage creativity and potent emotional core.

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