Category: XL Editorials

Top 10 New Games of October 2023

October 1, 2023

Last month in September, we had a very busy month with the releases of games like Starfield, NBA 2K24, and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, but this month isn’t letting up. Here are the top 10 new games of October 2023 that you should not miss and play immediately upon release.

Top 10 New Games of October 2023

10. Sonic Superstars
Release Date: October 17, 2023
Developed By: Arzest, Sonic Team
Published By: Sega
Platforms: PC (Steam | Epic Games Store), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

A new 2.5D Sonic game that aims to give a new twist to an old formula. A completely 2D experience gameplay-wise, the game’s thrills are amplified by the game’s 3D graphics. On top of that, Sonic and friends are all playable, with Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose participating in this outing, some of whom have new powers and abilities, fittingly played in an all-new setting for this brand-new adventure. Meanwhile, Sonic and friends will be facing old adversaries with Dr. Eggman and Fang threatening the peace in the Northstar Islands with the help of Chaos Emeralds. Thankfully, Dr. Eggman and Fang aren’t the only ones that can team up in this game as Sonic Superstars will allow players to invite up to three friends to play cooperatively in the game.

9. EA Sports UFC 5
Release Date: October 27, 2023
Developed By: Electronic Arts
Published By: Electronic Arts
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X

Get into the Octagon and feel the fight course through your veins. UFC 5 will give players the biggest pay-per-view experience, building on every hit and every submission move. The game features a more authentic stamina system and what Electronic Arts advertises as the most realistic damage model system that they have in a game so far. All of this is packaged in one of the most realistic-looking games ever made in the Frostbite Engine. Take on your opponents with any type of mixed martial arts school you want and make your opponents submit or knock them unconscious for the win.

8. Alan Wake II
Release Date: October 27, 2023
Developed By: Remedy Entertainment
Published By: Epic Games
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X

Alan Wake’s self-inflicted nightmares continue with a fully-fledged next-gen survival horror sequel. Remedy Entertainment has always been impressive, and all early previews for Alan Wake II indicate that Alan Wake II will not be any different from Remedy’s other games. In this new title, players will be able to play not only as Alan Wake but also as Saga Anderson in two parallel single-player campaigns that players can switch between the two at will at any time. Will Alan Wake finally break away from his nightmares, or will he and FBI Agent Saga Anderson be both consumed by the horrific world that the bestselling author has created?

7. Detective Pikachu Returns
Release Date: October 6, 2023
Developed By: Creatures
Published By: The Pokemon Company, Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

A sequel to the first Detective Pikachu game, Detective Pikachu Returns will see the talkative and coffee-loving Pikachu solve new crimes and puzzles along with his trusted partner Tim Goodman. Investigate a string of mysteries and find out what happened to Tim’s missing dad, while also investigating mysteries that have been happening around Ryme City recently.

6. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Release Date: October 20, 2023
Developed By: Nintendo
Published By: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

All-new worlds in the brand new Flower Kingdom, all-new power-ups with the Wonder Flowers, and all-new adventures featuring Mario, Luigi, Toad, Toadette, Princess Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, and Nabbit are coming to every Nintendo Switch this October with the release of the Super Mario Bros. Wonder. This new game introduces a lot of new power-ups that have never been seen in any Mario game, with fantastic effects such as turning Mario into a variety of creatures when consuming the Wonder Flower, a new item in the game. Not only that, the world around Mario also transforms when these Wonder Flowers are activated, leading to some of the most unusual, most surreal, but definitely eye-catching levels in the history of the Super Mario Bros. franchise.

5. Total War Pharaoh
Release Date: October 11, 2023
Developed By: Creative Assembly
Published By: Sega
Platforms: PC

Total War returns to its historical roots, panning the map to Africa to one of history’s most important ages: the Age of Pharaohs. Play as one of eight faction leaders in the game and stake your claim as the next Pharaoh, or conquer the collapsing kingdom of Egypt from neighboring powers in Canaan and Anatolia using the internal turmoil to your advantage. The game will feature the most dramatic weather effects in Total War history, as well as the new campaign customization settings, Total War Pharaoh is both a step back (in terms of scale) and a step forward (in terms of features) for the Total War franchise.

4. The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
Release Date: October 24, 2023
Developed By: Free Range Games
Published By: North Beach Games
Platforms: PC, PS5

Lord Gimli Lockbearer has made the summons, and you, along with three other dwarves, answer the call for adventure. After centuries of disuse, Lord Gimli has decided that it is finally time for dwarves to retake Moria and return it to its former glory – orcs and other evils be damned. Take on the challenge of building camps and exploring the bountiful lands of Moria in this procedurally-generated world, exploring through mines and dungeons, setting up bases, crafting tools, and uncovering magical artifacts and weapons. With inspiration from games like Deep Rock Galactic and Valheim, players can party up with their friends and play together in this unique survival experience set in Middle-Earth.

3. Forza Motorsport
Release Date: October 10, 2023
Developed By: Turn 10 Studios
Published By: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X

A soft reboot of the motorsport side-series of the Forza franchise arrives as a full-fledged next-gen racing experience in Forza Motorsport. Collect and compete using one of the game’s 500 vehicles, and out-customize your kit to make the ultimate car. Race through some of the world’s most iconic tracks either against AI or other players in the game’s online multiplayer matches, and prove that you’re the ultimate racer. As usual, Forza features some of the most realistic-looking graphics in the industry, complete with the most genuine simulation experiences that one could imagine in a video game.

2. Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Release Date: October 5, 2023
Developed By: Ubisoft
Published By: Ubisoft
Platforms: PC (Epic Games Store | Ubisoft Store), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Ubisoft goes back to its roots and puts its focus on Assassin’s Creed’s three core pillars: stealth, parkour, and assassination. Assassin’s Creed Mirage continues the Isu story of the past games while also taking players back to the nascent days of Assassin’s Creed: a more narrative focused with a more streamlined campaign, paired with a skill-based progression system built around tools and abilities instead of stat-padded equipment and RPG numbers. Assassin’s Creed Mirage follows the origin story of Basim, the mentor of Eivor in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, exploring his early days as an apprentice of the Assassin’s Brotherhood and delving into his motivations for his future actions in the series. Assassin’s Creed Mirage aims to win old players back with a beautiful rendition of 9th-century Baghdad at the peak of the Islamic Abbasid Caliphate’s power.

1. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Release Date: October 20, 2023
Developed By: Insomniac Games
Published By: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS5

Last month, we had the Xbox’s most anticipated release of the year with Starfield. Just a month after, Sony’s own came out in the form of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the next-gen sequel of the console seller that was Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Following up directly on the Miles Morales stand-alone expansion for the first game, Spider-Man 2 now lets players swing around Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan as either Miles or Peter, with Peter now possessing the Symbiote Suit and Miles still filling in the big shoes of Spider-Man. For more information on this title, check out our Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 release date article.

And that’s it for our list of the Top 10 New Games of October 2023. For more gaming-related news articles and content, stick with ClutchPoints Gaming. You can also subscribe to our gaming newsletter to receive our weekly updates on the latest and the most trending articles in gaming and esports.

The post Top 10 New Games of October 2023 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

3 burning questions Warriors must answer heading into 2023-24 NBA training camp

September 30, 2023

As much changed for the Golden State Warriors’ roster and front office over the offseason, the fabric of this team’s identity remains pretty much the same as when it was celebrating a fourth championship in eight years less than 16 months ago. Stephen Curry is still the Dubs’ singular offensive engine, Draymond Green still sets their defensive and cultural tone and Steve Kerr’s longtime starting five still has an argument as basketball’s best.

That sense of stasis shouldn’t spark real optimism given the manner of Golden State’s failed title defense last season. Almost nothing went right for the Warriors in 2022-23, and not just because Green punched Jordan Poole in the face during an early October practice. They couldn’t win a road game, struggled to score in the clutch and never found a lasting rotation, deficiencies that reared their head almost as much in the playoffs as a relentlessly tumultuous regular season.

But 2023-24 looms on the Bay Area horizon with hopeful confidence regardless. In an absolutely loaded Western Conference, no one would be totally shocked if Golden State was the last team standing come June. Curry, Green and Klay Thompson definitely won’t get the chance to play for a fifth championship, though, unless their revamped supporting cast allows the Dubs’ collective whole to be greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Keeping that reality in mind, here are three burning questions facing the Warriors as 2023-24 training camp tips off next week.

3. Is the frontcourt deep enough?

The unsolvable offensive problems Golden State faces against good defenses when Green and Kevon Looney play together were laid bare by Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Los Angels Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Regardless, the Warriors were never going to seek a clear-cut shooting and finishing upgrade on the interior. Almost a decade into the dynasty, it’s still clear they’re at their best with Green playing small-ball five.

But Golden State isn’t anywhere near the juggernaut it was when Kevin Durant was in town. The Warriors barely avoided the play-in tournament last season, and will want as many playoff games at Chase Center as possible if they skirt above it once again. Reliable depth up front looms large across the 82-game grind, too. There are also certain postseason matchups that could call for two-big lineups that don’t include Looney.

Free agent addition Dario Saric is a perfect fit for Kerr’s system offensively, a high-level playmaker and solid screener who hit 39.1% from deep last season. He’s not a traditional rim-protector and can’t switch onto guards or wings, but Saric is smart and physical enough defensively to not be a liability in the team concept—especially playing next to Green or Looney, valuable positional versatility his offensive talents permit.

Green and Looney were worn out last season, and Saric isn’t too far removed from tearing his ACL. Where will Golden State go if one of them gets injured?

The likely answer is more minutes for Andrew Wiggins as a de facto power forward and an expanded role for Jonathan Kuminga, but don’t completely count out rookie second-rounder Trayce Jackson-Davis, either. He’s the Dubs’ best pick-and-roll lob threat—key with Chris Paul in the fold—and has advanced understanding as a passer and defender, the type of learned “feel” gleaned from playing four years at Indiana. Jackson-Davis is undersized for a five, though, and doesn’t stretch the floor. It’d be less than ideal for Golden State if he was pressed into regular action at any point this season.

As long as Saric proves a playable third big and the injury bug doesn’t bite, the Warriors’ frontcourt depth shouldn’t be an issue. Kerr’s affinity for small-ball and their abundance of rotation wings assures as much. But we could be singing a much different tune if Green, Looney or Saric is lost to injury, especially in the postseason against big teams like the defending-champion Denver Nuggets, Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.

2. How much does Chris Paul have left?

The many reasons why Paul should come off the bench for Golden State are obvious, and Kerr is already preaching that it doesn’t really matter who’s on the floor for tipoff. Poole started 43 games a year ago while filling in for an injured Curry and spending a month as a regular member of the Dubs’ downsized opening five. Paul will probably slide into a similar amount of starts even while serving as a primary reserve for the first time in his 18-year career.

“We basically have six starters the way I look at it,” Kerr said on Monday. “Only five can go each night, so I haven’t decided yet what we’re gonna do. I wanna see training camp. We’re gonna try different combinations and take a look. Obviously all six guys are gonna play a lot of minutes for us. If this is gonna work, everybody has to embrace it, regardless of who is starting and who’s not. It only works if the whole team buys in.”

The Warriors definitely won’t re-emerge as a top-tier contender this season unless they’re all rowing the same direction. But even perfect cohesion and connectivity won’t be enough for them to win another championship unless Paul, 38, keeps Father Time from getting any closer.

Paul shot 49.2% on pull-up twos last season, per NBA.com/stats, a great number for mere mortals but comfortably below his awesome late-career accuracy on those difficult attempts. He got all the way to the rim less than ever, too. His career-low 9.6 drives per game is further indication of Paul’s declining burst and athletic pop. He remained the highest-usage pick-and-roll ball handler in the league, though, a reliance that will only be viable going forward if Paul reverts back to being one of the three or four most dangerous mid-range shooters in basketball.

Of course, Paul will surely use fewer than 55.9% of his possessions with the Warriors on ball screens regardless. He’ll run the show with Curry on the bench, deploying frequent two-man games with Saric and Kuminga, but is bound to take more spot-up threes in 2023-24 than at any point of his career. Paul hit a scorching 52.3% of his catch-and-shoot triples during the regular season last year, but just 31.3% in the playoffs on higher volume—evidence of his slow, deliberate release, discomfort launching from several feet beyond the arc and defenders being unafraid to close-out hard on him.

Paul doesn’t need to play at an All-Star level to thrive with the Warriors. His leadership, basketball IQ and table-setting prowess will be welcome additions for a backcourt that sorely lacked those attributes without Curry on the floor last season. But if his jumper betrays him and teams start targeting him defensively, it’s more likely than not that Paul fails to be the difference-maker Golden State needs, prompting the Point God to be traded again before the February 8th deadline.

1. Are Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody ready to take the leap?

You’ll hear a version of the same tired cliché from the Warriors throughout 2023-24: “What matters isn’t who starts, but who finishes.” Paul will be the subject of that coach speak far more than anyone else as Kerr massages the ego of one of the most head-strong stars in league history.

But Golden State’s highest possible peak this season won’t be reached by Paul rising off the bench to play nightly member of the crunch-time five alongside Curry, Thompson, Wiggins and Green. It’s Kuminga and Moses Moody coming into their own as third-year pros who account for that utmost potential, superior size and athleticism making them far better one-on-one defenders than Paul in the clutch.

Remember how James mercilessly attacked both Curry and Poole in ball-screen action during the second round of the playoffs? The Dubs could be subject to a similarly slow death if their best closing lineup slots another small guard next to Curry, Paul’s basketball and competitive fire genius be damned.

All the intelligence and guile in the world won’t help Paul stop the likes of James, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morant and other superstar ball handlers if they consistently put him in pick-and-roll crosshairs late. Kuminga and Moody aren’t nearly as exploitable in isolation, but that won’t matter unless they make enough strides elsewhere for Kerr to put them on the floor as games hang in the balance.

It’s clear what that means for Kuminga: Committing to crashing the defensive glass, improving as a 4-on-3 decision-maker and continuing to smooth out his long-range jumper. He needs to tighten up as a help defender and run harder in transition, too. Moody’s necessary growth is simpler, rooted in better on-ball defender and more aggression letting fly from beyond the arc. He started doing the little things toward the end of last season, nuanced development reflected in his surprisingly large postseason role after riding the bench over the 82-game grind.

Kuminga and Moody will both be 21 this season, at least a half-decade away from their playing primes. But youth becomes a less defensible excuse for third-year players, especially when the core and system of their incumbent team goes largely unchanged. No one is asking Kuminga and Moody to play like stars, or even regularly flash that long-term ceiling. Impacting winning within the team construct is all they need to do to finally gain Kerr’s lasting trust.

Would that mean Kuminga or Moody emerge as a crunch-time mainstay? No way. But just the stylistic flexibility and personnel optionality provided by that progress would be massive for Golden State—enough to turn the Warriors from nostalgic championship hopefuls to legitimate title favorites alongside the Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns.

The post 3 burning questions Warriors must answer heading into 2023-24 NBA training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The 9 best fitness trackers to buy right now in 2023

September 29, 2023

The world of fitness trackers has expanded to cater to a diverse range of needs, from simple bands to rugged sports watches and even wearable health monitors. These devices go beyond just tracking steps — they monitor health metrics, analyze workouts, and offer valuable insights to help individuals maximize their fitness journey and take their personal health to an optimal level. Our comprehensive guide is your roadmap to finding the best fitness trackers on the market, meticulously selected to suit the lifestyles of runners, backcountry hikers, swimmers, athletes, and everyone in between.

Whether you’re striving for a new personal best in your next marathon, exploring the great outdoors, or simply aiming to maintain a healthy lifestyle, our guide simplifies the selection process. We’ve extensively researched and handpicked fitness trackers that cater to different activities, preferences, and budgets, ensuring that you discover the perfect device to monitor your health and enhance your life. Let our guide be your fitness companion, leading you to the best fitness trackers that offer advanced features, durability, and precision, ensuring that you’re well-equipped to achieve your fitness goals in 2023 and beyond.

Different types of fitness wearables

To streamline your choices, it’s crucial to recognize that there are four primary categories of wearables available: GPS watches, smartwatches, fitness trackers/sports watches, and health monitors. Here are the key differences between these different types of fitness trackers.

GPS Watches

  1. Advanced GPS Tracking: GPS watches are designed for outdoor enthusiasts and athletes who require precise location tracking for activities like running, cycling, and hiking.
  2. Comprehensive Sports Features: They often come with a wide range of sports-specific features, such as pace, distance, elevation, and route tracking. Some models also offer advanced metrics like VO2 max estimation.
  3. Dedicated Sports Profiles: GPS watches often include dedicated sports profiles for activities like swimming, skiing, and golf, providing detailed data for each sport.

Smartwatches

  1. Smart Features: Smartwatches offer a broader range of functionality beyond fitness tracking. They can display notifications, make calls, send messages, and run various apps.
  2. Health Monitoring: In addition to fitness tracking, smartwatches may include advanced health monitoring features like ECG (electrocardiogram), fall detection, and sleep analysis.
  3. Customization: Smartwatches often allow for customization through interchangeable watch faces and various bands to match your style.

Fitness Trackers/Sport Watches

  1. Simplicity and Focus: Fitness trackers and sport watches tend to be more focused on health and fitness tracking without the added smartwatch features, making them a more budget-friendly option.
  2. Slim and Lightweight: They are typically compact, lightweight, and designed to be worn discreetly throughout the day.
  3. Long Battery Life: Fitness trackers often offer longer battery life compared to smartwatches, requiring less frequent charging.

Health Monitors (Bands and Rings)

  1. Health-Centric: Health monitors like bands and rings are primarily focused on health and wellness tracking, with a strong emphasis on metrics like sleep quality, heart rate variability, and recovery.
  2. Continuous Monitoring: They often provide continuous, 24/7 monitoring of health parameters, including sleep stages and trends in heart rate variability.
  3. Low Profile: These devices are designed to be worn comfortably around the clock, and they may have a sleek, low-profile design compared to bulkier watches.
  4. Battery Life: Health monitors usually offer excellent battery life, lasting several days on a single charge.

Ultimately the choice between GPS watches, smartwatches, fitness trackers/sport watches, and health monitors will depend on your specific needs, preferences, and budget. GPS watches are best for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, smartwatches offer a blend of fitness and smart features, fitness trackers/sport watches are simple and budget-friendly, and health monitors focus on continuous health tracking.

The best fitness trackers

Here are our picks for the best fitness trackers, from wearables to GPS and smartwatches and health monitors to fitness watches, ensuring that you’re well-equipped to achieve your fitness goals in 2023 and beyond.

Best overall fitness tracker: Fitbit Charge 6 – Obsidian/Black Aluminum

Fitbit Charge 6 - Obsidian/Black Aluminum colorway on a white background.

Fitbit: $159.95

The OG brand that really started the worldwide health craze of helping individuals get more activity in their everyday lives, Fitbit has been leading the charge, tracking and encouraging us to get to 10,000 daily steps. Now, the Charge 6 is their latest and greatest yet. The Fitbit Charge 6 is an advanced fitness and health tracker designed to boost your daily routine. It comes equipped with essential features and integrates Google services like YouTube Music, Google Maps, and Google Wallet. The fitness tracker offers a comprehensive set of tools to help you achieve your health and fitness goals, from monitoring your daily progress to enhancing your overall well-being. With compatibility for both Android and iOS devices, it ensures a seamless experience for a wide range of users.

You can easily control YouTube Music, navigate with Google Maps, and make payments through Google Wallet right from your wrist. Additionally, it offers a wide range of health and fitness metrics, including heart rate, sleep quality, blood oxygen level (SpO2), VO2 max, and stress level. The inclusion of built-in GPS enhances its tracking capabilities, and it can make and receive calls and texts when paired with a compatible device.

Top Reason to Buy: The standout feature of the Fitbit Charge 6 is its integration with Google services, making it a versatile and smart fitness tracker. With its advanced features and Google integration, the Fitbit Charge 6 is an excellent choice for individuals looking to elevate their fitness and health monitoring with a sensible price tag to boot. Our top pick for best overall fitness trackers.

Best budget: Fitbit Inspire 3 Fitness Tracker – Midnight Zen

Fitbit Inspire 3 Fitness Tracker - Midnight Zen colored on a white background.

Walmart: $96.49

Fitbit continues to lead the way on all fronts when it comes to fitness trackers, and this model version is wonderful for those looking for a budget-friendly option. The Fitbit Inspire 3 offers an impressive array of features at an affordable price point, making it a great value for health-conscious individuals. It provides continuous monitoring of your resting heart rate, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, and more, allowing you to better understand your body’s signals and needs. One standout feature is the daily personalized stress score, which helps you gauge your stress levels and take appropriate action. Additionally, the tracker offers insights into your sleep patterns, allowing you to identify areas for improvement.

With a battery life of up to 10 days, the Fitbit Inspire 3 ensures you can stay on top of your health without frequent recharging. It also includes Active Zone Minutes to track your workout intensity and even checks for irregular heart rhythms, potentially alerting you to conditions like atrial fibrillation. The addition of mindfulness sessions helps you manage stress more effectively.

Added bonus: the Fitbit Inspire 3 comes with 6 months of Fitbit Premium, providing you with deeper insights and features to enhance your well-being. All of these features are bundled into a water-resistant design, making it a comprehensive and budget-friendly choice for those looking to prioritize their health and fitness.

Top Reason to Buy: The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a slim and stylish fitness tracker designed to help you monitor and improve various aspects of your health and well-being. This tracker offers a wide range of features that make it easy to keep track of your fitness, stress levels, sleep patterns, and more. A true hard-to-beat budget fitness trackers.

Best for backcountry trekking: Garmin fēnix 7 Pro (Solar Edition) – Slate Gray/Black

Garmin Fenix 7 Pro (Solar Edition) - Slate Gray/Black colorway on a white background.

Garmin: $799.99

The fēnix 7 Pro Solar is the ultimate multisport GPS smartwatch designed to perform all day, every day. It boasts a 1.3” display housed in a rugged 47 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case with a steel bezel and rear cover, ensuring durability in challenging environments. What sets it apart is the Power Glass solar charging lens, harnessing the sun’s energy to provide weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode. The watch features a built-in LED flashlight with variable intensities and strobe modes for nighttime training and illumination. It introduces new hill score and endurance score features to assess your running strength and overall endurance.

For comprehensive health monitoring, the fēnix 7 Pro Solar offers 24/7 health and wellness tracking, including HRV status, Pulse Ox (not a medical device; feature availability varies), and advanced sleep monitoring. It provides a morning report and training readiness insights by combining health and training data. Wrist-based running power, strength training features, and advanced pacing modes assist in training and race day preparations. With advanced navigation sensors and multi-band GPS featuring SatIQ™ technology, you get more accurate positioning and extended battery life.

This smartwatch also supports various sports with added activity profiles, from soccer to ice hockey. It allows you to connect with smart notifications, music storage, and more when paired with a compatible smartphone. With a remarkable battery life of up to 22 days in smartwatch mode, aided by solar charging in 3 hours of direct sunlight per day, and up to 73 hours in GPS mode with solar charging, the fēnix 7 Pro Solar is your reliable companion for adventures.

Top Reason to Buy: Exceptional battery life, enhanced by solar charging, ensures it won’t run out of power during your adventures. The watch offers advanced training metrics, including hill score and endurance score, to help you improve your performance over time. Comprehensive health and wellness monitoring, along with advanced sleep tracking, make it a valuable tool for overall well-being. The addition of preloaded maps for golf courses and ski resorts, as well as TopoActive maps, aids in navigation and exploration — the ultimate watch for backcountry trekking.

Best minimalistic wearable: WHOOP 4.0 Superknit Luxe Band – Onyx/Platinum

Whoop 4.0 Superknit Luxe Band - Onyx/Platinum colorway on a white background.

Whoop: $99

The Whoop 4.0 fitness device is a unique wearable designed for continuous physiological data monitoring, providing valuable insights into your health and wellness. It tracks essential metrics such as heart rate, respiratory rate, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, daily activity, and sleep quality. This data empowers you to gain a deeper understanding of your overall well-being and progress over time.

One of WHOOP’s standout features is its personalized approach to health and fitness. It offers science-backed recommendations and insights tailored to your specific goals. With the WHOOP Journal, you can easily track daily behaviors like activity, diet, stress levels, caffeine intake, and more. WHOOP analyzes this data to highlight which behaviors positively or negatively impact your sleep and recovery, helping you establish healthier habits.

For added convenience, WHOOP ensures you stay connected and charged on the go with its waterproof battery pack. This feature allows for continuous data tracking without interruptions.

Top Reason to Buy: Offering continuous monitoring of vital physiological parameters, its data-driven insights and personalized recommendations enable you to make informed decisions about your well-being and performance optimization. The device’s ability to track various lifestyle factors and their impact on your sleep and recovery is particularly valuable — minimalistic design packed with all the needed features.

Best chest strap monitor: Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap – Black

Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap - Black color on a white background.

Amazon: $99.95

The Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap is a versatile fitness accessory designed to provide accurate heart rate monitoring for both men and women. This chest strap is compatible with a wide range of sports and smartwatches, including popular brands like Polar, Garmin, Apple, and Suunto. It also works seamlessly with fitness apps such as Strava and Nike, making it a versatile choice for various fitness enthusiasts. One of the standout features of the Polar H10 is its supreme accuracy, widely recognized as one of the most precise heart rate sensors in Polar’s history. It is trusted by many professional athletes for its top-quality heart rate measurement capabilities.

Connectivity is another strong suit of the Polar H10. It offers multiple connection options, including Bluetooth, ANT+, and 5 kHz. This versatility allows you to connect it to various devices, including cardio equipment like Peloton. Notably, you can use both Bluetooth and ANT+ connections simultaneously and even connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The Polar Pro Chest Strap, included with the H10, features improved electrodes, an easy-to-use buckle, and silicone dots to ensure comfort and prevent interference during your workouts. It stays securely in place, even during vigorous activities.

This heart rate monitor is incredibly versatile and suitable for activities like rowing, cycling, running, indoor training, and even swimming, thanks to its waterproof design. Additionally, it boasts internal memory for storing data from a single training session.

Top Reason to Buy: Highly accurate heart rate monitoring during their workouts and its compatibility with a wide range of devices, including smartwatches and fitness apps. Professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts trust its precision, making it a top-quality choice for those who demand accurate heart rate measurements.

Most fashionable fitness monitor: Oura Ring Gen3 (Horizon) – Silver

Oura Ring Gen3 (Horizon) - Silver colored on a white background.

Oura: $349

Not a huge fan of wearing watches or straps and want something that most would never know is a fitness tracker? How about a ring that can do it all? The Oura Ring Generation 3 redefines health and fitness tracking with its advanced features and elegant design. This compact wearable ring packs a punch with 15 sophisticated sensors, upgraded algorithms, and enhanced software capabilities. It serves as your comprehensive health companion, monitoring your sleep, daily activity, and overall well-being. One of its standout features is the Sleep Score, which provides a detailed evaluation of your sleep quality by analyzing factors like sleep duration, sleep stages, HRV (heart rate variability), and more. With Bedtime Guidance, the ring offers personalized recommendations to optimize your nightly rest, ensuring you wake up refreshed.

The Oura Ring now boasts blood oxygen sensing (SpO2), allowing it to detect breathing disturbances during sleep. It also introduces Workout Heart Rate & Insights, providing real-time heart rate data during exercise and post-workout analysis, including essential statistics and recovery metrics. With 24/7 heart rate monitoring, automatic activity detection for over 30 activities, and customizable Activity Goals, this smart ring adapts to your lifestyle. The option to opt-out of calorie tracking ensures a tailored experience, while Recovery Time helps you determine when to prioritize rest.

Top Reason to Buy: Advanced sleep tracking, insightful fitness metrics, and a sleek, comfortable design. Its Sleep Score and Bedtime Guidance enhance sleep quality, while new features like blood oxygen sensing and Workout Heart Rate & Insights provide comprehensive fitness tracking. A total fashion-forward fitness trackers that everyone can get on board with.

Best for fitness tracker runners: Garmin Forerunner 955 – Whitestone

Garmin Forerunner 955 - Whitestone color on a white background.

Walmart: $499.99

Step up your fitness game with the Forerunner 955, the premium GPS smartwatch designed for runners and triathletes. This high-performance wearable is your ultimate training companion, equipped with features that enhance your performance and recovery. The training readiness feature is your virtual coach, informing you when you’re in prime condition for a productive training session. Daily suggested workouts adapt to your performance and recovery levels, ensuring that you’re always on the right track. The race widget provides valuable training tips, course details, and completion time predictions to help you excel in your races. The morning report offers a comprehensive overview of your sleep, recovery, training progress, and more. It also provides insights into your overall health, including heart rate variability (HRV) status (Please note that this device provides estimates of activity and metrics).

On the run, the Forerunner 955 stands out with its multi-band GPS and full-color, built-in maps. These features help you navigate confidently, whether you’re on a familiar route or exploring new terrain. The watch’s intuitive interface, featuring both traditional buttons and a touch display, ensures that you can easily access your training status and make informed decisions about your workouts. With a robust set of functions, including sleep monitoring, alarms, timers, phone notifications, music playback, and more, the Forerunner 955 is your versatile companion for various activities, from running and cycling to swimming and hiking. Its durable and water-resistant design ensures that it can keep up with your active lifestyle.

Top Reason to Buy: Ultimate smartwatch for serious runners and triathletes. Its training readiness feature, adaptive workouts, and race widget empower you to train effectively and perform your best. The morning report provides valuable insights into your health and recovery. With advanced GPS and full-color maps, you can confidently explore new routes. The combination of traditional buttons and a touch display offers convenient access to your training data — the ultimate fitness trackers for serious runners.

Best fitness tracker for Samsung users: Samsung Galaxy Watch6 – Black

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 - Black color on a white background.

Best Buy: $429.99

The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic boasts a classic and timeless design, complemented by a rotating bezel that seamlessly integrates with your personal style. This iconic watch not only looks fantastic but also offers effortless access to all your favorite apps with a simple twist. When it comes to fitness tracking, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is your ideal companion. It empowers you to achieve your fitness goals by providing valuable insights into your performance. Track essential metrics such as workout duration, distance covered, and calories burned, helping you make the most of your exercise routines.

For a more personalized fitness experience, the watch introduces Personalized HR Zones. It analyzes your health data to create heart rate zones tailored specifically to you. This feature allows you to optimize your workouts and target the results you desire. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic doesn’t stop at fitness; it also takes care of your sleep. With Advanced Sleep Coaching, you can develop healthier sleep patterns and take control of your day. Plan your bedtime, detect snoring, and gain a deeper understanding of your sleep stages, including awake, light, deep, and REM sleep. Equipped with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) technology, this watch keeps you informed about your body. Get readings on body fat, skeletal muscle, body water, Body Mass Index (BMI), and more. These insights help you track your progress on your journey to a healthier lifestyle.

Top Reason to Buy: With Advanced Sleep Coaching, this watch helps you develop better sleep habits. The advanced BIA sensor offers valuable information about your body composition. Plus, this watch seamlessly integrates into the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, enhancing your multi-device experience. A solid choice when choosing fitness trackers, especially for those who love their Samsung products.

Best fitness tracker for Apple users: Apple Watch Series  9 – Midnight

Apple Watch Series  9 - Midnight colored on a white background.

Walmart: $389.99

For those who love all things Apple, this is the fitness tracker for you. The Apple Watch Series 9 is the ultimate companion for a connected, active, healthy, and secure lifestyle. With powerful sensors and advanced health features, it’s designed to help you measure and improve your daily activities. Featuring the revolutionary double tap interaction, a brilliantly enhanced display, lightning-fast on-device Siri, and Precision Finding for your iPhone, this Apple Watch takes convenience and functionality to the next level.

The Series 9 boasts the S9 chip, enabling a super-bright display that’s easily viewable in various conditions. The new double tap feature allows you to interact with your watch magically, without touching the screen, for a more intuitive and responsive experience. It offers advanced health, safety, and activity features that provide valuable insights and assistance when you need it most. Redesigned watchOS apps deliver more information at a glance, keeping you informed and in control.

This environmentally conscious watch is available in an aluminum variant paired with the latest Sport Loop, making it carbon neutral. With cellular connectivity, you can send texts, make calls, and stream music without your iPhone nearby, giving you freedom and flexibility.

Top Reason to Buy: Advanced health features include blood oxygen monitoring, ECG capability, irregular heart rhythm notifications, sleep stage tracking, temperature sensing, and emotional awareness insights. It’s a powerful fitness partner with various workout modes and advanced metrics. Safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS provide added security. The watch seamlessly integrates with Apple devices and services, making it a vital part of your tech ecosystem. With customizable watch bands and watch faces, it’s both stylish and functional, adapting to your mood and needs —  must-have fitness trackers for Apple lovers.

Your health reimagined

Elevate your fitness journey in 2023 with our picks of the best fitness trackers on the market. From sleek bands to rugged sports watches and innovative rings, our curated selection ensures that whether you’re a runner, hiker, swimmer, athlete, or somewhere in between, you’ll find the perfect device to monitor your health and maximize your life. Let our guide be your fitness companion, leading you to the best fitness trackers that offer advanced features, durability, and precision, ensuring that every step you take is a stride toward a healthier and more active lifestyle.

The post The 9 best fitness trackers to buy right now in 2023 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

2023-24 NBA Power Rankings: How Damian Lillard trade to Bucks shakes up hierarchy before training camp

September 29, 2023

We have finally made it. After months of trade rumors and drama surrounding some of the biggest names in the league, the 2023-24 NBA season is right around the corner with training camps set to begin. This offseason proved to be a wild roller-coaster ride, especially with the likes of Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis being traded. Oh, and we can’t fail to mention that Damian Lillard was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks, a move that has slightly shifted the balance of power in a fresh batch of 2023-24 NBA Power Rankings.

Lillard requested a trade from Portland on July 1, but it took close to four months for him to finally get his wish. While he wanted to go to the Miami Heat all along and while everyone in the league believed this was going to happen, Dame now finds himself on a championship-contending team in Milwaukee alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

James Harden, another superstar talent who requested a trade in the offseason, has not had the same luck in terms of getting the trade he wants. The Philadelphia 76ers have held zero interest in dealing the former MVP. Despite Harden calling out Daryl Morey throughout the summer, the organization has made it clear that they are keeping The Beard unless they get the exact value they want.

As teams across the league prepare for the start of training camp and Media Days, all eyes are going to be on the new All-Star duos and trios that have been formed. Aside from Lillard with the Bucks, Beal is now with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix, Paul is now with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green with the Golden State Warriors, and Porzingis is looking to make a title push on the Boston Celtics alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

There are some very talented rosters entering the new 2023-24 season, but at the end of the day, they are all still chasing the Denver Nuggets, who are coming off their first championship in franchise history with the same core group looking to run things back. Will anyone be able to dethrone Denver this year? Let’s take a look at how these NBA Power Rankings have changed since the start of August and the offseason’s free agency period.

30. Washington Wizards (No change)

2022-23 Record: 35-47, Result: Missed playoffs (12th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Jordan Poole, G Tyus Jones, G Landry Shamet

Key departures: G Bradley Beal, F/C Kristaps Porzingis, G Monte Morris

The Washington Wizards are finally rebuilding their roster after making several blockbuster trades. The 2023-24 season is the first year of this rebuild, so it shouldn’t be a shock for this franchise to win under 25 games during the regular season. Jordan Poole is a great addition for them, though, and it is certainly a possibility that Washington looks to flip Tyus Jones ahead of the trade deadline. Looking at their long-term approach, the Wizards can really take a step in the right direction if Johnny Davis, Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert and rookie Bilal Coulibaly can assert themselves as contributing weapons.

29. Charlotte Hornets (No change)

2022-23 Record: 27-55, Result: Missed playoffs (14th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: F Miles Bridges, F Brandon Miller

Key departures: G/F Kelly Oubre Jr., G Dennis Smith Jr.

What should we make of the Charlotte Hornets heading into the new season? Sure, LaMelo Ball is an All-Star and others in Terry Rozier and PJ Washington are steady secondary contributors, but the Hornets really have no identity. They weren’t great offensively last season, they struggled to keep their opponents in front of them defensively, and it just seems like they play every game like it’s a pickup game at the local L.A. Fitness. There’s just nothing really special about this team, which always seems to be dealing with outside distractions. Entering training camp, that distraction is Kai Jones with his questionable use of social media lately. Plus, Miles Bridges is back after missing last season due to domestic violence. Maybe they will surprise everyone based on their position in the NBA Power Rankings, but I wouldn’t count on it.

28. Portland Trail Blazers (No change)

2022-23 Record: 33-49, Result: Missed playoffs (13th in Western Conference)

Key additions: C Deandre Ayton, G Jrue Holiday, F Kris Murray

Key departures: G Damian Lillard, F Nassir Little, C Drew Eubanks

The Damian Lillard era is officially over for the Portland Trail Blazers, as they pulled off the offseason’s biggest trade just days ago by sending the superstar guard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, the Blazers’ focus turns to their young core of the future. The good news for Portland fans is that Anfernee Simons is still around to lead this backcourt, Jerami Grant is now their key veteran on the wing, and more minutes will be given to Shaedon Sharpe and rookie Scoot Henderson. The Blazers also have Deandre Ayton in their frontcourt and should be able to get a solid return for Jrue Holiday when they eventually trade him. Portland isn’t going to make the playoffs, but they aren’t going to be the worst team in the league either.

27. Detroit Pistons (No change)

2022-23 Record: 17-65, Result: Missed playoffs (15th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Monte Morris, G/F Joe Harris, G/F Ausar Thompson

Key departures: G/F Hamidou Diallo, G Cory Joseph

Right now, the Detroit Pistons will enter the 2023-24 season as a low-end team in the NBA Power Rankings. By the end of the year, it would not be surprising to see them move up into the low 20s and be in the running for a play-in tournament spot after the All-Star break. Detroit has talent on their roster and Monty Williams is going to reinvent the attitude surrounding this young group. Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson highlight this core group, plus the Pistons made some moves this offseason to bring in experienced veterans in Joe Harris and Monte Morris. It won’t be long until we start having conversations about the Pistons being a playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

26. San Antonio Spurs (No change)

2022-23 Record: 22-60, Result: Missed playoffs (14th in Western Conference)

Key additions: C Victor Wembanyama, G/F Cedi Osman, F Reggie Bullock

Key departures: F Keita Bates-Diop

It is Victor Wembanyama time for the San Antonio Spurs! David Robinson and Tim Duncan were both drafted first overall and won championships with the Spurs, so the team is hopeful that Wembanyama will bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to the city in the future. As their roster is constructed right now, San Antonio enters the new year having options. Reggie Bullock, Cedi Osman, and Doug McDermott are all players to watch pertaining to the trade deadline. We also shouldn’t count the Spurs out from making a big move, as finding an All-Star to play alongside Wemby is going to be essential for their overall growth. They won’t be great, but the Spurs are going to be a competitive team all year long.

25. Orlando Magic (-1)

2022-23 Record: 34-48, Result: Missed playoffs (13th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G/F Joe Ingles, G Anthony Black, G/F Jett Howard

Key departures: C Bol Bol

The Orlando Magic added Joe Ingles to be a veteran voice in their locker room and continued to add to their young core with the likes of Anthony Black and Jett Howard. Paolo Banchero is now the face of the organization, and the reigning Rookie of the Year is going to be looking to bring his franchise back to the playoffs alongside Franz Wagner. Orlando’s potential success depends on their ability to defend. This team possesses length and has some really talented defensive options, which is why locking in on that end of the floor can make up for their lack of scoring weapons. It still seems like the Magic are a piece away from being a sure-thing playoff team.

24. Houston Rockets (+1)

2022-23 Record: 22-60, Result: Missed playoffs (14th in Western Conference)

Key additions: G Fred VanVleet, F Dillon Brooks, C Jock Landale, G Amen Thompson

Key departures: F Kenyon Martin Jr., G Josh Christopher, G TyTy Washington

This offseason went exactly how the Houston Rockets needed it to go. They got their guy in Amen Thompson during the draft, and then they were able to land Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in free agency, their two top targets. VanVleet and new head coach Ime Udoka are set to turn the Rockets back into a winning franchise, and they certainly have the personnel to achieve such growth. What will happen with Kevin Porter Jr. is still a question mark, as he continues to go through the legal process stemming from domestic assault allegations against him.

23. Toronto Raptors (No change)

2022-23 Record: 41-41, Result: Lost in East play-in (9th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Dennis Schroder, F Jalen McDaniels, G Gradey Dick

Key departures: G Fred VanVleet, G Dalano Banton

The Toronto Raptors were unable to keep Fred VanVleet in free agency, failed to land Damian Lillard in a trade during the offseason and did not really make any moves to improve their roster. This team missed the playoffs last year, which is why they will miss the playoffs and finish with an even worse record this upcoming year. No matter how you look at things in Toronto, a rebuild presents itself. This organization, one that has been known for finding success while facing adversity, is on a downhill spiral in the East. Keep an eye on Pascal Siakam’s availability ahead of this year’s trade deadline, as he could wind up being the big name on the move in the final year of his contract.

22. Chicago Bulls (No change)

2022-23 Record: 40-42, Result: Lost in East play-in (10th in the Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Jevon Carter, F Torrey Craig

Key departures: G Patrick Beverley, F Derrick Jones Jr., F Javonte Green

It is such a shame that Lonzo Ball continues to deal with knee problems because when he was healthy, the Chicago Bulls looked like they could be one of the better teams in the East. Now, the destruction of their All-Star core seems imminent, especially if they are unable to prove they can win at the highest level over the course of the first month of the regular season. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan both have suitors out there, and the Bulls don’t have many future assets. This is why a potential trade seems to make the most sense right now. As far as what they did in the offseason, Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig will help fill gaps on the bench. Patrick Williams is the key to the Bulls taking a step forward, though, especially since he can take pressure off LaVine and DeRozan.

21. Brooklyn Nets (No change)

2022-23 Record: 45-37, Result: Lost in first round (6th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Lonnie Walker IV, G Dennis Smith Jr., F Noah Clowney

Key departures: G Seth Curry, G/F Joe Harris, G Patty Mills

Ben Simmons appears ready for training camp and the start of the regular season, but what version will the Brooklyn Nets be getting? If it is the All-Star-caliber player, the Nets will be in a good spot seeing as Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie can carry the load offensively. If it is the other version of Simmons… well, the Nets are in trouble since the former top pick is still guaranteed over $75 million. Nonetheless, this is a team that still has a lot to prove before they can rise up the NBA Power Rankings.

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (-2)

2022-23 Record: 42-40, Result: Lost in West play-in (9th in Western Conference)

Key additions: G Shake Milton, F Troy Brown Jr., F Leonard Miller

Key departures: G Jaylen Nowell, F Taurean Prince, G Austin Rivers

Anthony Edwards is the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves and is once again going to have an All-Star season. Whether or not Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert can play alongside one another and make a positive difference is yet to be seen. the Timberwolves as a whole are a tough team to assess right now because of the inconsistency problems they had a season ago. They were a different team each and every night, plus the T-Wolves still have questions surrounding where production will come from outside of their starting lineup.

19. Indiana Pacers (+1)

2022-23 Record: 35-47, Result: Missed playoffs (11th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G/F Bruce Brown, F Obi Toppin, F Jarace Walker

Key departures: F Oshae Brissett

There is a lot to like about the Indiana Pacers right now. Rick Carlisle has a high-energy team that is just simply fun to watch. Tyrese Haliburton is rapidly becoming one of the best passers in the entire league, and the team got quicker with the additions of Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker this offseason. Brown is going to fill a lot of holes for Indiana due to his ability to impact the game in many ways. He’s one of the best glue guys in the league and was a big reason why the Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals. It has been a few years since they’ve been in the playoffs, but the Pacers should absolutely be a team that competes for a postseason spot this year.

18. Dallas Mavericks (+1)

2022-23 Record: 38-44, Result: Missed playoffs (11th in Western Conference)

Key additions: F Grant Williams, G Seth Curry, F Derrick Jones Jr.

Key departures: F Reggie Bullock, F Davis Bertans, C JaVale McGee

Even though they had a good offseason, it’s still hard to look at the Dallas Mavericks and claim that they have what it takes to rise up the NBA Power Rankings. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving cannot do everything on their own offensively, plus the Mavs ranked 24th in the league in defensive rating this past year. There are certainly encouraging signs that exist on this roster. Grant Williams will provide a boost as a 3-and-D player on the wing, while rookie center Dereck Lively II could give the Mavs a player they have not had at the center position in a while due to his length and underrated shooting abilities.

17. Utah Jazz (No change)

2022-23 Record: 37-45, Result: Missed playoffs (12th in Western Conference)

Key additions: F John Collins, G Keyonte George, F Taylor Hendricks

Key departures: F Rudy Gay

The Utah Jazz are a team similar to the Pacers in the sense that they are young and play with a lot of energy. Lauri Markkanen’s breakout season was everything the Jazz had hoped for when they traded away Donovan Mitchell, while Walker Kessler’s big rookie season was an added bonus. These two, along with Jordan Clarkson, are now key parts of this franchise’s long-term success plan. The Jazz still need to make some moves, especially with Kelly Olynyk and Talen Horton-Tucker being in the final year of their contracts. Collin Sexton is another name that could pop up in trade rumors, especially since the Jazz drafted and intend on playing rookie Keyonte George a lot this season.

16. Oklahoma City Thunder (-1)

2022-23 Record: 40-42, Result: Lost in West play-in (10th in Western Conference)

Key additions: G Vasilije Micic, G Cason Wallace, F Davis Bertans

Key departures: F/C Dario Saric

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not just an All-Star and one of the best scorers in the league, but he is going to enter the 2023-24 season as a legit MVP candidate because of how he helped the Oklahoma City Thunder grow into a threatening team. Chet Holmgren is preparing to make his rookie debut after being selected second overall in last year’s draft, and Jalen Williams is another youthful talent who could follow in Gilgeous-Alexander footsteps in terms of becoming a star. There is a lot to like about the Thunder, plus GM Sam Presti still has long-term options available with all the draft capital they own.

15. Atlanta Hawks (+1)

2022-23 Record: 41-41, Result: Lost in first round (8th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Patty Mills, F Wesley Matthews, G Kobe Bufkin

Key departures: F John Collins, G Aaron Holiday

The Atlanta Hawks were not good last year, it’s that simple. They could not close out games and there just seemed to be a disconnect internally. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are back as one of the league’s best backcourt duos, but even without John Collins, the Hawks may be in a better position entering this season. Collins’ departure has created a large $23 million trade exception the team will most definitely use to increase their playoff chances. Bringing in another impactful talent alongside Young and Murray is certainly the goal this front office has right now.

14. New Orleans Pelicans (No change)

2022-23 Record: 42-40, Result: Lost in West play-in (8h in Western Conference)

Key additions: C Cody Zeller, G Jordan Hawkins, F E.J. Liddell

Key departures: C Jaxson Hayes, G Josh Richardson

Zion Williamson is healthy. When was the last time you heard that? The New Orleans Pelicans actually have their stars healthy with Williamson and Brandon Ingram returning from injury, yet they still cannot seem to get the injury bug out of their locker room. Trey Murphy III had surgery for a partially torn meniscus, and now the team is also going to enter training camp without Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance Jr. due to ankle injuries. The Pelicans are short-handed right now, which gives us a chance to see what Dyson Daniels, Naji Marshall and potentially rookie Jordan Hawkins are made of early on. At full-strength, the Pels can be a dangerous team in the West.

13. Miami Heat (-1)

2022-23 Record: 44-38, Result: Lost in NBA Finals (8th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Josh Richardson, C Thomas Bryant, G/F Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Key departures: G Gabe Vincent, G/F Max Strus, G Victor Oladipo

Even though they constantly remind us not to doubt them, the Miami Heat seem primed to take a step backwards after making it to the NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are all great players, but the Heat have always relied upon their depth to find success. The departures of Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have removed a large chunk of this team’s depth, something they have yet to address. Who knows, maybe they will come out and again emerge as one of the better teams in the league, but Heat fans are extremely upset after the team failed to trade for Damian Lillard. Things are just a little awkward right now in Miami, but perhaps they will turn around and make a big move after missing out on Dame.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (-2)

2022-23 Record: 51-31, Result: Lost in first round (2nd in Western Conference)

Key additions: G Marcus Smart, G Derrick Rose, G Josh Christopher

Key departures: G Tyus Jones, F Dillon Brooks

The Memphis Grizzlies have been regular-season heroes for the last two years, posting back-to-back 50-win seasons. They will not have Ja Morant for the first 25 games of the season as a result of his suspension, putting a lot of pressure on the likes of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. This year is truly the time that Memphis needs to prove that they can win when it matters most, especially since the front office has invested a lot of money into this core group. Marcus Smart’s arrival will provide stability and gives the Grizzlies the last two Defensive Player of the Year recipients. Losing the voices of Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones may prove to be costly in the end.

11. New York Knicks (+2)

2022-23 Record: 47-35, Result: Lost in East semis (5th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Donte DiVincenzo

Key departures: G Derrick Rose

When there is a lot of hype surrounding a sports franchise in New York City, it is normally revolving around the New York Yankees or New York Giants. Nobody ever has anything nice to say about the New York Knicks, but this offseason, nothing bad can be said about them! The Knicks are in a fantastic position right now, and the addition of Donte DiVincenzo gives them yet another utility player who can fill gaps around Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. This is a team that not only has playoff aspirations, but true championship expectations moving forward. Nobody is going to want to see them late in the year.

10. Philadelphia 76ers (-1)

2022-23 Record: 54-28, Result: Lost in East semis (3rd in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G/F Kelly Oubre Jr., G Patrick Beverley, C Mo Bamba

Key departures: G Shake Milton, F Jalen McDaniels

The Philadelphia 76ers are trending down right now. James Harden has created yet another dark cloud over the organization he is with, casting even more doubt on where his future lies. It doesn’t seem like Harden is going to be playing in Philly anymore, leaving Joel Embiid to carry the 76ers to the Eastern Conference Finals, somewhere they haven’t been since 2001. It’s really hard to buy into this team right now, especially with all the uncertainty that surrounds the roster and front office.

9. Los Angeles Clippers (+2)

2022-23 Record: 44-38, Result: Lost in West semis (5th in Western Conference)

Key additions: F Kenyon Martin Jr., F Kobe Brown

Key departures: G/F Eric Gordon

Los Angeles Clippers president Lawrence Frank recently told reporters ahead of training camp that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are “fully healthy.” That’s all I need to hear to once again claim that the Clippers are championship contenders. This team has the depth they need to go on a deep postseason run as long as Leonard and George are on the floor together. Russell Westbrook also proved to be a big addition for the organization, taking pressure off Leonard and George as the main facilitator. All the Clippers need is to get back to being the high-level defensive team they were a couple of seasons ago in order to fight for the top spot in the NBA Power Rankings. And, of course, Kawhi and PG-13 actually have to stay healthy.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers (-1)

2022-23 Record: 51-31, Result: Lost in first round (4th in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Max Strus, F Georges Niang, G Ty Jerome

Key departures: G/F Cedi Osman, C Robin Lopez, G Danny Green

Max Strus and Georges Niang are two key shooting weapons that have been very dependable through the years. Shooting held the Cleveland Cavaliers back this past year, especially since they had no real perimeter depth on their bench. Winning 51 games a season ago was no fluke for the Cavs, though, as this team is really good and disciplined defensively. Evan Mobley is entering a crucial thirds season as he looks to become a legit All-Star talent. He’s the X-factor for Cleveland to once again become a contending threat and has the potential to become the best two-way big man in the league. This was a really good offseason for the Cavaliers, an organization that is once again putting themselves on the map.

7. Golden State Warriors (+1)

2022-23 Record: 44-38, Result: Lost in West semis (6th in Western Conference)

Key additions: G Chris Paul, G Cory Joseph, F/C Dario Saric

Key departures: G Jordan Poole, G Donte DiVincenzo, F Andre Iguodala

Everyone was talking about how the dynasty was back in 2022 when the Golden State Warriors won their fourth championship since 2015. Now, everyone is saying how the dynasty is dead since they lost in the Western Conference Semifinals last year. As long as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are healthy, the Warriors will have a chance to win any game they play. Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney are still around, plus Chris Paul is actually a sneaky-good addition for this team because of the way he can facilitate the offense around Curry and Thompson. The Dubs are at their best when people doubt them, and they are even more dangerous when they can be the hunters instead of the hunted.

6. Los Angeles Lakers (No change)

2022-23 Record: 43-39, Result: Lost in West Finals (7th in Western Conference)

Key additions: F/C Christian Wood, G Gabe Vincent, F Taurean Prince, G/F Cam Reddish, C Jaxson Hayes

Key departures: G Dennis Schroder, G Malik Beasley, C Mo Bamba, F Troy Brown Jr.

The Los Angeles Lakers had the best offseason out of any team in the league. There is no arguing this, as they made upgrades up and down their roster by adding players like Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince while retaining their top talents. Still, everything for this franchise revolves around the health of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Even at 38 years old, James will continue to make a huge impact and will his team to victories. As long as they are healthy, the Lakers will be near the top of the NBA Power Rankings.

5. Sacramento Kings (No change)

2022-23 Record: 48-34, Result: Lost in first round (3rd in Western Conference)

Key additions: F Sasha Vezenkov, G Chris Duarte, C JaVale McGee

Key departures: G Terence Davis, C Richaun Holmes, F Chimezie Metu

Mike Brown did a fantastic job in Year 1 as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Now, the 2023-24 season presents the challenge of backing up what they did last year, so people don’t call them a “one hit wonder.” Mediocrity has always been attached to the Kings, yet everything about them screamed contender last year. If they had not run into the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, the Kings had a real shot at winning their first playoff series since 2006. They even took the defending champions to seven games! De’Aaron Fox and Co. now understand what they are capable of doing, which is why they are going to look more confident and a lot more relaxed this upcoming year. Sasha Vezenkov is also going to prove to be a huge addition on the wing.

4. Boston Celtics (No change)

2022-23 Record: 57-25, Result: Lost in East Finals (2nd in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: F/C Kristaps Porzingis, F Lamar Stevens, F Oshae Brissett

Key departures: G Marcus Smart, F Grant Williams, F Danilo Gallinari

The Boston Celtics wanted Kristaps Porzingis in their frontcourt and got him this offseason. However, they lost Marcus Smart in the process. Offensively, this team is going to be a lot better and Jayson Tatum will finally have the added help he was lacking at times in the postseason. However, Boston’s defense is going to take a hit early on with Smart not being around anymore. Derrick White really has a chance to prove that he’s a high-level two-way guard this season. The starting point guard spot is his entering camp and, for the moment, the Celtics have a strong defensive frontcourt with Porzingis and Robert Williams III being shot-blocking threats. This season is once again championship or bust for the C’s.

3. Phoenix Suns (+1)

2022-23 Record: 45-37, Result: Lost in West semis (4th in Western Conference)

Key additions: G Bradley Beal, G Eric Gordon, G Jordan Goodwin, C Bol Bol, C Drew Eubanks

Key departures: C Deandre Ayton, F Torrey Craig, G Cam Payne, C Jock Landale

To say the Phoenix Suns were busy in the offseason would be an understatement. Bradley Beal highlights the vast list of additions this organization made during the summer, as he helps form arguably the best star trio in the league alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Deandre Ayton’s departure may come as a surprise to some, especially seeing as he played a huge part in their run to the NBA Finals in 2021, but the writing had been on the wall for this one. Jusuf Nurkic fits in much better at the center spot in new head coach Frank Vogel’s system. By moving Ayton, the Suns now opened up a little more room to facilitate future trades. The Suns want to win a championship right now by any means necessary, which is why they gave up all of their future assets over the summer.

2. Milwaukee Bucks (No change)

2022-23 Record: 58-24, Result: Lost in first round (1st in Eastern Conference)

Key additions: G Damian Lillard, G Malik Beasley

Key departures: G Jrue Holiday, G Grayson Allen, G Jevon Carter

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton. That’s a talented group right there. The Milwaukee Bucks’ Lillard trade broke the NBA world and made it clear that they were going to get Giannis the help he wanted, even though Jrue Holiday helped them win a title in 2021. The Bucks have moved on from their ugly playoff loss to Miami and now have two of the best scorers in the league today. Lillard and Antetokounmpo cannot be stopped offensively, which is why they are title favorites in the East. This team’s chance of winning it all comes down to their depth and ability to defend out on the perimeter, as Holiday, Grayson Allen and Jevon Carter were all players who made Milwaukee one of the better defensive teams in the league last season.

1. Denver Nuggets (No change)

2022-23 Record: 53-29, Result: NBA champions (1st in Western Conference)

Key additions: G/F Julian Strawther, F Hunter Tyson, G/F Justin Holiday

Key departures: G/F Bruce Brown, F Jeff Green, C Thomas Bryant

Until they are beaten in the playoffs, it’s hard to come up with an argument against the Denver Nuggets in this spot. While his quest for three straight MVPs was ruined by Joel Embiid, Jokic followed up his 2021 and 2022 MVPs with the 2023 Finals MVP. That’s a pretty good trade-off if you ask me. This Nuggets core group proved to be relentless last year as they finally stayed healthy and broke through to win it all. It’ll be interesting to see how the defending champions rebuild some of their lost depth with Bruce Brown and Jeff Green leaving in free agency. Rookies Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson and Jalen Pickett will all see some playing time, but it is second-year wing Peyton Watson who the franchise is exceptionally high on. Denver has the best player in the world right now and is still the kings of the NBA Power Rankings entering the new year despite their rivals in the Western Conference making big moves.

The post 2023-24 NBA Power Rankings: How Damian Lillard trade to Bucks shakes up hierarchy before training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The best trade all 30 NBA franchises have ever made

September 29, 2023

Trades have helped shape the fabric of the NBA since its beginning in 1946. Each franchise has its share of good and bad moves. With the art of the deal, some teams have better luck than others.

Here are the best NBA trades made by each team in league history.

30. Atlanta Hawks

The Utah Jazz traded their No. 3 overall pick in 1982, Dominique Wilkins, to the Hawks for John Drew and Freeman Williams. Wilkins went on to become one of the best scorers in NBA history. The Hall of Famer ended up being a nine-time all-star for the Hawks, scoring 25 or more points per game for 10 seasons. The team didn’t experience much success due to a poor supporting cast.

29. Boston Celtics

Possibly the most famous trade in recent NBA history, the Celtics sent an aging core of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and Kris Joseph to the Brooklyn Nets. In return, the Celtics received role players, unprotected first-round picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and the ability to swap first-rounders in 2017.

None of those players had significant impacts in Boston. However, the unprotected draft picks have led to franchise cornerstones Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in a deal widely regarded as one of the most lopsided ever.

28. Brooklyn Nets

Byron Scott, Jason Kidd

In 2001, the Phoenix Suns traded Jason Kidd and Chris Dudley to the Nets for Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman Soumalia Samake.

In Kidd’s seven seasons with the Nets, he would be named to five All-Star games, bringing the Nets to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

27. Charlotte Hornets

The expansion Charlotte Bobcats traded the No. 4 and No. 33 picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004.

Charlotte drafted Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor, a solid contributor to the expansion team.

26. Chicago Bulls 

The Seattle Supersonics drafted Scottie Pippen as No. 5 overall in 1987. They would then trade the future Hall of Famer for No. 8 overall pick Olden Polynice and future draft picks. Seattle could never have known how it would end up as Olden Polynice was more highly regarded. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst moves a team has ever made.

Pippen was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in seven of the 11 seasons he played in Chicago and served as the second-best player on the roster alongside Michael Jordan while winning six championships.

25. Cleveland Cavaliers

In the 1986 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks sent No. 25 overall pick Mark Price to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second-round pick.

Price would become an All-NBA caliber player in the early ’90s for the Cavs and is the second most accurate free-throw shooter of all time.

24. Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki

The Dončič trade could one day land on a list like this. However, in 1998, the Mavericks acquired No. 7 overall pick Dirk Nowitzki for big man Robert Traylor.

Another piece of the trade, Pat Garrity, was then flipped to the Phoenix Suns for Steve Nash and a filler pick that turned into Steve Nash. Essentially, the Mavericks traded Robert Traylor and Pat Garrity for Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Shawn Marion.

Nowitzki is the best player in Mavericks history, bringing the franchise its first-ever championship in 2011.

23. Denver Nuggets

In 1980, the Nuggets traded aging star George McGinnis and Carl Nicks to the Indiana Pacers for forward Alex English.

English developed into one of the best scorers of his era and led the NBA with 28.4 points per game in 1983. He averaged at least 25 points per game for eight straight seasons from 1981 to 1989. He was also highly efficient, as his field goal percentage never dropped below 49.1%.

22. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons took a risk in 2000 by trading rising star Grant Hill to the Orlando Magic for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace. Injuries would derail Hill’s career after he left Detroit (though he was already hit by the bug some). Wallace would develop into one of the best defensive centers ever, anchoring the Pistons’ championship run in 2004.

21. Golden State Warriors

At the 2005 trade deadline, the Warriors shipped Speedy Claxton and Dale Ellis to New Orleans for a 25-year-old Baron Davis.

Over the next three and a half years, Davis would be the best player for the Warriors, leading their improbable upset of the top-seeded Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs.

20. Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets acquired Clyde Drexler from the Portland Trail Blazers for Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola, and a first-round pick. Drexler was in Portland for a decade but became a household name while starring alongside Hakeem Olajuwon at the University of Houston.

In Drexler’s first season with Houston, he and Olajuwon teamed up to win the second of back-to-back NBA championships for the Rockets.

19. Indiana Pacers

In 1994, the Pacers acquired Mark Jackson for the first time, sending Malik Sealy, Pooh Richardson, and Eric Piatkowski to the Los Angeles Clippers. Then, two years later, the team decided that it could do without Jackson and moved him, along with Ricky Pierce and a pick, to the Denver Nuggets for Jalen Rose, Reggie Williams, and a draft pick that became Erick Dampier.

The team called Denver back the next year to ask for Jackson back. The Nuggets sent Jackson back to Indiana, along with LaSalle Thompson, in exchange for Eddie Johnson, Vincent Askew, and a second-round pick.

Meanwhile, in a separate deal, the Pacers flipped Dampier (and Duane Ferrell) to the Golden State Warriors for Chris Mullin.

So, by exiling Mark Jackson for a few years and parting ways with a series of aging vets and a few picks, the Pacers were able to put Jackson, Rose, and Mullin next to Reggie Miller in their perimeter rotation. This led to the team’s greatest runs in franchise history in the late 90s and early 2000s.

18. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers don’t have a ton of great trades in franchise history. However, the 2011 trade that brought Chris Paul to LA led to the most successful six-year run in franchise history. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin combined to have one of the most exciting eras of Clippers basketball, “lob city”.

Bad luck, poor clutch performance, and a bunch of other factors contributed to Chris Paul never making it to an NBA finals with the Clippers. He is most remembered for his failed attempts in the postseason, but Paul was a valued member of the franchise while he was there.

17. Los Angeles Lakers

Mamba Sports Academy, Kobe Bryant, Lakers

In one of the best trades in NBA history, the Lakers moved Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 13 overall pick in the 1996 draft, Kobe Bryant. Bryant won five titles with the Purple & Gold and would be one of the best players in NBA history,

16. Memphis Grizzlies

At the time, trading a budding star in Pau Gasol seemed foolish. But in return, the Grizzlies received his younger brother, Marc, a few role players, and draft picks.

Marc Gasol would win NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and lead the “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies of the early 2010s.

15. Miami Heat

Excluding the 2010 sign-and-trade deals for LeBron James and Chris Bosh, the Heat’s acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal in 2006 gave the team another star alongside Dwyane Wade, who helped the franchise win its first-ever championship.

14. Milwaukee Bucks

The original triple-double machine, Oscar Roberston, became a Buck after the team traded Charlie Paulk and Flynn Robinson to the Cincinnati Royals in 1970.

Robertson was no longer the triple-double threat that he was in Cincinnati, but he was still the best player in the NBA. He paired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and dominated the league. The team went 66-16 in the regular season and 12-2 in the playoffs to win the NBA title.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves agreed to an eight-player deal that landed Kevin Love in Minnesota a year after losing franchise player Kevin Garnett.

Love averaged 19.2 points per game, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He was an all-star for three of six seasons in Minnesota and a two-time All-NBA. He didn’t have team success like the Timberwolves would have hoped, but he was a beloved member to fans during his time.

12. New Orleans Pelicans

David Griffin, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Anthony Davis, Lakers, Pelicans
CP

The Pelicans don’t have a lot of high-impact trades in franchise history. I’ll go on a limb and choose the Anthony Davis trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Pelicans lost a franchise player in Davis but gained Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and a treasure chest of first-round picks. Ball and Hart are no longer with the team, and the Pelicans didn’t experience much success with the pair.

11. New York Knicks

In 1968, the Knicks traded Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives to the Pistons for power forward Dave DeBusschere.

The 6-foot-6 forward starred for the Knicks in their 1970 and 1973 championship runs. DeBusschere joined Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed in New York to form one of the greatest teams in NBA history. The Knicks won the title in 1970 and 1973, and DeBusschere averaged a double-double both seasons.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder

It’s too early to tell how the recent Paul George to the Clippers will turn out, so I’ll go with the 1989 trade between the Sonics and the Warriors.

In return for center Alton Lister, the Sonics received two first-round picks, one that would become one of the best defensive players in NBA history, Gary Payton.

9. Orlando Magic

In 1993, the Magic had the chance to team up Shaq with Chris Webber; instead, Orlando traded the Michigan star to Golden State for third-overall pick Penny Hardaway and three future first-round picks.

8. Philadelphia 76ers

julius erving

In desperate need of cash, the New York Nets traded Julius Erving in 1976 to the 76ers for $3 million. Dr. J would become one of the best players in the 76ers history. With Erving in the lead, the 76ers built one of the best teams in NBA history and finally won a championship in 1983. Dr.J averaged 22 points per game, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 seasons with the team. He was named an all-star all 11 years. He was also the MVP four times. An NBA owner has spent $3 million on a lot worse.

7. Phoenix Suns

Upset with their star player, the 76ers traded Charles Barkley to the Suns in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang.

Although he never won a championship, Barkley dominated in his four seasons with the Suns and won the MVP award in 1993. The Suns won 62 games in Barkley’s first season, but couldn’t get past the looming Houston Rockets. They lost in seven games to the Rockets in back-to-back years.

6. Portland Trail Blazers

During the 2006 draft, the Blazers sent No. 4 overall pick Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa to the Chicago Bulls for No. 2 pick LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge went on to become one of the better players in franchise history from 2006-2015.

5. Sacramento Kings

Mitch Richmond was a bonafide star for the Kings. Nevertheless, Sacramento traded Richmond and Otis Thorpe to Washington for 25-year-old Chris Webber in 1998. That same offseason, the Kings signed Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic who had played in Europe since the team drafted them in 1996.

Webber dominated the early 2000s and nearly led the franchise to their first NBA finals appearance since 1951. They made the playoffs eight seasons in a row, but the closest they came was a game seven overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002.

4. San Antonio Spurs

Kawhi Leonard, Spurs

The 1993 trade to land Dennis Rodman is an option, but Rodman only spent two seasons in San Antonio. Instead, the 2011 draft day trade to acquire Kawhi Leonard will be my pick here, even if Leonard is no longer a Spur. He was the finals MVP when the team won the NBA championship in 2014. It was his first title with the team before eventually moving on to win another with the Toronto Raptors…

3. Toronto Raptors

Trading Antwan Jamison for the pick that would become Vince Carter is a definite option. However, since it led to the first championship in team history, I’m going with the 2018 trade that sent DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poetl, and a first-round pick to San Antonio in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. The goal is to win championships, even if Green and Leonard only spent one season with the Raptors,

2. Utah Jazz

In 1979, the Jazz traded Spencer Haywood to the Lakers for Adrian Dantley. Dantley is one of the most lethal and overlooked scorers in NBA history.

In his seven seasons in Utah, the 6-foot-5 forward topped 30 points per game four times.

1. Washington Wizards

In 1972, Washington (then the Bullets) traded small forward Jack Marin to Houston for undersized center Elvin Hayes. In six of his seven seasons in Washington, Hayes put up 20 and 10 on an almost nightly basis and was named an All-Star.

Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld was one of the most dominating front-court duos in NBA history. They led the team to two NBA finals appearances and their only championship in 1978. Hayes led the team in scoring, rebounding, and blocks during the run.

The post The best trade all 30 NBA franchises have ever made appeared first on ClutchPoints.

New to Netflix this Month (October 2023)

September 29, 2023

It’s now the month of Spooktober, and we’re really excited to share what new shows, films, series, and movies are coming to Netflix this month of October 2023. Without further ado, you can find our list below:

New to Netflix this Month (October 2023)

October 1

  • 60 Days In: Season 4
  • A Beautiful Mind
  • American Beauty
  • Backdraft
  • Casper
  • Catch Me If You Can
  • Cinderella Man
  • Colombiana
  • Drake & Josh: Seasons 1-3
  • Dune (2021)
  • Elysium
  • Forgetting Sarah Marshall
  • Gladiator
  • Hot Tub Time Machine
  • Kung Fu Panda
  • Love Actually
  • Margot at the Wedding
  • Miss Juneteenth
  • Mission: Impossible
  • Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
  • Mission: Impossible II
  • Mission: Impossible III
  • My Best Friend’s Wedding
  • Role Models
  • Runaway Bride
  • Saving Private Ryan
  • Scarface
  • Sex and the City 2
  • Sex and the City: The Movie
  • The Adventures of Tintin
  • The Amazing Spider-Man
  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2
  • The Firm
  • The House Bunny
  • The Little Rascals (1994)
  • War of the Worlds

October 2

  • Strawberry Shortcake and the Beast of Berry Bog

October 3

October 4

  • Beckham – Just how is David Beckham made? This limited docuseries follows the football star’s rise to stardom from local star to global superstar.
  • Keys to the Heart – A Filipino amateur boxer learning the ropes finds himself alone in his corner – deciding to look for his long-lost mother and autistic brother for companionship, he finds himself coping both in and out of the ring.
  • Race to the Summit – Two rivals’ race to the Swiss Alps’ highest peaks is documented in this new film to Netflix.

October 5

  • Everything Now – 16-year-old Mia tries to make up for lost time after returning from a recovering from an eating disorder. She devises a bucket list of quintessential teen experiences that she’ll now try to experience in this new series.

  • Khufiya – In this Indian movie new to Netflix, a female intelligence officer tries to find the one responsible for killing their undercover spy to avenge him from his death.
  • Lupin: Part 3 – A new season for the hardened and seasoned thief comes to Netflix this month of October.

October 6

  • A Deadly Invitation – True Crime enthusiast finds herself in a nest of wolves as she ends up in the company of the high-society friends of her recently murdered sister. Now, she must find out who’s responsible for the murder while potentially putting her neck on the line.

  • Ballerina – Ok-ju tries to avenge the death of her best friend by doing something that everyone who wants to avenge their best friend’s death would do – learning how to become a ballerina.
  • Fair Play – An office romance gets put into a blender when their hedge fund company gets close to a breakthrough, threatening to unravel their relationship and the hedge fund company itself.

October 7

  • Strong Girl Nam-soon

October 9

  • After
  • Blippi’s Big Dino Adventure
  • Stranded with my Mother-in-Law – A Brazilian reality TV show where couples are challenged to complete missions with the help of their mother-in-laws.

October 10

October 11

  • Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul – A docuseries about the rise of the cigarette killers.
  • It Follows
  • Once Upon a Star – A Thai drama featuring a theater troupe traveling around the countryside to bring dubbed films to be watched by less privileged audiences.
  • Pact of Silence – A Mexican drama about a big-time influencer, four women, and a mystery about the true nature of her birth and parentage.

October 12

  • Deliver Us from Evil
  • The Fall of the House of Usher – A new horror miniseries directed by acclaimed Mike Flanagan adapting the iconic work of legendary poet Edgar Allan Poe.

  • GOOD NIGHT WORLD – A dysfunctional family unknowingly formed a powerful party in an MMORPG that all of them didn’t know they all played.

  • LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising: Season 1: Part 2 – A new breed of Lego Ninjas try to the best of their abilities to defend dragons from evil-doers.

October 13

  • The Conference – A retreat of public sector employees goes wrong as they end up having to deal with their own discord and a killer on the loose.
  • Ijogbon – Four Nigerian teenagers struggle to keep diamonds they’ve found from being discovered by the people who owned them.
  • Spy Kids
  • Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
  • Spy Kids 3: Game Over

October 15

  • Camp Courage – A documentary about a displaced girl from Ukraine trying the limits of her bravery with her grandmother by joining a camp that heads up to the Alps.

October 16

  • Oggy Oggy: Season 3 – Oggy Oggy and his other cat pals continue to brighten up kids’ days with this new season of a cartoon show on Netflix.

October 17

  • The Devil on Trial – A dark documentary that focuses on a supposed possession and a brutal murder that shortly follows.
  • Heather McMahan: Son I Never Had
  • I Woke Up A Vampire – A coming-of-age series about a middle schooler trying to live her school life as a half-human, half-vampire.

  • Silver Linings Playbook

October 18

  • Kaala Paani – A mysterious disease in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands leads to a desperate race for a cure.

October 19

  • American Ninja Warrior Seasons 12-13
  • Bebefinn: Season 2
  • Bodies – Jack the Ripper’s crimes plague the lives of four detectives in four different timelines, as the detectives try to save London’s future from this mysterious menace.

  • Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix – An animated series about Far Cry 3’s Blood Dragon stand-alone expansion game.

  • Crashing Eid
  • Crypto Boy – A Dutch drama about a boy’s struggles with his father and his descent into cryptocurrency black holes.
  • Ghost Hunters: Seasons 8-9
  • Neon – An aspiring reggaeton and his best friends move to Miami with hopes of having better chances at success.

October 20

  • Big Mouth: Season 7 – A new season for the long-running comedy animated series on Netflix.

  • Creature – A new take at adapting Frankenstein finds its way on Netflix through the way of this Turkish drama.
  • Disco Inferno –  A young couple expecting a child inadvertently attracts a dark presence hungering for their unborn child as they burn up the dance floor in LA’s disco scene.
  • Doona! – A college student lives a normal life at the university, except his normal life is turned upside down when he finds out that he’s living with a former K-pop idol.

  • Elite: Season 7 – A new season comes to Netflix about this group of young students in an elite school.

  • Flashback – A yoga teacher gets her house broken into and her life flashes in her eyes – now she has to deal with her past mistakes.
  • Kandasamys: The Baby – The sequel to Kandasamys: The Wedding, now the couple has to deal with their in-laws on how they should handle their newborn.
  • Old Dads – Cranky middle-aged dads deal with the changing of times as they try to become the best dads to their kids as home buddies.

  • Surviving Paradise – A reality TV show about forming alliances and surviving as they try to survive the wilderness and move their life to a luxurious villa.
  • Vjeran Tomic: The Spider-Man of Paris – Learn the ways of the robber from the horse’s mouth himself as Vjeran Tomic explains how he pulled off the biggest heist in Paris back in 2010.

October 23

  • Princess Power: Season 2 – Girls will continue having adventures with the four fruity princesses in this new season for the show on Netflix.

October 24

  • The Family Business: Seasons 1-4
  • Get Gotti
  • Minions
  • Pete Holmes: I Am Not For Everyone

October 25

  • Absolute Beginners
  • Burning Betrayal
  • Life on Our Planet – A new nature docuseries about life’s evolution over the course of billions of years, adapting and surviving to become Earth’s life forms today.
  • The UnXplained with William Shatner: Season 3

October 26

  • PLUTO – The world’s seven most advanced robots and their human allies are picked off one by one by a mysterious entity, so Inspector Gesicht has to investigate, now putting himself in danger too.

October 27

  • Pain Hustlers – A broke single mother breaks through in the pharma world with a brand-new painkiller, with the drama focusing on her journey towards success.
  • Sister Death – Join this mysterious cluster of nuns as a novice, and confront the dark secrets that haunt the convent.

  • Tore – A Swedish drama about an aimless 27-year-old’s seemingly self-destructive journey of sex, drugs, and self-discovery following the death of his close friend.
  • Yellow Door: ‘90s Lo-fi Film Club

October 28

  • Castaway Diva

October 29

  • Botched Season 1

October 31

  • Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga – A new comedy special with Ralpha Barbosa comes at the tail end of the month as a new comedy special show on Netflix.

And that’s it for our list for this month for all the new movies, series, films, and shows coming to Netflix for the month of October 2023. For more about your favorite streaming platforms, stick with ClutchPoints Entertainment.

The post New to Netflix this Month (October 2023) appeared first on ClutchPoints.

25 greatest golfers of all time, ranked

September 29, 2023

Golf is one of the toughest sports to rank, as it has gone through various format and equipment changes over the years. The competition level has also had its ups and downs, and some of the greatest golfers weren’t getting 30 to 40 opportunities to win tournaments like they do nowadays in the modern era. Despite that, we will give it our best shot to rank the 25 greatest golfers of all time.

25. Greg Norman

Greg Norman is one of the most polarizing golfers in history. His celebrity in the golf world mostly comes from blowing leads down the stretch of big tournaments and his recent partnership with LIV golf. However, it is worth remembering that Norman won 91 times professionally (20 PGA and 71 Internationally) and was second place 31 times on the PGA tour. He won The Open Championship twice and spent a record 331 weeks as the top ranked golfer in the world.

24. Billy Casper

Billy Casper was the forgotten fourth man of the 1960s. In a decade where Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player dominated the headlines, Casper also had a great run. He earned three Major championships and won 51 PGA Tour events. If Casper had played in any other decade, he would likely be regarded much higher. His greatest triumph was at the 1966 U.S. Open when he went head-to-head with Palmer and emerged victorious.

23. Nancy Lopez

Nancy Lopez was one of the first highly-publicized LPGA tour players. She won nine tournaments in her first year on tour, earning her an appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated for her efforts. She won another eight times in her second season but began a family life which hindered her from continuing her success. When all was said and done, Lopez totaled 51 professional wins, including three Majors, and she is the only woman to win LPGA Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and the Vare Trophy (lowest scoring average) in the same season.

22. Vijay Singh

Vijay Singh has a career marred with cheating allegations and performance-enhancing drug use. However, in his prime, Singh was one of the only obstacles standing in Tiger Woods’ way. Most times, Singh found himself on the losing end to Tiger, but he earned his share of victories and time on top. Singh has amassed 66 professional wins on various tours, including three Major championships. He also eclipsed Tiger as the top golfer on the world rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005.

21. Ernie Els

Another contender for the second-best player in the Tiger era, Ernie Els managed to win four Major championships in his career, most recently at The Open in 2012. He has 75 professional wins, including 28 on the European Tour, which ranks him seventh all-time, and is made even more impressive considering he spent the most time competing on the PGA Tour. He held the top spot on the world rankings for nine weeks in 1997.

20. Old Tom Morris/Young Tom Morris

It is only fitting that Old Tom Morris and his son, Young Tom Morris, be recognized in the same section. They were born in the “home of golf” in St. Andrews, Fife, and played at St. Andrews Links. Old Tom’s crowning achievement was winning The Open Championship four times in 1861, 1862, 1864, and 1867. Young Tom started playing golf at a young age and beat his father for the first time when he was 13 years old. He still holds the record as the youngest Major champion, winning his first title when he was 17, and he went on to win four straight Open Championships. The Father and son duo started teaming up for challenge matches until Young Tom tragically died at the age of 24.

19. Rory McIlroy

rory mcilroy

Rory McIlroy is the first golfer on our list who has the potential to climb the rankings, as he is still contending for Major championships. However, McIlroy has been snake-bitten as of late, failing to win a Major since 2014. He won four Majors at the beginning of his career and will need the Masters to complete the career grand slam. He has 37 professional wins thus far and has spent 122 weeks as the world’s highest ranked player.

18. Nick Faldo

Most present-day golf fans may know Nick Faldo as the voice of television coverage, but he was a successful golfer in his own right. Faldo was the benefactor to most of Norman’s failures at the professional level, as the two were famous rivals in the 1990s. Faldo won 41 times professionally, including six Major championships. He was also a factor in the Ryder Cup for Team Europe, as he won four cups in his career, and racked up 23 total wins in Ryder Cup matches, which is the second most all time. As a result, Faldo is highly regarded as one of the best Ryder Cup performers in the history of golf.

17. Kathy Whitworth

The winningest golfer in the history of the PGA, Kathy Whitworth won 88 times in her career. No other PGA or LPGA player has won as many times as her, with the closest being Mickey Wright, Sam Snead, and Tiger Woods, who all have 82. She was the LPGA Tour Player of the Year seven times between 1966 and 1973, and Golf Magazine named her “Golfer of the Decade” from 1968 to 1977. The one knock on Whitworth’s career is that she only won six Major championships.

16. Walter Hagen

A champion in the early 20th century, Walter Hagen won 11 Majors throughout his illustrious career. He was also a champion at five Western Opens, which is considered just as prestigious as Majors. There is a much-acclaimed race to see who will finish with the most career Majors between Tiger and Jack Nicklaus, but Hagen is the man sitting in third place. Hagen also totaled 45 PGA wins and was a Ryder Cup captain for the USA six times. He is regarded as the first known star of golf back when the sport wasn’t all that popular.

15. Byron Nelson

Byron Nelson is regarded as one of the game’s gentlemen, gathering acclaim throughout his career for superior sportsmanship. He won five Major championships during the 1930s and 40s, including 52 professional wins. He is most known for his performance in the summer of 1945, winning a record-breaking 11 consecutive tournaments. Nelson was the Associated Press Athlete of the Year, an unprecedented honor for a professional golfer.

14. Annika Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam is close to passing Wright as the greatest female golfer, but Wright finishes a spot ahead due to her Major record. Sorenstam won 72 times on the LPGA Tour and 17 times on the European ladies tour, totaling 97 professional wins. She was a Major champion ten times and a runner-up once. When Sorenstam was in contention, she had a knack for closing it out. She was also the first woman since 1945 to play in a PGA Tour event, competing in the Bank of America Colonial in 2003.

13. Mickey Wright

Mickey Wright was one of the first stars of the LPGA tour. After turning pro in 1955, Wright won 82 events on the LPGA tour, placing her second on the all-time wins list. Thirteen of her wins were in Major championships, which also ranks second on the all-time list. She is the only player in LPGA history to hold all four Major titles simultaneously, and she topped the money list on tour for four consecutive seasons from 1961 to 1964. Given all she accomplished, Wright was ranked among the top ten best golfers in the world throughout all 14 seasons of her career.

12. Lee Trevino

Lee Trevino is just as much a legend off the course as he is on it. Trevino brought humor to the golf course, something lacking in the sport with its stuffy country club culture. He has won 29 times on the Champions Tour, matching his number of wins on the PGA tour. He also won six Major championships during his career. Trevino went head-to-head with Jack Nicklaus for four of his Major victories, becoming one of a few golfers that was able to get the better of Nicklaus.

11. Gene Sarazen

Gene Sarazen was an innovator and a champion as a professional golfer. He won 38 times in his career, winning his first title at 19 years old. He was the first member of golf’s modern Career Grand Slam club, which only includes Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. Sarazen also invented the sand wedge, a club every golfer has in their bag today.

10. Seve Ballesteros

Widely regarded as Europe’s greatest golfer, Seve Ballesteros was known for being able to play in all conditions. A self-taught player from his homeland of Spain, Ballesteros used unorthodox methods but generated great success in his time. He is a driving force in the popularity of the Ryder Cup and is a role model for some of the game’s best current players in Spaniards Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia. Ballesteros won 65 times professionally, including five Majors.

9. Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson, US Open

Taking away all the negative publicity as of late, it’s hard to ignore Phil Mickelson as one of the greatest golfers ever. The lefty has excelled since college, becoming one of a few golfers to win a PGA Tour event while still being classified as an amateur. Phil has 57 professional wins, including six Major championships. His Career Grand Slam has evaded him, finishing second at the U.S. Open twice. While never spending time as the world’s top ranked golfer, there’s no shame in coming in at second behind Woods, which is what Mickelson has done for much of his career.

8. Gary Player

A renowned golfer and course architect, Gary Player has made a mark on the game of golf in more ways than one. He has 159 professional wins in various tours, including nine Major championships, and he was the third golfer in history to complete the Career Grand Slam. Player stayed active in the golfing community even as he got older, playing in his 52nd Masters in 2009. Player is renowned as the most well-traveled athlete in history, winning tournaments on six continents.

7. Tom Watson

Tom Watson’s biggest strength was his longevity, dominating golf in the 1970s and 80s but sticking around long enough to make a run at Major championships as late as 2009. Watson has 70 professional wins under his belt, including eight Majors, and he was also the PGA Player of the Year six times between 1977 and 1984. Watson almost made history by winning a Major championship 26 years after his last one when he finished in second place at the 2009 Open Championship. He entered the final round in the lead but fell apart on the 72nd hole, and eventually lost to Stewart Cink in a playoff.

6. Sam Snead

While Tiger chased Jack as the all-time leader in Major wins, Sam Snead was the man he chased for PGA Tour victories. Snead won 82 times on the PGA Tour but had 142 wins in his professional career. The mark of 82 wins is currently tied with Tiger, and with the uncertainty of Woods’ career, there’s a chance Snead’s record will stick forever. He was the first golfer to win an event in six different decades and to win the same event 17 times, his home West Virginia Open.

5. Ben Hogan

While Ben Hogan only landed fifth on our rankings of the greatest golfers, some outlets regard him as the greatest golfer of all time. This list is based primarily on success and accolades, but it is worth noting that a car accident and his service in World War II took time off of Hogan’s career. If it hadn’t been for these unfortunate factors, he would have undoubtedly found himself higher on the list. Hogan’s career didn’t take off until 12 years after his debut when he won the 1942 Hale America Open. Shortly after, World War II caused Hogan to be unable to play until 1945. Hogan then won 21 tournaments from 1946 to 1948, but a head-on collision with a bus caused him to be hospitalized with the fear that he would never be able to walk again. Against all odds, Hogan returned to win six Majors in nine starts between 1950-1953, cementing himself one of the greatest comeback stories in sports history.

4. Bobby Jones

One of golf’s most influential pioneers, the modern golf we know wouldn’t be possible without Bobby Jones. He played in 21 Major tournaments, winning 13 of them. He was the first golfer ever to win “The Double”, both the U.S. Open and British Open in the same year. Jones was also the first person ever to win the “Grand Slam”(pre-masters era), a feat only accomplished by a select few since then. Jones changed the face of modern golf when he co-designed the Augusta National Golf Club in 1933. He created a new tournament to put at his course every year, and just like that, the Masters was born. He came out of retirement to play in the Masters 12 times but never won the event.

3. Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer was a part of one of the most competitive eras of golf in the 1960s, competing with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player at every tournament. He had a career that spanned six decades, winning professionally 95 times. Seven of those tournaments were Major tournaments, as he couldn’t get past Nicklaus to win more. It is a testament to how good he was as a golfer that Palmer was ranked third while being in Nicklaus’ shadow for most of his career. While he didn’t experience the same success as Nicklaus at Majors, it’s worth arguing that Palmer was the better golfer. The gap between the two isn’t as big as the Major total would have you believe.

2. Jack Nicklaus

The debate will never get old for golf fans. Who is the better golfer: Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods? Nicklaus earned 117 professional wins and a record 18 Major championships. He was the first golfer to win the triple career slam, winning each tournament three times. He went on to win the Masters Tournament seven times and the PGA Championship five times. Nicklaus struggled from 1968 to 1970, and people believed it may be the end of his success. However, he had a resurgence and went on to dominate for another decade. He won his last Major 16 years after his supposed “downturn.” For a top-25 ranking, we had to decide who was No.1 and who was No.2. However, for most golfers, the debate between Jack and Tiger is more of a 1A and 1B scenario, as both are simply too good to pick between.

1. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods net worth, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods net worth 2023

What can you say about Tiger Woods? He is a man who changed golf in the 21st century, making it a global phenomenon and setting up fellow golfers to make more money than they could ever imagine. The story of Tiger has been told countless times. Woods was a child prodigy who dominated Amateur golf, winning 3 U.S. Amateurs to become the only three-time winner in the event’s history. He turned professional in 1996 and immediately became the face of Nike and Titleist. He went on to win 82 PGA tour events, sharing the record with Snead for most wins all-time. Woods has also won 15 Major championships as he continues to chase Nicklaus for the record in that category.

Sadly, despite being one of the most decorated golfers, Woods’ career is also a case of what could have been. Through many unnecessary swing changes, off-course controversies, and debilitating injuries, Woods has persevered. How many wins could he have had if his career had gone more smoothly? We will never know. The golf fan in all of us would love to see him make a triumphant return and chase the Major record, but unfortunately, that scenario isn’t likely. Instead, we will have to appreciate the greatness that was Tiger Woods.

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Bono’s daughter Eve Hewson sings her own song in Flora and Son (Review)

September 29, 2023

Despite being the daughter of legendary U2 singer Bono, Eve Hewson makes a name for herself in Flora and Son. The Irish actress has been a fixture of Apple TV+ programming, starring in Bad Sisters, and has finally given a career-defining performance.

Flora and Son review

Flora and Son, Eve Hewson, Orén Kinlan
A still from Flora and Son courtesy of Apple TV+.

This happens in Flora and Son — a musical drama. Sounds ironic, right? The daughter of Bono sings her heart out as a single mother attempting to learn the guitar. But music aside, Hewson gives one of the most honest performances of the year.

The titular character, played by Hewson, is a single mother in Dublin. She lives in a small apartment with her teenage son, Max (Orén Kinlan), who’s on his last straw with the law. Flora had her son at 17 with a musician, Ian (Jack Reynor), whose band was “on the same billing as Snow Patrol,” which is why she hooked up with him, to be clear.

Flora’s disconnect with her son is evident. She spends her nights clubbing while Max hangs out with the “cool kids.” In an attempt to build some connection and keep him out of trouble, Flora fixes up a beaten-up guitar for him. However, he rejects the gift, and that leaves Flora with a guitar.

Upon seeing Laci Kaye Booth’s performance of “Love of My Life” on American Idol, she’s inspired. After sifting through the “rock bottom for failed musicians” (a.k.a. teaching guitar lessons YouTube), she comes across a Los Angeles-based musician, Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a guitarist with an earnest twinkle in his eye — not to mention they only cost $20.

But the two share a bond — one that, despite being 6,000 miles apart, gives the other someone who understands them. Director John Carney portrays this as Jeff will often crossover into Flora’s reality. It’s a simple, yet effective technique, and Hewson and Gordon-Levitt share chemistry. We’ve all had those special people we stay up way past our bedtime with on the phone. Despite a brisk 97-minute runtime, that bond is solidified.

And perhaps the fact that we recently went through a global pandemic where most communication occurred on Zoom helps drive this point home. The relationship between Flora and Jeff could be seen as parasocial by some. But then again, I think that the film is attempting to convey that each of them is the other’s outlet.

Yet they don’t get a perfect ending. Flora and Son isn’t afraid to shed light on certain realities. First being that Flora isn’t a perfect mom. Despite her best efforts to play the victim card, many see right through it. That’s not to say she was dealt a fair hand, but sometimes you’re dealt an unfair hand.

Channeling her inner Bono

Flora and Son, Orén Kinlan, Eve Hewson
A still from Flora and Son courtesy of Apple TV+.

“Everyday the dreamers die, to see what’s on the other side,” Bono once sang. This line is taken from “In God’s Country,” a track off of The Joshua Tree — an album that oftentimes described a struggle Flora faces. Lots of the lyrics that Bono wrote and sang are about America being this land of open opportunity. “Where the Streets Have No Name” could be interpreted as being about Heaven, or America being an open canvas for opportunity.

For Flora, she has Jeff, a man with many broken dreams. Jeff represents the thing that many musicians and artists face: failure. Similarly to Flora, Jeff wasn’t a great father, and music was the thing that nearly tore his family apart. After a particular lesson that lasts through the night, Flora is determined to go to Los Angeles. She could finally, after 14 years of being tied down by her son, escape Dublin. In almost tragic fashion, something happens that prevents this. Some just aren’t meant to leave. Flora’s hopes and dreams are quickly dashed, which makes Flora and Son all the more heart-wrenching to watch.

Especially given that Flora faces multiple forks in the road. As The Clash once said, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” — this mantra also carries over to her relationship with her son. Every mother loves their son, but after Max is constantly being taken into the police station, when is it time to cut the cord? There’s a powerful scene toward the end where Hewson stares at Kinlan as he sits in court. The torn look on her face portrays everything you need to know — she’s debating over whether to leave him or not. You ultimately learn her decision, but the film keeps you awaiting.

Similarly, Flora’s ex, Ian, is also a failure. While he doesn’t maintain himself quite as well as Jeff, he’s an equally tragic figure. As he likes to point out, he once was in a band on the same bill as Snow Patrol. He’s still a bass player — now in a wedding band — who tries to squeeze every bit of the limelight that he can onto himself. At least Jeff will accept that he has failed — Ian still tries to act like he’s on the level of a Bono or Snow Patrol.

But for as much as this film is about failure, it’s also about belonging. Flora and Song is a lesson in learning to not give up on your dreams. However, those dreams may look different than you picture. And sometimes, all you need to do is find out where you belong. All of the characters in Flora and Son are eager to belong, whether it’s with the right friend group or the world at large.

John Carney’s quick-witted script is enhanced by the performances. From the snarky delivery of Hewson’s quips to the sad look in Gordon-Levitt’s eye, the Flora and Son casts brings it home. It’s especially great to see in the case of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Considering his last real role was in Pinocchio as the voice of Jiminy Cricket, it was needed for him to remind the public that he can, in fact, act.

The film is about Flora first (as the title of Flora and Son would suggest) and everything else second. That remains true for its story. Again, a 97-minute runtime only allots so much time for subplots, but Max’s teenage struggles are merely an afterthought in the film. He’s pursuing a young girl who hardly pays him any mind. Maybe it’s not the most important thing to show, but he makes a whole music video for her (which we see the production of), but never see her response.

There are also some original songs written for Flora and Son. Thank goodness the film is good because the songs are a mixed bag. Granted, some aren’t meant to be taken seriously — i.e. Max’s creations — but the film ends on a euphoric performance of a song Flora wrote with the help of Max, Ian, and Jeff, “High Life.”

I realize that the headline reads that Eve Hewson sings her own song. And she does. However, whether it’s due to the mix or something else, “High Life’s” chorus is borderline dreadful (bear in mind, not only is Bono her father, but Inhaler frontman Eli Hewson is Eve Hewson’s brother). The rest of the song, even the impromptu bass solo, is really catchy.

Should you stream Flora and Son? 

Flora and Son, Eve Hewson
A still from Flora and Son courtesy of Apple TV+.

Flora and Son is one of the most heartfelt films of the year — a true crowdpleaser. It puts Joseph Gordon-Levitt back on the map and tells a really touching story. A short runtime hinders the film from truly covering all bases, but the chemistry between Hewson and Gordon-Levitt carry the film.

Jeff points out in the film that we all know English, but we can’t write like Shakespeare and that you could know a thousand chords without being able to write a song. You could argue that Eve Hewson had all of the tools in place to become a star, but Flora and Son continues to show her pave her own way into the industry outside of her father’s name.

She may not have Bono’s vocal register, but she sings her own song in Flora and Son.

Grade: B+

Flora and Son is in select theaters and streaming on Apple TV+ now.

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NFL picks, predictions, odds for Week 4: Bills outlast Dolphins in thriller

September 29, 2023

The NFL’s Week 3 slate is a thing of the past, and now we’re in Week 4, starting with the rare exciting Thursday Night Football matchup between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The Lions took care of business at Lambeau Field, punching the Packers in the mouth to earn a victory. Now, let’s get to the rest of our NFL Week 4 picks, predictions, and odds.

The 2023 NFL season is starting to take shape, and we’re begining to see who some of these teams really are. On the positive side, the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles are as good as we thought they would be in the preseason after shaky starts. On the flip side, it is officially going to be a long year for 2022 playoff teams like the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Week 3 also brought us some stunning outcomes. The Houston Texans got their first win of the season over the Jaguars, the Gardner Minshew-led Indianapolis Colts shocked Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, and if anyone had the Miami Dolphins over the Denver Broncos by 50 (!), I’d like to see the proof.

On a happy note here, this NFL picks, predictions, and odds series keeps on rolling into Week 4 with an 11-5 record straight-up last week and a fantastic 13-3 record against the spread. That brings us to 31-17 straight-up this season and 29-17-2 against the spread, which means we’re hitting at a rate of 63% against Vegas, baby!

Previous NFL Picks & Predictions: Week 1 | Week 2| Week 3

So, let’s get right to the NFL Week 4 picks, predictions, and odds.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the NFL odds

NFL Week 4 Picks, Predictions, Odds

Detroit Lions (-1.5) at Green Bay Packers

This NFC North battle should make for a fun Thursday night game, which we don’t get all that often. The Packers should have Christian Watson coming back, but how much will that help Jordan Love improve on his putrid 53.1% completion rate? The Lions are 10-0 against the spread in their last 10 division games, so I’ll take them to cover here.

Pick: Detroit 24-21

UPDATE: The Lions dominated the first half and held off the Packers in the second half to earn a commanding 34-17 win. 

Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) in London

The Jaguars are London’s home team, playing across the pond every season for the last decades (except for 2020, when no games went outside the borders). They usually do well there, too, but the Falcons actually won their London game in 2021, which is the last time the Jags took home a victory there as well. Look for this to be a low-scoring game that Jacksonville takes home late.

Pick: Jaguars 14-10

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-3)

The game of the week in this NFL Week 4 picks, predictions, and odds column is the AFC East showdown between the Bills and Dolphins. The three games between these two teams were incredibly competitive last season, and they once again look like two of the best teams in the league, with the Dolphins seeming unstoppable right now. However, there is a lot of public action on the Dolphins, so this line should drop even further. Wait as long as you can to take the Bills if you like them like I do.

Pick: Bills 38-34

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Houston Texans

The Texans have to be feeling good after their first win of the season last week, and the Steelers have to be a little discombobulated after their travel snafu on Sunday into Monday. The Steelers defense is legit, though, and the Texans are 1-17-1 at home in their last 19 home games, which gives the Steelers the edge.

Pick: Steelers 23-16

Los Angeles Rams at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5)

It looks like rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is going to be back from his concussion this week, and while that is great news for him and the long-term future of the franchise, backup Gardner Minshew would probably give the Colts the best chance to win this weekend. The Rams came down to earth a bit last week, but they still looked tough at times against the Bengals. The Rams should be able to take this one.

Pick: Rams 21-20

Minnesota Vikings (-4) at Carolina Panthers

There are currently four 0-3 teams in the NFL, and all four face off against each other this Sunday, guaranteeing (barring ties) that only two teams will remain winless when the dust settles on these games. In this Vikings-Panthers matchup, Minnesota just has a huge talent advantage, and that should win the day here whether it is Bryce Young or Andy Dalton at quarterback, especially if it’s Young.

Pick: Vikings 28-10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (-3.5)

The Buccaneers didn’t play poorly on Monday night against the Eagles, they just got beat handily by a better team. The Saints have a good defense and Alvin Kamara back now, but Derek Carr seems like he might sit this one out as he nurses a sprained AC joint in his shoulder. At more or less full strength against Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston, I like the Bucs to pull the upset here.

Pick: Buccaneers 23-21

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (-8.5)

The Eagles are starting to round into form, looking like the dominant force they did last season, while the Commanders have shown flashes thus far but haven’t quite figured out their winning formula. Divisional games are always tough, but the Eagles are just a lot better than their longtime NFC East rival, and they’ll win this one in a walk.

Pick: Eagles 30-20

Denver Broncos (-3.5) at Chicago Bears

What a brutal game. The Bears are the biggest mess in the league this season, yet the Broncos got blown out by 50 on Sunday. These teams are so bad that this game might actually be fun to watch and could get interesting if we see backup QBs come into the game at some point. This is a tough game to pick, as both teams are capable of complete no-shows. However, with what we’ve seen so far, there’s a better chance Sean Payton gets it together with Russell Wilson than Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy get on the same page with Justin Fields, so the Broncos it is.

Pick: Broncos 19-9

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns (-2.5)

The Ravens don’t like being underdogs. Lamar Jackson and company are 19-3-1 against the spread in their last 23 times as the team getting points. Yes, last week against the Colts was a bad look, but as we’ve seen several times already this season, that will happen to good teams on occasion. And while the Browns defense looked incredible last week, the offense still isn’t fully there, and the Nick Chubb absence still hurts a lot. Until Deshaun Watson puts up two impressive games in a row, I won’t be a true believer in the Browns’ chances this season. Look for Baltimore to cruise into Cleveland and win straight-up.

Pick: Ravens 27-24

Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) at Tennessee Titans

Before the season, few people had the Bengals defense carrying a struggling Joe Burrow and the offense to their first win of the season in Week 3, but that is exactly what happened. As the season goes along, Burrow will continue to knock off the rust, and his calf will feel better and better. Plus, the team remembered that the formula of just giving it to Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Mixon works wonders. As for the Titans, until they get a new QB and finally move away from Ryan Tannehill, they will be stuck in NFL purgatory as the lower middle class of the league.

Pick: Bengals 20-13

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (-5.5)

The Chargers looked better last week, picking up their first win of the year against the Vikings, but they still made too many unforced errors and weird coaching decisions. The good news is they are playing the team that kicked a field goal last week down eight with 2:25 left on the clock. This Brandon Staley vs. Josh McDaniels matchup may be a battle to get fired first this season, and watch for McDaniels to take the lead in that race on Sunday.

Pick: Chargers 31-23

New England Patriots at Dallas Cowboys (-6.5)

Like the Ravens, the Cowboys were shocked in Week 3, losing to the lowly Cardinals. Here in the NFL Week 4 picks, predictions, and odds column, we’re going to give them the benefit of the doubt, though, and say some of that was overconfidence, some of that was losing Trevon Diggs for the season, and some of that was just dumb luck. While this does have the potential to be the Ezekiel Elliott Revenge Game, it’s more likely the Cowboys get back to form and win the Cousin Sal-Bill Simmons Bowl.

Pick: Cowboys 31-21

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-14)

Speaking of the Cardinals, they are facing another tough opponent this week, looking to pull another massive upset. Two touchdowns are a ton of points in professional football, but the 49ers have looked like the best team in the league from the starting gate this year, scoring exactly 30 points in each of their first three games. With that as the trend, let’s take Brock Purdy and company to put up 30 again and dominate their NFC West rival.

Pick: 49ers 30-15

Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5) at New York Jets

Last week, the Chiefs were one of two teams (along with the Cowboys) to go into into their games double-digit favorites. In this space last week, I took both big favorites, and while the Chiefs came through for me and Taylor Swift, the Cowboys did not. This week, the Chiefs are again one of the two biggest spreads on the board, and even though I already picked the 49ers to cover, and both probably won’t, give me KC.

Because Ready for It…? The Chiefs know Zach Wilson All Too Well, and while they Should’ve Said No to Aaron Rodgers’ replacement, the Jets D Knew [Wilson was] Trouble When He Walked In, while Mastermind Andy Reid and company are Fearless and only have Champagne Problems. The Chiefs are going to be Mean in Week 4 to the Jets because they are The 1. (Yup, that just happened.)

Pick: Chiefs 34-13

Seattle Seahawks (-1.5) at New York Giants

Last but not least in this NFL Week 4 picks, predictions, and odds piece, we get the Seahawks and Giants on Monday Night Football. Saquon Barkley may play in this game despite his high ankle sprain, but even if he does, there is no way he is fully himself this week. The Giants haven’t got it together yet this season and are already banged up, while the Seahawks seemed to have righted the ship after their Week 1 hiccup against the Rams. Seattle is one of the first teams to go in its bye in Week 5, and they’ll do so after a nice win.

Pick: Seahawks 28-17

Establish the Pass Podcast Week 4 Predictions

Matchup Blake Dillon
DET @ GB Packers Lions
ATL @ JAX Jaguars Jaguars
MIA @ BUF Bills Dolphins
DEN @ CHI Broncos Broncos
BAL @ CLE Browns Browns
LAR @ IND Rams Rams
CIN @ TEN Bengals Bengals
TB @ NO Saints Saints
WSH @ PHI Eagles Eagles
MIN @ CAR Vikings Vikings
PIT @ HOU Steelers Texans
LV @ LAC Chargers Chargers
NE @ DAL Cowboys Cowboys
ARI @ SF 49ers 49ers
KC @ NYJ Chiefs Chiefs
SEA @ NYG Seahawks Seahawks
Record 26-22 29-19

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Damian Lillard’s 10 greatest Blazers moments, ranked

September 28, 2023

Damian Lillard ends his Portland Trail Blazers career as one of the best players in franchise history. The Trail Blazers sent Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday in a three-team deal that included the Phoenix Suns. The Trail Blazers get Deandre Ayton and Jrue Holiday in the transaction, while the Suns get Jusuf Nurcic.

Lillard was a lottery pick for the Trail Blazers in 2012 and spent his entire career with the team until finally requesting a trade this offseason. In an era when few superstars were loyal, Lillard is celebrated in Portland for his loyalty to the team. He represented the Blazers through some hard times and did everything he could to bring them success in the playoffs. His greatest moments in Rip City involved putting the team on his back and winning games.

Lillard played seven All-Star games with the Blazers, was a seven-time All-NBA selection and won Rookie of the Year in 2013. Despite a lack of team success, he was a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team. Lillard left Portland as the franchise leader in scoring with 19,376 points, scoring an average of 25.2 points per game. Lillard had countless unforgettable moments in his 11 years in Rip City, but here are his 10 best as a Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard’s 10 greatest Blazers moments, ranked

10. Lillard’s first All-Star selection

Lillard made the All-Star Game for the first time in his second season. The event was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Lillard participated in five events. He took part in the Rising Stars Challenge, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest and the All-Star Game. He was the first person in NBA history to compete in all five events at All-Star weekend.

Lillard tallied 13 points in the Rising Stars challenge and then went on to win the skills challenge, teaming up with Trey Burke. He didn’t make it past the first round of the three-point contest and failed to win the slam dunk competition despite a nice 360, self alley-oop dunk. In his final event, Lillard posted nine points in his All-Star debut.

He often said winning the three-point contest was a goal, one he achieved last February in Salt Lake City.

9. First career game

Hopes were high in Portland when the Trail Blazers used their sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft on Lillard. Portland desperately needed a franchise point guard, and Lillard was its next great hope. It took one game for the hype train to fully take off, as Lillard scored 23 points and doled out 11 assists in his debut game on Halloween. It was even more special as it came against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lillard became the first point guard since Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in their NBA debut. He was also the first to record at least 21 points and nine assists since LeBron James in 2003. The pressure may have been a bit too high, but his potential future place among some of the game’s greatest players couldn’t be ignored.

8. Back-to-back game winners in 2013

Lillard has been known as a clutch player since early in his career. The reputation was born in December 2013 when he hit game-winners in back-to-back games on a road trip.

The first came against the Detroit Pistons. The game was tied at 109 in overtime when Lillard hit a 14-foot fadeaway jumper over Rodney Stuckey with 0.1 seconds left.

The second and more iconic game-winner was against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lillard had 36 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. He was also 8-for-12 from three-point range. The performance made ripples through the locker room, as teammate Earl Watson called Lillard “a silent assassin.” The nickname has stuck with him throughout his career.

The game was tied at 116 when Lillard hit a 30-foot step-back three with 0.4 seconds left.

7. “Dame Time”

In December 2013, the “silent assassin” moniker was born, but the following year was when Lillard’s most iconic nickname became public knowledge. It was December 23rd, 2014, and the Trail Blazers weren’t popular enough to have the Christmas Day game, but Lillard made the holidays his moment.

Portland was playing its fourth game in five nights, and Lillard led the team to a 115-111 overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team was down by three points at the end of regulation when Lillard rose from the top of the key and hit a game-tying three-pointer. While walking back to the bench before overtime, Lillard raised his arm to the crowd and pointed to an invisible watch on his right wrist.

After the game, Lillard said, “I was just pointing to the watch. That was Lillard Time. That’s the first time anybody has ever seen that. I was feeling myself a little bit at the moment.”

6. Dame passes Clyde

It wasn’t a high-pressure moment or an instant-classic buzzer-beater. However, Lillard’s accomplishment on December 19th, 2022, made him the best scorer in Portland history. His 21st point of the night in a loss to Oklahoma City was a free throw, giving him 18,041 career points. Hall-of-Famer Clyde Drexler is ranked second on the all-time points list with 18,040 in 12 seasons. Lillard ended his Portland career with 19,376 points, a mark that will be difficult for anyone to pass. If anyone is deserving of holding the record, it is Lillard.

It’s a great debate over the greatest player in the Blazers’ history. Lillard, Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton find themselves at the top of the list, but only one is the all-time leader in points.

5. One of the best playoff performances ever

Lillard’s play in Game 5 of the first round of the 2021 playoffs is among the best postseason performances in league history. It came in a loss to the Denver Nuggets and preempted the Nuggets beating the Blazers taking them down in Game 6. If Portland had managed to win Game 5, it would have been up 3-2 in the series Instead, the Blazers were eliminated from the postseason by a short-handed Denver squad, jumpstarting Lillard’s exit from Rip City.

Lillard finished Game 5 with 55 points and 10 assists, including a playoff-record 12 three-pointers. In no world should a team lose when their star player puts up that kind of performance, but Portland found a way. After the game, CJ McCollum said, “Dame made great plays all night for us. It’s a shame we wasted one of the best performances you’ll probably see in the playoffs …”

4. 71 points

With 12 games remaining in his Blazers career, Lillard put forth his best individual performance. The game wasn’t his best moment since it came in a meaningless regular season matchup with the lowly Houston Rockets

Lillard posted a franchise record 71 points against Houston, including 13 three-pointers and 14-for-14 on free throws. A crazy stat to come out of the game was that he missed nine three-pointers, so the number conceivably could have been in the eighties if he had hit a couple more threes. The 71 points are tied for the eighth-most in a game ever, and he registered the 13th 70-point game in NBA history. Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups said, “It really, really was a masterful performance. A piece of art.”

3. Dame’s utterly dominant bubble performance

It is a shame that fans weren’t able to witness Lillard’s epic performance in the COVID-19 bubble in Orlando, Florida in person. The league played the remaining games of the regular season in the bubble to determine playoff seeding, and Lillard lifted the team to the postseason.

Portland won three games in a row to finish the season and faced a win-or-go-home matchup against the Dallas Mavericks in the finale. Lillard tallied 61 points, eight assists and five rebound while shooting 9-of-17 from three. It was Lillard’s third 60-point game of the season, and he joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only player in NBA history to have three or more in one season.

The 61-point outing wasn’t Lillard’s only big performance during the run, as he averaged 51.3 points, 9.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds over the last three games. At the end of the game, Lillard shouted at the media table, “Put some respect on my (expletive) name.”

2. Lillard’s buzzer-beater gives Blazers first series win in 14 years

Lillard’s played postseason hero for the first time in 2014 against the Houston Rockets. The Blazers hadn’t won a playoff series since 2000, but they finally had some after teaming LaMarcus Aldridge with a rising star like Lillard.

The first-round series between Portland and Houston featured three overtimes in six games. The Blazers were losing by two with 0.9 seconds remaining in Game 6. Nicolas Batum inbounded to Lillard, and he hit a 25-foot three-pointer to give Portland the series win. Lillard put up 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals and was the first NBA player since 1997 to hit a series-winning buzzer-beater. He captured the hearts of fans by grabbing the microphone at the Moda Center scorer’s table, shouting “Rip City.”

1. Waving goodbye to the Thunder

A moment that will live on forever in memes and gifs, Lillard eliminated the Thunder after a five-game series that featured plenty of taunting and trash talk.

He saved his best moment for last, dropping 50 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals while hitting 10 threes in Portland’s series-clinching Game 5 win. His last three-pointer was a 37-foot, game-winning buzzer-beater that ended with Lillard waving goodbye to the Thunder’s playoff lives. He was the first player in NBA history to score 50 or more points and make a game-winning buzzer-beater in the same playoff game, and his 50 points set the franchise record for postseason scoring.

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