Search
Home Blog Page 294

New orthopedic urgent care clinic opens in Westfield

Eye Observer
-
0
New orthopedic urgent care clinic opens in Westfield



WESTFIELD — It happens nearly every day. Kids fall out of trees, wipe out on a skateboard, crash a dirt bike or hurt an ankle or knee during an athletic contest, and that often means a trip to the local emergency room where they’ll wait, and wait, and wait, sometimes hours for an evaluation or treatment.

Why wait when OrthoMA, a state-of-the-art walk-in orthopedic urgent care clinic, is available seven days a week to evaluate and treat orthopedic emergencies right here in the city.

“We’re thrilled to expand orthopedic urgent care access to the Westfield community,” said Joseph Zwirko, PA-C, co-founder of OrthoMA.

When naming just a few of the musculoskeletal injuries he and Tamer Bahgat, PA-C, and Timothy Rice PA-C, can treat at their clinic located at 53 Southampton Rd.

“If you break your arm, hand, wrist, or ankle, we can help you,” Zwirko said.

Zwirko did add one caveat to the list of injuries he and the two other orthopedic PAs can treat.

“If you break your femur — thigh bone — that means a visit to the emergency room,” he said with a smile.

These three PAs have more than 50 years of experience treating fractures, sprains, dislocations, and sports and work injuries and have a staff of highly trained nurses also familiar with orthopedic emergencies.

Last Friday the new practice held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its opening on Monday, June 2 and with tours of the facility, which include four spacious treatment rooms, state-of-the-art x-ray equipment, and a well-appointed waiting room.

“Our team is passionate about providing timely, expert care that helps patients recover faster and return to the activities they love.” Zwirko said.

Some of the services the clinic will offer are evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, fracture management and casting, and joint injections.

Bahgat, a 27-year veteran of the National Guard, talked about why he, Zwirko, and Rice, chose to open the clinic.

“We’ve designed this clinic to meet people where they are — with extended hours, walk-in access, and highly trained providers who understand both routine and complex orthopedic needs. We’re here to support our patients when and where they need us most,” he said.

Zwirko has over 15 years of experience in orthopedic surgery and emergency medicine, and brings a passion for high-quality, patient-centered musculoskeletal care.

Bahgat has more than 20 years of experience in trauma and orthopedic care, including service as a military medical officer specializing in emergency response.

Rice is board-certified with over 20 years of orthopedic and sports medicine experience. He is committed to helping patients of all ages get back on their feet through efficient, evidence-based treatment.

The clinic is open from 4-8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit www.orthoma.org or call 413-83-ORTHO.



Source link

For the love of God, stop calling your AI a co-worker

Eye Observer
-
0
For the love of God, stop calling your AI a co-worker


Generative AI comes in many forms. Increasingly, though, it’s marketed the same way: with human names and personas that make it feel less like code and more like a co-worker. A growing number of startups are anthropomorphizing AI to build trust fast — and soften its threat to human jobs. It’s dehumanizing, and it’s accelerating.

I get why this framing took off. In today’s upside-down economy, where every hire feels like a risk, enterprise startups — many emerging from the famed accelerator Y Combinator — are pitching AI not as software but as staff. They’re selling replacements. AI assistants. AI coders. AI employees. The language is deliberately designed to appeal to overwhelmed hiring managers.

Some don’t even bother with subtlety. Atlog, for instance, recently introduced an “AI employee for furniture stores” that handles everything from payments to marketing. One good manager, it gloats, can now run 20 stores at once. The implication: you don’t need to hire more people — just let the system scale for you. (What happens to the 19 managers it replaces is left unsaid.)

Consumer-facing startups are leaning into similar tactics. Anthropic named its platform “Claude” because it’s a warm, trustworthy-sounding companion for a faceless, disembodied neural net. It’s a tactic straight out of the fintech playbook where apps like Dave, Albert, and Charlie masked their transactional motives with approachable names. When handling money, it feels better to trust a “friend.”

The same logic has crept into AI. Would you rather share sensitive data with a machine learning model or your bestie Claude, who remembers you, greets you warmly, and almost never threatens you? (To OpenAI’s credit, it still tells you you’re chatting with a “generative pre-trained transformer.”)

But we’re reaching a tipping point. I’m genuinely excited about generative AI. Still, every new “AI employee” has begun to feel more dehumanizing. Every new “Devin” makes me wonder when the actual Devins of the world will push back on being abstracted into job-displacing bots.

Generative AI is no longer just a curiosity. Its reach is expanding, even if the impacts remain unclear. In mid-May, 1.9 million unemployed Americans were receiving continued jobless benefits — the highest since 2021. Many of those were laid-off tech workers. The signals are piling up.

Some of us still remember 2001: A Space Odyssey. HAL, the onboard computer, begins as a calm, helpful assistant before turning completely homicidal and cutting off the crew’s life support. It’s science fiction, but it hit a nerve for a reason.

Last week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei predicted that AI could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs in the next one to five years, pushing unemployment as high as 20%. “Most [of these workers are] unaware that this is about to happen,” he told Axios. “It sounds crazy, and people just don’t believe it.”

You could argue that’s not comparable to cutting off someone’s oxygen, but the metaphor isn’t that far off. Automating more people out of paychecks will have consequences, and when the layoffs increase, the branding of AI as a “colleague” is going to look less clever and more callous.

The shift toward generative AI is happening regardless of how it’s packaged. But companies have a choice in how they describe these tools. IBM never called its mainframes “digital co-workers.” PCs weren’t “software assistants”; they were workstations and productivity tools.

Language still matters. Tools should empower. But more and more companies are marketing something else entirely, and that feels like a mistake.

We don’t need more AI “employees.” We need software that extends the potential of actual humans, making them more productive, creative, and competitive. So please stop talking about fake workers. Just show us the tools that help great managers run complex businesses, and that help individuals make more impact. That’s all anyone is really asking for.



Source link

How to watch the Green Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest 2025

Eye Observer
-
0
How to watch the Green Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest 2025


This year’s will feature a new showcase for games that highlight environmental causes and make direct contributions to real-world sustainability efforts. The Green Games Showcase, led by the not-for-profit , will be held on Saturday, June 7 at 4:00PM ET (1:00PM PT) and streamed live on .

PlanetPlay says the event will be “a celebration of game studios that have raised over $100,000 for certified environmental projects around the world.” Those projects so far include Abundant Village, a regenerative garden project in South Africa; the carbon forestry project WithOneSeed in Timor-Leste; The Hongera Clean Cookstove project in Kenya; and The Teeny Tiny Truth, which aims to reduce microplastics in New Zealand’s fresh water systems.

The Green Games Showcase is one of several streams that are set to take place between Summer Game Fest Live on Friday and the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday. Be sure to also check out , , , the , the and . It’ll all wrap up with a , where you can get an early look at the game ahead of its release on June 26.



Source link

How to take pictures of the Northern Lights on Android

Eye Observer
-
0
How to take pictures of the Northern Lights on Android


The Northern Lights have been visible in huge portions of the Northern hemisphere due to stronger geomagnetic storms. Here’s how to take a picture of the Northern Lights using a Google Pixel smartphone or other Android devices.

The Northern Lights – aurora borealis – are usually only visible in far north portions of the globe. They’re a result of solar storms passing by the Earth and the charged particles interacting with gases in the atmosphere. It’s a dramatic view in the sky, and this weekend it’s visible in parts of the globe that rarely ever see it. That includes wide portions of the United States.

Starting on May 10 and also occurring on May 11 – albeit not as strong – you can look up and see aurora borealis. This will vary depending on where you live, the level of light pollution, and many other factors. To the naked eye, you might notice some colors in the sky or a slight tint, but a camera can actually see more in the right conditions.

Update 6/1/2025: Another strong solar storm is passing through, with estimates placing the visibility as far south as Alabama and California, just as it was in October. Areas further south may see the lights through a camera – with the steps outlined in this guides – where they may not be visible to the naked eye.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Update 10/10/2024: As another strong solar storm arrives, the Northern Lights are broadly available to see across large portions of the United States. It’s estimated that the aurora could be visible as far south as Alabama or parts of California. In many cases, in a dark environment, the aurora is still visible in a Night Sight capture even if they’re barely visible or not visible to the naked eye.

Using a long-exposure mode on your camera, such as Google Pixel’s astrophotography, you can capture the Northern Lights in a way that looks even better than it does to the naked eye. Here’s how to do it.

To start, you’ll need two things. A dark environment with minimal light pollution, and a tripod.

Mount your phone to the tripod and open the camera app. Then, on a Pixel, switch to the “Night Sight” mode along the bottom bar. If the Northern Lights are already clearly visible to your eye, you’ll probably be able to capture it just using Night Sight on its own. But astrophotography can capture much more detail, and a time-lapse too.

To trigger astrophotography on your Pixel, set the phone on a tripod and ensure it’s on a steady surface. After a few seconds staying still, you’ll see a star icon (see image above) appear on the shutter button. Gently tap that button and then your phone will start the process which can take up to 4 minutes.

Night Sight mode on Google Pixel

Once the shot is finished, your phone will process the image and export a still photo as well as a time-lapse of the shot, which is especially fun for capturing the Northern Lights.

Here are a couple of shots we captured from North Carolina during the first night of the aurora borealis on May 10.

While not many other Android phones have dedicated modes for astrophotography, you can still capture a good shot with standard night modes. Most phones, including Samsung Galaxy devices, will switch to night mode automatically when it’s dark enough.

A good rule of thumb would be that if you can see the Northern Lights with the naked eye, you phone’s standard night mode can probably capture an image of it too. If you can only barely see the aurora, you’ll likely need to dive into a manual shooting mode and look for long exposure options.

On modern Samsung Galaxy devices, you’ll be able to access long-exposure in two ways. Under the dedicated “Night” mode, you can switch from auto exposure to “Max.” Alternatively, you can dive into the “Pro” mode and crank up the “Speed” to 5 or 6 seconds. Like with Pixel, you’ll absolutely need a tripod for this.

If you’ve taken or use this guide to take pictures of the Northern Lights with your Android phone, share them in the comments below!

More on Android:

Follow Ben: Twitter/X, Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.





Source link

Division 3 Outdoor Track & Field State Championships: Top boys, girls finishers from final day

Eye Observer
-
0
Division 3 Outdoor Track & Field State Championships: Top boys, girls finishers from final day



The final day of the MIAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field State Championships was held on Sunday, June 1, at Westfield State University, with events beginning at 2:30 p.m. A total of 29 boys teams and 30 girls teams competed.

Click here to see results from Day 1. Below are the team results and top three finishers from each boys and girls event. Full results can be viewed here.

Boys

Team results (Top 10)

  1. Walpole – 75
  2. Longmeadow – 69
  3. Billerica Memorial – 52
  4. Milton – 47
  5. Reading Memorial – 45
  6. Westborough – 44
  7. Oliver Ames -39
  8. Southeastern Regional – 33
  9. Sharon – 31
  10. Marblehead – 28

Field events

High jump

  1. Kaleb Lopez, Greater Lowell Tech – 6-02.00
  2. Stepher Pryor, Westfield – 6-02.00
  3. Liam Emmanuel Feliz, O’Bryant – 6-02.00

Shot put

  1. Mitchell Callender, Oliver Ames – 59-05.25
  2. Kenneth Kalvinek, Blackstone Valley Regional – 56-04.50
  3. William Hinkley, Silver Lake Regional – 49-11.75

Long jump

  1. Sean Hamel, Longmeadow – 22-00.25
  2. Christian Agyekum, Worcester Technical – 21-11.00
  3. Francis Manneh, Doherty Memorial – 21-08.75

Javelin throw

  1. Matthew St. Cyr, Walpole – 197-02
  2. Luke Rogerson, Reading Memorial – 171-07
  3. Mitchell Callender, Oliver Ames – 165-01

Running events

1mile

  1. Will Cerrutti, Marblehead – 4:18.28
  2. Shane Leslie, Billerica Memorial – 4:18.81
  3. Chris Barbato, Reading Memorial – 4:22.37

400m

  1. Ryan Pulpi, Reading Memorial – 48.46
  2. Josy Brown-Wright, Sharon – 48.84
  3. Dhaethmy Dorival, Billerica Memorial – 49.23

110mH

  1. Joseph Cook, Southeastern Regional – 13.96
  2. Aloiye Okhipo, Milford – 14.43
  3. Stephen Pryor, Westfield – 14.52

100m

  1. Austin Feener, Walpole – 10.84
  2. Abraham Guir, North Attleborough – 11.02
  3. Ian McNeil, Duxbury – 11.04

Boys 100m para Wheelchair

  1. Colton Robinson, West Springfield – 20.52

4x800mR

  1. Mansfield – 8:02.58
  2. Plymouth South – 8:05.01
  3. Longmeadow – 8:06.04

4x100mR

  1. Milford – 43.03
  2. Walpole – 43.31
  3. Longmeadow – 43.53

4x400mR

  1. Westwood – 3:22.48
  2. Masconomet Regional – 3:24.65
  3. Milton – 3:25.07

Girls

Team results (Top 10)

  1. Billerica Memorial – 92
  2. Westborough – 44
  3. Reading Memorial – 42
  4. Westwood – 42
  5. Plymouth South – 41
  6. Sharon – 41
  7. Masconomet Regional – 40
  8. Oliver Ames – 38
  9. Chicopee Comp – 32.5
  10. Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) – 30

Field events

Pole vault

  1. Prarthana Nirmal Kumar, Westborough – 10-06.00
  2. Annastasia LeLacheur, Westborough – 10-00.00
  3. Imani Curran, Westborough – 10-00.00

Long jump

  1. Lavender Kozaka, Oliver Ames – 18-09.25
  2. Chloe Guthrie, Mansfield – 18-03.50
  3. Annabelle Repucci, Reading Memorial – 18-00.50

Javelin throw

  1. Mo Donoghue, Chicopee Comp – 117-09
  2. Mara Siewko, Masconomet Regional – 111-08
  3. Liliana Martinez, Malden Catholic – 108-02

Shot put

  1. Lilia Davies, Plymouth South – 37.09.50
  2. Nahla Williams, West Springfield – 36-08.75
  3. Eva Meli, Somerville – 33-06.75

High jump

  1. Paige Tredwell, Marblehead – 5-01.00
  2. Abby Collins, Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) – 5-00.00
  3. Olivia Scamman, Somerville – 4-10.00

Running events

1mile

  1. Megan Moran, Westfield – 5:10.35
  2. Kylie Donahue, Billerica Memorial – 5:10.59
  3. Caitlyn Donahue, Billerica Memorial – 5:11.34

400m

  1. Abigail Bilodeau, Blackstone Valley Regional – 57.33
  2. Piper Testa, Masconomet Regional – 59.74
  3. Yasani Thompson, Holyoke – 59.75

100mH

  1. Nyrah Joseph, Billerica Memorial – 14.68
  2. Annaliese Aguilar, Milton – 15.05
  3. Isabelle Lightbody, Reading Memorial – 15.11

100m

  1. Nina Kyei-Aboagye, Sharon – 11.74
  2. Chloe Guthrie, Mansfield – 12.24
  3. Lavender Kozaka, Oliver Ames – 12.32

4x800mR

  1. Westwood – 9:31.00
  2. Billerica Memorial – 9:42.68
  3. Walpole – 9:52.99

4x100mR

  1. Oliver Ames – 48.95
  2. Sharon – 49.65
  3. Milton – 50.50

4x400mR

  1. Masconomet Regional – 4:04.29
  2. Duxbury – 4:05.18
  3. North Attleborough – 4:06.52



Source link

Elon Musk tries to stick to spaceships

Eye Observer
-
0
Elon Musk tries to stick to spaceships


Elon Musk’s interview with CBS Sunday Morning seemed to get off to an awkward start, as reporter David Pogue asked the SpaceX CEO about his thoughts on his ally Donald Trump’s policies, including growing restrictions on international students.

“I think we want to stick to the subject of the day, which is, like, spaceships, as opposed to, you know, presidential policy,” Musk said.

Pogue looked surprised, replying, “Oh, okay, I was told, ‘Anything’s good.’”

“No,” Musk said, while looking into the distance. “Well … no.”

He did, however, comment on the controversy around his Department of Government Efficiency, which has been making aggressive cuts across federal agencies, and which Musk complained had become “the whipping boy for everything.”

“If there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE,” he said.

Musk also suggested that he’s “a little stuck in a bind” when it comes to the Trump administration, where “I don’t want to speak out against the administration, but I also don’t want to take responsibility for everything the administration’s doing.”

Pogue’s interview was conducted before SpaceX’s Starship test flight on Tuesday, which saw the ship successfully launch but lose control on reentry. Asked whether there’s anything linking his various companies — in addition to SpaceX, there’s Tesla (which faces ongoing anti-Musk protests), xAI and X (formerly Twitter), Neuralink, and The Boring Company — Musk replied, “I guess you could think of the businesses as things that improve the probable trajectory of civilization.”

At the time, Musk was supposedly pulling back from his government work but said he would remain involved for a “day or two” per week. He told Pogue, “DOGE is going to continue, just as a way of life. And I will have some participation in that, but as I’ve said publicly, my focus has to be on the companies at this point.”

Pogue noted that after their conversation, an interview clip of Musk’s comments criticizing the Trump-backed budget bill drove a news cycle of their own — and soon after, Musk said he was ending his time as a special government employee. Trump, however, subsequently said Musk is “not really leaving.”



Source link

The best Father’s Day gifts for any dad in 2025

Eye Observer
-
0
The best Father’s Day gifts for any dad in 2025


Look, if your dad is anything like me, then they’re probably not a massive gamer, or might just play the odd title. I’m told that there’s a whole genre of Dad Games out there that apparently appeal to the fathers in our lives, which are all about following some sort of process. It’s likely then that they won’t have paid much attention to The Legend of Zelda series, which feels as un-Dad a game as you could imagine. Which is why I’m here to say that, until the start of this year, I felt the same, but I’ve since had my eyes opened to how amazing it really is. Even better, is that there’s a brand new title in the Zelda series, Tears of the Kingdom, which I’d urge all of you to check out.

You play as Link, a little dude who – much like Mario – has to rescue a princess countless times throughout history. That normally involves traversing a beautiful, unspoiled paradise called Hyrule that’s scattered with all sorts of monsters who want to kill you. From the outside, you might think that it’s all just button-mashing and hyperactive combat, which is not a dad-friendly genre. But, in fact, the game puts far more emphasis on puzzle-solving and lateral thinking, and it has the best 3D puzzles this side of the Portal series which alone makes it ideal for dads the world over. Not to mention the freedom to tackle the game any which way you want to, giving you the choice to build your own solution rather than being forced to comply with Nintendo’s.

In the last game, Breath of the Wild, you could harness the game’s physics and chemistry engines to dispatch troublesome enemies by using the environment against them. For instance, you could freeze them and then give them a whack, building up the kinetic energy to such an extent that they’re sent hurtling miles away from you. Or, if you approach them in the middle of a storm, you can get them to raise their metallic swords in anger and get a dose of lightning. In this one, you can find scattered electronic components and assemble them however you want to jury-rig vehicles to help you get around. I mean, what could be more Dad-Game than that?



Source link

Google Maps updated with new bottom corner logo

Eye Observer
-
0
Google Maps updated with new bottom corner logo


If something about Google Maps on Android and iOS looks different to you, it’s because the logo that appears in the bottom-left corner of every single map has been updated.

Previously, the four-color “Google” logo (with a white border) appeared in the bottom-left corner of the map layer. On tablets, foldables, and desktop, it’s centered at the bottom edge of the right column.

In recent weeks (the “old” screenshot at the left is from mid-May), it became “Google Maps” with black or white text depending on your system/device theme. Like other first-party product logos, “Google” is thicker than “Maps.” 

Old vs. new

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Google Maps logo

This is an interesting branding change for the application, which already has the multi-color pin icon in the search bar. Black/white is somewhat less distracting than the four-color version, especially in fullscreen mode (swipe up on the search field). Then again, the map layer is already pretty busy, so this isn’t a huge reduction.

We’re seeing this Google Maps logo change widely rolled out on Android (version 25.21) and iOS (25.22). It has yet to be updated on maps.google.com. 

Google Maps logo
Google Maps logo

More on Google Maps:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.



Source link

NBA Finals tickets: Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Eye Observer
-
0
NBA Finals tickets: Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder



The 2025 NBA Finals are set and starting on Thursday, June 5, the Oklahoma City Thunder will compete against the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game series to determine the newest NBA champion.

Fans looking to attend NBA Finals games in person have plenty of options and can shop around at StubHub, Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and *VividSeats.

*New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.*

If you need to travel outside your local area to get to this game, head over to TripAdvisor, VRBO, Marriott or Booking.com for deals on everything from car rentals to airfare to hotels.

The Pacers are looking for their first NBA title in franchise history. The franchise has previously won three ABA titles, with the most recent coming in 1973, giving Indiana back-to-back championships and its third in four years. Since the merger however, the Pacers have only made the Finals one other time, losing in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Thunder have not won a title since the franchise moved locations and changed names from the Seattle SuperSonics. The team last played in the Finals in 2012 when it lost to the Miami Heat in five games. As the Sonics, the franchise made three Finals appearances, losing in 1996 to the Chicago Bulls in six games and losing in 1978 to the Washington Bullets in seven games, but getting revenge on the Bullets in 1979 to win the organization’s only championship in five games.

In two regular season games the Thunder swept the Pacers, winning by 6 in Indiana and by 21 in Oklahoma City.

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

StubHub

Ticketmaster

SeatGeek

VividSeats

Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City

Italics means the game may not be necessary

Streaming Options: FuboTV; DirecTV; Sling

What is FuboTV?

FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and up to $25 off the first month for new customers.

What is DirecTV?

DirecTV is an internet TV service that offers your favorite entertainment, news and sports channels, as well as local TV stations and regional sports networks. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.

What is SlingTV?

SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.

Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.

RELATED CONTENT:

Thunder guard Alex Caruso is getting a 2nd NBA Finals chance, this time with fans

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

Alex Caruso is the only current Oklahoma City Thunder player who has previous experience playing in the NBA Finals.

That said, even he has no idea what this year’s series will feel like.

Caruso was on the Los Angeles Lakers team that beat the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals in the bubble at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, meaning the games were played all in one place, with almost no fans, and an atmosphere that will in no way compare to what awaits when this year’s finals start in Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

“The finals in the bubble still had the tangible feel of a finals,” Caruso said. “You knew what was up for grabs. That adrenaline before the game, obviously, I don’t think it would probably be the same adrenaline level that you feel with fans, just being on the other side of it now. But understanding what’s at stake was still very apparent.”

The Thunder will take on either Indiana or New York in this year’s series. Game 1 is in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder are 43-7 this season. They’re 80-18 this season overall — not counting a loss in the NBA Cup title game, which doesn’t count — and that’s why Caruso doesn’t feel the need to do a whole lot of how-to-handle-the-finals coaching right now.

“You don’t have to do anything special. You just have to be who we are,” Caruso said. “That’s worked for us throughout this whole year. So, I’m just continuing to emphasize with the guys, just do what we’ve done all year. Compete at a high level, play together, play as a team. When we do that, we’re pretty good.”

At 31, Caruso is the old man of the Thunder — the oldest player on the roster, despite there being more than 80 other active players in the NBA older than he is right now.

The NBA said the Thunder are the second-youngest team to make the finals in the last 70 seasons, with an average age of 25.56. That’s about a half-year per player older than Portland was when the Trail Blazers made the finals in 1977.

“We’ve got one of the youngest teams in the league still,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “And these guys are growing at a really rapid rate. And we’ve had a lot of individual players really grow quickly and grow in impactful ways in a short period of time.”

But they rely on Caruso in many ways as well. A team loaded with young talent — MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren — is still willing to listen and learn, which is where Caruso comes in.

“There’s never a second where he’s not engaged in the competition, fully engaged in the competition,” said Daigneault, who coached Caruso with the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue and coaches him now with the Thunder. “And I think that right there, the contagiousness of that and the consistency of that, is really the impact. It doesn’t matter if it’s a drill in shootaround or whether it’s a side out of bounds play on a short shot clock. That guy, Alex Caruso, is completely engaged in that moment.”

And Caruso will be completely engaged in the finals, with hopes of getting a second ring — and a first parade.

Those 2020 finals ended in October because of the COVID-interrupted year, and training camps resumed just a few weeks later. There was no traditional offseason after that title by the Lakers, and Caruso still laments missing out on some of the fun.

“There’s parts of winning a championship that I didn’t get to experience through that first championship,” Caruso said. “I never got to go on a parade. The turnaround for the next season was like a month. I went to Cabo for a couple of days and then started working out again because the next season was about to start. There’s a little bit of enjoying the success that I didn’t get to necessarily participate in. But I’ve got another chance to get it done and try again with fans and with a parade and all that.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article



Source link

TC Sessions: AI Trivia Countdown — score big on tickets

Eye Observer
-
0
TC Sessions: AI Trivia Countdown — score big on tickets


TechCrunch Sessions: AI hits UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall on June 5 — and today’s your shot at AI trivia glory and two tickets for the price of one.

Answer a few brain-busting questions on artificial intelligence, and if you ace it, you might just find a special promo code waiting in your inbox.

Every day brings new questions — so don’t get discouraged if you don’t know today’s answers. But don’t wait too long. The last day of Countdown AI Trivia is June 4. Don’t miss your chance to win big and be part of the AI action this Thursday.

Whether you know which AI model kicked off the large language model revolution or what year OpenAI launched ChatGPT, this is your time to shine.

How it works

Step 1: Answer the AI trivia questions on this form

Step 2: Watch your inbox for the special code if you win

Step 3: Use the code to claim your 2-for-1 ticket deal

Show off your AI knowledge in this quick trivia round.



Source link

1...293294295...398Page 294 of 398
255,324FansLike
128,657FollowersFollow
97,058SubscribersSubscribe

About us

Most recent

Most popular

Subscribe

© Eye Observer - All rights reserved.