Charlie Curnow

Jalen Brunson scored a season-high 40 points in the New York Knicks’ 132-120 NBA Cup semifinal game against the Orlando Magic Saturday night, making 16-of-27 shots.

That included just two 3-pointers against the Magic’s notoriously physical defense, notes Knicks beat writer James Edwards III of The Athletic. Meanwhile, the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points, and OG Anunoby scored 24. The Knicks overall shot a season-high 61 percent.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown was adamant following the game that Brunson be entered into Most Valuable Player discussions, ESPN reported.

Now the Knicks will face the San Antonio Spurs, winners of Saturday night’s other semifinal matchup, in the NBA Cup Final on Tuesday.

Potentially bigger than advancing in the NBA Cup, however, is that New York has now evened the season record against Orlando at 2-2, says Edwards. Which means that if the teams were to finish the regular season with the same record, the Magic would no longer have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The victory also gives the Knicks a chance to show that they’re not only a real contender in the East but also for an NBA title, Edwards said. This would have been especially true if their NBA Cup Final opponent was the Western Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder. But the Spurs’ victory last night prevented that.

Either way the Knicks still haven’t played a top five team in the West yet, and now they will do so against the Spurs.

While not anywhere close to the intensity and importance of the NBA Finals, the NBA Cup Final will give Knicks fans other valuable context, according to Edwards. Namely, if the best two teams in this year’s lesser-regarded Eastern Conference can be competitive with any of the top five teams in the West on a somewhat meaningful stage.

In the 111-109 Spurs-Thunder game last night, a returning Victor Wembanyama helped push San Antonio to victory with 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. All in 21 minutes on the court, with 15 points coming in the fourth quarter alone.

The Spurs were 21 points better than the Thunder when Wembanyama—who received his own MVP chants from fans in Las Vegas Saturday night—was in the game. And 19 worse when he wasn’t.

For the New York Knicks, the future is starting to look like more and faster offense from stars Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns, according to a report in the Athletic.

New Knicks coach Mike Brown said through the first few days of training camp that he wants to use Brunson more off the ball. And Towns in different areas of the floor than he’s been accustomed to, the Athletic’s James L. Edwards III said.

The All-NBA duo was outstanding last year individually throughout the Knicks’ journey to the Eastern Conference finals. But the Knicks’ success going forward will likely continue to center on better maximizing these two players, Edwards said.

Getting Towns, one of the greatest shooting big men of all time, to shoot more frequently from the corners when playing power forward—a likely scenario with a healthy Mitchell Robinson—seems like a wise strategy, Edwards said. But it’s one that hasn’t really been implemented much in his career.

Only 10 percent of Towns’ career 3-point attempts have come from the corners, considered the easiest areas for these shots. And last season saw him taking just 6.9 percent of shot attempts from the corner spots, a career-low mark.

When Towns is playing center, Brown envisions a world in which Towns is used as more of a hub for the offense, Edwards said. Towns was used as such a hub at times under former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. But it appears Brown, given his work with center/power forward Domantas Sabonis while in Sacramento, might lean into it more.

Meanwhile, it does also appear under Brown that we could see more of Brunson running around screens without the ball, says Edwards. This would be to not only capitalize on Brunson’s catch-and-shoot ability and avoid wearing him down, but to give defenses another wrinkle to account for.

Last season, Brunson converted on just below 50 percent of his spot-up jumpers, according to NBA.com—a very effective mark, Edwards says. But only 43.6 percent of Brunson’s 3-pointers were assisted last year. That’s a lower number than two other ball-dominant point guards, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers (52.8 percent) and the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (57 percent).

After beating the Pistons and Boston Celtics in this year’s NBA Playoffs, the Knicks lost to the Pacers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference finals.

The November 2025 edition of Mojo magazine includes interviews with members of the band Tortoise ahead of the release of their new album “Touch.” It will be their first album in nine years.

“Touch,” a lean 10-track album, both simplifies and complicates elements of Tortoise’s past, according to Mojo’s Yusuke Nagata. Even suggesting sketches for some futuristic symphony.

The album begins with the crunch of a big, distorted guitar. And ends with a radiant, blissed-out hum that conjures the score of a cowboy movie set in space.

For the past 35 years, the Chicago post-rock band has been a motley quintet resembling an assortment of math teachers and music professors, hardcore punk survivors and roadhouse aficionados, Nagata says.

And have provided a compelling case study in perpetual newness at their own methodical pace. Resetting the stage for what might fit within indie rock through their mix of everything from spaghetti western scores to hard bop, luminous drone to pulverizing techno, and prog rock maneuvers to punk rock outbursts.

The first time the band heard the term “post-rock,” however, they were not impressed, according to Nagata. Critic Simon Reynolds invoked it in print around the release of their self-titled 1994 debut. And their lack of vocals and plethora of shifting meters made them ostensible fits.

Now, though, their association with the term’s origins has become a sort of honor, Nagata says.

For drummer John McEntire, Tortoise helped suggest an alternative musical framework. One that emphasizes textures, dynamics, and alternative instrumentation rather than four-on-the-floor all the time.

And for Tortoise’s other drummer John Herndon, it reinforces that they were able to move within the indie rock world without sounding like much else there. Flinging doors open for those who followed.

For Tortoise’s first two decades, proximity was a boon, Nagata says. Every member lived or worked near Central Chicago’s Wicker Park. Rent was cheap, and service jobs and club gigs were abundant.

Meanwhile, the city’s bustling music scene meant jazz, punk, indie rock and electronica musicians rubbed elbows and swapped ideas.

Herndon once dragged a vibraphone four blocks to an early rehearsal. He told guitarist Jeff Parker he wasn’t good enough to play a solo on the instrument.

Parker, who was a working Chicago jazz musician before joining Tortoise, replied, “You know, a solo is just an expression of yourself.”

There was time for their musicianship to catch up with their enthusiasms.

The Who released their new archival live album, “Live at The Oval 1971,” in August.

Newly mixed from the original 8-track analog multi-track tapes, the recording documents The Who as they headlined Goodbye Summer: A Rock Concert in aid of Famine Relief for the People of Bangladesh on September 18, 1971. Recorded at The Oval cricket ground in Kennington, south London, it shows the band continuing their dominance as a top live rock act of the era, according to the recording’s product page.

Originally recorded by Glyn Johns with Pye Mobile Recording Unit, the performance culminates in Pete Townshend and Keith Moon destroying their equipment in a grand finale.

According to Pat Gilbert at Mojo, The Who’s “Goodbye Summer” Oval appearance has gone down in history as one of their most memorable. But until now only poor-quality bootlegs have circulated.

The whole concert was taped by the same Pye mobile studio that produced 1970’s “Live At Leeds.” Due to over-zealous security, however, the crew were unable to re-position dislodged mikes and correct unreliable feeds. 

But now modern technology has finally enabled the band to rescue the original recordings.

The setlist draws heavily on songs from the just-released and unimpeachable “Who’s Next” (arguably the best songs from the shelved “Lifehouse” concept album), says Gilbert. Which is why some fans may feel this album has the edge even over the majestic “Live At Leeds” (and “Hull”). As well as “Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970.”

Indeed, it’s the box-fresh “Love Ain’t For Keeping,” “Bargain,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and John Entwistle’s “My Wife” that shine most brightly on this set, Gilbert says.

The Who’s guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend has said that, having realized in the run-up to the Oval that “Lifehouse” was now a goner (for the time being), he felt freed from its deathly grip, says Gilbert. Re-channeling his energies into the band’s live performances.

The sheer aggression—and insouciant flair—of the group’s playing on this recording is indeed something to behold, according to Gilbert. Even when newly tethered to the sequenced keyboard parts of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

Earlier this summer, Conor Orr at Sports Illustrated published his annual list of 12 teams that could realistically win the next Super Bowl this upcoming season.

Rather than a ranking, Orr’s list was published alphabetically by city name. To summarize a bit, however, his predicted Super Bowl matchup is the Buffalo Bills vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.

About the Eagles, last season’s Super Bowl champions, Orr says that while they lost some brainpower this offseason in OC Kellen Moore (who took the Saints’ top job) and had some departures on the defensive line, the team still has great talent. Including linebacker Zack Baun.

Most importantly, however, Orr says, Philadelphia has maintained the roster advantages that won them a title last year. To put it simply, they’re still too big and too strong for other teams to handle.

On the whole, Orr says he doesn’t see how the Eagles aren’t still the best team in the NFC—if they’re able to sustain their success from an ego standpoint. Meaning that, for example, receiver A.J. Brown is still willing to accept diminished targets and block with gusto. And the offense as a whole is still eager to be, in essence, conducted by quarterback Jalen Hurts before the snap in order to put the group into better run situations.

About the Bills, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in last year’s AFC Championship, Orr says he’s less impressed that they added edge rusher Joey Bosa than he is about the team having real competition at almost every defensive line position. Because depth is key.

That sort of depth is how the Eagles demolished teams last year, Orr says. As evidenced by the fact that defensive tackle Milton Williams, a complementary player, got a $104 million contract from the Patriots this offseason.

The growth of young players such as wide receiver Khalil Shakir emboldened Bills GM also Brandon Beane to focus on the defense in the draft, Orr says. This was crucial because last year Buffalo was suspect against the pass and merely solid against the run. If the defense improves and quarterback Josh Allen is again in MVP form, watch out.

Other teams mentioned by Orr included the AFC’s Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers in addition to the Chiefs. And from the NFC, the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders.

With the NFL Preseason wrapping up this weekend, the regular season will kick off on Thursday, September 4 with a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

“More Songs About Buildings and Food,” the 1978 second album by the band Talking Heads, was re-released this July in a Super Deluxe Edition from Rhino Records.

Unveiled as the band celebrates its 50th anniversary, the collection captures a pivotal moment in Talking Heads’ evolution. And marks the first of three albums produced with Brian Eno.

The 3-disc Super Deluxe Edition features the remastered album alongside 11 rarities, including four previously unreleased alternate versions of album tracks. The set also includes a live recording of the band’s August 1978 show at New York’s Entermedia Theatre. 

According to the press release from Rhino, the seeds for “More Songs About Buildings and Food” were planted in London in 1977. When the band met Eno while touring behind their debut album, “Talking Heads: 77.”

“When we went over to his flat, there was the immediacy of recognizing in his library books [and records] from our own collections,” said keyboardist and guitarist Jerry Harrison. “There was both mutual respect and a sense of shared sensibilities—all harbingers of a comfortable and successful collaboration.”

Soon after, plans were made to record together. Sessions began in March 1978, when the band traded their drafty Long Island City lofts for the Bahamas’ sunny beaches. They set up shop for several weeks at Island Records producer and founder Chris Blackwell’s newly built Compass Point Studios, becoming the first band to record there. 

Having been road-tested over a long tour, the new songs were ready to go.

Drummer Chris Frantz recalls Eno’s most significant contribution was to slow the tempo of the song “Take Me To The River.” The band had been used to playing the song at a pretty fast tempo like Al Green’s original, but they gave it a try. The song became the band’s first radio hit.

The Polaroid mosaic that gives the album its striking visual identity came together later, back in New York City. Principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist David Byrne suggested the cover concept, says bassist Tina Weymouth.

Byrne took the pictures of Frantz, Harrison, and Weymouth on the roof above Frantz and Weymouth’s loft. Weymouth took the pictures of Byrne.

Released on July 14, 1978, “More Songs About Buildings and Food” earned the band their first appearance on the Billboard 200. Their reimagining of Green’s “Take Me To The River” cracked the Billboard Hot 100 and became a left-field radio success, helping introduce the band to a wider audience.

At the time, critics took note of the album’s sharp songwriting and Eno’s layered production—with The New York Times naming it the “No. 1 disk of 1978” and Vogue calling Talking Heads the “most fascinating experimental rock band in the world.”

Upon this 2025 re-release, Will Hermes at Rolling Stone said the album has always been a dark horse candidate for Talking Heads’ all-around greatest.

While there’s nothing earthshaking among the bonus cuts (10 alternate takes plus an instrumental version of “Electricty,” which would appear on the later album “Fear of Music”) Hermes says, they do shine light on process.

The instruments are more clearly defined on the alternates, before, one assumes, Eno artfully smeared the final takes, according to Hermes. His touches made all the difference however, pulling the songs into a pulsing turbo-charged whole.

Side two of the finished LP in particular, was one of the great house party soundtracks during the era of its original release.

That version of Talking Heads, the house party dance band, gets showcased on this Super Deluxe Edition’s third disc through a cleaned up copy of a widely-circulated concert bootleg. Recorded just a short walk from the band’s early home base of East Village music club CBGB.

The MLB’s trade deadline for the 2025 season passed on Thursday, July 31, marking the final date in the regular season that teams can trade players on their 40-man rosters. 

At The Athletic, Jim Bowden graded each team on their overall trade performance. In all, he gave out 5 A’s, 15 B’s, 7 C’s and 3 D’s in pre-deadline activity that he says saw several teams stock up on young talent in exchange for controllable veteran players. 

The Seattle Mariners got an A from Bowden, acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks in separate deals. Bowden now thinks the Mariners are the favorites to win the AL West, and that they have a real shot to win their elusive first World Series in franchise history. 

The San Diego Padres also got top marks, however, picking up pitchers Mason Miller and JP Sears from the Athletics and hitters Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano from the Orioles.  

Bowden says the Padres have put themselves in a strong position to not only catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, but also to again be legitimate candidates to reach the World Series. 

Close behind with an A- were the Philadelphia Phillies, who landed the best available relief pitcher in Jhoan Duran from the Twins.  

The Phillies’ NL East rivals the New York Mets, however, also got the same grade from Bowden for doing the best job of building bullpen depth. Adding three former closers in Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto. 

Meanwhile, over in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox only earned a C- from Bowden.

Earlier in June, the Red Sox made a blockbuster trade with the San Francisco Giants of Rafael Devers for Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, Jose Bello and James Tibbs III.  

While the Red Sox have played much better since the Devers trade, Bowden says, they still likely didn’t do enough with their pre-deadline pitching acquisitions to catch their division rivals the Toronto Blue Jays or New York Yankees. Who earned a B and B+ for their trade deadline activity, respectively. 

All in all, Bowden’s grades were based on based on how much teams improved their situation through their pre-deadline trade activity—whether they’re rebuilding, trying to make the playoffs or pushing to win a championship. 

Scottie Scheffler won golf’s Open Championship by four shots to capture his fourth major overall and second of 2025 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this weekend.

Only Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have won the Open, Masters and PGA Championship before age 30. On Sunday, Scheffler, 29, joined them.

It was 1,197 days between Woods’ first and fourth major wins, notes Gabby Herzig at The Athletic. It was 1,197 for Scheffler as well.

As Scheffler stormed to his four-shot 54-hole lead by making almost every putt within 10 feet and salvaging pars from places others would consider difficult-to-impossible, he made the championship feel like it was already over. It was, says Herzig.

Scheffler’s chasers did what they could to make up ground. The entire course and country pulled for this year’s Masters champion Rory McIlroy, their hometown hero, one pairing ahead.

Chants for McIlroy echoed throughout the Royal Portrush property, several directed at Scheffler himself. But they did not propel the Northern Irishman as he would have liked.

McIlroy shot 69, and finished seven strokes behind Scheffler. American Ryder Cup hopeful Harris English, for the second time this year, finished second to Scheffler in a major, behind by six strokes at the PGA and four at the Open.

In 2024, Scheffler won seven PGA Tour tournaments, including the Masters, Players Championship, Tour Championship and four signature events. He also claimed the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

Perhaps that’s why his restless and defensive edge revealed itself this winter, when a hand injury stalled his return to the PGA Tour and his intended results weren’t transpiring, says Herzig. Scheffler missed all of January and went without a win in February, March or April.

Scheffler’s frustrations boiled over at the Players. When asked about those emotions becoming visible, Scheffler retorted: “You’ve played golf before, right?”

It didn’t take very long for the tone of Scheffler’s voice to subdue with three victories in four starts in May and June, however, according to Herzig. Including Scheffler’s third major victory at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and a hometown win at the Byron Nelson by eight shots.

The intensity of Scheffler’s competitive fire is one of his more underreported attributes, Herzig says. And is what makes him a constant threat.

If Scheffler isn’t hitting the ball how he wants to, he figures out a way to get it into the hole. If he’s missing putts, his ball-striking makes up for it. He always finds a way, and his competitors know that.

McIlroy on Sunday even called him not just a “complete player,” but “inevitable.”

Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Wimbledon tennis finals match on Sunday, July 13.

Sinner’s win meant the tournament’s No. 1 seed prevailed over the No. 2 seed in the tight match. One ultimately decided by two stunning set points, according to Charlie Eccleshare and Matthew Futterman at The Athletic. As well as Alcaraz’s malfunctioning grass tools and Sinner’s steadiness behind and against second serves.

It was Sinner’s first Wimbledon title, and his fourth Grand Slam title. The win Sunday also snapped Sinner’s streak of five successive defeats against Alcaraz. Taking their head-to-head in ATP matches to 8-5, still in the Spaniard’s favor.

Earlier in Paris, Sinner had suffered the ultimate heartbreak of having three championship points and not winning the French Open, said Eccleshare. No one had ever missed that many in a Grand Slam final. He also had a chance to serve out the match, but faltered there, too.

Which is why when Sinner’s first serve deserted him at 4-3 up in the fourth set, flashbacks started coming thick and fast, Eccleshare said. Alcaraz went on to earn two break points, and the chance to level the set at 4-4.

But in response, Sinner locked in, saving one break point with a powerful second serve and the other with a 134-mile-per-hour rocket out wide. Alcaraz returned the latter brilliantly. But then he went for too much with a forehand.

Sinner eked out the hold. But then he had to do what he couldn’t manage at Roland Garros: serving it out at 5-4 in the fourth set.

As the players got off their chairs, the crowd cheered, “Carlos, Carlos,” desperate to will this into a fifth set like five weeks before. They did so again when Sinner went up 15-0, forcing him to wait to hit a serve. And ramping the tension up even further.

A big serve and backhand winner down the line later and it was 30-0. Then even Alcaraz couldn’t chase down a backhand volley from Sinner, and the Italian had three championship points. Just like in Paris, Eccleshare said.

Alcaraz saved the serve. But finally, with one last heave of his right arm, Sinner slammed a shot down that Alcaraz could barely get a racket to.

Just over a month later, Sinner had found redemption.

“Remembering Now” is the latest album by Van Morrison, released in June 2025.

The album represents Morrison’s first collection of original music since 2022. And follows the covers albums “Moving On Skiffle” and “Accentuate The Positive.” The new album’s launch was accompanied by the long-awaited single “Down To Joy.” Which received its first official release after featuring in Kenneth Branagh’s 2021 Oscar and BAFTA winning film “Belfast.”

“Remembering Now” sees Morrison returning to the transcendent, uncategorizable rhapsodies that make him unique, according to the album’s press release. The music is in conversation with soul, jazz, blues, folk and country while being limited by none of them.

“Down To Joy,” the single, suggests Morrison has gone back to his soul and gospel roots, with a strong emphasis on an uplifting big band arrangement and evocative strings.

Morrison’s band on the album includes Richard Dunn (Hammond organ), Stuart McIlroy (piano), Pete Hurley (bass) and Colin Griffin (drums and percussion). Who have worked with Morrison since the album “Three Chords and the Truth” in 2019.

Beyond his key band members, the album also features an array of accomplished collaborators. The strings were arranged and directed by Fiachra Trench (Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello). Whose association with Morrison goes back to “Avalon Sunset” in 1989. Strings performances are by the Fews Ensemble, led by Joanne Quigley.

Other contributions come from Michael Beckwith, the founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center. As well as the renowned lyricist Don Black (Ennio Morricone, John Barry, Quincy Jones), and the acclaimed folk artist Seth Lakeman.

According to Thom Jurek at AllMusic, “Remembering Now” embraces the musical rearview, but refracted through the lens of the present. Morrison revels in the brands of Irish R&B, Celtic blues, country, soul and balladry that made him. But that he pursued so intimately on questing albums like 1979’s “Into the Music” and 1991’s “Hymns to the Silence.” At the same time, the album’s lyrics also reveal what Morrison has learned in 80 years.

“Remembering Now” is thus aptly titled in its manner of observing personal history through the lens of life in the process of being lived in the moment.