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Defector

Luis Paez-Pumar

Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat reacts during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Kaseya Center on April 24, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

Playoff Jimmy Has No Equal

Ray Ratto

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 23: Jack Suwinski #65, Ji Hwan Bae #3 and Connor Joe #2 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrate after a 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on April 23, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Rays-Pirates World Series Incoming

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 24: The Seattle Kraken celebrate the winning goal by Jordan Eberle #7 against the Colorado Avalanche during overtime in Game Four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Climate Pledge Arena on April 24, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Kraken Are For Real

ORANGE COUNTY, CA - MARCH 11: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers at Celebrity Flag Football Charity Event at Saddleback College on March 11, 2023 in Orange County, CA. (Photo by Aubrey Lao /Getty Images)

New Old Quarterback, Same Old Jets

Patrick Redford

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 23: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors watches a shot he took against the Sacramento Kings during Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Chase Center on April 23, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

This Is What Flipping The Switch Looks Like

Israel Daramola

The ‘Succession’ Misery Index: Raised By Wolves

Lauren Theisen

Connor McDavid congratulates Leon Draisaitl

The Oilers Bailed Themselves Out Of Loser Jail

Giri Nathan

StarJ Barrett!

Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.

Hamilton Nolan

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 22: Ryan Garcia in the black trunks exchanges punches with Gervonta Davis in the green and purple trunks during their catchweight bout at T-Mobile Arena on April 22, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Fights

Men At Work

Davion Mitchell #15 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors during Round One Game Four of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2023 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California

The Kings Needed To Be Just A Little Better

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 10: Owner Mark Davis of the Las Vegas Raiders walks onto the field prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on October 10, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Las Vegas Is Where Billionaires Go To Feud

Tom Ley

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur reacts during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James Park on April 23, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Soccer

Tottenham Gave Up

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Russell Westbrook Is Just The Man To Salvage Dignity In Defeat

BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers is helped up during Round One Game Three of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets on April 20, 2023 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE

The Sixers And Joel Embiid Are Back Where They Always End Up

Dillon Brooks pulls a face after being ejected.

Dillon Brooks Was Humiliating Himself Well Before He Made Contact With The Balls

Kelsey McKinney

Zillowing Out

A $389,000 House Where We Can Feel Perplexed

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - APRIL 21: Fans of the New York Knicks are seen during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, New York City, United States. Filmmaker Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee watches the game with a Knicks jersey at Madison Square Garden.

Defector Up All Night

Let’s Have An NBA And NHL Playoffs Open Thread

Ding Liren of China reacts while playing against Dommaraju Gukesh of India during the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2023 in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands, Jan. 14, 2023. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Chess

Ding Liren’s Preparation Oopsie Throws World Chess Championship Into Chaos

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Jameson Williams #9 of the Detroit Lions reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on December 11, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Lions Have A Gambling Problem

Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.

Nicholas Russell

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 15: Cherry Jones attends the "Downton Abbey: A New Era" New York Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on May 15, 2022 in New York City.

Hey It's That Guy

Cherry Jones Makes Acting A Breeze

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A prehistoric tully monster, looks like a squid with stalked eyes and a jointed trunk with a toothy pincer mouth at the end.

Creaturefector

The Mystery Of The Tully Monster Will Never Be Solved

Los Angeles, - April 20: Kawhi Leonard, center, of the LA Clippers looks on from the bench in street clothes against of the Phoenix Suns in the first half of game 3 of a first round NBA playoff basketball game at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 20, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

It’s About Star Power

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts toward referee Nick Buchert #3 against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half of Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 20, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The 76ers won 102-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

It’s About Contact With The Balls

Barry Petchesky

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 20: Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal during the second period of Game Two of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on April 20, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)

Maybe Put A Body On Chris Kreider In Front

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 20: Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors and Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings go for a rebound during Game Three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Chase Center on April 20, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)