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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

NYC: Come To Our WNBA Comedy Show On May 16

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Live Event

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Tom Ley

Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates after a three point basket during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers at Ball Arena on April 29, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. 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.

Los Angeles Clippers v Denver Nuggets – Game Five

Journalismism

Nobody Can Do That

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics lays on the ground after being injured against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 12, 2025 in New York City. 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.

Boston Celtics v New York Knicks – Game Four

It Can All Go To Hell In A Hurry

Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers takes a shot against Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers of game three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 09, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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.

Cleveland Cavaliers v Indiana Pacers – Game Three

All Of You Motherfuckers Are On Fraud Watch

Paul Pierce

Life's Rich Pageant

Paul Pierce Turns Grim Men’s Wager Into Pleasant Men’s March

New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges blocks a shot by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum at the end of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden.

Yes, it happened again: Celtics head to New York down 2-0 to Knicks after giving up another 20-point lead

Mikal Bridges Is Making A Meal Of The Celtics’ Mess

Head coach Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the fourth quarter of Round Two Game One of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center on May 05, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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.

Denver Nuggets v Oklahoma City Thunder – Game One

That Was All Mark’s Dang Fault

Russell Westbrook (4) of the Denver Nuggets goes berzerk after dunking and taking a technical for hanging on the rim theatrically during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 120-101 series-clinching win over the LA Clippers at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The Denver Nuggets defeated the LA Clippers 4-3 in their best-of-seven NBA Playoffs series.

DENVER NUGGETS VS LA CLIPPERS, NBA

Nikola Jokic’s Friends Showed Up When He Needed Them Most

Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a three-point basket late during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 01, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 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.

New York Knicks v Detroit Pistons – Game Six

Jalen Brunson Got Away Clean

A fan sits alone in the purple row of seats that are exactly on mile above sea level during a game between the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 23, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Houston Astros 8-6.

Houston Astros v Colorado Rockies

Which Towering Dinger In Denver Is Jerry Dipoto Actually Talking About?

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers get into an altercation after Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 29, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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.

Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers – Game Five

Bucks Collapse Leads To Giannis Antetokounmpo Delivering Fatherhood Lessons To Tyrese Haliburton’s Dad

56th NAACP Image Awards – Arrivals

Media Meltdowns

Shannon Sharpe Stepping Away From ESPN Following Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Kawhi Leonard (2) of the LA Clippers drives on Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Kawhi Leonard Is Just Living With It

Fans celebrate a three-point basket by Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on April 04, 2025 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.

Denver Nuggets v Golden State Warriors

Defector Up All Night

Get Busy In The NBA Playoffs Open Thread

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Patrick Redford

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David Roth

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Ray Ratto

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Luis Paez-Pumar

The Wyoming basketball team, left to right: Coach Everett Shelton; James Reese, forward; Milo Komenich, center; Kenny Sailors, forward; James Weir, guard; and Leon Brown, guard.

Coach Giving Instructions to Basketball Team

Silence! You Are Summoned To Read A Preview Of The 2025 NBA Playoffs

Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets argues with referee Justin Van Duyne (64) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

DENVER NUGGETS VS MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES, NBA

Everyone Can Do That

APRIL 16: (R-L) DeMar DeRozan #10, Domantas Sabonis #11, and Zach LaVine #8 of the Sacramento Kings sit on the bench at the end of the game in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks in othe NBA play-in tournament game at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 2025 in Sacramento, 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.

Dallas Mavericks v Sacramento Kings – Play-In Tournament

Extinguish The Beam

Chuck Grassley getting owned

Underexplained Lists

Angry Interjections From Chuck Grassley’s Chippy Town Hall Meeting, Ranked

General Manager Nico Harrison of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on April 09, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. 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.

Los Angeles Lakers v Dallas Mavericks

Nico Harrison Picks Ideal Moment To Piss Off Everyone Again

TOPSHOT - Running back TreVeyon Henderson (L) and US Vice President JD Vance bobble the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy as US President Donald Trump hosts the 2025 College Football National Champions, Ohio State Buckeyes, celebrating the team's title-winning season with a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, April 14, 2025. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

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Politics

Point/Counterpoint: JD Vance Drops The National Championship Trophy

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Brandy Jensen

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.09</p>


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Chris Thompson

Reacher

Arts And Culture

Is Reacher Too Big Now? A Roundtable Discussion

Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum on April 10, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Minnesota Timberwolves v Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant Is Doing A New Thing, And That Thing Is Grenade

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth speak during the teams training camp at the UCSD campus in La Jolla, California on Thursday, September 28, 2022.

DENVER NUGGETS TRAINING CAMP

Michael Malone And Calvin Booth Lose Their War Over The Soul Of The Nuggets

Ja Morant (R #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts with teammate Scotty Pippen Jr. #1 during the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on April 03, 2025 in Miami, Florida. 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.

Memphis Grizzlies v Miami Heat

Ja Morant Will Not Stop Doing His Little Gun Thing

A FanDuel gambling advertisement on the exterior of a building prior to Super Bowl LIX on February 08, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will face each other on Sunday.

Super Bowl LIX Previews

Gambling

Baltimore Sues DraftKings And FanDuel For Exploiting Gamblers

Russell Westbrook #4 of the Denver Nuggets fouls Nickeil Alexander-Walker #9 of the Minnesota Timberwolves on a three point attempt as time expires in the double overtime period resulting in a game winning free throw by Alexander-Walker at Ball Arena on April 1, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. 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.

Minnesota Timberwolves v Denver Nuggets

Noooo, Russell Westbrook, Don’t Do That! Nooooo, Don’t Do That Either!