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The New York Knicks faced an early test on the road against the mighty Denver Nuggets and passed with flying colors. The Knicks have been a top-five offense: currently fourth in points, second in three-point percentage, and second in field goal percentage. They looked like the Harlem Globetrotters as they destroyed the 2023 NBA champions 145-118. They tied their franchise record for assists, finishing with 60.9% shooting from the field and 52.8% from three. OG Anunoby dropped a career-high 40 points and was the best player on the court. In fact, he has been huge for the Knicks to start the season. Anunoby is off to a career-best start and emerging as one of the elite two-way players in the NBA. Unquestionably he’s living up to his $200+ million contract and then some. OG’s Thriving Role OG quickly supplanted Mikal Bridges as the team’s third option on offense whilw being the Knicks best (at times only) defender. He is thriving in his role within the offense. Under head coach Tom Thibodeau, OG is focusing on his shot diet. He is attacking his hot zones in the painted area and the corners. Anunoby has attacked closeouts, therefore increasing his efficiency. OG’s armed with a terrific pump fake allowing him to beat his man and run at the basket freely. If a defender closes out too quickly, OG will have them in a blender. He’s an athletic specimen blessed with strength and speed, and he leads the Knicks in dunks because of that. When cutting in from the wings, no one can handle him. His movement is also excellent, often hunting out mismatches while Jalen Brunson has done a great job finding him. Everything he has done, is in the flow of the offense. He’s the Knicks best cutter. It’s been an offensive masterclass from OG. Now there is a golden opportunity for OG to become an All-Star this season, as he is currently playing like the best two-way wing in the NBA. Anunoby Off To A Career Start OG put Denver to the sword dropping 40 points on a ridiculously efficient 16-23 from the field and 5-7 from behind the arc. These are numbers one would expect playing NBA 2K on rookie mode. That’s how impressive he was on this night. Indeed, this performance tops off what we’ve seen from OG in most games this year. Anunoby is off to a career-best start offensively. His stats are a testament to this: Anunoby’s offensive rating of 127 is by far the best of his career. Also, his 52% field goal percentage is a career-high. His 42% from three, EFG% of 61.7, and points per game of 19.1 are all career highs . In terms of PER, his player efficiency of 17.8 is significantly higher than his career average of 13.4. His PPG is almost seven points higher than his career average. So what has changed? Ex-NBA star Jamal Crawford asked in the post-game interview against Denver what OG worked on in the offseason. OG replied, “everything.” Clearly, his work-ethic this offseason has paid off. Modern Day Scottie Pippen? Kendrick Perkins went as far as to say OG is playing like the modern-day Scottie Pippen, . @KendrickPerkins ' word of the day: OG Perk says OG Anunoby has been the most consistent player on both ends for the Knicks this season pic.twitter.com/BrPpQE23c7 — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 26, 2024 it’s a gaudy comparison, one in which I’d hesitate to go as far as to say he’s the modern-day Scottie Pippen this early. Nevertheless, there are comparisons to be made in terms of his style. OG deserves all the praise he’s receiving for his impressive work on both ends of the court. He’s also criminally underrated in the league. He has a relentless work ethic, playing without any real weaknesses in his game. He’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and he’s particularly impressive at getting into the passing lanes forcing deflections and steals. He can defend all five positions on the floor. Offensively, Anunoby is off to a career start in terms of efficiency and shooting. He’s excellently adept at slashing to the rim, and is an elite corner-three shooter. Perkins also said, “OG’s been the best and most consistent player on both ends of the floor for the Knicks.” This is probably true. Josh Hart has been incredibly consistent on both ends of the court, continuing to be the quintessential glue guy, fifth in the league in true shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns is having an incredible season on the offensive end, experiencing career highs across the board offensively. However, his rim protection has largely been disappointing. Jalen Brunson is transitioning his game from being the number one scoring option to being more of a playmaker. Mikal Bridges has been underwhelming, to say the least. I’d definitely agree with Perkins that OG has been the Knicks most consistent player. OG can no longer be looked upon in the prism of only a great defender. He’s now providing All-Star level offense. Considering his efficient role in the offense, it should continue. This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.Five takeaways from Indiana’s loss to Louisville - Inside the Hall
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On one hand, Coca-Cola is facing fierce backlash after it used generative AI to reimagine its beloved 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” campaign. On the other, some proponents of AI say that the very same tool can reduce the stress of one of the biggest holiday to-dos: shopping for gifts. John Licato, a computer engineering associate professor and AI researcher at the University of South Florida , recommends using AI to help you pick the perfect gift for friends or family. “You can refine the AI’s suggestions by giving feedback, helping it become more accurate in offering thoughtful, tailored gift ideas,” Licato said in a news release . Recent data from Adobe suggests that many online shoppers are already asking AI to help them pick products. AI referrals to retail sites have increased eightfold since 2023; the software firm expects the trend to pick up even more this holiday season. In fact, a recent survey from Debt.com found that 65% of shoppers said they were willing to spend more than usual on a gift if AI gave them an ideal recommendation. How to use AI to buy Christmas presents By now, most folks are accustomed to using Google to do basic product research, probably by pecking in “best” followed by whatever type of product they’re searching for. In milliseconds, Google populates pages and pages of results, usually topped by several sponsored products. But AI works a little differently. And not all AI chatbots are created equally. Licato recommends using reputable ones like ChatGPT and Claude, which use advanced language-learning models that are trained with extensive amounts of data and have real-time access to the internet. Many retailers now have their own on-site AI chatbots. Take Amazon’s shopping-assistant chatbot, Rufus, for example. Rufus can help you search for products... but only ones on Amazon.com. In some cases, these retailer-run AI tools might not be as advanced as ChatGPT, or they may have different goals such as only selling you products offered on the site. When you’ve decided on which AI tool you want to use, tell it a little bit about your shopping goals and budget. According to RetailWire’s holiday shopping forecast , one major perk of using a tool like ChatGPT over a regular search engine is that AI uses natural language, not just a few key words. You can describe at length what you’re looking for — even if you don’t exactly know what that is yet. You can also feed the chatbot as much information about the person you’re shopping for as you want. Basic facts like their interests, relation to you, hobbies and more can go a long way in getting tailored gift ideas (though Licato suggests using only publicly available information on the person if you have privacy concerns). After you’ve homed in on the item you want, you can get even more specific recommendations. The chatbot can also help you compare prices across retailers if it’s hooked up to live search engines. Just make sure the pricing is accurate. Licato recommends asking the chatbot to provide links directly to the site so you can double check. Once you get the perfect gift, all that’s left is deciding whether to tell the recipient that ChatGPT came up with the idea. More from Money: Where to Get a Free Turkey This Thanksgiving Can ChatGPT Save You From the Agony of Writing a Cover Letter? FAFSA Opens: All Students Can Now Apply for College Financial Aid for 2025-26Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. People are also reading... Margaret Atwood OSU event altered over threats Tree farm fiasco has Corvallis homelessness under microscope The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Commentary: Gulbranson shows he should be starter in thrilling win over Cougars Albany's Joel Dahl pleads guilty to sex crime involving minor Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal Philomath woman suspected in Eugene Airport bomb scare American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter Bomb cyclone, flood risk in Benton County this week In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer OSU women's basketball: Ferreira brings versatility to the Beavers' lineup OSU football: Game notes for the Beavers' win over Washington State Head-on crash on Highway 228 kills 1, injures 2 UPDATED: Feds halt drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir after local cities complain “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. Shoppers say they want eco-friendly products, so why aren't they buying them? Shoppers say they want eco-friendly products, so why aren't they buying them? On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. Barriers to sustainable shopping There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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When your team expectations include exactly one objective: winning the Stanley Cup, it is never a good time for a slump. When your team is the New York Rangers, located in the heart of the U.S. media capital, the adage rings especially true. Yet the Rangers, who are, make no mistake, slumping, are managing to ride just under the radar thanks to the debacle that is NFL football in the New York Region. Have a first line center with trouble getting it going? That’s nothing. I’ll see your slumping first liner and raise you by cutting my starting quarterback and promoting a third stringer with very little upside and a kitschy celebration that was a thing for about five minutes last season. Not playing much defense? Ha, that’s nothing. I’ll raise you spotting our opponent 30 points in a completely lackluster performance, devoid of even the courtesy of an attempted comeback. Both New York NFL teams would probably kill for a four game West Coast road trip about now. And they would certainly kill for one in which they came home at .500. Looking ahead, maybe you’re worried about what the Rangers might do at the trade deadline, as needs are starting to emerge for this group. Oh yeah? Well did your owner want to bench your franchise player when the team was 2-2? Oh, right, the team was never 2-2, thanks to a hot start. “Call me when you’ve got some real issues,” say Jets and Giants fans. Perhaps for Ranger fans this notion of cruising just under the collective fan radar is of little comfort. After all, we are counting on the Rangers to carry our championship dreams for the foreseeable future (although the Knicks may have something to say about that soon). But in an 82-game season that is effectively a prelude to the real action, there are bound to be highs and lows. Measuring the team’s worth after every game is certainly fodder for folks like me, but is likely of little consequence in the overall outcome of the season. The truth is that the Rangers are a highly talented team that seems to be searching a bit for this year’s identity. That they are doing so while in a playoff position doesn’t feel like it calls for the “sky is falling” narrative that many of the most vocal fans have taken up. There have been some real stinkers in there, to be sure, but for Rangers fans desperately in need of a little perspective, look no further than the two NFL teams across the river for a peak into what it could look like. The beauty of an 82-game regular season is that the opportunities come fast and furious. Tonight, the now Jim Montgomery-led Blues are in town. And there’s nothing that would chase the Rangers’ blues away quite like chasing the Blues away. It sure beats waiting for Thursday if you’re a Giants fan and through a bye week if you root for the Jets. This article first appeared on Inside The Rink and was syndicated with permission.