Author: rb809rb

Hashrate Index: Brazil and Venezuela Show Potential to Grow Latam’s Bitcoin Mining Share
A new report on the state of bitcoin mining in Latam found that the region is lagging in bitcoin mining adoption, even as it holds vast energy resources. While Paraguay holds the fourth place in global hashrate, Hashrate Index picked Brazil and Venezuela as the nations to follow.

Key Takeaways:
- A 2026 Hashrate Index report highlights Latam’s mining growth, noting Paraguay holds 4.3% of global hashrate.
- Brazil grew its Bitcoin hashrate by 133% YoY as miners secure lower tariffs directly from energy generators.
- Future Venezuela operations can leverage its potential by capturing stranded energy via OFAC licenses.
Hashrate Index’s Latam Bitcoin Mining Report Highlights Brazil’s and Venezuela’s Potential

While the global share of bitcoin mining hashrate is dominated by nations like the U.S., China, and Russia, Latam might be on the verge of becoming a larger player in this market.

According to Hashrate Index’s “The State of Bitcoin Mining in Latin America (2026)” report, while Paraguay has the fourth place of countries hosting the most bitcoin hashrate with 43 EH/s and 4.3% of the global hashrate, Brazil and Venezuela have the potential to grow and turn Latam into a Bitcoin mining superpower.

Brazil, which has increased its hashrate share by 133% year-over-year, has opened new opportunities for miners, as they can now negotiate directly with companies in the energy generation market to lock up tariffs, bypassing distributor tariffs and other surcharges.

While the report stresses that energy generation outpaces transmission, the Sul region, with its low industrial power rates, can become a bitcoin mining haven for companies seeking to enter the bitcoin mining industry.

Venezuela, on the other hand, shows an untapped potential, as it registers 5 EH/s even under the current conditions. The report states:

“What Venezuela has, and what no other country in Latin America has at the same scale, is a combination of stranded energy and an OFAC licensing framework that is already opening up the country’s energy,”

Due to deficiencies in the power grid, a large portion of the power generated cannot be transmitted to the final consumer. Bitcoin mining operations deployed near generation sources could capture it before it gets lost in transmission.

“The template for private capital entering Venezuela’s energy sector with OFAC authorization already exists. Bitcoin miners can leverage the same legal structure,” the report concluded.
April 25, 2026
Bitcoin falls after Trump reportedly canceled Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s Iran-talks trip

Bitcoin edged lower late morning on the U.S. East Coast after U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments signaled a halt to planned diplomatic travel tied to Iran talks.

The largest cryptocurrency dropped about $100 to $77,351 just before noon ET, reversing a modest earlier gain. The move came minutes after a Fox reporter posted Trump’s remarks on X, where he said he had canceled a trip by envoys Steve Witkoff and Trump’s stepson, Jared Kushner.

“I’ve told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, ‘Nope, you’re not making an 18 hour flight to go there. We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18 hour flights to sit around talking about nothing’,” Trump said, according to the post.

Witkoff and Kushner had been expected to travel to Pakistan for a new round of talks involving Iran. The shift came only hours after Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, left Pakistan, a detail that had fueled disappointment over expectations for near-term discussions.

However, the decline in BTC was limited, suggesting markets viewed the development as a short-term risk signal rather than a shift in the broader outlook.

Market participants will likely watch for follow-up statements from U.S. officials and any response from Iran. Trump is expected to speak at a crypto conference in Palm Beach around noon Eastern time.

April 25, 2026
Box Office Stunner: ‘Michael’ Rocketing to Other-Worldly $95M-$100M U.S. Debut, $200M Globally

In a history-making moon walk, Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic is launching light-years ahead of expectations at the domestic box office with a projected $94 million-$100 domestic opening and a global launch $200 million.

It’s also a super-sized victory for Lionsgate and its biggest opening in years. The mini-major studio, is attempting to manage expectations by giving a wider domestic opening range of $90 million to $100 million. But rival studios have no reason to hold back, and are thrilled for Lionsgate.

Michael grossed a super-sized $38.5 million on Friday alone, its official opening day, as audience exit scores quickly went platinum and the film attracted virtually demo, led by Black and female moviegoers. (So much for all the chatter about generally bad reviews.)

Overseas, Jackson is an even bigger draw, where Michael is likewise off to a record start. Universal is handling the film internationally after being brought aboard by Lionsgate.

Heading into the weekend, Michael was tracking to open in the $65 million-$70 million range domestically, which would have already been enough to boast the biggest opening of all time for a music biopic, not adjusted for inflation. The current record-holder is Universal’s Straight Outta Compton ($60.1 million) followed by Fox’s Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody ($55 million).

Now, it’s also going to pass up Hail Project Mary — which is no small feat — to score the top opening in years for a non-franchise, non-tentpole. It’s also one of the biggest biopics of any genre.

An inkling of Michael‘s potential was revealed when the film earned $12.6 million in Wednesday and Thursday previews, on par with 2026 box office surprise hit hit Hail Project Mary, and ahead of such event pics including Dune: Part II and Oppenheimer, which both reported preview grosses in the $10 million range.

The big unknown was how front-loaded Michael would be. By Saturday, the movie’s stamina was kmoviegoers were over-the-moon for the film, which boasts a coveted 96 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

On Thursday, headlines focused on Michael‘s worrisome RT critics’ score, which bounced between 29 percent and 33 percent. By Thursday night, the critics’ score had risen to 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. While that’s far from ideal, strong audience exits are more than making up for it.ar from ideal. Posttrak is the coveted 90 percent-plus rage, with the definite recomend sitting at 85 percent, also a number you don’t see often. Nearly 40 percent of the film’s gross is coming from Imax and other premium large-format sreens

Many reviews were took issue with the fact that producer Graham King, along with Lionsgate, had decided to end the movie before Jackson became engulfed in allegations of child sexual abuse (the Jackson estate backed the project). The film’s initial budget of $155 million came in closer to $200 million after tens of millions were spent on additional photography to make that decision a reality.

The Jackson Five in Antoine Fugua’s Michael.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

“Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan don’t exactly break the mold with Michael, nor do they stuff it with major revelations. But they tap into a vein of melancholy underlaying the stratospheric success that’s surprisingly affecting,” THR chief film critic David Rooney writes in its review. “The online mob will be sharpening their pitchforks given the movie’s failure to address the accusations of child sexual abuse that tarnished Michael Jackson’s legacy. But the filmmakers get around that by focusing on his early career, ending with the 1988 Bad World Tour concert in London, years before allegations first surfaced. The epilogue card reading ‘His story continues’ does some heavy lifting.”

When Michael first came on tracking three weeks ago, the domestic opening range was $55 million to $60 million. While still a great number, the subsequent spike signals that Michael may be benefiting from the nostalgia factor that is inspiring infrequent moviegoers to return to the multiplex in droves for the first time since the pandemic, or sparking interest among the most avid moviegoing demo, Gen Zers.

Jaafar Jackson, the real-life nephew of the late, King of Pop, plays as in the titular role.

Glen Wilson/Lionsgate

“This record-breaking performance is a testament to the incredible filmmaking team of producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, an amazing cast led by Jaafar Jackson’s singular performance, our world-class partners at Universal, the cooperation and support of the Michael Jackson Estate, and our tireless and exceptionally talented Lionsgate team,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson. “Above all, it reflects the tremendous outpouring of love and affection from moviegoers around the world, underscoring the strength and vitality of the theatrical box office. If you give audiences what they want, they will come.”Overseas, Michael is opening in 82 markets, excluding Japan. It unfurled in most key markets on Wednesday, earning $16.6 million for a running total of $18.5 million, including previews.

International Wednesday highlights included:

France ($2.6 milion): Biggest opening day ever for a biopic, coming in well above the Wednesday openings of both Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody.

U.K. & Ireland ($2.6 million): Biggest opening day for a musical biopic of all time, ahead of the Wednesday opening of Bohemian Rhapsody and well above the Friday openings of Elvis and Rocketman.

Italy ($1.3 million): Biggest opening day ever for a musical biopic, above Bohemian Rhapsody.

Australia ($1 million): Biggest opening day for a musical biopic ever, beating Elvis.

Brazil ($651,000): Michael added another $651,000 in previews for a running total of $2 million. The combined preview result represents the biggest ever for a non-superhero, non-franchise film in the market. It continues to rank No. 1, with a 68 percent market share.

April 25, 6:06 p.m.: Update with rised estimtates for Michael.

This story was originally published April 24 at at 1:58 a.m.

April 25, 2026
Why ‘White Lotus’ Picked France After an Encounter With a Cannes Waiter; Season 4 Set to Explore Fame and Art

France wasn’t originally in the mix for season 4 of Mike White‘s hit anthology series “The White Lotus,” but it won the shoot in the most “White Lotus” way imaginable, with a perfectly “stereotypical” French waiter encounter in Cannes.

“Something happened, actually here in Cannes,” producer David Bernad said during a session at Cannes Series Festival, which White attended in 2021. “We went to dinner and we had a really specific experience with a waiter and a maître d’, and it was the stereotype. It was a very funny moment. And I think that it suddenly unlocked what the show is and the dynamics of the show.”

The epiphany was immediate. “We literally canceled all the other places we were going. We were like, okay, we’re shooting here,” he said.

That moment also matched the idea that White already had for this season, which was “about the arts and what it is to be an artist” — themes the city that hosts the world’s most prestigious film festival amplifies.

Bernad revealed that he had experienced the festival first-hand in his late 20s when he presented a film he had produced. “I’ll never forget coming here. It was the first time as a producer I felt people respected me,” he said. “There’s nowhere grander than the film festival for artists, it’s the biggest dream on Earth.”

While the plot details remains tightly under wraps, Bernard teased that season 4 centers on the loneliness and pain of being an artist — and “how fame can be corrosive and can dictate your choices in life.”

“Who are the people that can grab the world’s attention, who are the plus-one in a relationship, who’s the person who has that power, what are the things that satisfy us as people? Is it the love of an intimate partner? Is it the love of strangers? Is it the attention of the world?”

It’s White’s “most personal season,” he added, “and it’s the funniest season as well.”

Season 4 has been filming with a French crew at the Chateau de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez for roughly two weeks, and will soon head to the Martinez Hotel in Cannes during the May film festival, as well as Monaco and Paris, where it will shoot interiors during the summer .

News broke Friday that Helena Bonham Carter had departed the production as her role was being recast. During the panel, Bernad didn’t address Carter’s exit but spoke about French cast members Vincent Cassel and Nadia Tereszkiewicz. “The most exciting part so far has been working with them. It’s funny because I don’t speak French, but I’m sitting on set and those scenes are in French. And they’re so expressive, and they’re such incredible artists,” he said. The French cast also includes Laura Smet, who attended the funeral of her late mother, the actor Nathalie Baye, Friday in Paris.

Season 4 also stars Steve Coogan, Caleb Jonte Edwards, Dylan Ennis, Corentin Fila, Ari Graynor, Marissa Long, Alexander Ludwig, Chris Messina, AJ Michalka, Kumail Nanjiani; Chloe Bennet, Sandra Bernhard, Heather Graham, Max Greenfield, Frida Gustavsson, Charlie Hall, Jarrad Paul, Rosie Perez and Ben Schnetzer.

April 25, 2026
A Simple Sugar in Ultra-Processed Foods May Drive Obesity, Metabolic Disease
Share on Pinterest
Research shows that fructose, especially in ultra-processed foods, may increase the risk of metabolic diseases. Image Credit: Ivan Solis/Stocksy
A recent study has shown that fructose plays a role in driving disease.

The research shows that the effects fructose can have on the body may be associated with metabolic syndrome.

Understanding the effects of fructose on the body may help develop new strategies to prevent and treat metabolic diseases.
Fructose is a simple sugar that is found both naturally, in honey and fruits, and in sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose (table sugar).

A recent review published in Nature Metabolism highlights the role fructose plays in driving disease. This is separate from its role as a source of calories.

Consumption of fructose has grown significantly over the past few centuries, driven by the increased use of sweeteners in the average diet.

Fructose can be problematic because it has twice the sweetness of glucose. This may lead to increased cravings for more fructose-containing foods and drinks.

“Fructose found in these processed forms is not handled the same way as regular blood sugar,” said Michelle Routhenstein, preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished, who wasn’t involved in the study.

“When it is consumed, it goes to the liver, where it easily turns into fat, which can build up in the liver and around the organs and contribute to conditions like fatty liver and metabolic syndrome,” she told Healthline.
Unlike glucose, fructose has unique metabolic effects. These effects may help contribute to obesity and related conditions.

“The emerging body of research suggests that fructose is not metabolically identical to all other carbohydrates, especially when it is consumed in excess through sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods,” said Serena Poon, certified nutritionist & longevity wellness advisor. Poon wasn’t involved in the study.

“Excess calories still matter, but fructose may affect metabolism differently than other sugars, particularly in the liver … In my view, this supports a more nuanced conversation because it is not just about sugar in the abstract, but also about the form, dose, and dietary context in which fructose is consumed,” Poon told Healthline.

The review highlights how the metabolism of fructose bypasses key regulatory steps in the energy processing pathways. This can have various effects, including:
increased fat synthesis

depletion of cellular energy

production of compounds associated with metabolic syndrome
The review points out that fructose metabolism can contribute to more than metabolic syndrome.

It has associations with:

“High intakes of ultra-processed or concentrated fructose can also raise uric acid and increase oxidative stress,” said Routhenstein.

Poon echoed these remarks. “There is also emerging evidence that high fructose exposure may affect appetite regulation, satiety signaling, and gut barrier function, especially when intake is chronic and concentrated in liquid form,” she said.

“That said, the strongest concerns are generally tied to patterns of habitual excess intake rather than to modest amounts consumed in whole foods.”

Poon cautioned that people should “not turn this into a fear-based conversation about all fructose-containing foods. Whole fruit can absolutely fit into a healthy dietary pattern and is consistently viewed differently from added sugars in the research.”

Routhenstein agreed. “The study is really about large amounts of added fructose (like in sodas and ultra‑processed foods), which overload the liver and drive fat buildup and metabolic problems, not the smaller amounts naturally present in whole fruit,” she said.

“Whole fruits don’t contain excessive amounts of fructose, and they come packaged with fiber and beneficial plant compounds. These beneficial compounds found in fruit help slow sugar absorption, and help reduce inflammation around the liver and support cholesterol-lowering and metabolic functions,” Routhenstein continued.

To limit your intake of fructose, Poon recommended reading food and beverage nutrition labels.

“Fructose often appears through ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, fruit juice concentrate, and other added sweeteners,” she said.

Routhenstein suggested limiting or avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages and juices.

Choosing whole fruit and focusing on minimally processed foods can also help.

“Increasing dietary fiber, and building meals around protein, healthy fats, and high quality carbohydrates can help reduce excess fructose exposure without making the diet feel unnecessarily restrictive,” Poon said.

“For most people, the goal does not need to be eliminating fructose entirely, but rather reducing habitual overload from processed foods and beverages,” she said.
April 25, 2026
NASA’s initial takeaways from the Artemis II mission, and more science stories

Now that Artemis II is all wrapped up, NASA has begun its post-game performance analyses of all the systems that worked together to get four astronauts safely to the moon and back earlier this month. In addition to taking humans farther than ever before, Artemis II served as a crucial test flight for upcoming crewed missions that are planned for as soon as 2027 and 2028, the latter being NASA’s ambitious target for landing astronauts on the lunar surface. So far, the Orion spacecraft and the SLS rocket seem to have fared pretty well.

NASA says its initial assessments of the crew capsule show its heat shield “performed as expected, with no unusual conditions identified,” and it didn’t exhibit as much char loss as seen in the uncrewed Artemis I test. (Navy divers snapped some really cool pictures of the heat shield underwater after splashdown, as seen below). Splashdown went according to plan, with Orion landing 2.9 miles from its targeted landing site, according to NASA, and its entry interface velocity “was within one mile-per-hour of predictions.”

US Navy

NASA says the SLS rocket performed well, too. It still has tests to run, but, “At main engine cutoff, when the core stage’s RS-25 liquid engines shutdown, the spacecraft was traveling at over 18,000 miles per hour, achieving its insertion velocity for orbit, and executing a precise bullseye for its intended location,” the space agency noted in a blog post.

One thing that we know did cause some issues, though, was the toilet system. Shortly after launch, the astronauts reported problems with the urine vent line, which mission specialist Christina Koch was able to troubleshoot with help from the ground crew. But, everyone would like to avoid that on the next mission, so NASA now has teams checking out the hardware and data to identify what went wrong and how to prevent it.

Watch the Earthset

The Artemis II astronauts have continued to share glimpses into their journey around the moon, and this week, the mission’s commander, Reid Wiseman posted an incredible video of the Earth setting behind the moon, as seen from the Orion spacecraft. Humans haven’t seen that phenomenon firsthand in over 50 years, since the last Apollo mission. Read more about that here.

While ten days might not seem like that long of a time to be in space, it still does things to the body, and returning to Earth has been a bit of an adjustment for the crew. Astronaut Koch last week posted a video of herself struggling through a tandem walk exercise with her eyes closed, taken after her return to Earth. “When people live in microgravity, the systems in our body that have evolved to tell our brains how we’re moving, the vestibular organs, don’t work correctly,” she explained in the caption. “Our brains learn to ignore those signals and so when we first get back to gravity, we are heavily reliant on our eyes to orient ourselves visually.”

Before you go, be sure to check these stories out too:

April 25, 2026
Hyperliquid – Whales increase long exposure, but can HYPE’s price hit $50?
Hyperliquid [$HYPE] price has seen minimal price fluctuation over the last 24 hours. However, its short-term outlook over the next few weeks, if not months, appeared to be bullish at press time.

Large holders have been increasingly pouring capital into the Perp DEX platform. Will this end the price correction of $HYPE for a bullish continuation?

Hyperliquid’s long positions’ exposure surges

Whales have been increasing their long exposure since Bitcoin’s [BTC] price broke out. Over the last two months, their bullish conviction has expanded to other assets available on the Hyperliquid DEX.

This accumulation trend signals a strong bullish sentiment among whales trading on Perp DEXs.

For Hyperliquid, it meant capital inflows into the ecosystem, increasing trading volume which has historically been directly correlated to the price.

Source: Glassnode

While the signal was bullish, it is still unclear if the market may be about to expand or not. At the time of writing, the Funding Rates were negative, suggesting that there were still shorts paying longs to keep their positions open.

$HYPE’s price action eyes a rebound

On the price charts, $HYPE has been on an uptrend since mid-January, respecting a slanting trendline support. This indicated that $HYPE has been bullish for more than two months, aligning with the capital inflows from whales.

The sentiment of participants has also been improving. In fact, its reading rose from around the lows of 68% in late September 2025 to 81%.

Such sentiments indicated a rebound around $40 may be coming. The sellers’ strength during the correction from $45 to $40 was diminishing, as evidenced by the Bull Bear Power (BBP). However, the BBP remained in the negative territory, despite rising from -10 to -0.52.

Source: $HYPE/USDT on TradingView

In case the altcoin successfully rebounds on the charts, the next price target above the higher high at $45 would be $50. The extreme target would be in the $60-zone.

Conversely, if $HYPE dips and stays below the demand level at $40, the rebound may be delayed. If this is confirmed by a retest, the bullish outlook may be invalidated.

A look into revenue and sector performance

Notably, the daily revenue of Hyperliquid was the highest at $1.70 million among all Perp DEXs. It was followed by edgeX [EDGE] and Lighter [LIT] with $584K and $255K. At press time, $HYPE’s revenue was more than double both the other Perp DEXs combined.

Moreover, the Perp DEX sector has been the most bullish over the past month, aligning with $HYPE’s sentiment. The sector reported gains of 41.2%, almost double that of second-placed privacy coins with 26%.

Source: Artemis Analytics

Taken together, these signals appeared to point towards a bullish continuation for Hyperliquid. Even so, a price action confirmation is needed. Worth noting, however, that the signal may not be mature just yet as funding rates were negative.

Final Summary
- Whales have consistently increased their long exposure on Hyperliquid DEX, indicating massive capital inflows.
- $HYPE’s price action might be eyeing $50, but only if $40 holds strong for a rebound.
April 25, 2026
ApeCoin jumps 90% as whale takes 14x profit, sparking insider trading concerns
ApeCoin [$APE] broke out of a multi-month descending channel and touched a six-month high of $0.28, then retraced.

As of this writing, ApeCoin traded at $0.20, up 90% on the daily charts. Over the same period, the altcoin’s trading volume rose 6031% and crossed the $1 billion mark, while the market cap rose to $152 million.

But what’s driving the altcoin’s upward momentum?

ApeCoin whale takes $2.27 million

ApeCoin rose, largely driven by whale activity. However, on-chain monitors have suggested possible insider trading activity.

According to Onchain Lens, a possible $APE insider placed two orders (long and short) and made over $2.27 million, a 14x return. The insider deposited 75 ETH, worth $174K, to open long and short positions.

According to Lookonchain, the insider went long $APE before the surge and closed near the top, resulting in a $1.79 million profit. He then immediately flipped short and made another $488K.

Futures activity hits ATH, liquidation exceeds $82 million

With the whale turning to speculative trading, the altcoin experienced increased demand for futures positions.

According to CoinGlass data, Open Interest rose 228% to $119 million, while derivatives volume surged 6460% to $2.9 billion.

Source: CoinGlass

Such a surge in both OI and volume suggested increased participation in the Futures market, with traders taking both short and long positions.

In fact, the Long/Short Ratio remained above 1 across OKX and Binance. However, the overall ratio remained below 1 at 0.95, suggesting higher demand for short positions.

Interestingly, with the demand for these positions and increased price volatility, the market experienced massive liquidations.

Source: Coinglass

CoinGlass data showed that the altcoin recorded $82.69 million in total liquidation. Long positions worth $45.6 million and short positions worth $37.08 million were liquidated.

Profit-taking hits a 6-month high

While the activity was largely recorded on the Futures side, the price uptick brought about increased profit realization.

As ApeCoin jumped to October levels, holders who have remained active through the past months chose to cash out. On the 24th of April, Spot netflow rose to $3.18 million, then dropped to $1.3 million at press time.

Source: CoinGlass

A positive netflow suggests that sellers have largely dominated the market. Often, increased selling activity has strengthened downside risk, leading to lower prices.

Despite the selling spree, ApeCoin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) remained elevated and sat at 88 at press time. RSI levels suggested that buyers remained strongly active in the market and are eyeing another upside move.

Source: Tradingview

If demand holds even with sellers cashing out, $APE will hold $0.2 support and flip the EMA 200 at $0.23. However, if the speculation fades and sellers continue to cash out, the altcoin will drop to $0.13, with $0.11 as critical support.

Final Summary
- An ApeCoin whale realized $2.27 million in profit, making a 14x return amid insider trading claims.
- $APE surged 90% to a six-month high of $0.28, then retraced to $0.20 at press time.
April 25, 2026
Starting 5: LeBron leads stunner in Houston, Celtics & Spurs go up 2-1
The NBA Nightly Recap for April 24, 2026, featuring the Lakers’ remarkable comeback.

Down 6 in the final 30 seconds of Game 3, the Lakers had to do something only done once over the past 30 years to win.

Enter: The King.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

April 25, 2026

Comeback King: LeBron & Marcus Smart stage 30-second rally for improbable OT win

Boston Back Up: Celtics shoot to late lead as Tatum & Brown will a 2-1 series edge

Spurs Respond: Without Wemby, Castle & Harper pull off 15-point comeback for 2-1 lead

No. 1 Seeds: Thunder, Pistons dialing up their elite defenses as series shift to the road

Six-Seed Symmetry: Alexander-Walker wins MIP award in Atlanta while Ayo Dosunmu steps in for Wolves

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Saturday’s four-game Playoff slate…

The NBA Playoffs continue today with a four-game slate, featuring both top seeds in Game 3s and a crucial Game 4 nightcap from Minnesota.
- NBC & Peacock Tripleheader: East No. 1 Detroit and No. 8 Orlando look to break a 1-1 tie in the opener (1 ET | Peacock & NBCSN)
- West No. 1 OKC heads to Phoenix, with the Thunder up 2-0 on the No. 8 Suns (3:30 ET | NBC & Peacock).
- Then, No. 3 New York tries to even the series at 2-2 on the road vs No. 6 Atlanta (6 ET | NBC & Peacock)
- ABC Saturday Primetime: In the West, No. 3 Denver aims to avoid a 3-1 deficit vs. No. 6 Minnesota on the road in Game 4 (8:30 ET | Tap To Watch)
NAW Named Most Improved: Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been named the 2025-26 Kia NBA Most Improved Player, earning the George Mikan Trophy.

See the week’s full NBA Awards results below:
- Monday: Kia Defensive Player of the Year | Victor Wembanyama (SAS)
- Tuesday: Kia Clutch Player of the Year | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
- Wednesday: Kia Sixth Man of the Year | Keldon Johnson (SAS)
- Thursday: Sportsmanship Award | Derrick White (BOS)
- Friday: Kia Most Improved Player | Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL)
1. LEBRON, SMART RALLY LAKERS FOR GAME 3 OT WIN

Kenneth Richmond/NBAE via Getty Images

Six points to make up.

Thirty seconds to make it happen.

Despite trailing for less than six minutes of action Friday night, the Lakers faced their largest deficit of Game 3 with a half-minute left.

They became just the second Playoff team since 1996-97 to wrestle a win out of that situation.

Lakers 112, Rockets 108 (OT): LeBron James (29 pts, 13 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl) and Marcus Smart (21 pts, 10 ast, 5 stl) teamed up to erase the 6-point gap — including a new instant-classic Bron steal & game-tying 3 — getting L.A. to overtime, where Smart’s 8 points claimed a stunning victory for a 3-0 series lead.

Alperen Sengun (33 pts, 16 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl) led four Rockets starters scoring over 15 points after Kevin Durant (ankle sprain) was a late scratch. Houston now looks to avoid elimination at home Sunday in Game 4. | Recap
- Rocket Burst: Having trailed throughout the 2nd and 3rd quarters and down 7 early in the 4th, Houston used a 23-10 run over 9 minutes to get their last-minute 6-point lead
- Sengun Show: Alpi scored Houston’s last 8 points in that run, capping it with a steal off a LeBron pass for a breakaway dunk. He netted 12 of his 33 points in the 4th
- Savvy, Smart: After the Lakers couldn’t answer, Smart intercepted Houston’s outlet pass and quickly drew a shooting foul behind the arc, converting each for a 3-point game
- As Houston brought the ball up, LeBron lunged for a back-tip steal then tapped L.A.’s hurried outlet heave to Luke Kennard (14 pts, 6 ast), who got it back to James
- Let It Fly: Initially wide open at the arc, LeBron faked to send Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. flying by before calmly splashing the game-tying triple, 101-101 with 15.1 on the clock
- “Just trying to seize the opportunity in the position that we’re in,” James said of his 151st clutch Playoff bucket, which leads all players since tracking began in 1996-97
After getting a stop on Sengun to set up a final Lakers chance, James’ turnaround 3 for the win went halfway in then out, setting up an overtime that was all Smart and L.A.
- “I know he’s battle-tested,” James said of Smart. “I’ve competed against him for so long in the Eastern Conference, so it’s great to have him on our side.”
- Lakers’ Classic: Smart’s Game 3 puts him with Magic Johnson (3x) as the only Lakers with 20+ points, 10+ assists and 5+ steals in a Playoff game since 1973-74
- The 2024 Sixers are the only other team to overcome a 6+ point deficit in the final 30 seconds of regulation to win a Playoff game
LeBron’s 2nd-quarter lob to Bronny James was the first father-son assist in NBA Playoffs history.

“I’ve seen his steps for so long, he was gathering,” LeBron said. “And I was like, ‘Just go get it.’…He gave us great minutes… That was a special moment, obviously.”

Los Angeles can win the series in Game 4 from Houston Sunday (9:30 ET, NBC & Peacock).

2. TATUM, BROWN WILL LATE CELTICS WIN FOR 2-1 LEAD

After dropping Game 2 at home, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown came to Philly on a mission.

Thanks to some clutch heroics to hold off a hard-charging Sixers squad, the Jays left Game 3 with a 2-1 lead, moving up the Celtics’ all-time Playoff scoring list while they were at it,

Celtics 108, Sixers 100: Boston got twin 25-point attacks from Jayson Tatum (7 ast, 5 3s) and Jaylen Brown (7 ast, 3 blk) to overcome Tyrese Maxey’s (6 ast, 5 3s) 31 points and five other Sixers in double figures, taking the series lead again and resetting home court advantage. | Recap
- Jays’ Time: Late in a tight contest of seven ties, eight lead changes and no leads larger than 10, Tatum and Brown locked in to combine for 19 of Boston’s 29 4th-quarter points
- Brown dropped eight straight points to maintain a four-point lead at 96-92, but Paul George (18 pts, 5 ast) found Andre Drummond (12 pts) for back-to-back dunks to get within one
- JT Threes: That triggered Tatum, who hit 5-of-9 3s on the night, drilling two triples in the final two minutes, including the dagger that made it 106-100
- “I’ve been here before,” Tatum said. “Just the mindset of: Do whatever it takes to win… It can look different every single night…
“Just give the game what it needs. As long as you win, that’s all that matters.”

Mitchell Leff/NBAE via Getty Images
- C’s 3K Club: Tatum became the fourth Celtic ever to reach 3,000+ career Playoff points, joining Larry Bird (3,897), John Havlicek (3,776) and Kevin McHale (3,182)
- On that same Celtics all-time Playoff scoring list, Brown passed Bill Russell (2,673) and Robert Parish (2,683) to take 7th place
With Boston back in control, Game 4 tips in Philly on Sunday (7 ET, NBC & Peacock).

3. YOUNG SPURS DUO FINDS A WAY WITHOUT WEMBY

With Victor Wembanyama still out for Game 3, San Antonio’s next two lottery picks took over.

Spurs 120, Blazers 108: Stephon Castle (33 pts, 5 ast) led all scorers and rookie Dylan Harper added career-highs in scoring (27 pts), rebounding (10) and 3-point shooting (4 3s) to ignite San Antonio’s 15-point comeback for a 2-1 series lead. | Recap
- Go Time: Portland’s 15-point lead came in the 3rd quarter, before a 21-5 Spurs run gave the road team a one-point edge to start the 4th
- Texas Takeover: San Antonio took control from there, building its own 15-point lead and winning the 2nd half 61-43
- Statement Shooting: Harper scored 12 of his 27 points in that 3rd, on the way to a 22-point 2nd half that included perfect 3-for-3 shooting from long distance
- “Just wanna keep on fighting,” Harper said of his surge. “We kinda had no energy in the 3rd quarter, so I wanted to come in, just make a spark any way I can.”
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Castle (21y, 174d) and Harper (20y, 53d) are now the youngest duo in NBA history to each score at least 25 points in a postseason game.

KD and Russell Westbrook are the only other NBA duo age 21 or under to each score 25+ in the same postseason game, back in 2010.
- “He puts the work in and he wants to be great,” Castle said of Harper. “He’s accepted a role this year even with how talented he is, so he’s super special. I’m happy he’s with us.”
- Together With Timmy: Harper’s 27 points are the most scored by a Spurs rookie in a postseason game since Tim Duncan in 1998
- Bryant’s Bench Mark: He also became the 2nd-youngest player behind Kobe to score 20 or more points off the bench in a postseason game since tracking began in 1970-71
Jrue Holiday (29 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 5 3s) and the Blazers will try to tie the series back up at home in Game 4 Sunday (3:30 ET, ESPN).

4. TOP SEED’S ELITE DEFENSES RISING UP AS SERIES HIT THE ROAD

Brian Sevald + Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

Top two seeds.

Top two defenses.

Two Game 2s W’s.

Detroit’s gritty group got back to what it does best to even its series Wednesday, while OKC’s defensive maestro Chet Holmgren shined for a 2-0 edge.
- Sub-90 Club: Detroit and OKC have each held their opponent under 90 points in one of their two First Round games so far. No other defense has achieved this in the 29 other Playoff and Play-In games this postseason
Now, as both series hit the road, these No. 1s look to stay connected to their winning ways through their defense-first mentalities.

Pistons at Magic, Game 3 (1 ET, Peacock & NBCSN): Detroit’s defensive flex in Game 2 forced the Magic to shoot a season-low 32.5% from the field. The test will be if the East leaders can keep Orlando’s shooting down on its home floor today.
- The 83 points Detroit held Orlando to in Game 2 was also a season-low for the Magic, and a league-high seventh time the Pistons kept their opponent under 90 this season
- Early Erasers: Detroit piled up seven blocked shots in just the 1st quarter on Wednesday, going on to swat 11 total and force 17 turnovers
- “They like it when it gets messy and it gets ugly,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of his Pistons. “That’s where they thrive… We like to push people’s buttons and see how they respond.”
Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images

Pistons players up and down the roster embody that relentless, underdog style of play.

None more than two-way conversion Daniss Jenkins and non-lottery pick Marcus Sasser, whose own paths from childhood friends to Pistons teammates are as improbable as Detroit’s worst-to-first journey, NBA.com’s Jeff Zillgitt writes:
- “My end goal never changed… And I never wavered on the game,” Jenkins said. “I didn’t give up. I never stopped.”
- Offensive Surge: All-Star teammate Cade Cunningham has been similarly unstoppable in the two games against the Magic, leading all Playoff scorers with 33.0 ppg
- “He’s obviously a tall guard, has a lot of skill, obviously is trying to get to the paint,” Franz Wagner said of the challenge Cunningham presents to a Magic defense also looking to return to form
Joshua Gateley/NBAE via Getty Images

The only defense that outranked Detroit’s this season was OKC’s, and Chet Holmgren (4 blk) showed again in Game 2 why he’s the anchor for that top group of stoppers.

Thunder at Suns, Game 3 (3:30 ET, Peacock & NBC): Holmgren and OKC own two of the five instances Phoenix has been held under 90 points this season, including Game 1’s 84-point tally.
- Holmgren posted the season’s top individual defensive rating, at 102.3, holding opponents to a league-best 47.7% shooting at the rim (min. 250 DFGA)
- “From the moment [Chet] stepped foot on the court with the basketball team, we’ve been No. 1 in the West,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said earlier this year. “That’s no coincidence… He anchors the best defense in the league.”
- On/Off Edge: OKC was 5.6 points better defensively this season when Chet was on the floor, compared to when he was off
- Add Offense: He increases that differential with his scoring too, adding 17.5 ppg on 54.5/41.7 shooting splits so far in this First Round
5. SIX-SEED SYMMETRY: NAW IMPROVES IN ATL, AYO STEPS IN FOR WOLVES

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Jonathan Kuminga’s defensive stand and steal to seal the Game 3 W.

CJ McCollum’s game-changing clutch shots for wins in Games 2 & 3.

Atlanta’s pair of mid-season pick-ups changed the trajectory of its First Round series with New York.

And as Game 4 tonight at home brings the chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the No. 3 Knicks (6 ET, Peacock & NBC), it’s a Hawks offseason addition now shining through.
- Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s win makes Atlanta the first team in NBA history with back-to-back Most Improved Player Awards, after Dyson Daniels won last year
- All In The Family: Alexander-Walker’s win adds to his family’s growing hardware collection, as the cousin of reigning MVP and current Kia Clutch Player of the Year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- In his first season in Atlanta, Minnesota’s former 6th-man started 71 games, more than doubling his career-high with 20.8 ppg while shooting a career-best 46%
- Play Free, Be Yourself: “That’s what Nickeil’s come in and done this year, and our offense has taken a huge jump,” Daniels said after NAW’s win. “I think Atlanta has a really good development pathway.”
Alexander-Walker is the first player to add 10+ ppg in scoring and average at least 20.0 ppg for the full season since his teammate, First Round series star and former Most Improved Player (2016) CJ McCollum, 10 years ago.
- “To have an opportunity is one thing. To take advantage of it is another, and I think he’s done that,” McCollum said of NAW. “I think it’s a testament to him as a person and a player.”
- McCollum himself is “among the most impactful players in these NBA playoffs,” according to Shaun Powell’s latest profile on NBA.com
McCollum, Alexander-Walker and the clutch Hawks look to go up 3-1 tonight, after back-to-back one-point victories – something we’ve only seen six times in NBA Playoffs history.

Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

It’s the same situation for the West’s 6-seed, after Minnesota earned a statement Game 3 win at home with a Playoff career-high 25 points from Ayo Dosunmu.
- “I’m giving it my all,” Dosunmu said. “It just puts a sense of urgency on my back and a chip on my shoulder, knowing that you can’t take this for granted.”
- That sense of urgency comes from a three-season Playoff drought, and Jeff Zillgitt writes it’s driving Dosunmu to reach new heights
- Sixth-Man Solution: The trade deadline addition has been filling the spot left by Alexander-Walker, as one of five Wolves averaging double-digit scoring (16.0 ppg) in this series
Dosunmu and Minnesota can go up 3-1 on the No. 3 Nuggets in Game 4 tonight (8:30 ET, ABC).
April 25, 2026
After years of avoidance, Trump to attend first White House press dinner

Washington, DC – Donald Trump — whose political career has been built, in part, on deriding the United States press — is set to attend his first White House Correspondents’ Dinner as president.

Saturday’s event continues a decades-long tradition, dating back to 1921. Still, the black-tie gala held in Washington, DC, remains a divisive event.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

For years, detractors have argued its chummy approach to the presidency risks blurring the independence of the press corps.

Trump himself is one of the dinner’s critics. Until this year, Trump had refused to attend, appearing poised to defy a tradition of sitting presidents dining at least once with the press corps during the annual event.

Since he launched his first presidential campaign, Trump has taken a bellicose approach towards the media, issuing both personal attacks on journalists and lawsuits against news organisations for coverage he deems unfair.

His presence at Saturday’s dinner has only heightened questions about the event’s role in the modern era.

Trump has previously declined five previous invitations to attend, across his first and second terms. His inaugural visit on Saturday has been accompanied by changes to the dinner’s format: Most notably, the longstanding practice of having a comedian perform has been nixed.

Journalist organisations and rights groups, meanwhile, have called on the event’s host, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), to send a “forthright message” to the president about protecting the freedom of the press.

“We also urge the WHCA to reaffirm, without equivocation, that freedom of the press is not a partisan issue,” a coalition of groups, including the Society of Professional Journalists, wrote in an open letter.

A return for Trump?

Saturday is set to be the first time Trump attends the correspondents’ dinner as president, but it is not his first time attending the event.

He was present as a private citizen at the 2011 dinner, years before launching his first successful presidential campaign.

At the time, Trump had begun his foray into national politics, pushing the so-called “birtherism” theory: the racist claim that then-President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and had faked his US birth certificate.

It is tradition for the sitting president to speak at the event, and Obama seized the moment to lob barbs at Trump’s conspiracy theories and his nascent political career.

In one instance, Obama poked fun at Trump’s work hosting the reality television show The Apprentice.

Referring to Trump’s “firing” of actor Gary Busey, Obama mockingly praised his decision-making. “These are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night,” he quipped. “Well played, sir.”

Obama also envisioned what a future Trump presidency would look like, displaying a mock-up of a “Trump White House Resort and Casino”.

Comedian Seth Meyers, who hosted the night’s event, also took aim at Trump’s birtherism claims and political ambitions.

“Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican,” he quipped at one point, “which is surprising since I just assumed he was running as a joke.”

Trump sat stone-faced in the audience, with several confidants later crediting the night as a major motivator for his 2016 presidential bid.

The White House Correspondents’ Association was launched in 1914, as a response to threats by then-President Woodrow Wilson to do away with presidential news conferences. The organisation has worked to expand White House access for reporters.

Comedians became mainstays of the annual dinner in the early 1980s, with both presidents and journalists often the subject of their pointed jokes.

Defenders of the event have argued that the presence of comedians helps to celebrate free speech and ground the black-tie proceedings, underscoring that no attendee is above ridicule.

But since President Trump first declined to attend the event after taking office in 2017, that norm has shifted.

Michelle Wolf’s no-holds-barred performance in 2018 is often seen as a breaking point.

In her jokes, she seized upon Trump’s past statements appearing to praise sexual assault, and she charged that Trump did not have a “big enough spine to attend” the event. She also mocked the mainstream media’s coverage of the president.

While praised by fellow comedians and some members of the press, her performance divided the White House press corps. Trump and his top officials took particular issue with the material, with the president decrying Wolf as “filthy”.

The following year, the association instead invited historian Ron Chernow to speak at the event. The dinner did not have another comedian until 2022, during the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Last year, during Trump’s first term back in office, the association abruptly cancelled a planned performance by comedian Amber Ruffin, with the board’s then-President Eugene Daniels saying it wanted to avoid “politics of division”.

This year, a mentalist, Oz Pearlman, is set to perform instead of a comedian.

Calls for press freedom

The Society of Professional Journalists, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and The National Association of Black Journalists are among the organisations and hundreds of individual journalists urging their colleagues to use the event to make a statement.

In an open letter, it said the actions by the Trump administration “represent the most systematic and comprehensive assault on freedom of the press by a sitting American president”.

The organisation pointed to a series of hostile actions the Trump administration has taken against journalists.

They include limiting the White House and Pentagon press pools, threats by the Federal Communications Commission against broadcasters, immigration enforcement actions against non-citizen journalists, and an FBI raid of a Washington Post reporter’s home.

The letter also pointed to the White House’s launching of a “hall of shame” page on its website, which highlights news organisations accused of biased coverage, as well as Trump’s repeated verbal attacks on reporters.

But the Trump administration has rejected allegations that it treats journalists unfairly or that it has prevented public access to information.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, for example, has regularly touted Trump as the “most transparent” president in US history, pointing to his regular media events.

During his second term, Trump has also taken spur-of-the-moment phone interviews from reporters, even amid the US-Israeli war in Iran.

In their letter, the journalists and professional organisations note that some attendees on Saturday plan to wear pocket handkerchiefs or lapel pins with the words “First Amendment”.

The pins reference the section of the US Constitution that protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

But the journalists called on the White House Correspondents’ Association to go further and make it clear that it will not “normalise” Trump’s behaviour — “but instead fight back against any officeholder who has waged systematic war against the journalists whose work the dinner celebrates”.

April 25, 2026