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  • NBA Playoffs: What to expect in Thunder-Suns series

    NBA Playoffs: What to expect in Thunder-Suns series

    Devin Booker will have his hands full trying to slow reigning Kia MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

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    This 1-8 first-round showdown was the last opening series to be settled, with Phoenix beating Golden State to regain a playoff berth and earn the toughest task facing any of the qualifying teams: somehow win four times against the defending champions, who are driven to be the first repeat Larry O’Brien winners since the 2017 & 2018 Warriors.  

    Series schedule

    Here’s how to watch the Thunder vs. Suns series:

    All times Eastern Standard Time

    • Game 1: Phoenix at Oklahoma City | Sunday April 19 (3:30 ET, ABC)
    • Game 2: Phoenix at Oklahoma City | Wednesday April 22 (9:30 ET, ESPN)
    • Game 3: Oklahoma City at Phoenix | Saturday April 25 (3:30 ET, NBC)
    • Game 4: Oklahoma City at Phoenix | Monday April 27
    • Game 5: Phoenix at Oklahoma City | Wednesday April 29*
    • Game 6: Oklahoma City at Phoenix | Friday May 1*
    • Game 7: Phoenix at Oklahoma City | Sunday May 3*

    * = If necessary

    Regular-season results

    Top storyline

    Are the Thunder ready for their close-up? By the time we get to Sunday’s series opener at the Paycom Center, it will be going on two weeks since we saw Oklahoma City in its conference-leading configuration. That came in their 128-110 beatdown of the Clippers on April 8. The two final games were left to its backups and deep reserves. That might suggest a rest vs. rhythm trade-off for the Thunder, except their machine hummed along all season despite significant rotation guys’ absences. Chet Holmgren missed 13 games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 14, Alex Caruso 26, Isaiah Hartenstein 35 and Jalen Williams 49, yet there was virtually no slippage. A 3-5 hiccup in January/February took OKC from 37-8 to 40-13, and that was as shaky as things ever got.  

    Keep your eyes on 

    Slowing SGA. It hasn’t happened a lot in Devin Booker’s career that there’s been a backcourt weapon on the opposing team more dangerous than him. But that’s the situation in which Booker and Phoenix find themselves as they try to cope with Gilgeous-Alexander’s multi-faceted offensive attack. The Suns have Dillon Brooks as a feisty defender and possible irritant, along with Ryan Dunn and Jordan Goodwin. They crafted the NBA’s ninth-most efficient defense this season. But the pressure SGA puts on every opponent, and any individual defender, is relentless, and he has myriad options for spraying the ball. Plus there’s always that path he wears to the foul line.  

    Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.0 points and 7.3 assists vs. the Suns this season, while shooting a robust 50.9% overall and 50% from the arc. Phoenix does take pride in its 3-point defense (34.7%) but its underbelly was a little soft – opponents shot 55.6% inside the arc, a category in which the Suns ranked 19th. Booker certainly can keep up as a scorer, but he’ll have to do it  against the league’s top defense. And he doesn’t have at his disposal the secondary and tertiary scorers SGA does. 

    One more thing to watch for each team 

    For Thunder: Even a defense as stingy as theirs can’t take away everything. OKC’s 25th place ranking in 3-point defense is a potential flaw the Suns can exploit. Phoenix took and made the fifth-most 3-pointers in the league, setting a franchise record along the way by knocking down 1,210. The 36.1% accuracy of its long-distance shooters ranked 12th. Still, OKC doesn’t leave many openings elsewhere. Its overall defensive field-goal percentage (43.87%) was the NBA’s best. So were its 20.7 deflections and 22.0 points off turnovers. Forcing turnovers, the Thunder ranked second, same as in steals. That’s chaos on a stick when OKC dials up to playoff intensity.  

    For Suns: Finding reliable scorers besides Booker against the Thunders’ physical, disruptive defense was looking like a challenge. Consider: Ten Suns averaged 10+ points against OKC in the season series but only point guard Jamaree Bouyea participated in all five meetings. And only three more played in four. But that was before Jalen Green blew up in Play-In week. He went for 35 in the loss to Portland, then topped that with 36 in eliminating Golden State. Green didn’t face OKC at all this season while playing in an injury-hobbled 32 games. He has long been a streaky but potent 20-point man over four seasons with Houston before his trade to Phoenix. The trick will be getting Green and Booker going at the same time. 

    One key number to know

    7.4 — The Suns averaged 3.1 more shot opportunities (field-goal attempts or trips to the line) than their opponents in the regular season. That was the league’s third best differential and an improvement of 7.4 per game from last season, when they averaged 4.3 fewer than their opponents. 

    In Jordan Ott’s first season as head coach, the Suns saw an incredible improvement in the possession game. They saw the league’s biggest jumps in both offensive rebounding percentage and opponent turnover rate. They made up for sub-par shooting by getting more shots. 

    The Thunder saw the league’s fourth biggest drop in shot-opportunity differential, from plus-4.3 per game (second) last season to plus-1.3 (11th) this season. They didn’t force quite as many turnovers as they did a year ago, and they saw the third biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage. The Suns had the slight edge over the five head-to-head meetings, though the biggest differential in those five games (Phoenix +5) came on the last day of the regular season, when both teams rested their regulars. 

    — John Schuhmann 

    The pick 

    Thunder in five. Phoenix came to camp with 14 new faces, a rookie coach in Ott and a brand new staff. Seven Suns players set career highs in scoring, while the team ranked fourth in steals and held foes to 111.1 points per game, its lowest in four years. But the overachievement stops here. Even with Green’s sizzling week to help his team get here, Phoenix’s offense will face a heightened level of stymying against OKC. Its squadron of defenders such as Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Chet Holmgren and more doesn’t just hold teams down – it frustrates, bruises and occasionally bloodies them. At this early stage of the postseason, the Thunder are measuring themselves against, well, themselves. The lengthy timeline of the first round – or the extra off-days if they make quick work of Phoenix – will enable OKC to fashion its rotation to something more reliable than how it patched together the first 82.  

    * * *

    Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.  

  • Jalen Green’s 36 points guides Suns past Warriors to clinch No. 8 seed in West

    Jalen Green’s 36 points guides Suns past Warriors to clinch No. 8 seed in West

    Jalen Green soars in to score two of his game-high 36 points in Friday’s 111-96 victory over the Warriors.

    PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Green scored 36 points, Devin Booker added 20 and the Phoenix Suns locked down Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, winning 111-96 in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament Friday night.

    The Suns took the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in Game 1. The Warriors’ season is over.

    Green shot 14-for-20 from the field, including 8-for-14 on 3-pointers. Jordan Goodwin scored 19 points, had nine rebounds and was a menace on defense with six steals.

    Booker and Golden State’s Draymond Green were both assessed two technical fouls late in the fourth quarter after exchanging words multiple times and were ejected.

    The 38-year-old Curry couldn’t get many clean looks and finished with 17 points on 4-for-16 shooting. Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 23 points.

    Phoenix led by five at the break and built a 69-53 advantage with 5:12 left in third after a fast-break layup by Royce O’Neale. It was 85-72 with 10:12 remaining.

    There was reason to believe the lead wasn’t safe. Phoenix blew an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Portland on Tuesday night, while Golden State clawed back from a 13-point fourth-quarter hole to beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, which led to the winner-take-all matchup Friday.

    The Warriors looked as if they might have another comeback brewing — Curry hit a 3-pointer that cut the margin to 85-78 with 9:30 left — but the Suns responded with the next seven points.

    The Suns avoided becoming the first team to lose both Play-In Tournament games on their home floor. The current format was established in 2021.

    Golden State’s Kristaps Porzingis played through right ankle soreness, the result of an injury Wednesday against the Clippers. The 7-foot-3 center played just 15 minutes and finished with 11 points.

    The Suns built an early 13-2 lead after the Warriors turned the ball over four times. Phoenix pushed the advantage to 33-15 through one quarter after Golden State shot just 30%, including 1-for-9 from 3-point range.

    But the Warriors recovered, cutting it to 50-45 by halftime.

  • Curry, Warriors knocked out of NBA play-in tournament by Suns

    Curry, Warriors knocked out of NBA play-in tournament by Suns

    Published On 18 Apr 2026

    Jalen Green’s 36 points helped lift the Phoenix Suns into the playoffs with a 111-96 play-in win over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Friday.

    The Suns earned the Western Conference’s eighth postseason seed. They will visit the defending champion and top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday to open a first-round series.

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    Phoenix scored 30 points off the Warriors’ 21 turnovers.

    After Phoenix let a late lead slip away against the Portland Trail Blazers in the play-in opener, the Suns held on this time.

    There was some late drama, though.

    With the outcome already decided, Golden State’s Draymond Green fouled out with just more than a minute remaining. Warriors coach Steve Kerr shared a moment with Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, embracing both. The three were part of four NBA championship runs.

    However, as action resumed, Draymond Green and the Suns’ Devin Booker began a heated discussion that carried on for several moments before the whistle blew and both players were issued a technical foul. Green was ejected.

    Phoenix jumped out to a big lead with a 13-0 run after the Warriors scored the game’s first two points, then closed the quarter with eight consecutive points to lead 33-15.

    Golden State’s 15 first-quarter points were their fewest in a quarter since scoring 14 in the fourth quarter on March 7 against the Thunder.

    The Suns, who shot 52.4 percent in the first quarter, struggled in the second quarter as the Warriors roared back.

    Phoenix was just 5 of 20 from the field in the second, and Golden State pulled within two on Curry’s free throws with 19.6 seconds remaining in the half.

    As time ran down, Jalen Green elevated for a 3-pointer from the wing and drained it for the Suns’ first field goal in more than five minutes to give Phoenix a 50-45 lead at the break.

    Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski scored 10 of his team-high 23 points in the second. He also led the Warriors with 10 rebounds.

    The Suns used an 11-1 run – featuring two 3-pointers from Jalen Green – to regain control in the third quarter.

    Booker finished with 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Phoenix’s Jordan Goodwin added 19 points, nine rebounds and six steals.

    Curry recorded 17 points in the loss but was just 4 of 16 from the floor and 3 of 10 from 3-point range.

    Stephen Curry in action
    Stephen Curry #30 attempts a shot under pressure from Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns during the NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona [Christian Petersen/Getty Images via AFP]

    Magic extend Hornets’ playoff drought, face Pistons next

    Paolo Banchero scored 25 points to lead ‌five players in double figures for the host Orlando Magic, who advanced to the ⁠Eastern Conference playoffs ⁠by routing the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in the earlier play-in game on Friday.

    The Magic, who finished eighth during the regular season, earned the eighth seed and will ⁠face the top-seeded Pistons in a best-of-seven first-round series beginning Sunday night in Detroit.

    This is the third straight trip to the playoffs for the Magic – the longest streak for the franchise since ⁠a team-record six straight appearances from 2007-12.

    LaMelo Ball scored 23 points for the Hornets, who finished ninth in the East. Charlotte earned a dramatic 127-126 overtime win over the Miami Heat in the first play-in game on Tuesday but missed the postseason for the 10th straight season – the NBA’s longest active drought.

    Franz Wagner ‌had 18 points while Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 16 for the Magic, who also received 13 from Desmond Bane and 12 from Jalen Suggs. Orlando shot 50 percent (42 of 84) from the field and 29.6 percent (8-for-27) from 3-point range.

    “When you play with a sense of desperation and urgency, when you know you’re either going home or you’re extending your season, that’s what it looks like,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

    Miles Bridges scored 15 points, Brandon ⁠Miller had 14 and Kon Knueppel added 11 in Charlotte’s most lopsided ⁠loss of the season. The visitors shot just 33.7 percent (28 of 83) from the field and 26.7 percent (12 of 45) from beyond the arc.

    Miller’s 3-pointer gave the Hornets their only lead at 5-4 with 9:58 left in the first quarter. The ⁠Magic scored the next 10 points, after which Bridges and Miller combined for five consecutive points.

    The Magic responded by taking control with a ⁠13-0 run as Carter and Banchero combined for 11 points ⁠to take a 27-10 lead. Goga Bitadze’s layup gave Orlando its first 20-point lead at 36-16 with 54 seconds left.

    The Magic led by as many as 35 in the second before entering the half with a 68-37 advantage. Orlando led ‌102-71 at the end of the third and by as many as 33 in the fourth.

    “I hope that this fuels us this offseason, because we did a tonne of really good things ‌and ‌gave ourselves an opportunity – you’re one step away from being in the playoffs, so I don’t want to discredit that,” Hornets head coach Charles Lee said. “But this has got to, like, hurt a little bit.”

    Paolo Banchero in action.
    Paolo Banchero led all scorers with 25 points as the Orlando Magic ended the Charlotte Hornets’ NBA season [Fernando Medina/Getty Images via AFP]
  • Sabrina Carpenter Goes Full ‘Thelma & Louise’ at Coachella Weekend Two With Geena Davis Monologue

    Sabrina Carpenter Goes Full ‘Thelma & Louise’ at Coachella Weekend Two With Geena Davis Monologue

    Sabrina Carpenter leaned into a “Thelma & Louise” theme with her weekend-two Coachella appearance Friday by featuring Geena Davis reading the mid-show monologue as an older “Aunt Sabrina,” succeeding last weekend’s guest Susan Sarandon.

    The monologue was half the length of Sarandon’s uncomfortably overlong version last weekend, lending credence to rumors that Sarandon had been asked to stretch and improvise due to a technical delay.

    Her appearance was doubly a surprise as it came amid hurricane-force rumors that Madonna will be joining Carpenter during the show, which led many to wonder if she would perform the monologue instead of Sarandon, only to find that she was being saved for an actual musical appearance later in the show.

    Sitting in one of the 1950s cars that are a theme of Carpenter’s set, amid a makeshift drive-in theater lot in the middle of the field, Davis read through a monologue that preceded largely along the lines of last weekend’s script. However, the young drive-in carhop, played by her former “Girl Meets World” TV costar Corey Fogelmanis, arrived after three and a half minutes instead of seven to help her settle up her tab.

    Even though the monologue hit many of the same beats as last week’s, it was paraphrased throughout. Sarandon opened with: “What a moron I was. Running around like nobody’s going to judge you, just bippity boppity boo. When of course, everybody’s judging you.” Davis’ opening: “What a moron. I was running around like that carefree, all hippity, skippity…”

    The many trims that cut the speech in half included losing somewhat audience-confusing references to a fictional sister, Laurie, who Sarandon-as-Sabrina said “was always really uncomfortable whenever I was the center of attention. Sometimes she would just ignore what I was doing or other times she would shit on me. And probably she’s putting down my career right now…” Also dropped was the whole wistful/inspirational final part of the monologue, in which Sarandon had spoken of “that little voice (where) you say, fuck it, I can do this. I can do whatever I put my mind to… Why do people stop saying that to themselves when they become 12 years old?”

    Later in the set, Will Ferrell was succeeded in his comedic role as an electrician by Terry Crews, playing the same part, but with different dialogue, and without the failed attempt to light a cigarette.

    Of course, Madonna ultimately provided the mother of all cameos with a medley/duet of her hits… and extended astrology talk that threatened to erase the memory of any filibustering that might have gone on during Sarandon’s speech the previous week.

  • Madonna Teams Up With Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella for Transcendent Duets: ‘Vogue,’ ‘Like a Prayer’ and New Song

    Madonna Teams Up With Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella for Transcendent Duets: ‘Vogue,’ ‘Like a Prayer’ and New Song

    After rumors swirled that she would appear at Coachella weekend one, Madonna made a cameo during Sabrina Carpenter’s headlining performance on Friday night, emerging near the end of the set to perform “Vogue,” “Like a Prayer” and a new duet.

    Carpenter was midway through “Juno” — typically the song on her “Short ‘n Sweet” tour where she’d “arrest” a different celebrity — to bring out Madonna. The pop queen emerged through the middle of the stage to sing “Vogue,” joining Carpenter to debut a new duet that’s rumored to be on the singer’s upcoming album “Confessions II.” Then, Madonna took the mic to give an extended address to the audience.

    “So 20 years ago today I performed at Coachella,” said Madonna. “I was in the dance tent and it was the first time I performed ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor Pt. 1’ in America, and that was such a thrill for me, so you can imagine what a thrill it is to be back 20 years later in the same boots, with the same corset, the jacket I had on earlier, a Gucci jacket. So it’s like a full circle moment, you know? Very meaningful for me.”

    After Madonna gave an astrology lesson (literally), the two joined forces to duet on her classic “Like a Prayer,” with backup dancers dressed in habits sauntering down from the back of the stage. “The great thing about music is that it brings people together. Am I right?” said Madonna. “It’s the one place that people have to put their differences aside. Put their shit down and everyone just have a good time togehter, right? So I am thrilled to be a part of that healing experience of bringing people together. I just want to say, four lines from my ‘Confessions 1’ record. It goes like this. Can we get together? I really, I really want to be with you. Come on check it out with me, I hope you, I hope you feel the same way too.”

    As she said, Madonna’s appearance during Carpenter’s set comes 20 years after her Coachella debut in 2006, when she popped up at the Sahara Tent instead of the main stage to perform cuts from “Confessions on a Dance Floor.” She later returned to the desert for a surprise cameo during Drake’s closing set in 2015, singing “Human Nature” and “Hung Up” and, in one of the most talked-about moments that year, kissed Drake.

    The timing of Madonna’s return to Coachella aligns with the announcement of her upcoming album “Confessions II” earlier this week. The project, slated for July 3 via Warner Records, marks her first full-length album in seven years and her reunion with Stuart Price, the producer of the original “Confessions on a Dance Floor.” Earlier on Friday, Madonna premiered the song “I Feel So Free” on iHeartRadio’s Pride Radio, giving a first taste of the project.

    Leading up to her Coachella performance last weekend, Carpenter dropped the video for “House Tour,” the latest single off of last year’s “Man’s Best Friend.” In the clip, she has a girls’ night out with Margaret Qualley and Madelyn Cline, ransacking a stranger’s house and stealing a Grammy.

    Carpenter previously performed at Coachella in 2024, foreshadowing that she’d one day take top billing during a custom outro for “Nonsense”: “Made his knees so weak he had to spread mine / He’s drinking my bathwater like it’s red wine / Coachella, see you back here when I headline.” This year’s headlining gig comes after a busy few years for the singer, who kicked off her “Short ‘n Sweet” tour — her first arena trek — in September 2024. She stayed on the road through the end of 2025, when she closed the tour with six nights at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena just a week before she was celebrated as Variety‘s Hitmaker of the Year.

  • SEC Has Issued a New Official Green Light for Cryptocurrencies

    SEC Has Issued a New Official Green Light for Cryptocurrencies

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has formally approved a rule change proposal submitted by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) that aims to create a new trading mechanism for “tokenized securities.”

    The proposal, outlined in document number 34-105260, is considered a critical step towards integrating traditional finance with blockchain technology.

    According to the proposal, the NYSE plans to introduce a new regulation called “Rule 7.50,” allowing eligible securities to be traded in both traditional and blockchain-based “tokenized” forms. This structure will be implemented within the scope of the DTC pilot program under the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC).

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    In the new system, tokenized securities will share the same trading code (CUSIP) and ownership structure as traditional shares. This will ensure full fungibility between the two forms. Furthermore, on the matching engine side, tokenized assets will be subject to the same priority rules as traditional shares and will not experience any disadvantage in trading order.

    Market participants can choose to have transactions executed on the blockchain via a “tokenization flag” that they can use when placing orders. Technical and operational processes will be handled by authorized custodians.

    NYSE’s proposal isn’t limited to the trading side alone. The exchange is also making changes to order queuing, routing, and clearing rules, aiming to seamlessly integrate tokenized securities into its existing market infrastructure.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • UBS Analysts Have Stated That They Expect the Fed to Cut Interest Rates Twice More This Year

    Global financial giant UBS has published a noteworthy assessment of US monetary policy. The bank stated that it maintains its expectation that the Fed will cut interest rates later in the year.

    A research note published by UBS emphasized that the Fed remains on a path of monetary policy easing under the current outlook. The report highlighted that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has recently indicated that the need for tightening is limited despite the rise in energy prices. It recalled Powell’s statement that supply shocks, particularly those like rising oil prices, are generally ignored as long as inflation expectations remain under control.

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    UBS analysts stated that the Fed is looking for more evidence of a sustained decline in core inflation before returning to loose monetary policy, but they still expect a total of 50 basis points of interest rate cuts by the end of the year.

    On the other hand, the report also included projections for the US bond market. UBS pointed out that current US Treasury yields are significantly higher than before the geopolitical tensions, arguing that there is therefore room for downward movement in yields. The bank stated its year-end forecast for the 2-year US Treasury yield is 3.25%, and for the 10-year Treasury yield is 3.75%.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • Sabrina Carpenter Brings Out Madonna at Coachella Weekend Two Headlining Set

    Sabrina Carpenter Brings Out Madonna at Coachella Weekend Two Headlining Set

    Sabrina Carpenter brought out Madonna as a surprise guest during her Coachella weekend two headlining set Friday night, with the two pop superstars performing “Vogue,” “Like A Prayer” and a new track together.

    The Queen of Pop hit the stage while the Grammy winner was singing “Juno,” at the iconic moment where Carpenter sings her lyric, “Have you ever tried this one?” The track then cut to Madonna’s iconic “Vogue” medley, and the two sang the hit together.

    Madonna and Carpenter went on to seemingly perform a new song from the former artist’s upcoming Confessions II. After, the “Material Girl” singer thanked Carpenter for inviting her to perform alongside her.

    “Sabrina, thank you so much for inviting me on your show,” Madonna said. “No thanks needed, Madonna. You can have whatever you want,” the “Espresso” singer replied. Madonna shared that two decades ago, she performed at Coachella, noting that it was a “full circle moment” being back to take the stage with Carpenter.

    “I have a few things I wanna get off my chest. 20 years ago today, I performed at Coachella. I was in the dance tent, and it was the first time I performed, Confessions on the Dance Floor Part One in America,” Madonna said. “And that was such a thrill for me, so you can imagine what a thrill it is for me to be back 20 years later in the same boots, the same corset, the jacket I had on earlier, the same Gucci jacket. So, it’s like a full circle moment, very meaningful for me.”

    Madonna also gave a mini lesson in astrology, pointing out that there is currently new moon in Taurus, meaning that “we need to work on our communication skills” and “avoid confrontations.”

    “So in all circumstances for the rest of the month, let’s try to get along, okay?” she said. “And to that point, the great thing about music is that it brings people together, am I right? It’s the one place that people have to put their differences aside, put their shit down, and just everybody have a good time together, right?”

    She continued, “So I am thrilled to be a part of that healing experience, bringing people together,” before reciting the chorus from her song “Get Together.”

    To add to the dazzling surprise performance, they sang a duet of “Like A Prayer.” But not before Madonna cracked a joke about Carpenter’s height.

    “The other thrilling thing I need to point out to everybody right now is this probably the first time I’ve ever performed with someone who’s shorter than me,” she said. “So, thank you for giving me that experience.”

    Carpenter replied, “Amen!”

    Madonna’s performance on its own made for a more musically star-studded set than Carpenter had last week, where the guest appearances were limited to actors with Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell and Sam Elliott.

    During her Friday night set, Carpenter also brought out actress Geena Davis to perform a monologue, just as her Thelma and Louise co-star Sarandon did one week prior. Terry Crews also joined in mid-set, where he poked fun at his iconic role in White Chicks and briefly sang “A Thousand Miles.”

    Madonna’s appearance comes just days after the pop icon had confirmed that Confessions II would drop this July. It comes seven years after she’d dropped Madame X back in 2019.

    As for Carpenter, the rest of her set remained stunning, keeping the same old Hollywood glam feel we saw a week ago. With Carpenter’s week two set in the books, all eyes turn to Justin Bieber for Saturday night, before Karol G takes the stage as the Sunday night headliner.

    Weekend two will also feature a surprise set from country superstar Kacey Musgraves at the Sahara Tent on Saturday afternoon, with Musgraves filling the slot fellow surprise act Jack White took last week.

  • How Coachella’s Longest-Standing Sponsor Has Remained Relevant in the Age of Brand Activations

    How Coachella’s Longest-Standing Sponsor Has Remained Relevant in the Age of Brand Activations

    If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.

    As someone who hadn’t been to Coachella since 2014, this year’s festival felt deeply familiar in many ways, and entirely unrecognizable in others. While 2014, of course, had its fair share of brand partners, sponsored parties and experiential marketing, they were a drop in the bucket compared to what has developed in just 12 years time.

    Cut to 2026: Brand activations are popping up by the dozens, and Coachella is filled with — what have now been dubbed — “festivals within a festival,” or smaller curated experiences — often exclusive — within the larger event (think Revolve Fest or Kourtney Kardashian Barker‘s Camp Poosh). But other than the music (and the desert heat), there’s another major throughline between Coachella then and Coachella now: Heineken.

    The Dutch brewing company, Coachella’s official beer sponsor for 23 consecutive years, is the festival’s longest-standing brand partner. Well before the introduction of Heineken House (the brand’s dedicated music stage and beer garden), which, funnily enough, made its Coachella debut in 2014 (I remember because I was 18 and couldn’t get in), the brewer has always held a prominent role at the festival. But how has Coachella’s most enduring partner stayed relevant in the age of activations? The short answer: community. The slightly longer answer? By innovating a piece of technology that brings people back to what OG Coachella felt like: connected.

    “The Clinker,” first introduced at Weekend One of Coachella 2026, is a smart device festivalgoers place around their Heineken cans that lights up to signal music compatibility upon contact with another Clinker. By syncing with each user’s Spotify or YouTube Music data, the device allows two fans to, first, see their exact overlap in music taste, and then, share social media handles to stay connected throughout the festival and beyond.

    Festivalgoers using “The Clinker” at Heineken House during Coachella Weekend One.

    Heineken

    “Heineken developed the Heineken House to bring fans together over music with a beer in hand,” Alison Payne, Heineken USA’s Chief Marketing Officer, exclusively tells The Hollywood Reporter. “This year, we went a step further by creating something that actively brings people together in real time. ‘The Clinker’ turns a simple ‘cheers’ into a conversation starter, leaving festival goers with a new connection or memory that will live on once the dust settles from the festival.”

    Beyond the new tech, crowds were pulled to the Heineken House for its stacked lineup. Weekend One included Wale, Sean Paul, Coi Leray, Motion City Soundtrack and Less Than Jake, while Big Boi will replace Paul for Weekend Two. And since Heineken House is a closed off space with only one entry point, there’s an intentional effort to make a massive festival feel intimate.

    This theme of fostering connection prevailed throughout the festival, with an overarching goal to bring Coachella back to its roots. (In fact, many fans noted that 2026 had a similar feeling to 2016.) Instead of dividing the festival, the standalone activations aimed to cultivate community. Right around the corner from Heineken House, Aperol opted for a lounge-style day club, while Soho House brought its same private, elevated feel to The Hideout. Meanwhile, just across the grass, Absolut’s Heat Haus was a star-studded affair with throwback DJ sets and Absolut Tabasco Vodka on the ready. Anyone over 21 could enter, but the space still managed to feel private and personal.

    Sean Paul performs onstage at Coachella’s Heineken House on April 11, 2026.

    Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Heineken

    At a time when — even in the most crowded of spaces — it’s easier than ever to feel isolated, brands are actively choosing to fuel connection. We’ll “Clink” to that.

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  • NBA Playoffs: What to expect in Pistons-Magic series

    NBA Playoffs: What to expect in Pistons-Magic series

    Paolo Banchero and the Magic face a tough task in challenging the East’s No. 1 seed in Detroit.

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    Before the 2025-26 season began, the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic were thought by many to be on the same tier of the Eastern Conference. If they were to meet in the first round of the playoffs, it would probably be in the 4-5 or 3-6 series.

    Instead, its 1 vs. 8. The Pistons surpassed expectations, standing at the top of the Eastern Conference all season. The Magic were a disappointment, needing the final SoFi Play-In Tournament game to claim the 8 seed. But they split their four head-to-head matchups, with each team winning once on the other’s floor.

    Neither franchise has won a playoff series in more than 15 years, and one of those droughts is about to end. The Pistons face the pressure of being the top seed, while the Magic face the possibility of major offseason changes should their Play-In victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday prove to be fluky.

    Series schedule

    Here’s how to watch the Pistons vs. Magic series:

    All times Eastern Standard Time

    • Game 1: Orlando at Detroit | Sunday April 19 (6:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
    • Game 2: Orlando at Detroit | Wednesday April 22 (7 ET, ESPN)
    • Game 3: Detroit at Orlando | Saturday April 25 (1 ET, NBC/Peacock)
    • Game 4: Detroit at Orlando | Monday April 27
    • Game 5: Orlando at Detroit | Wednesday April 29*
    • Game 6: Detroit at Orlando | Friday May 1*
    • Game 7: Orlando at Detroit | Sunday May 3*

    * = If necessary

    Regular-season results

    Oct. 29: Pistons 135, Magic 116
    Nov. 28: Magic 112, Pistons 109
    Mar. 1: Pistons 106, Magic 92
    Apr. 6:     Magic 123, Pistons 107

    Top storyline

    Ball pressure and ball security. The Magic were the league’s third-most improved offensive team, but they took a big step backward defensively after ranking in the top three on that end of the floor in each of the last two seasons. Much of that regression was about turnovers: They went from second in opponent turnover rate (16.8 per 100 possessions) last season to 14th (14.7) this year; it was the league’s biggest drop.

    With their season on the line on Friday, the Magic looked like their old selves, shutting down the Hornets’ fifth-ranked offense. It started with relentless ball pressure, and led to 20 Charlotte turnovers.

    The Pistons’ ball security isn’t great. They ranked 23rd in turnover rate (15.1 per 100) in the regular season and had a much worse rate (16.9 per 100) in last year’s first-round loss to the Knicks. So if the Magic’s ball pressure can carry over from the Play-In to the playoffs, they can keep the Pistons from getting clean looks at the basket and enhance their own efficiency with transition opportunities.

    Keep your eyes on

    Rebounding. These are two of the top nine rebounding teams in the league, with the Pistons ranking third in offensive rebounding percentage and the Magic fifth in defensive rebounding percentage.

    Field goal percentage is always lower in the playoffs than it is in the regular season, and with more missed shots, there are more rebounds to be had. So each team’s ability to secure the glass is more important. The Pistons won the rebounding battle in the regular season series, retaining 36.5% of available offensive boards (the second-best mark among all Orlando opponents) over the four games. Ausar Thompson (13) and Jalen Duren (12) accounted for half of Detroit’s 50 offensive boards against the Magic.

    1 more thing to watch for each team

    For Detroit: The Pistons set 2,260 ball-screens for Cade Cunningham this season, the third-highest total among all ball-handlers and a rate of more than 50 per 100 possessions. The Magic, meanwhile, have generally been a drop-coverage defense, encouraging ball-handlers to shoot off the dribble.

    While Cunningham has seen steady improvement with his pull-up game over his five seasons, his effective field goal percentage of 49.3% on pullup jumpers this season ( 27th among the 88 players who attempted at least 200) is a number that favors the defense. Still, we could see Orlando mix up its coverages and force other guys to make plays and make shots.

    Duren has been a much-improved roll man, both in regard to passing and creating his own shot. The Pistons will also let Tobias Harris go to work in the post, but Thompson (who made 16 total shots from outside the paint this season) will be ignored on the perimeter, compromising the spacing. This team can win ugly, but the offense will be under the spotlight in this series and going forward.

    For Orlando: Paolo Banchero has yet to live up to the expectations that have come with being a former No. 1 pick, and he’s yet to make it really work with teammate Franz Wagner. The Magic’s Banchero-led offense has struggled (104.3 points scored per 100 possessions) in the first round of the playoffs over the last two years.

    A series against the league’s second-ranked defense won’t be any easier. But it’s another opportunity for Banchero to prove that he’s an offensive star who can make plays for himself and his teammates. Turnovers were an issue, but he averaged 26.3 points in his three games vs. Detroit this season, with his true shooting percentage (64.8%) being his fifth best mark vs. any opponent.

    1 key number to know

    13.9 – The Pistons outscored their opponents by 13.9 points per game in the restricted area, the third biggest differential for any team in the last 15 seasons. They’re not going to beat teams from the perimeter (they ranked 29th in 3-point rate), but they can be dominant inside.

    On offense, the Pistons led the league in the percentage of their shots (36%) that came in the restricted area. On defense, they ranked second in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area (62.4%), with opponents having shot just 43.8% at the rim when Isaiah Stewart was there. That was the best rim-protection mark for a player who defended at least 200 shots at the rim in the 12 seasons for which we have tracking data.

    The Magic ranked seventh in restricted-area differential (+3.0 points per game), even though they ranked 28th in field goal percentage (63.9%) at the basket. They actually outscored the Pistons by four points in the restricted area over the two early-season meetings in Detroit, but the Pistons were plus-30 there over the two late-season meetings in Orlando, with the difference in the Magic’s April 6 win coming at the free-throw line.

    The pick

    Pistons in 5. The Magic survived the Play-In and played one of their best games of the season on Friday, but have never consistently looked the part of a team that can win a playoff series, especially against an opponent as tough as the Pistons. Detroit should dominate inside and Orlando, the only playoff team that ranked in the bottom seven in both 3-point percentage and 3-point rate, doesn’t have the shooting to win from the perimeter.

    The Magic could keep a game or two competitive, but the Pistons shouldn’t have much trouble advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2008.

    * * *

    John Schuhmann has covered the NBA for more than 20 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Bluesky.