Tag: nba
WWE, NBA and Lego 2K Drive developers reportedly hit by second wave of layoffs in less than six months
Visual Concepts Austin, the 2K Games studio behind sports franchises including WWE and NBA, as well as last year’s kart racing game Lego 2K Drive, has reportedly laid off a number of employees. The cuts come fewer than six months after the last round of layoffs at the Texas outlet.
NBA Draft Lottery results in full as Victor Wembanyama fate all but sealed
The latest NBA 2K game always gets a huge Steam discount in May, and this year is no exception
The NBA playoffs have been defined by one thing: nut shots
Somehow a primary storyline of the NBA playoffs is the same as the subject of viral videos in the early days of YouTube: nut shots. That’s right, hits to the groin have been a central part of the ongoing first round of the NBA playoffs.
It started with Game 3 of the Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets. Star Sixers center Joel Embiid fell to the ground and got stepped over by Nic Claxton, traditionally considered a big sign of disrespect in the NBA. Embiid responded with an upward kick in Claxton’s…nether region. Somehow this did not get him ejected from the game.
Crucially, Embiid might’ve missed the…central target…with his kick. But later his running mate James Harden would be thrown out for a seemingly accidental swipe that did connect with the groin of Nets player Royce O’Neale. Mind you this is all in the same game.
Not to be out-done, on Saturday night the Memphis Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks — a fantastic villain who has been trash-talking LeBron Freaking James — got booted from Game 3 of their Round 1 series against the L.A. Lakers for, you guessed it, smacking James in the nuts.
And while this isn’t a hit to the balls, Golden State Warrior Draymond Green — who himself once famously nut-shotted James — got a one-game suspension for stepping on a dude’s chest. All of these moments have, of course, led to meme jokes, and funny edits.
People wondered if the NBA is going to need new nut-shot rules. Fans wondered if this was the new NBA.
Oh and if you were worried about James’ health…he was definitely fine.
The NBA playoffs will continue for weeks. Time will only tell how many more nut shots we’re gifted with.
Phil Jackson claims he stopped watching NBA games due to “politics” in Covid bubble
Google upgrades its NBA Pixel Arena app just in time for the playoffs
The NBA’s regular season ends in just a couple of weeks, but Google just surprise-dropped a major overhaul of its popular Pixel Arena feature. The original Pixel Arena was advertised as a virtual space for fans to fully experience the NBA, but there wasn’t much to do other than play trivia and watch 3D shot recaps. The new Pixel Arena, however, is chock-full of activities for the discerning basketball fan, according to an official blog post.
The biggest change is that users can now roam freely around the space, so the emphasis on menu-diving has been reduced in favor of natural exploration. As you roam about the virtual arena, you want to look your best for onlookers, so the avatar creation process has also been significantly overhauled. The updated avatar builder now takes more natural skin tones into consideration, with adherence to the 10-shade Monk Skin Tone (MST) scale.
Google was also not shy about adding new virtual fashion and accessory options, saying there are now over a “trillion style combos inspired by futuristic streetwear and basketball culture.” Of course, each avatar comes with a fake Pixel 7 Pro because brand synergy. Additionally, the highlight clips tool has been updated, allowing users to remix 3D highlights by spotlighting specific viewing angles and the like.
Google and the NBA have added some new mini-games to the roster, though they continue to be trivia-based. Still, the app is loaded with machine learning algorithms that automatically populate new trivia questions based on recent events. For instance, if a player scores a career high, you will likely encounter a relevant question sooner rather than later. All of those modes are available in single-player or multiplayer. If trivia isn’t your bag, try Niantic’s AR streetball app.
Google’s Pixel Arena is part of the official NBA app. Just sign-in with your NBA ID and head to the Discover tab and give it a go. New highlights will continue to be added as the season winds down and the playoffs begin. Despite being a Google offering, Pixel Arena is available for both Android and iOS phones.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-upgrades-its-nba-pixel-arena-app-just-in-time-for-the-playoffs-175600395.html?src=rss
LA Lakers vs. Chicago Bulls live stream: Watch the NBA for free
NBA App Now Shows Live Scores on iPhone’s Lock Screen and Dynamic Island
Live Activities is an iOS 16 feature that makes it easier to stay on top of real-time events, such as a sports game or a food delivery order. During an NBA game, a banner on the iPhone’s Lock Screen shows the live score, quarter, time remaining, and other relevant information. The score is also shown in the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models.
Apple’s TV app already offered Live Activities support for NBA games, and now the functionality is available via the NBA app. The official MLB app was also updated with Live Activities support earlier this month, and it was announced last week that the NCAA March Madness app would be adding support for the feature as well. Other apps like Sports Alerts offer Live Activities integration for multiple sports leagues.
The Dynamic Island is rumored to expand to the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models later this year. Users can long press the Dynamic Island to open an expanded view with additional information for Live Activities.
The NBA app is available on the App Store. Apple has allowed third-party apps to support Live Activities since iOS 16.1 was released in October.
Image Credit: @WonNationUnder
This article, “NBA App Now Shows Live Scores on iPhone’s Lock Screen and Dynamic Island” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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