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Eater
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
4 Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Los Angeles: May 23
Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: 'Where should I eat?' Here now are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here's our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town. For affordable Chinese takeout: Combo A As food prices continue to rise, getting an affordable but satiating meal is at the top of many people's minds. Cue Combo A, a longtime Echo Park Chinese restaurant that stuffs takeout containers to the brim with chow fun, orange chicken, and beef and broccoli. It's easy to walk out of here with enough food to spread over multiple meals for well under $20, and the quality is far beyond what would be found at a fast food chain. The orange chicken is tossed in a well-seasoned sauce and remains crispy even after cooling down, while the barbecue pork is tender and flavorful. You can even go half and half on combinations of fried rice, chow fun, steamed rice, and chow mein. Add in sides of cream cheese-stuffed wontons, egg rolls, fried chicken, or pot stickers, and wash it all down with boba. 1411 Echo Park Avenue, Suite 101, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For a group gathering with fantastic bites and sips: BLVD MRKT Getting a group of friends together with varying tastes can be challenging, but not if you know where to go. To make sure there is something for everyone, head to BLVD MRKT, a Montebello food hall made out of shipping containers. BLVD's got a unique charm to it and an even more uncommon model that mentors and showcases new businesses next to more established ones. At the center of the dining courtyard are community picnic tables covered by umbrellas. Star by taking a lap to see what's appealing — in the complex you'll find pupusas from Vchos, a Oaxacan mocha from Cafe Santo, chilaquiles verdes via Los Taquero Mucho, or bites from Cold Pizza (it's served hot), For the Win, and a Mexican Lollipop cider that actually tastes like watermelon candy. Once everything is prepared, sit at a table and let the joy take over. BLVD has excellent programming happening every week, and on Memorial Day Bluey (the animated cartoon series) will be at a meet and greet that kids will adore, along with fruity and creamy paletas with face painting. It's an excellent plan on any weekday or weekend, so start inviting. 520 Whittier Boulevard, Montebello, CA, 90640. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For an elegant Memorial Day dinner in Chinatown: Firstborn For a few weeks after it opened in late March, Chinatown's Firstborn was the talk of the food world, drawing curiosity, excitement, and some eyebrow raises given its location and price. The latter point will probably continue to be in contention, but for now, expect some of the most innovative modern Chinese cuisine in Los Angeles right now. Chef Anthony Wang is treating this like his first feature film and creativity abounds from the plate to the space (FYI, his sister is filmmaker Lulu Wang). Some dishes are brilliant, like steak tartare over soft tofu and tofu gnudi with artichokes. Barbecue cabbage is a show-stopper, scorched like burnt marshmallows but exuding an unnatural sweetness. Combined with the heady leek vinaigrette, it's easily one of the most creative dishes I've had in awhile. Cumin lamb saddle carries traditional Sichuan flavors in a luxurious form with a woven bundle of shredded potato elegant enough for a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's like a reimagined Chinese steak frites with the tenderness and gentle gaminess of lamb that's frankly superior to beef (there, I said it). Order more dishes than you think, as portions are on the smaller side, and expect to pay over $120 per person with a drink or two. If Wang can continue to draw the artsy/well-heeled crowd, I expect Firstborn to gain some major eyeballs come awards season (consider this a culinary 'For Your Consideration'). 978 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For an underrated seafood gem in Melrose's 'Michelin Mile': Koast While Kevin Meehan's tasting menu restaurant Kali is under the knife, his new seafood spot down the street should be your Larchmont/Melrose dinner reservation of choice. Speaking to Meehan prior to opening, he considered Koast his ode to the East Coast seafood restaurant, with much nicer touches and some LA style. Raw bites are inventive and well-portioned, like local bluefin with vadouvan or sea bream sashimi with ponzu, shiso, and wasabi good enough to be served at Nobu. Grilled prawns in thyme butter offer the succulence of a backyard barbecue with the sweet, tender complexity of the best shellfish from New Caledonia. The lobster manicotti could be the most fun dish on the menu, properly spotted with finely chopped chives that wouldn't make sense at a red sauce joint. The cheesy, gooey mess studded with lobster chunks is the ideal counterpoint to the raw fish. A syrupy salted caramel brown butter cake topped with whipped cream awaits those who must get dessert. 6623 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Related The 38 Essential Restaurants in Los Angeles Sign up for our newsletter.
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't the free throw merchant you think he is
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't the free throw merchant you think he is Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win's basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here's Prince J. Grimes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is slowly climbing up the list of the NBA's most polarizing players. The funny thing about it is he's doing it without ever really talking much. He's not a big personality or someone who draws a lot of attention off the court. He seems to just go to work, do his job and go home. Yet, it's what he does while at work that has NBA fans completely divided on the league's soon to be announced MVP. Tuesday night's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was a perfect example why. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 26-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves by scoring a game-high 31 points to go with nine assists and three steals. But 11 of those points came from the free throw line where he had 14 attempts -- twice as many as the next-closest player, Anthony Edwards. Thus, the reason Gilgeous-Alexander is increasingly becoming known as a foul or free throw "merchant." Some fans really can't stand how crafty he is in drawing fouls and doing what they consider to be flopping to get to the line. Here's the thing, though, he might not be the free-throw merchant people think he is. While it's true Gilgeous-Alexander gets to the line a lot -- he has the second-most attempts behind Giannis Antetokounmpo each of the last two years -- his 9.2 attempts per game this postseason don't rank very high historically. According to research by Tom Haberstroh, Gilgeous-Alexander's 110 attempts over 12 playoff games actually ranks just 406th all-time. It's a point Amin El-Hassan made on the Dan Le Batard Show, with research that said SGA's absolute best season in terms of free throws attempted per 100 possessions ranked outside the all-time top 30. More research from FS1's Danny Parkins showed SGA has never been the NBA's leading free-throw shooter despite leading the NBA in drives per game in five straight years. Gilgeous-Alexander's ability to get to the line shouldn't be understated, but it isn't as extraordinary as people make it out to be. So, why are so many people turning on the 26-year-old's style of play? Even if Gilgeous-Alexander isn't historically great at drawing fouls, he does get to the line more than a lot of his peers -- and he's incredibly crafty in the ways he gets there. The way SGA forces the action puts referees in a tough spot where they feel they have to blow the whistle. Which is part of the problem. Sometimes they get it wrong. But that's not Gilgeous-Alexander's problem, and quite honestly, more players could take notes. The same people mad at SGA for actually getting into the lane and seeking contact should be more frustrated that one of the most athletically gifted players in the NBA, Edwards, attempted almost as many three-pointers as the entire OKC starting lineup Tuesday. As a team, Minnesota shot 51 threes (and only made 11). It's a page straight out of the Boston Celtics playbook, which so many teams are copying today. When teams are shooting that many threes, it's no wonder why it's so odd to see a player shooting as many free throws as Gilgeous-Alexander. We might not know what a foul looks like any more. Pacers vs. Knicks will be spicy The latest chapter in the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks will be written in this year's Eastern Conference Finals, and the first page begins with tonight's Game 1. After last year's seven-game series in the second round, the rematch has a chance to go the distance again and either team could ultimately come out on top. FTW's Mike Sykes came up with three reasons why each team could ultimately win, and you'll absolutely want to check these out. One reason for the Pacers is that they have the best offensive rhythm in the NBA: "A whopping 68.9 percent of the Pacers' buckets are assisted on in these playoffs. A lot of that starts with Tyrese Haliburton, who is arguably the best passer in the NBA. But it isn't just Tyrese — each player at each position for Indiana can grab a rebound and push the pace after a miss on defense or bring the ball up quickly after a make before the defense is completely set. It's a team filled with advantage-creators, which is extremely hard to deal with." One reason for the Knicks is that Jalen Brunson is awesome: "Brunson has been generally awesome for the Knicks in this postseason as the straw that stirs the drink for the team. But where he's shone the most is in the fourth quarter, where his team has desperately needed him to come through the most. Brunson currently leads the playoffs in fourth quarter points and clutch points, according to Underdog Sports. It's not particularly close." I can't wait for this one. Shootaround
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
The NBA Draft is broken and the only way to fix it is by destroying it
The NBA Draft is broken and the only way to fix it is by destroying it Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win's basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here's Mike Sykes I'm still recovering from the NBA Draft Lottery. The system is broken. Or maybe it works as it's always been intended to? I don't really know anymore. The basketball gods are cruel in that way. Many conversations have manifested following the Dallas Mavericks' unexpected NBA Draft Lottery win. Will the Mavs draft Cooper Flagg, or will they potentially trade it? Is Giannis Antetokounmpo in play? I'm not sure, but we'll slowly get answers to those questions over the next month. I'm most interested in litigating whether the NBA Draft Lottery is operating properly. Is the system broken? As a Wizards fan, you know where I stand on this. The lottery sucks, and the basketball gods are evil. None of this should be happening right now. THE WINNERS: Here are the biggest winners from the NBA Draft Combine this week So the question becomes, how do you fix this system that is inherently broken in this way? As things currently stand with the lottery odds flattened, the worst teams in the NBA aren't getting any better. Since 2019, when the league first made the change to the odds, the worst team in the league has yet to receive the top pick. The natural solution, then, should be to shift the lottery odds back to where they were. As things stand, the worst three teams in the NBA have a 14 percent chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick and a 52 percent chance of landing in the top four. A shift back would mean weighting the odds heavily in those teams' favor again. But opponents of that would once again argue that it incentivizes teams to tank and lose games on purpose, which is why the odds shifted in the first place. So, what is the solution here? How do we fix it? Here's my fix: We break the system completely. Dismantle the lottery. Dismantle the NBA draft as a whole. Instead, have a rookie free agency period where the incoming freshman class of NBA players can choose where they play out the beginning of their careers the same way veterans do. I know, I know. You're calling me crazy right now. You're saying that the best rookies will only go to the league's biggest glamour markets. But you can build a system that de-incentivizes that. Here's how: Rookie scale exceptions: This is the big one. The same way each team gets a mid-level exception to spend in the offseason, each team would get a rookie scale exception in place of a draft pick. The worse you are, the more salary you get to spend on rookies. So, this year, the Jazz, Wizards and Hornets would have the most to spend and the amount would scale down as we climb the standings. Well-run organizations: This isn't really on the league — it's on individual teams. Like regular free agency, each team would be able to make a pitch to whatever rookie they wanted. Would, say, a Cooper Flagg regularly choose to play for the Lakers of the Hornets? Sure. Charlotte can't give Flagg a destination like LA. But if you give him a good coach, a competent front office and loads of playing time, who's to say he wouldn't choose that instead of playing behind Luka Doncic? A free agency special: This is crucial to the marketing of the league and the behind-the-scenes access we get to teams. If I were the NBA, I'd do this while also coupling it with a Drive to Survive-style docuseries following these teams as they scout ahead of the NBA's rookie free agency period. It documents what this process is like and gives fans (and future players!) an idea of how their favorite teams work behind the scenes. Providing the league's worst teams with more of a spotlight would make playing for them seem more desirable. Think of this in the same way you'd think about Hard Knocks with the NFL. This is a wild idea, yes. It's a bit out there. But I do think it does two crucial things the league really wants to accomplish: It discourages tanking because no one wants to play for a loser, so each team would have to put its best foot forward each year or suffer the consequences. It also would promote the league in a way that wouldn't leave the smaller markets feeling as small and left out as they do now. This would probably never happen. The powers-that-be are far too attached to the draft process and what it brings. But I'm telling you this now: "Fixing" the draft lottery is only a half-measure. Something like this would go all the way. If the league is serious about doing that, then this would be an idea it needs to consider. I know we're done reacting to the Luka trade, but... I'm sorry. The reaction from the Warriors in this video is too perfect not to share with y'all. Here's Bryan Kalbrosky with more on the reaction: "This is amazing footage, and showed just how skeptical everyone was when they read this report. That included a hilarious scream (and phone call) from Stephen Curry as he tried to process the information about his two Western Conference rivals." Steph Curry's scream is basically the same as the scream I let out that day. It's still so ridiculous that this happened. You know what's even more ridiculous? That this team won the draft lottery a few months later. Maybe Nico Harrison was a genius this entire time. Shootaround —Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic should duke it out for MVP in Game 7. That'd be so fun! Adam Silver, make it happen. — Bryan has the biggest winners from this week's NBA Draft Combine, ready to go for you here. — Here are 18 stay-or-go decisions for the draft that you should be following. — Kevin Durant is through with the hot takes. Can't say I blame him — especially not in this instance. That's a wrap. Thanks so much for reading. Peace. -Sykes ✌️
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jimmy Butler will need to be more Superman than Batman in Steph Curry's absence
Jimmy Butler will need to be more Superman than Batman in Steph Curry's absence Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win's basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here's Prince J. Grimes. Buddy Hield didn't want to claim Robin. After the Golden State Warriors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, even after Stephen Curry left the game early with a hamstring injury, Hield and Jimmy Butler took the postgame podium to answer questions about how they were able to win Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. And Hield didn't want to own the title of Robin to Butler's Batman. "I'm Batman today," Hield joked. "I saved the day. He's still Robin." It was funny. The kind of moment that shows why Butler and Hield have the best comedic chemistry of any teammates in the NBA. But like any good joke, it had a lot of truth in it. Because Hield was right. He isn't a Robin. Without Curry, the Warriors don't have one. One of the best No. 1 options in league history, Curry hurt his hamstring in the second quarter and missed the rest of the game. On Wednesday, the Warriors announced the injury as a Grade 1 strain that will sideline him for at least a week, which means he'll miss games two through four of the series, at minimum, and potentially return for Game 5 next Wednesday. Though obviously a bummer, it's the best possible news they could've hoped for. They gave themselves cushion by stealing Game 1 on the road behind 24 points from Hield and 20 from Butler. But what Hield gave them isn't sustainable. He's a career 15-point scorer who averaged 11.1 points this season, which ranked fifth on the team behind Curry, Butler, Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski. He's not a Robin, he's just a really good role player. That's why it won't be enough for Butler to simply fill the shoes of Golden State's injured Batman - because he won't have a consistently reliable No. 2 option like Curry did with himself. Butler will have to be Superman. He'll have to do a lot of the heavy lifting on his own. Luckily for the Warriors, it's a role he's very familiar with. PHONE BOOTH MALFUNCTION: Hield accidentally wore the wrong game shorts Butler is only two years removed from carrying an arguably less-talented Miami Heat roster to the NBA Finals -- and he did it twice in four years. The Warriors are only asking him to do it for a series -- albeit a difficult one against another Superman-like player, Anthony Edwards. And Butler will still have a solid cast of role players to help, including Draymond Green, Podziemski and yes, Hield. If Butler can rise to the occasion like he has so many times in the past, the Warriors have a chance to pull off an incredible upset as +165 underdogs at BetMGM. If not, they don't stand a chance at winning a series they were never expected to win to begin with. Road teams are dominating the 2nd round Golden State wasn't the only team to pull off an upset in their second-round opener. Rather, they continued a trend of dominance for the road teams, which are now 5-0 this round. That undefeated record includes the Indiana Pacers taking each of their first two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers to flip the series odds completely in their favor. UNDERRATED: Tyrese Haliburton is devastatingly slept on It's the first time in NBA history all four road teams won the first game of the conference semifinals, but as my buddy Bryan Kalbrosky wrote, we shouldn't expect this underdog streak to continue much longer... "While the road teams are actually 6-0 since Sunday (when the Warriors defeated the Rockets and the Pacers defeated the Cavaliers) in another historic oddity, this is not expected to continue for the underdogs." ...because the Celtics, Thunder and Timberwolves are all still favored to prevail in their series. Read more from Bryan about what we've seen so far and what we can expect next. Shootaround
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
The NBA definitely just made up a new award for Draymond Green
The NBA definitely just made up a new award for Draymond Green Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win's basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here's Mike Sykes Folks. I like to think I know a lot about the NBA. I've been following this league for a fairly long time. I've been covering it as a media member for more than a decade now. The NBA changes a lot, but I think I've got a pretty firm grasp on what this league is and all the things that come with it. But I was today years old when I found out that the NBA Hustle award was actually a thing and that this wasn't just something that the league was giving Draymond Green so that he wouldn't completely wreck shop for losing the Defensive Player of the Year award to Evan Mobley. In fact, to be completely honest with you, I'm totally convinced that that's not what this is. This really does feel like the Draymond Green award. It's totally built for him. Just in case you thought I was lying, here it is. This is real! And here's the description for the award via ESPN: "Unlike most of the main awards that are handed out during this stretch each year, the Hustle Award isn't voted on. Instead, it is compiled from how a player ranks across nine statistical categories designed to show a player's impact on his team beyond the traditional box score stats. They are: charges drawn, deflections, screen assists, contested 2-point shots and 3-point shots; offensive and defensive loose balls recovered; and offensive and defensive box outs." Does this not just sound like the triple-single award? Seriously. This is Draymond's entire bag. How is he not the only person who has ever won this award? It's somehow his first time (and this has been around since 2017!). In all seriousness, congratulations to Draymond. This is an award that I didn't know existed, but it's kind of an awesome award. Rewarding players for doing the dirty work is necessary. It's something that should be acknowledged publicly — not just within the walls of each locker room. Salute to the NBA for doing that here. But I'm sorry — I've got to get these jokes off. This is too funny. Injuries are taking over the playoffs There are two things I hope for when the playoffs finally roll around every year: Good basketball and healthy basketball players. That's all. We've gotten quite a bit of both of those things so far through these few games. There's lots of good and exciting basketball being played through this first week of playoff ball. But injuries have also become quite the storyline in these playoffs so far. There are a handful of stars who've come down with injuries that could change the shape of the series their teams are in. Those are some pretty big names. We've already seen some impacts from this. The Warriors were completely destroyed in Game 2 against Houston without Butler. Morant's Grizzlies blew one of the largest leads in NBA history in his absence. Injuries are a part of sports. They happen. It is what it is. Let's just hope the impact moving forward will be minimal. Shootaround — Here's more on Alijah Arenas' car crash and his recovery. Thoughts and prayers up for the kid. — Roger Goodell is declaring war on Christmas with the NBA. After last season, the NFL will need to come harder this year. — Kristaps Porzingis is a Celtics legend now. Tell everyone. — David Adelman accusing the Clippers of pumping crowd noise into their arena is hilarious. That's a wrap, folks. Enjoy the hoops this weekend. Peace. -Sykes ✌️
