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The public is hammering San Antonio, but the betting value is on Portland in Game 5

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You could argue the Portland Trail Blazers (1-3) should be tied in their first-round series in the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs (3-1) heading back to the Alamo City for Game 5 Tuesday.

Portland held halftime leads in Games 3 and 4 at home but lost both by double digits. The Trail Blazers had a chance to take control of the series when Victor Wembanyama missed Game 3 with a concussion. Then, Portland blew a 17-point halftime lead and was outscored 73-65 in the second half.

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With their backs against the wall, the Trail Blazers are roughly +12 road underdogs, and Game 5’s total is 216.5. That said, I’ll take the points with Portland Tuesday because San Antonio is a young team that’s never closed out a postseason series.

Best Bet: Portland Trail Blazers +12, down to +9.5

Following those two brutal losses in Games 3 and 4, the public assumes Portland will “let go of the rope” on the road down 3-1 Tuesday. According to Pregame.com, nearly 80% of the action is on San Antonio at the time of writing.

It’s tough getting off the mat and going on the road after those two gut-punch losses. However, I’m fading that narrative because the Spurs are massive favorites in a spot they aren’t familiar with. Will they get tight if the game hits “clutch time,” and who runs their offense late?

Trail Blazers PG Jrue Holiday has the most playoff experience of anyone in this series and is ballin’. Holiday is averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game in this series. If Jrue can outplay San Antonio PG De’Aaron Fox, whose game I hate, Portland can keep Game 5 close.

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Also, the Spurs are due for shooting regression from deep, whereas the Blazers have gotten unlucky from 3-point range. They are both averaging 17.0 “wide-open” 3-point attempts in this series, but San Antonio is hitting 45.6% of them, while Portland is making just 35.0% of its wide-open threes.

“Wide-open” threes are when the shooter has at least six feet from the nearest defender. The Spurs might be tighter in a closeout game, leading to more missed 3-pointers. I guess you could say the same thing about the Trail Blazers, but they aren’t double-digit favorites.

Finally, playoff games slow down as the series progresses, and these teams were tied with the third-best defensive efficiency post-All-Star break, per CleaningTheGlass.com. So, give me Portland as double-digit ‘dogs in a slow-paced game between two elite defenses.

Prediction: Spurs 109, Trail Blazers 103

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Follow me on X @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants.

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Queen Camilla ditches tiara at White House state dinner as King Charles gifts Trump historic bell

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King Charles and Queen Camilla are reigning supreme, bringing sparkle, charm, and plenty of dazzle for a glamorous evening at the White House.

On Tuesday, the royal couple were greeted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at a state dinner in the East Room. The wives delighted spectators with their jewel-hued ensembles.

The queen wore a deep fuchsia pink evening gown by Fiona Clare, one of her go-to couturiers. The dress was paired with an amethyst and diamond necklace gifted to Queen Victoria and then passed to Queen Mary, the BBC reported. While Queen Elizabeth II wore a tiara for her 2007 visit to the U.S., Camilla, 78, did not.

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“Not wearing a tiara to the U.S., a republic, makes sense,” royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital. “It might be a respectful acknowledgment of our 250th year of independence from monarchy. Still, I did expect some razzle dazzle to give President Trump a taste of the royal flair that Britain does so well! But Queen Camilla’s necklace does the job there. It appears to be the Kent Amethyst Necklace.”

“I think the no-tiara move is understandable, if a bit disappointing for royal watchers!” Matta noted. “Since this visit is underscoring America’s independence, a tiara could have read as over-the-top.”

The queen further accessorized with matching earrings and a shimmering silver clutch.

The first lady, 56, opted for a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, the outlet shared. She completed the look with off-white Dior suede gloves and Dior pale delphinium silk pumps.

“The stunning pink tones on both Her Majesty and the first lady seem to be a nod to the famous cherry blossoms of Washington, D.C.,” said Matta. “Notes on the menu and decor for the evening highlight the “shared appreciation of gardens” between the king and the president. There will also be hints of English lilac in the decor to honor the guest nation. “

The queen’s choice of jewels is part of the Kent Amethyst Demi-Parure, a coordinated set of matching jewels, said Matta. The collection dates back to 1818, Town & Country reported. According to the outlet, the pieces originally belonged to Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent and mother of Queen Victoria. The late Queen Elizabeth also wore the piece on numerous occasions throughout her reign.

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The state dinner marks the first time that Camilla wore the sparkling statement necklace from the royal collection.

The king, 77, and the president, 79, wore white ties, letting their wives shine.

An opulent royal feast awaited guests.

The dinner featured a garden vegetable velouté paired with hearts of palm, toasted shallots and micro mint, followed by spring herbed ravioli with ricotta, morels and parmesan emulsion sourced in part from the White House Kitchen Garden.

The main course was Dover sole meunière with potato pavé, spring ramps and snow peas. The dessert course highlighted beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with vanilla bean crémeux, almond joconde, crème fraîche ice cream and White House honey. Wines include a 2024 Hopkins Riesling, a 2022 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir and a 2022 Newton Chardonnay, selected to showcase American winemaking and complement the menu.

Entertainment was provided by U.S. military ensembles, including “The President’s Own” Marine Band, Army and Air Force choruses and strings.

It was also during the state dinner that Charles showed off his signature humor. During the toast, the beaming monarch made numerous jokes, charming guests while keeping them laughing.

“Indeed, you recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German,” said Charles.

“Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French!”

He quickly added that, “of course, we both love our French cousins greatly.”

But the toast also came with a heartfelt surprise.

Charles announced he was gifting Trump a historic naval artifact, the original bell from the tower of the HMS Trump. The Royal Navy submarine was first launched in 1944 and fought in the Battle of the Pacific during WWII.

“So tonight, Mr. President, I am delighted to present to you as a personal gift, the original bell, which hung on the conning tower of your valiant namesake,” said Charles. “May it stand as a testimony to our nation’s shared history and shining future.”

“And should you ever need to get hold of us, just give us a ring,” he quipped.

The vessel’s name is unrelated to the president. Buckingham Palace said in a statement ahead of the speech that the bell was a “symbol of friendship to mark this renewal,” the BBC reported.

“King Charles has been in his element,” said royal commentator Meredith Constant. “He’s managed to strike an appropriate balance between jokes and comments that both recognize how divided America is without sounding too political. I think it’s safe to say that King Charles has been the shining star of this trip so far.”

The celebrations took place in the East Room.

The East Room, known as the largest of the State Rooms, was designed by James Hoban and George Washington to be a “Public Audience Room,” The White House Historical Association reported.

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Charles and Camilla are on a four-day visit to the U.S. intended to both celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and to help repair the country’s strained “special relationship” with the U.K.

The king and queen arrived at the White House on Monday, where they were warmly welcomed by Trump and the first lady. After having tea in the Green Room, the royals went down to the South Grounds to see a new beehive in the shape of the White House that the first lady had installed last week. The royal couple then attended a garden party at the British Embassy.

On Tuesday, the king gave a 20-minute speech at a joint session of Congress, where he repeatedly highlighted the historical and cultural ties between both nations. He is the second British monarch to do so, after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

After a night of glitz and glam in D.C., the royal couple will be traveling to New York City, where they’ll meet with first responders and families of the victims from the 9/11 attacks. Camilla will also visit the New York Public Library to mark the centenary of English author A.A. Milne’s “Winnie the Pooh.” Charles and Camilla will also attend a gala for the monarch’s charity, The King’s Trust, in the evening.

The couple’s transatlantic trip will conclude in Virginia, where they’ll attend a block party celebrating America’s birthday. Charles will also visit a national park, while Camilla explores a farm to highlight the work of America’s horse racing industry.

During her reign, the late queen embarked on four state visits to the U.S.: in 1957, 1976, 1991 and 2007.

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Gina Carano says Disney went quiet after settlement as she gears up for Rousey fight

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Gina Carano says she has nothing left to prove, but she is not staying quiet either.

After years as one of Hollywood’s most visible examples of cancel culture, the former “Mandalorian” actress is rebuilding her career on her own terms.

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Carano — in one of her biggest wins along this “canceled” saga — reached a legal settlement with Disney and is now preparing for a high-profile MMA return against Ronda Rousey on May 16.

In a new interview with Evie Magazine, Carano reflected on how quickly the narrative around her has shifted.

For Carano, the past few years marked a turning point in how she views the media and public discourse.

Looking back at the social media posts that led to her firing, she says the reaction at the time feels out of step with where things stand now.

“Back then it was called conspiracy theories,” Carano said.

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“And I’m like, with my conspiracies, I’m batting a hundred right now. The questions I was asking were questions other people were wanting to ask.

“We got to the point where we couldn’t even ask, or counter the narrative, or even make a joke. Comedians suffered for it. People just stated facts that people didn’t like. That was a wild time. It was not that long ago.”

Coverage of Carano largely faded after she settled her lawsuit with Disney in August 2025.

She believes the lack of follow-up tells its own story, especially when comparing how the company described her exit versus how it handled the resolution.

“Nobody covers this,” she noted.

“I told this to The Hollywood Reporter journalist and they were like, yeah, nobody’s covering this. But if you put the two statements Disney made next to each other, what they said when they fired me and what they said at the settlement, the contrast is just mind-blowing.”

Despite the fallout, Carano did not take aim at the creative team behind “The Mandalorian.”

Carano said her experience working with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau never matched the online narrative that surrounded her departure.

“I never had a problem with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. I thought they were always wonderful,” she added.

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“There’s a lot of stuff I can’t even share. But those are two good human beings that I respect, and they respect me. The internet always wants you to be involved in its problem whether it has anything to do with you or not.”

Away from Hollywood, Carano said she also went through a physical reset while preparing for her return to fighting.

“I was hiding from the world for a long time. People are going to be like, I didn’t know she was that heavy,” Carano said.

“It’s going to be a little embarrassing. But life is embarrassing; might as well just lean in. Food is one of the most abused drugs. People use it to hide from the world. And I think a lot of the people who use food, like I did, they’re actually taking it out on themselves because they don’t want to take it out on others. They’re usually very sensitive people.”

As she prepares to face Rousey, Carano also discussed how she balances femininity in a sport like MMA.

“You can still be a female and love all the things and be feminine. It’s actually adorable,” she said. “Women are powerful. They don’t have to be like men to be powerful.”

Now, with a settlement behind her and a return to competition ahead, Carano says she is more focused on what comes next than what happened before.

“I feel like I’m blooming now,” Carano said. “I love this age. I have a husband. I have goals. This is the best I’ve ever felt.”

Send us your thoughts: [email protected] / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela 

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King Charles III Condemns WHCD Assassination Attempt: ‘Such Acts of Violence Will Never Succeed’

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While speaking to Congress on Tuesday, King Charles III condemned the recent assassination attempt on President Donald Trump that took place in the vicinity of White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

The post King Charles III Condemns WHCD Assassination Attempt: ‘Such Acts of Violence Will Never Succeed’ appeared first on Breitbart.

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