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In partnership with The Wall Street Journal and The Kansas City Star, Yahoo Sports has started the Terez A. Paylor Scholarship at Howard University. The scholarship honors Paylor, Yahoo Sports' senior NFL reporter, who passed away on Feb. 12.

The scholarship will be presented to students studying journalism, who have an emphasis in sports journalism and meet the 3.0 GPA requirement. Paylor's fiancee and the Journals New Audiences Chief Ebony Reed announced the creation of the scholarship.

"Terezs extraordinary life touched so many, and the Terez A. Paylor scholarship will continue that impact," Reed said in the official release. "It was a long-term goal of Terezs to have a scholarship in his name at Howard University to help bring more students, especially those of color, into sports journalism. Terez was an exceptional journalist whose passion for football made him a respected voice. His legacy of excellent reporting with a human touch, deep knowledge of football and being known as someone who always had time to help a friend or offer mentorship will now impact future generations, too."

Yahoo Sports is also partnering with apparel manufacturer BreakingT to create an All-Juice Team shirt in his honor. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go toward funding the scholarship.

Effort. Attitude. Performance. These are the traits that make up the All-Juice Team as defined by Terez Paylor. They also defined Terez personally and the spirit of his outsized contributions in sports journalism before his unexpected passing in 2021. Juice, in football terms, means having the goods. What could be better than representing the All-Juice Team and all that it stands for and supports?

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If you'd like to donate directly to the fund, you can set up either a one-time or recurring gift via Howard's official giving portal. Please note where applicable that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor.

We linked the shirts by BreakingT below, which are officially available for pre-order.

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Yahoo Sports, Wall Street Journal and The Kansas City Star announce Terez A. Paylor Scholarship at Howard University - Yahoo Sports

The Daily Beast

The Washington Post/Mark Felix/GettyDALLASFirst they had to deal with a nightmare of a winter storm, an historic assault that wiped out their power, heat, water, or all three at once.Now they have to deal with bosses denying them pay.Internal company emails and text messages obtained by The Daily Beast indicate that dozens of employers in Texas, many of them in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, have told people who were unable to go to work or work remotely due to loss of electricity during last weeks destructive winter storm that they must consider the lost days as vacation, or otherwise go without pay.These are not small businesses, either. Several large companies are among them, such as Bell Textron Inc.formerly known as Bell HelicopterUnited Ag & Turf, BAE Systems, and the City of Dallas itself.And workers are seething.People Are Greedy: The Absurd Electric Bills Slamming TexansWe are required to use vacation on the days of the storm when I had no heat or WiFi, or I can forfeit the money and not get paid, a Bell Helicopter employee, who like other workers quoted in this report spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, told The Daily Beast.Im disappointed and nervous about the next year, the worker said, adding, Even though Im salaried, Im entry-level, and any knock to my income will put me on the streetand thats terrifying.Representatives from Bell did not return a call or email requesting comment, but emails sent by management and reviewed by The Daily Beast made the policy clear.Employees who are unable to fully dedicate their time and attention to company business due to current conditions should use available PTO, vacation, or holiday flex time if they wish to be paid for today. Otherwise, employees who do not have any remaining PTO, vacation, or holiday flex time or do not wish to use their unused PTO, vacation, or holiday flex time will not be paid for today, read an email sent last week from Bell executive management.The worker told The Daily Beast that Bell facilities were closed the entire week, but that at one point they were unable to access the VPNa virtual private network that allows them to access company systemsmeaning many employees at Bell couldnt work from home even when they had electricity.Executives at United Ag & Turfa John Deere equipment dealerand managers at BAE Systemsa British multinational arms, security, and aerospace companysent similar messages. But they also allowed employees to effectively borrow paid time off, which would come out of their future allotments or pay, according to emails reviewed by The Daily Beast.Some employees did not appreciate the offer.[I] just felt like people should know. Its not right, an employee at BAE Systems told The Daily Beast.A spokesperson for BAE Systems told The Daily Beast, As a government contractor, there are regulations we must follow for labor charged by our employees. The events of last week are unusual and we are working with employees on how to properly handle any time they were unable to work. In addition, we activated our Immediate Response Program to support our colleagues and provide financial assistance to affected employees and their families.Employees at United Ag & Turf, meanwhile, were even told they must take responsibility for maintaining a time-off balance in case such events occur in the future. This despite the devastating storm and the associated power crisis being the largest insurance claim event in Texas history.To be prepared for circumstances like this in the future, each employee is expected to manage their PTO and encouraged to always carry a balance for unexpected situations like health issues and bad weather. This type of assistance will not be offered in the future, read an email from the executive management of United Ag & Turf.United Ag & Turf did not respond to a request for comment. I feel angry. They could have said nothing and been fine. They could have paid people for the canceled days and looked like heroes. They instead opted to add insult to injury, said a worker at United Ag & Turf.For-profit employers are not the only ones who have told their employees that they must use their vacation days. Even some government employees have been affected: An email sent to the library department at the City of Dallas told employees to use personal leave time for lost work. The veracity of the email was confirmed by a Dallas City Council member, Adam Bazaldua, as well as a city communications representative, Catherine Cuellar.Its really disheartening that HR (who have worked entirely from home for the past year, by the way) get to just decide whether people get paid or not, one city employee said.This Is Some Crazy Nightmare: Mom Recounts Last Moments With Her 3 Kids Who Died in Texas Power OutageCuellar told the Daily Beast that for those without available paid time off, they can either make up time within the pay period or apply for emergency administrative paid leave, which would then have to be approved by FEMA.Nobody gets to just decide anything; we have processes and layers of accountability for taxpayer dollars, she said.So it becomes a question at the federal government level whether or not paying that worker emergency administrative pay was a necessary expense during the weather event, Cuellar added.That has been the citys policy for emergency weather-related pay for a decade, she said.When asked whether the policy could be changed to cover all employees, Cuellar said that things would be handled on a case-by-case basis.Austin Kaplan, an employment lawyer based in Austin, described these situations as a consequence of a lack of adequate labor protections in a state with notoriously weak safeguards for workers.Theres no requirement in Texas that people pay any vacation time at all. Theres just no safety net, or anything like that, Kaplan told The Daily Beast.This means that its been entirely up to employers to decide how to handle the fallout. Some, like Cisco, not only paid their employees for the lost days, but also offered offices as a shelter and sent resources for mental-health support.But it appears they are in the minority. And without any clear sign of the government taking actionGov. Greg Abbott has hinted at relief for workers facing sky-high electric bills, but little elsethey appear to be on their own.In my estimation, the state that turned the power grid off ought to be the one paying, Kaplan said.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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The federal government is poised to give the typical American family enough money this year to buy a month-long vacation, a Harley Davidson motorcycle or 200 shares of GameStop. Most recipients wont spend the money that way, but theyll benefit from unprecedented largesse all the same.

With Congress likely to soon pass President Bidens $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the cash transfer to a typical family of four will total at least $10,000 in 2021, and considerably more for some households. The coronavirus pandemic isnt the first crisis the government has responded to with stimulus checks and other types of cash relief. But fiscal stimulus during the last 12 months dwarfs the response during the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009, and during any other downturn since the 1930s.

Heres how different types of aid add up to $10,000. A family of four earning less than $150,000 already received four stimulus payments of $600 per person in January. The Biden bill would include another set of payments, of $1,400 each. That totals $8,000.

The Biden bill also would also raise the child tax credit from $2,000 to $3,000, an extra $1,000 per kid, with an additional $600 for each child under 6. Families that pay little or no income tax would get the full amount of the credit in cash, and instead of coming as part of the following years tax return, the payments would arrive monthly. Combined, the stimulus checks and tax credits range from $10,000 to $11,200 per family, based on the age of the two children.

Theres more. The Biden bill would also boost federal unemployment insurance payments from $300 to $400 per week, through September. An increase in the child care tax credit could shave several thousand dollars off the annual cost of care, for families earning up to $150,000. For low-income workers without kids, a boost in the earned-income tax credit could put an extra $964 in the bank.

The amount of aid is so substantial that in a Feb. 24 research note, analysts at investing firm Raymond James declared, a test of universal basic income has arrived in the United States. UBI, as its known, is a controversial strategy of providing every adult citizen with an annual cash stipend, to spend as they wish. Democrat Andrew Yang proposed a UBI of $1,000 per month on an ongoing basis, when he ran for president in 2020. (He didn't win.)

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Photo by: STRF/STAR MAX/IPx 2021 1/7/21 Stimulus checks for $600 continue to go out to the public for economic hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

The stimulus payments going out in 2021 arent technically UBI, because theyre one-time transfersor, theyre supposed to be. In reality, Bidens bill would trigger the third set of stimulus checks, following $1,200 checks that went out last April and the $600 checks from earlier this year. Congress wont do this in perpetuity, but the Raymond James analysis does note that once a benefit has been created through legislation, it is very difficult to reverse.

Stimulus checks are expensive. The batch in Bidens bill will cost $422 billion, money the Treasury will borrow and add to the $28 trillion national debt. Thats the single-costliest measure in the bill. Economists dont love checks blanketing most Americans, because they dont target people who have lost income and are struggling the most. Still, Biden and his fellow Democrats promised $2,000 in additional payments last fall, if they won the White House and Congress. They did, and the $1,400 checks that would bring the 2021 total to $2,000 are a campaign promise Biden needs to fulfill, even if imprudent.

Once hes met that promise, Biden may not seek any additional stimulus payments. Some of the new tax breaks could endure, however. The increase in the child tax credit in the Biden stimulus bill is temporary, but some policymakers argue that permanently enlarging this tax break would substantially help people living close to the poverty line, including up to 5 million children. It wouldnt be surprising if Democrats pushed to make this change and perhaps others permanent.

Can the United States afford all this spending? Who knows!? Once upon a time, politicians tried to finance most new spending with tax hikes or spending cuts elsewhere. Such fussiness is out of fashion. Congress has passed $4 trillion in stimulus spending since the pandemic erupted last March, and Bidens bill would push that close to $6 trillion. All of that has come from new Treasury borrowing, on the premise that massive spending now will speed the recovery and get people back to work faster, which in turn will boost output and improve tax revenues down the road. Sounds, uh, good.

Republicans are wagging their fingers, but they dont have much room for criticism, given that the 2017 GOP tax cuts also added to the deficit, with none of the trickle-down magic that was supposed to turbocharge the economy. Theyll have more to complain about later this year, when Biden is due to unveil an infrastructure program that could top $2 trillion. Theres always more where that came from.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including "Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidential tips, and click here to get Ricks stories by email.

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TipRanks

Were in a volatile period right now, as stocks slipping after starting the year on a strong note. Big Tech, which boomed during the pandemic lockdowns and the move to remote work, is leading the declines. Investors have taken the measure of the vaccination programs, and now, in fueled by both a belief and a hope that economies will soon return to a more normal footing, they are seeking out those stocks that will gain we revert to a pre-corona market situation. There is also inflation to take into account. Oil prices are up this year, and thats one commodity whose price fluctuations are certain to trickle down the supply chain. Along with rising consumer demand, theres an expectation that prices are going to increase, at least in the near term. All in all, this is the moment to take the old market advice: buy low and sell high. With stock prices falling for now, and volatility up, the low is covered. The key is finding the stocks that are primed to gain when the bulls start running again. Wall Streets analyst corps know this, and they are not shying away from recommending stocks that may have hit bottom. Using TipRanks database, we pinpointed two such stocks. Each is down significantly, but each also has enough upside potential to warrant a Buy rating. TechnipFMC Plc (FTI) Well start in the hydrocarbon sector, where TechnipFMC operates two divisions in the oil and gas business: subsea, and surface. The companys projects, until recently, included oil and gas exploration and extraction, rig and platform operations, crude oil refining, petrochemical (ethylene, benzene, naphtha, hydrogen) production, and both on- and offshore liquified natural gas (LNG) plants. Earlier this month, the petrochemical and LNG operations were spun off as Technip Energy, a separate independently traded company. TechnipFMC retains the subsea and surface hydrocarbon activities, allowing the company to better focus its efforts. TechnipFMC may need that focus, as the company has had a difficult time gaining traction in the stock markets. Like most of its peers, TechnipFMC saw share value fall steeply last winter at the height of the coronavirus crisis, but since then the stock has only regained about half of the losses. Over the past 12 months, shares of FTI are down 53%. Q4 results are due out today, after market close, and should shed more light on the companys full-year performance. The company has reported quarterly earnings in 2020 that are in-line with the previous years results. The second quarter showed a year-over-year loss; Q1 and Q3 both showed yoy gains. Covering FTI for JPMorgan, analyst Sean Meakim writes, Since the spin-off of Technip Energies was placed back in motion on 1/7, after outperforming considerably in the first days, FTI shares are now down With newfound visibility to an exit from spin purgatory, investors are giving FTI another look with some still taking a wait and see approach until post-spin... We view the completion of the spin as a re-rating opportunity allowing for broader investor participation. Monetization of TechnipFMCs stake in Technip Energies helps the balance sheet and provides optionality on capital allocation. To this end, Meakim rates FTI an Overweight (i.e. Buy) and his $20 price target suggests the stock has room to more than double in the year ahead, with a 172% upside potential. (To watch Meakims track record, click here) Overall, there are 13 recent reviews on FTI, breaking down 8 to 5 in favor of Buy versus Hold. This makes the analyst consensus rating a Moderate Buy, and suggests that Wall Street generally sees opportunity here. Shares are priced at $7.35, and the $12.18 average price target implies a bullish upside of ~65% over the next 12 months. (See FTI stock analysis on TipRanks) CoreCivic, Inc. (CXW) Next up, CoreCivic, is a for-profit provider of detention facilities for law enforcement agencies, primarily the US government. The company owns and operates 65 prisons and detention centers with a total capacity of 90,000 inmates, located in 19 states plus DC. Effective on January 1 of this year, the company completed its switch from an REIT to a taxable C-corporation. The move was made without fanfare, and the company reported its Q4 and full-year 2020 results which covers the preparation period for the switch earlier this month. CXW showed a top line of $1.91 billion for the corona year of 2020, a small drop (3%) from the $1.98 billion reported in 2019. Full-year earnings came in at 45 cents per share. During the fourth quarter, the company reported paying off some $125 million of its long-term debt; CoreCivics current long-term liabilities are listed as $2.3 billion. The company showed liquid assets on hand at the end of 2020 as $113 million in cash, plus $566 million in available credit. The heavy debt load may help explain the companys share performance, even as revenues and earnings remain positive. The stock is down 50% in the past 12 months, having never really recovered from share price losses incurred in the corona panic last winter. 5-star analyst Joe Gomes, of Noble Capital, covers CoreCivic, and remains sanguine on the stock despite its apparent weaknesses. We view the fourth quarter as continuation a trend, one across the last three quarters of 2020. In spite of COVID, the large reduction in detainees, the reduction in normal operations of the court system, and other impacts, CoreCivic posted relatively flat revenue and sequential adjusted EPS growth. We believe this illustrates the strength of the Company's operating model, Gomes noted. In line with his optimistic approach, Gomes keeps his Outperform (i.e. Buy) rating and $15 price target as is. This target puts the upside potential at 97%. (To watch Gomes track record, click here) Some stocks fly under the radar, and CXW is one of those. Gomes' is the only recent analyst review of this company, and it is decidedly positive. (See CXW stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for beaten-down stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Tesla's Swoon: Is Bitcoin The Tail Wagging The Dog? - Yahoo Finance

TipRanks

Were in a volatile period right now, as stocks slipping after starting the year on a strong note. Big Tech, which boomed during the pandemic lockdowns and the move to remote work, is leading the declines. Investors have taken the measure of the vaccination programs, and now, in fueled by both a belief and a hope that economies will soon return to a more normal footing, they are seeking out those stocks that will gain we revert to a pre-corona market situation. There is also inflation to take into account. Oil prices are up this year, and thats one commodity whose price fluctuations are certain to trickle down the supply chain. Along with rising consumer demand, theres an expectation that prices are going to increase, at least in the near term. All in all, this is the moment to take the old market advice: buy low and sell high. With stock prices falling for now, and volatility up, the low is covered. The key is finding the stocks that are primed to gain when the bulls start running again. Wall Streets analyst corps know this, and they are not shying away from recommending stocks that may have hit bottom. Using TipRanks database, we pinpointed two such stocks. Each is down significantly, but each also has enough upside potential to warrant a Buy rating. TechnipFMC Plc (FTI) Well start in the hydrocarbon sector, where TechnipFMC operates two divisions in the oil and gas business: subsea, and surface. The companys projects, until recently, included oil and gas exploration and extraction, rig and platform operations, crude oil refining, petrochemical (ethylene, benzene, naphtha, hydrogen) production, and both on- and offshore liquified natural gas (LNG) plants. Earlier this month, the petrochemical and LNG operations were spun off as Technip Energy, a separate independently traded company. TechnipFMC retains the subsea and surface hydrocarbon activities, allowing the company to better focus its efforts. TechnipFMC may need that focus, as the company has had a difficult time gaining traction in the stock markets. Like most of its peers, TechnipFMC saw share value fall steeply last winter at the height of the coronavirus crisis, but since then the stock has only regained about half of the losses. Over the past 12 months, shares of FTI are down 53%. Q4 results are due out today, after market close, and should shed more light on the companys full-year performance. The company has reported quarterly earnings in 2020 that are in-line with the previous years results. The second quarter showed a year-over-year loss; Q1 and Q3 both showed yoy gains. Covering FTI for JPMorgan, analyst Sean Meakim writes, Since the spin-off of Technip Energies was placed back in motion on 1/7, after outperforming considerably in the first days, FTI shares are now down With newfound visibility to an exit from spin purgatory, investors are giving FTI another look with some still taking a wait and see approach until post-spin... We view the completion of the spin as a re-rating opportunity allowing for broader investor participation. Monetization of TechnipFMCs stake in Technip Energies helps the balance sheet and provides optionality on capital allocation. To this end, Meakim rates FTI an Overweight (i.e. Buy) and his $20 price target suggests the stock has room to more than double in the year ahead, with a 172% upside potential. (To watch Meakims track record, click here) Overall, there are 13 recent reviews on FTI, breaking down 8 to 5 in favor of Buy versus Hold. This makes the analyst consensus rating a Moderate Buy, and suggests that Wall Street generally sees opportunity here. Shares are priced at $7.35, and the $12.18 average price target implies a bullish upside of ~65% over the next 12 months. (See FTI stock analysis on TipRanks) CoreCivic, Inc. (CXW) Next up, CoreCivic, is a for-profit provider of detention facilities for law enforcement agencies, primarily the US government. The company owns and operates 65 prisons and detention centers with a total capacity of 90,000 inmates, located in 19 states plus DC. Effective on January 1 of this year, the company completed its switch from an REIT to a taxable C-corporation. The move was made without fanfare, and the company reported its Q4 and full-year 2020 results which covers the preparation period for the switch earlier this month. CXW showed a top line of $1.91 billion for the corona year of 2020, a small drop (3%) from the $1.98 billion reported in 2019. Full-year earnings came in at 45 cents per share. During the fourth quarter, the company reported paying off some $125 million of its long-term debt; CoreCivics current long-term liabilities are listed as $2.3 billion. The company showed liquid assets on hand at the end of 2020 as $113 million in cash, plus $566 million in available credit. The heavy debt load may help explain the companys share performance, even as revenues and earnings remain positive. The stock is down 50% in the past 12 months, having never really recovered from share price losses incurred in the corona panic last winter. 5-star analyst Joe Gomes, of Noble Capital, covers CoreCivic, and remains sanguine on the stock despite its apparent weaknesses. We view the fourth quarter as continuation a trend, one across the last three quarters of 2020. In spite of COVID, the large reduction in detainees, the reduction in normal operations of the court system, and other impacts, CoreCivic posted relatively flat revenue and sequential adjusted EPS growth. We believe this illustrates the strength of the Company's operating model, Gomes noted. In line with his optimistic approach, Gomes keeps his Outperform (i.e. Buy) rating and $15 price target as is. This target puts the upside potential at 97%. (To watch Gomes track record, click here) Some stocks fly under the radar, and CXW is one of those. Gomes' is the only recent analyst review of this company, and it is decidedly positive. (See CXW stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for beaten-down stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Bitcoin collector MicroStrategy fills its wallet with another $1 billion - Yahoo Finance

The NBA announced its list of 14 All-Star reserves for this year's game in Atlanta on March 7. There were perhaps more deserving candidates this year than ever before, which means there were plenty of worthy candidates left out.

This year's snubs could make a solid argument that the NBA should expand its All-Star teams to at least 13 players from each conference the number of active players in each team's lineup and maybe even to a 15-man roster. That would throw a wrench into the league's historical context, and even at 15 there would be players on the bubble.

The question with snubs is always: Which selections would you take off this year's list of All-Stars?

Has Nikola Vucevic done more for the 12th-place Orlando Magic than Domantas Sabonis has for the fourth-place Indiana Pacers? Is Chris Paul more deserving than Phoenix Suns teammate Devin Booker? Are Zach LaVine's numbers for the 14-win Chicago Bulls emptier than Khris Middleton's on the 18-win Milwaukee Bucks? Those are questions for the 30 head coaches who made the reserve picks as the NBA's standings changed from day to day.

All that said, these 10 players submitted All-Star-worthy campaigns that may have earned them selections in years past. Some of them might even get the recognition they deserve if injuries or excused absences make more room.

Devin Booker is the leading scorer for the fourth-place Phoenix Suns. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

24.7 PPG (50/38/85), 4.3 APG, 3.8 RPG

Booker's scoring has dipped slightly from last year, but sharing the floor with Paul has also helped improve his efficiency. There are few players whose shot you feel more confident in when it leaves his hand. An All-Star injury replacement for Lillard last year, Booker left no doubt of his status with a 31-5-6 average for the 8-0 Suns in the bubble. It is only the sheer number of worthy candidates in the West that left his candidacy on the bubble this year.

16.4 PPG (45/41/82), 5.6 APG, 3.4 RPG

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Conley is the best active player never to make an All-Star Game, and he might be the best ever not to appear in one. The narrative to get him in was stronger than ever this year, because his case was as legitimate as ever, and he may be running out of chances at 33 years old. His per-game plus/minus of 11.2 is the NBA's best by nearly two points, ahead of Rudy Gobert, and Utah's 25-6 record is impressive enough to warrant consideration for a third All-Star.

22.8 PPG (51/41/78), 6.5 APG, 5.2 RPG

No player has enjoyed a quieter All-Star-worthy campaign than Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder were supposed to be on the short list of teams vying for the NBA's worst record, but his performance as a lead scorer and playmaker has lifted them from the basement. OKC has its blue-chip talent from the trades of Westbrook, George and Paul, and now it is on general manager Sam Presti to use all the draft picks from those blockbuster deals to build around him.

Other notable exceptions: De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings; DeMar DeRozan, San Antonio Spurs; Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans; Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies; Christian Wood, Houston Rockets.

Two-time All-Star Khris Middleton is enjoying a career year for the Milwaukee Bucks. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

20.5 PPG (51/43/90), 6.0 RPG, 5.7 APG

After two straight All-Star nods, Middleton continues to quietly carve out quite a legacy. It should not be so quiet, considering he plays alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo on a contender, but such is the life of a silent assassin in Milwaukee. Middleton missed a 50/40/90 season by .003 field-goal percentage points a year ago, and he is .005 shy from the free-throw line this year, while also increasing his workload both as a facilitator and in late-game situations.

19.6 PPG (57/33/85), 9.4 RPG, 5.5 APG

If you needed more evidence of Adebayo's All-Star worthiness after last season's run to the Finals, let his production this season serve as further justification. He is hovering around a 20-10-5 average, something only Hall of Fame big men (and Chris Webber, who should be in Springfield) have accomplished. The Heat have struggled to keep their heads above water in the East, but Adebayo has kept them afloat in the absences of a number of his teammates.

19.3 PPG (44/16/85), 7.8 RPG, 7.6 APG

Butler missed three weeks in the NBA's coronavirus-related health and safety protocol, and his scoring is down from last season (to a concerning level from distance), but he proved his mettle on last year's Finals run. He is among the hardest workers in a league full of them, and his other numbers are a reflection of his impact on the game beyond scoring. There is no doubt he is one of the 24 best players alive, and even in a down year he is worthy of a selection.

21.5 PPG, (53/36/71), 11.6 RPG, 5.7 APG

Another member of the 20-10-5 club. It is a testament to the evolution of the big man position, and Sabonis' game may be the most refined of the bunch perhaps unsurprising, given his Hall of Fame bloodlines. He has been the fulcrum for everything the fourth-place Pacers do, and they have not missed a beat since trading Victor Oladipo. Indiana is Sabonis' team now, and there are worse places to be than building around a 24-year-old two-time All-Star.

26.9 PPG (44/38/89), 9.5 APG, 3.9 RPG

The Hawks remain outside the playoff picture looking in, despite numerous intended upgrades to the roster over the past year, and Young bears some responsibility for that, particularly on defense. He is still one of the most thrilling offensive players in the game (eighth in scoring and third in assists), and the All-Star Game is supposed to be fun.

20.1 PPG (41/38/89), 6.6 APG, 4.4 RPG

The last time the Raptors did not have an All-Star is 2013. Their rough start in Tampa Bay during this pandemic-impacted season certainly threatened that streak, but they have risen to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, and VanVleet has been their most consistent contributor. His numbers, while remarkable, fall short of others on this list, but let us never forget to appreciate that an undrafted guard has put himself in this conversation.

21.9 PPG (49/42/87), 5.4 RPG, 3.7 APG

Hayward's max contract from the Hornets drew plenty of criticism, but it turns out he was the perfect player for their development. He is as malleable a player as there is in this league, and this season has served as a nice reminder that he can still command the game at an All-Star level. Hayward has been both a primary option and a stabilizing safety valve on a roster replete with young, inconsistent talent, and Charlotte is in the playoff discussion as a result.

Other notable exceptions: Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers; Jerami Grant, Detroit Pistons; Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors; Russell Westbrook, Washington Wizards; Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers; Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors.

Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach

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Devin Booker, Khris Middleton and the 10 biggest 2021 NBA All-Star snubs - Yahoo Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans picked up a wild win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

In the process, they lost shooting guard JJ Redick to one of the more bizarre ejections of the NBA season.

In the midst of rallying from a 24-point second-half deficit, Redick picked up a pair of technical fouls that resulted in an early trip to the locker room. The first occurred with 11:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.

With the Pelicans on offense, Redick appeared to believe that he got fouled on a pass and immediately turned around to complain to official Josh Tiven. Whatever Redick said, Tiven didn't appreciate it. He waited for the play to end with a Zion Williamson layup and whistled Redick for a technical foul.

On the next Pelicans possession, Redick drew a foul that was called at the top of the key. At the stoppage in play, he passed the ball to Tiven, who immediately whistled Redick for his second technical foul, which comes with an automatic ejection.

Redick briefly protested before leaving to the locker room.

So what happened there? Audio and video from the game broadcast doesn't indicate that Redick said anything to Tiven before the second technical. On his pass, he put some English on the ball, which bounced at an angle and hit Tiven in his left leg.

Tiven said after the game that the "force" of the pass drew the whistle.

"The second technical was for throwing the ball in the direction of an official with force," Tiven told reporters.

As for the first? Redick used profanity directed at an official in resentment to a no call, per Tiven.

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Sunday wasn't the first time this month he's drawn the ire of an NBA player. Trae Young lit into Tiven after not getting a foul call in a critical late-game situation in a Feb. 10 Atlanta Hawks loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

JJ Redick picked up two quick technical fouls on Sunday. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images/file)

The loss of Redick didn't hurt the Pelicans. It might have even sparked them. New Orleans trailed, 79-55 with 6:27 left in the third quarter, appearing well on their way to a home loss. But from that point, they outscored the Celtics by 24 points in regulation to force overtime, where they secured a 120-115 victory.

New Orleans cut the 24-point deficit in half by the time Redick got ejected and went on to dominate the fourth quarter with a 34-21 advantage on the scoreboard. Redick struggled from the field on Sunday, hitting 1 of 4 field goals while missing all three of his 3-point attempts.

He may have added more value in firing up his teammates than with his play on the court.

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An aerial view of the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche playing the NHL Outdoors game at Lake Tahoe. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The sporting world melted down over stunning scenes at Lake Tahoe on Saturday as the NHL attempted to hold its first-ever game outdoors.

Unfortunately for players and fans, the ice also melted down under the bright sunshine.

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The finish to the NHL Outdoors game between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche was postponed nearly eight hours due to player safety issues.

Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard opened the scoring only three minutes into the contest, but the game had to be halted after the first period.

With the Avalanche ahead 1-0, sunshine melted the ice and caused poor skating conditions and posed too great a risk of injury.

"We concluded after consulting with our ice-makers and both teams that we didn't think it was safe and appropriate to continue playing this game at this time," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.

The second period start was pushed back nearly eight hours to 9pm local time.

Before the postponement, fans flocked to social media in awe of the mind-blowing scenes.

Its even more beautiful in person

Danett Michelini (@DanettM) February 20, 2021

Only place Ive ever been that cant be done justice in any photos. Theres a reason they named the ski resort Heavenly.

Jeff Kents Lonely Unwashed Pickup Truck (@FiddySicks) February 20, 2021

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A special rink was assembled on the 18th hole of a lakeside golf course to create the unique atmosphere, with mountains in the background and boaters watching on the water a short walk away.

However no spectators were allowed on site due to COVID-19.

The matchup was the first of a double-header that concludes on Sunday with the Boston Bruins facing the Philadelphia Flyers, their start being delayed to Sunday night.

"We've done more than 30 outdoor games. This has been the most difficult weather circumstance we've had and it's a beautiful day," said Bettman. "We knew unabated sunshine was a problem."

Bettman said players were divided over returning to play as planned or waiting.

The Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche in action during the NHL Outdoors game. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

"You've got to do the prudent thing," he said. "We're all disappointed. You can't have success if you don't risk failure."

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, a Swedish left winger, said Colorado was ready to keep going but it was probably wiser to wait and resume under the lights.

"That first period was the way it was but some places were slushy," he said. "We were ready to go out. We wanted to go out, but it's probably for the best.

"We'll take it in stride and try to pick up where we left off. It'll be one to remember for sure."

Colorado played in "throwback" uniforms featuring the logo of the Quebec Nordiques, the identity of the club before it moved from Canada to Denver in 1995.

Two outdoor games originally planned for 2021 were scrapped because of the pandemic.

St Louis was to have played Minnesota at Target Field baseball park in Minneapolis on January 1 and the Carolina Hurricanes were to have hosted a game at a college football stadium on Saturday.

with AFP

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Facebook executives Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images; The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images

A judge unredacted parts of a Facebook lawsuit that claims executives knew an ad metric was inflated.

Executives ignored employees' request to fix it to avoid a "significant" sales hit, the suit claims.

Potential reach, the metric under question, shows advertisers a possible audience size.

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Facebook executives knew for years its "potential reach" advertising metric was inflated and overruled an employee warning to adjust it to avoid a revenue hit, plaintiffs of a lawsuit against the social media giant argued in an unredacted court filing.

On Wednesday, a judge from the US District Court in northern California revealed sections of a court document previously blacked out as part of a class-action lawsuit on behalf of DZ Reserve and other participating plaintiffs that was brought against Facebook in 2018. The lawsuit claims the social media giant inflated its potential reach metric to dupe advertisers.

The newly revealed sections claimed Facebook's chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, acknowledged problems with the potential reach metric in a 2017 internal email. Advertisers "frequently rely on" the metric -- which shows the reachable number of people -- when making purchasing decisions, the lawsuit claims. But employees said the metric in reality measures the number of accounts, which includes duplicate or fake ones, causing it to be misleading.

A product manager proposed amending the metric by reflecting the number of potentially reachable accounts, not people, but Facebook's leadership team rejected the idea because it would cause a "significant" revenue impact, the filing states. The lawsuit claims Facebook discovered removing duplicate or fake accounts from the total number would cause a 10% drop in potential reach numbers.

The employee who proposed the fix said: "It's revenue we should have never made given the fact it's based on wrong data," according to the filing. Other Facebook employees also said the number was misleading.

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"These documents are being cherry-picked to fit the plaintiff's narrative," Facebook spokesperson Joe Osborne said in an emailed statement to Insider. "'Potential reach' is a helpful campaign planning tool that advertisers are never billed on. It's an estimate, and we make clear how it's calculated in our ads interface and Help Center."

Two years ago, the company adjusted the potential reach metric, the FT reported. Instead of it calculating the number of active users shown an ad in the prior 30 days, Facebook determined the metric by calculating the number of users matching advertiser criteria in that time frame, the report said. The fake and duplicate accounts remained in the overall number, however, the plaintiff claimed.

The company has previously said advertisers pay for actual ad impressions and clicks, not for the potential reach metric, the Financial Times reported. The social media giant has been under fire for its metrics before. In 2019, Facebook settled a lawsuit after disclosing it had inflated viewing time for video ads because of an error in calculating metrics, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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UCLA gymnast Margzetta Frazier got a big surprise ahead of a meet against Utah over the weekend.

The Bruins junior who turned heads and garnered social media buzz for a floor routine set to Janet Jackson's music got a FaceTime call from the pop star that moved her to tears.

Jackson reached out to Frazier to praise her for the routine that incorporates Jackson's dance moves in addition to her music. She posted video of the call on Instagram.

A friend sent me this video, and it was a video of you and the routine you did, Jackson told Frazier. When I watched it, I began to cry. I was so thankful to God for all that He has allowed me to do and given me, and just to see the work that Ive done the young generation still having fun with it the way that I did and still do 35 years later. ...

I think it's really important to say thank you ... because you inspire me. You really inspire me. Thank you so much for that inspiration. I think you are incredible.

Margzetta Frazier during an NCAA college gymnastics match, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ben Liebenberg)

Frazier responded through tears of her own while thanking Jackson for inspiring her. Jackson then told her that she nailed the choreography.

"The routine you did was excellent," Jackson continued. "And to learn those steps? You did them perfectly. Normally, someone gets a step here or there incorrect. You did it perfectly."

Jackson also asked Frazier for tumbling lessons before making plans to meet in person. It was a touching moment between a 54-year-old artist and a 20-year-old college athlete who's moved by her music.

Jackson's FaceTime call wasn't the first time she praised Frazier. Earlier this month, she retweeted video of Frazier's routine that starts to Jackson's 1986 hit "Nasty." "#iLuvIT" Jackson wrote.

Frazier later told "Access Hollywood" that she expected a call from somebody on Jackson's team, but didn't know she would hear from Jackson directly.

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"It's this woman wearing a scarf, and dark shades and a mask," Frazier said. "And I'm like oh, I know who this is."

She said she wasn't sure that it was Jackson until she heard her voice.

"When do you ever get a FaceTime call from your hero?"

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