Get prepared. Study enough to be dangerous. Walk into any room or interview ready. Discipline. Curiosity. Work ethic. Communication. The ability to defend your ideas. These are skills you must develop and knowledge you must acquire.

My Final Take on the New York Knicks This Season I woke up to 31 messages, 1,800 comments on social media, and 8 missed face time calls. Final Take In today's game, you can be a bad team and somehow still win an NBA Championship. That's a major alarm for the sport of basketball. Apparently, you don't need a true 1A superstar anymore, and you can still win a title. I'm confident the Spurs will be back in the NBA Finals within the next five years. However, I don't believe Knicks fans can say the same. Jalen Brunson, New York's new favorite guy or, as I would call him, New York's glorified bench player. His numbers have been largely inflated over the last four seasons as a Knick. Why? Well, when you're the only guy on your team and a bad team at that. A team where everyone else is a scrub, somebody has to score. In Dallas, Brunson didn't start majority of the games. He was a bench player, averaging fewer than 12 points per game across his four seasons there. He's no Jordan, Curry, Kobe, LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, or Shaq. (all 1A guys and massive superstars) He's Jalen Brunson, a man of very few words. When you ask him in interviews how his team manages to win, he often shrugs his shoulders, stares back in confusion, and says, "I can't tell you," or "I don't know." He's often just as surprised as the opposing team. However, he does know how to push off with his off-hand to create space for a shot, something that is clearly an offensive foul but somehow never gets called. He also knows how to get to the free throw line by lobbying the refs for calls every two minutes. A significant portion of his points comes from free throws. Shai is widely known on social media as the free throw merchant and flopper of the NBA. Brunson isn't quite at that level, but he's comfortably in second place. Even though they lost, I still believe the Spurs were the better team. The Spurs were winning roughly 72% of this series. They simply made too many mistakes and repeatedly gave the Knicks opportunities to capitalize in the final mins. Think about Wembanyama's late pass to Stephon Castle in Game 2. Spurs win if that doesn't happen. Think about blowing a 30 point lead in Game 4. Spurs win, if they could hold on to it. Think about Game 5, where the Spurs controlled the game for most of the night, only to collapse in the final four minutes. Those self-inflicted mistakes happened throughout the entire series. In my view, the Spurs beat themselves and handed this championship to the Knicks. The Spurs dominated the first quarter of nearly every game and played lockdown defense that often left the Knicks looking rattled, confused, and out of answers. Many people say I don't like New York, the place where I was born and raised. I love New York, especially the borough of Manhattan. This is not about the city of New York. It's this Knick team and players that I can't get behind. OG, the Knicks best player, certainly deserves some credit. He did his thing. Even though he fouled De'Aaron Fox in Game 4 with 13 seconds remaining and then did an obvious travel violation in Game 5 when he picked up the basketball, touched it with both hands, and continued dribbling before finishing the layup. Of course, it wasn't called. There's Josh Hart, whose overly aggressive style gets disguised as "playing with heart," when in reality he's often a hack. Then, when the refs finally call something on him, he acts completely shocked and dumbfounded. Mikal Bridges is a constant hot and cold shooter, disappearing for stretches and then suddenly making a surprise bucket. He's often a cold shooter. Karl-Anthony Towns makes questionable plays, commits unnecessary fouls, and struggles with consistency. The KAT we saw in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals is the version Knicks fans want all the time. The KAT we saw in Games 3, 4, and 5 is the real KAT. And then there's the Knicks bench. Who are those guys? The Eastern Conference had a few obstacles this year. Hopefully, it comes back stronger and real contenders can keep the Knicks where they belong out of the Finals. I look forward to Tyrese Haliburton returning healthy after his injury to Indiana, the Boston Celtics getting healthy again, Jayson Tatum making a full recovery, and the Detroit Pistons continuing the momentum they built this season by dominating in the east. If a team is going to win a championship in the future, then for the love of the game, let it actually be a good to great team raising the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The more we allow basic to bad teams to win championships, the more watered down the honor and accomplishment of holding that trophy becomes. Terrence T. Edwards TerrenceEdwardsInMedia@gmail.com

Game 4 between the Spurs and Knicks was rigged. I feel it in my soul. There’s just no way a team is coming back on the number 2 seed in the west like that. #NBAFinals

The Spurs thought the game was over. It’s hard to watch the better team (Spurs) go up by 30 and then hand the game away to these bums (Knicks). The Spurs are just giving their championship trophy to the Knicks by making countless mistakes. Insane to watch.

The Knicks got lucky in Games 1 and 2. Through the first quarter of all three games, the Spurs have dominated them. We had the lead until the final two minutes of the fourth quarter in every game. Brunson is too small. He shot 19-for-56 in Games 1 and 2. Josh Hart is a disaster. He looks surprised every time he scores. KAT wants to be a Kardashian. Nobody even knows Mikal Bridges. The only good player on the Knicks is OG Anunoby. I expect the Spurs to even the series in the next game. Then it’ll be 0-0, and the real series begins. Spurs in 6 or 7

A little history for you guys The 2006 NBA Finals Miami Heat down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks. Result: Heat won 4 straight and became champions. The 2016 NBA Finals Cleveland Cavaliers down 0-2 to the Golden State Warriors. Result: Cavaliers won the championship. They were also down 3-1 in that series. The 2021 NBA Finals Milwaukee Bucks down 0-2 to the Phoenix Suns. Result: Bucks won 4 straight and became champions.

I still have the Spurs winning the NBA Finals. Here’s why: The Spurs are the better team. Right now, they’re beating themselves and playing down to the Knicks talent level. The Knicks aren’t doing anything special. They’re sloppy, inconsistent, they’re not a polished team and they make a lot of mistakes. In both games, the Spurs dominated the opening quarter, built control of the game, and then just relaxed because they don’t look at the Knicks as a threat. Can’t do that! Still have to pile it on them. Knicks are up 2-0! I get it! But how about this. In 2006, a team went down 0-2 and came back to win the series/championship 4-2. In 2021, the Suns went up 2-0 in the Finals, and then Giannis and the Bucks won 4 straight wins to take the championship. Spurs in 6 or 7. But the Spurs will win the Championship.

I’ve never seen a player like Wemby before. Great game! #Spurs / #Thunder

Here’s my NBA prediction for the rest of the way (assuming all star players stay healthy): The championship is coming out of the West. Neither team in the East is beating either Western team in a 7-game series. I’ve got the Spurs winning the NBA Finals. Here’s why… Cavs vs. Knicks: Knicks in 6 The Knicks’ guards outside of Brunson are inconsistent and unreliable. KAT is soft. Cleveland’s bigs will be a real problem for New York in the paint all series. The Cavs can absolutely win this matchup. But I still think the Knicks find a way to pull it out. It’ll be a fight that comes down to the wire. For Donovan M, the ECF stage is too bright for him. He won’t get it done. Thunder vs. Spurs: Spurs in 6 Another strong matchup, physical, intense, high-level basketball. But I trust the Spurs to get it done and end this OKC run. Finals: Spurs vs. Knicks : Spurs in 5 Wemby isn’t getting that close to a chip and losing, especially after going through the Thunder.

Here’s why comedy roasts are great: they’re raw, direct, and honest. They give people a space to say things that might normally come across as offensive or too personal, without everyone taking it seriously or getting upset. In return, the other person fires back, and it keeps the tone balanced. It’s a skill/art form. We’re starting to see a trend in society: people don’t like uncomfortable truths anymore. We’ve become too accustomed to being fake in public while saying how we really feel behind closed doors. Many people are afraid to speak honestly in public because they fear the backlash or how others might respond. That’s one reason many people dislike Trump, his bluntness and willingness to say things that are “hard to hear.” The world needs more roasts. The world needs more directness. The world needs to toughen up and stop babying everyone.

I think we’re seeing the final games of Devin Booker in a Phoenix Suns jersey. It’s time for them to pull the plug on this guy! He’s not the answer to getting the franchise a ring. cc: @Suns @DevinBook

I know from experience. It’s easy to become complacent and stagnant over time. Sometimes, when you don’t have the courage or direction to leave 1- a bad friendship 2-quit a job that’s a toxic, energy draining environment 3-leave a city that keeps you stuck in the same routine with no progress 4-walk away from a relationship that isn’t growing Life/God will eventually reposition you and pull the ground right from under your feet. It could be a good thing or bad thing. If you don’t make decisions for your life, life will make them for you, and you might not like it.

Congratulations to my brother, Donnell Edwards! Today is his birthday, and he also welcomed his new baby girl into the world. My niece, Amani K. Edwards, was born at the 4 o’clock hour: 8 pounds, 10 ounces. I just FaceTimed him, and the baby was asleep, sucking her thumb. Haha! What an incredible birthday gift for him.

Many will call me a hater. That’s okay. A friend called and asked how I felt about Michael B. Jordan winning an Oscar. I said, “They had to give it to someone. Especially after what happened at BAFTA. I would’ve chosen Leonardo, hands down.” I don’t think Michael B. Jordan is a great actor. He’s a marketable actor. Curated, because fans became infatuated with his image rather than his talent. I can’t think of one movie where Michael B. Jordan was truly believable or fully became the character. He’s always just been Michael B., playing himself in every film. Think about the range and depth of the greats: Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Cuba Gooding Jr., Will Smith, Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Terrence Howard and new comers like Jonathan Majors. They’re on a completely different level. Nothing was handed to them; they earned every role and the accolades that came with their talent and range.

Rate Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show from 0–10. And explain why you gave it that number. All opinions are welcomed. (Super Bowl LX) #badbunnysuperbowl

Is it just me, or does In-N-Out have the slowest drive-thru in fast food history in the U.S.? @innoutburger #FastFood You can easily find yourself sitting in that line for 45 mins. Chick-fil-A probably has the same volume of customers,yet you’re literally in and out. Thoughts?

Question about #Powerball . Is Powerball and Mega Millions a scam?

Will Byers with superpowers in Season 5. He can control the Demogorgons and fully command them. He didn’t know how to use his powers in Seasons 1 and 2, but we definitely saw flashes of it back then. Nice twists in the new #StrangerThings . Finally all caught up.