Gervonta “Tank” Davis had two words for his opponent “King” Ryan Garcia. 

“Get ready,” he said calmly during the “Davis vs. Garcia” episode of Showtime’s “All Access.”.  

Davis, widely recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, and the imposing Garcia are set to knuckle up this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a lightweight bout contested at a catch weight of 136 pounds. Davis and Garcia are elite fighters in their primes and are providing a compelling match up craved by boxing fans as star welterweights Terence Crawford and Errol Spence continue to stall in solidifying what would be the most highly anticipated fight in several years. 

Davis, 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, is 28-0, (26 KOs) and the WBA “Regular” lightweight champion. Garcia, 24, of Los Alamitos, California, is 23-0 (19 KOs). 

“He’s gonna be surprised though, for sure,” said the five-foot-five-and-a-half-inch Davis in an interview with Fight Hub via Boxing Social, about the much taller five-foot-10 Garcia.

“His reach is not that much longer than mine, so he needs to shut the hell up. Looking back on it, he looks good against people that he’s supposed to look good against. I’ve never seen somebody that he fought or somebody that he sparred that’s come out and said he’s, like, top level.” 

Davis recently saw action in the squared circle in January. He stopped Hector Luis Garcia in the eighth round in Washington, D.C. Ryan defeated Luke Campbell to win the WBC lightweight interim title in January 2021. He skipped a tune-up with Mercito Gesta this past January to focus solely on Davis. Ryan’s last fight was a knockout against Javier Fortuna last July.  

“I’m here to win, and I promise you that I have heart and determination like you’ve never seen before,” Garcia said at a press conference in Los Angeles. “Tank likes to fight guys that don’t hit hard, but I hit hard. When I hit you with that left hook, you’re gonna be on the floor. Asleep. Good night.” 

Garcia will be working under the watchful eye of trainer Joe Goossen for the contest with Davis. As for Davis, he will have other issues to tend to after the fight with Garcia. In February, Davis pled guilty to four traffic violations involving a hit-and-run incident in November of 2020: leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury, failing to notify of property damage, driving with a revoked license, and running a red light. 

Davis is believed to have left the scene of an accident involving several people, including a pregnant woman. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5 and is facing up to seven years in prison. 

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After taking a 1-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road in their best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference playoff series, with a hard-fought 101-97 victory at the Rocket Mortgage Field House in Game 1 on Saturday, the Knicks were beaten decisively in Game 2 on Tuesday night by 107-90 and now return home to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 tomorrow night.(8:30 p.m.). Game 4 is onSunday afternoon (1 p.m.) at MSG. 

The Knicks began Game 2 by taking an early 13-6 lead and were up 22-21 with .48.1 seconds remaining in the first quarter, but that would be the last time they had an advantage on the scoreboard. Playing with expected urgency to avoid having to go to New York down 2-0 and face the monumental challenge of needing to win four of the next five games to reach the conference semifinals, the Cavaliers, who were the league’s top-rated defensive team during the regular season, suffocated the Knicks. 

The Cavaliers adroitly disrupted the Knicks’ offense by blitzing point guard Jalen Brunson, who was exceptional in Game 1, with two defenders and pressuring him full court, and prevented the Knicks from effectively executing their sets. They harassed the Knicks into missing 50 of their 79 shot attempts (36.7 percent), including 7-29 from behind the 3-point line (24.1 percent). Moreover, after the Knicks manhandled the Cavs on the glass on Saturday, out-rebounding them 51-38, Cleveland course-corrected and held a 43-36 margin in Game 2.

The Cavaliers also scored 26 points off 16 Knicks turnovers in Game 1 and had 32 on Tuesday as both teams had 18 miscues. 

“I thought the biggest thing was the ball pressure,” said Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. “[Offensively], Garland got loose on us. Had a big first half. Mitchell made a number of good plays. When you look at it, we turned the ball over, so that was a big problem…The rebounding was a problem.”

Cavaliers point-guard Darius Garland dropped 26 of his game-high 32 points in the first half. His backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell, who scorched the Knicks for a game-high 38 points on Saturday, became a willing facilitator with a career-high 13 assists in Game 2, and reserve guard Caris LeVert contributed 24. 

“It’s the makeup of this group, again—being who we are and where we came from,” said Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff of his squad’s resilience in evening the series. “You don’t get to 51 wins if you can’t handle some adversity and bounce back. This league is too good.”

Nevertheless, the Knicks took away home court advantage from the Cavs going into Game 3 with a spirited win in Game 1, in which All-Star forward Julius Randle scored an encouraging 19 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes in his first game since suffering a sprained ankle on March 29. 

Forward Josh Hart provided the Knicks with invaluable intangibles off the bench, getting to 50-50 balls, menacing the Cavs out of their offensive rhythm, and putting up a game-changing 17 points, 10 boards, and a crucial 3-pointer with 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Knicks a 95-93 lead.

Yet it was Brunson who was central to the Knicks’ victory. He overcame first-half foul trouble, playing just 9 minutes, and scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half. Cleveland had no solution to stop him, even when using multiple defenders who were all abused by the crafty shot creator, who netted a career-best 48 point against the Cavs on March 31. 

Conversely, their adjustments in Game 2 stymied Brunson. He finished with 20 laborious points and shot an uncharacteristic 5-17.  

“First and foremost, they played really well,” Brunson said of Cleveland. “We gotta come back Friday, stick together the next couple of days, and play well.”

The Knicks hope to get showings from RJ Barrett, who is struggling with his shot going 6-25, including 1-8 on 3-point attempts.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy have announced plans to create a “interstate task force” that would strengthen labor law enforcement in both states.

As the governors toured the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades’ Finishing Trades Institute in Philadelphia on April 13, they announced plans for the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) and Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (PA L&I) to “root out illegal practices and hold bad actors accountable” by strengthening workplace standards in both states.

The governors said that wage theft (when workers are paid less than minimum wage, not paid overtime, or not allowed to take meal and rest breaks) and worker misclassification (when workers are incorrectly classified as independent contractors and denied employee benefits and protections) can be a problem that traverses state lines. Employers who use wage theft and/or worker misclassification will often continue the same illegal practices in adjoining states.

RELATED: Push in states for $20 minimum wage as inflation persists

“As neighboring states with a shared border and broad economic ties, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have a common interest in ensuring that workers enjoy the full protection of the rights and privileges to which they are entitled,” the two governors wrote in a joint letter. “Indeed, many employers operate in both states and, when they misclassify an employee or withhold earned wages, both states and the employees are harmed. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we are committed to upholding the simple yet critical principles that one should be paid in full for their work and have unobstructed access to their rights.”

The proposed Pennsylvania-New Jersey task force is set to begin with both states, but the governors said they are interested in expanding the task forces’ labor enforcement efforts so they can also work with other states in the Northeast. 

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* This article was originally published here

Out of sight, out of mind. This is seemingly the story of Kawhi Leonard over the past three seasons. He was out 30 games in the 2020-2021 season; was sidelined for the entire 2021-2022 campaign recovering from a torn ACL, sustained in the 2021 playoffs versus the Utah Jazz; and played in only 52 of the Clippers 82 regular season games in the current season.

So naturally, his standing among the game’s best players, if only in perception, diminished. No longer was the two-time NBA Finals MVP with the San Antonio Spurs (2014) and Toronto Raptors (2019) mentioned with the same reverence as the game’s unequivocal superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid et al despite being All NBA five times, including First Team in 2021.

This postseason, the 31-year-old Leonard is reminding the basketball world he is as good as any player on the planet when he’s healthy and engaged. His 38 points in Game 1 of the No. 5 seed Clippers’ 115-110 opening round win in their best-of-seven series versus the No. 4 seed Phoenix Suns on the road on Sunday underscored the bona fides Leonard maintains.

Leading up to the playoffs, he was named the league’s Western Conference Player of Week for games played from Monday, April 3, through Sunday, April 9, making it the eighth time in his career he has won the award. During that stretch, he averaged 25.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. The Clippers lost to the Suns in Game 2 on Tuesday night by 123-109, but Leonard had another strong game with 31 points on 11-20 shooting and eight rebounds.

Leonard is doing his work without eight-time All-Star Paul George, who has been sidelined since March 21 with a sprained right knee and is unlikely to return for the Clippers current series. If they advance to the conference semifinals, George is expected to return.
The health of Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is dubious. He has a soft tissue bruise in his right hand that occurred in Game 1 of the No. 2 Grizzlies’ home game against the West’s No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the 6-2 Morant elevated at the rim to dunk over the Lakers’ 6-10 forward Anthony Davis and fell awkwardly. He did not return and the Grizzlies went on to lose by 128-112. His status for Game 2 last night (Wednesday), as of late yesterday afternoon, was uncertain. Games 3 and 4 will be in L.A. this Saturday and Monday.

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* This article was originally published here

The Bergen County Department of Human Services, Division of Senior Services, has organized a countywide Senior Nutrition Program for each of the county’s 23 Senior Activity Centers/Nutrition Sites. The event, which takes place Tuesday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature a special luncheon, fun activities, and an overview of what Senior Activity Centers offer.

Transportation to any of the locations is available by calling the Bergen County Division of Community Transportation at 201-368-5955 in advance.

Seating is limited and reservations are required by May 9 for the special luncheon. Call the location of choice for details and reservations. The list of open house locations includes:

Bergenfield Senior Activity Ctr., 293 Murray Hill Terrace: 201-387-7212; Cliffside Park Senior Activity Ctr., 500 Gorge Road: 201-943-3768; East Rutherford–Southwest Senior Activity Ctr., 147 Hackensack Street: 201-935-8920; Elmwood Park Senior Activity Ctr., 500 Mola Boulevard: 201-796-3342; Englewood–Bergen Family Ctr. Adult Day Program, 44 Armory St.: 201-568-0817; Fair Lawn Senior Ctr., 11-05 Gardiner Road: 201-796-1191; Fort Lee–Richard & Catherine Nest Adult Activity Ctr., 319 Main St.: 201-592-3754; Garfield Senior Activity Ctr, 480 Midland Ave.: 973-478-0502; Garfield–Golden Towers Senior Ctr., 225 Midland Ave.: 201-522-4280; Garfield–Belmont Gardens Senior Ctr., 377 Midland Ave.: 201-522-4280; Hackensack–Americas Unidas Multicultural Senior Ctr., 101 Hudson St.: 201-336-3320; Hackensack–Martin Luther King Jr. Senior Ctr., 375 First St.: 201-342-2654; Lyndhurst Nutrition Program, 281 Stuyvesant Ave.: 201-896-1629; Midland Park – Northwest Senior Activity Ctr., 46-50 Center St.: 201-445-5690; N. Arlington Senior Activity Ctr., 11 York Road: 201-998-5636; Palisades Park Senior Activity Ctr., 300 Highland Ave.: 201-944-5616; Ridgefield Park Senior Activity Ctr., 159 Park St.: 201-641-1220; River Edge (Kosher)–JCC of Northern NJ, 385 Howland Ave.: 201-666-6610 x. 2; Rutherford–55 Kip Senior Ctr., 55 Kip Ave.: 201-460-1600; Teaneck–Asian Women’s Christian Association (AWCA), 9 Genesee Ave.: 201-862-1665; Tenafly (Kosher)–JCC on the Palisades, 411 E. Clinton Ave.: 201-569-7900; Tenafly–Korean Community Ctr., 100 Grove St.: 201-541-1200; Wallington Senior Activity Ctr., 24 Union Blvd.: 973-777-5815.

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* This article was originally published here