Generally speaking, if you are looking for a basic statistic that groups the good NBA teams and the bad teams together, it’s assist-to-turnover ratio. ADVERTISEMENT You certainly want as many assists as possible — that’s a sign of good offense. And you would like to limit giveaways that decrease your number of looks at the bucket while often feeding your opponent Grade A opportunities. The ratio balances out the equation for teams that may turn the ball over more than others simply because it moves the ball at such a high rate. The bad teams are the ones that turn the ball over often without the added benefit of creating easy shots when they do take care of the ball. That, currently, is the group that includes the Timberwolves. ADVERTISEMENT The Wolves have just 1.52 assists for every turnover, the sixth-worst mark in the NBA entering Saturday’s games. Of the nine NBA teams below 1.6, only the Wolves (8-7) and Clippers (10-7) have winning records, and the Clippers have been dominant defensively. Also in the bottom nine are the two-win Wizards, the three-win 76ers and Jazz and the four-win Pelicans. Since the 2020-21 season, nine teams have finished the season with an assist-to-turnover number below 1.6. Only one of those teams won more than 27 games — the 2022-23 Magic, who went 34-48. While the Wolves are still above .500 going into their game against the defending champion Celtics on Sunday in Boston, that’s with what has been the NBA’s fourth-easiest schedule to date, per ESPN. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has cited the turnover issues in recent weeks when discussing his team’s struggles, though he’s noted the giveaway totals have dipped in recent games, Thursday’s loss to Toronto not withstanding. But Minnesota hasn’t committed fewer than 11 turnovers in a single game this season. Meanwhile, the Wolves have tallied fewer than 25 assists in more than half of their games. ADVERTISEMENT It all speaks to a disjointed offense. Finch has at times attributed that to missed shots that were good looks. But the Wolves are tied with Charlotte for the fifth-fewest potential assists this season, at 43.7 per game. The stats say Minnesota’s shot making is what has saved the Wolves’ offense this season. The Wolves have the NBA’s 10th-best offensive rating, averaging 1.14 points per possession. That’s with having the League’s fourth-best effective field goal percentage (56.3). The three teams above it in that category all average 1.2-plus points per possession. Those same squads also average more than 2.1 assists per turnover. It all fits the eye test for the Timberwolves. They have an offense that’s run on shot making off isolation basketball. So much of it is without the rhythm and movement Finch aspires for his teams to achieve. And, given that this Wolves unit doesn’t seem to be nearly as dominant defensively as it was one short season ago, until Minnesota can look more like a fluid offense, it will continue to look like a .500 team, or if not worse. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
Swanson: UCLA coaching carousel – Bieniemy out, Sunseri in? – is worth a spin
Drone mystery deepens with Chinese man's troubling Google history after his arrest for 'flying over US base' READ MORE: Experts reveal what mystery drones over New Jersey REALLY are By ELLYN LAPOINTE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 17:08 EST, 12 December 2024 | Updated: 17:14 EST, 12 December 2024 e-mail 12 shares 46 View comments A Chinese man has been arrested for allegedly flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base, as the FBI investigates mysterious drones in New Jersey . Yinpiao Zhou, 39, a Chinese National now living in Brentwood, California , was charged with failure to register an aircraft not providing transportation and violation of national defense airspace. Zhou was arrested Monday at San Francisco International Airport prior to boarding a China-bound flight and made his initial appearance Tuesday in United States District Court in San Francisco. He is in federal custody pending prosecutors' appeal of a federal magistrate judge's decision to release him. No plea was taken and his arraignment is expected to be scheduled in US District Court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. 'This defendant allegedly flew a drone over a military base and took photos of the base's layout, which is against the law,' said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. 'The security of our nation is of paramount importance and my office will continue to promote the safety of our nation's military personnel and facilities.' Zhou's arrest comes amid unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey that have alarmed residents as well as federal and local officials . The FBI is investigating, but during a Wednesday briefing, a representative from the Department of Homeland Security said: 'We have no more information as to where these drones are coming from, where they're launching from, where they're landing.' A California man has been arrested for allegedly flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base, which the US government uses to launch spacecraft and perform missile testing Yinpiao Zhou, 39, of Brentwood, allegedly flew a small drone over the base on November 30, using it to photograph the base from an aerial viewpoint (STOCK) At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that Zhou is connected to the drone activity in New Jersey. But his arrest adds to growing concerns over the ability of foreign entities to infiltrate US airspace and conduct surveillance. The drone sightings first began in mid-November and have continued almost every night since, New Jersey residents have reported. Eyewitnesses have seen unexplained 'car-sized' drones over the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and the Picatinny Arsenal Military Base in Rockaway, among other locations The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was first alerted to the strange activity in Morris County, where the military base is located, on November 18, but sightings also surfaced in nearby Menham, Chester and Morristown. These are not 'hobbyist' drones. They appear to be large, commercial-grade devices, according to officials. Eyewitness reports, social media videos and officials confirm the drones are up to six feet in diameter and often avoid detection. The drone Zhou flew over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, however, was much smaller - small enough to fit inside his jacket. According to an affidavit filed on December 8 with the complaint, the base's drone detection systems were alerted to a drone flying overhead on November 30. The drone flew for nearly one hour, traveled to an altitude of almost one mile above ground level, and originated from Ocean Park - a public area next to the base. Zhou's arrest comes amid unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey that have alarmed residents as well as federal and local officials The drone sightings first began in mid-November and have continued almost every night since, New Jersey residents have reported Base security personnel went to the park, spoke to Zhou and another person accompanying him, and learned that Zhou had a drone concealed in his jacket – the same one that flew over the base. Agents later searched Zhou's drone pursuant to a federal search warrant and saw several photographs of Vandenberg Space Force Base taken from an aerial viewpoint. A search of Zhou's cellphone showed Zhou conducted a Google search approximately one month earlier for the phrase 'Vandenberg Space Force Base Drone Rules.' He also messaged with another person about hacking his drone to allow it to fly higher than it could otherwise. Zhou is a Chinese citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States, most recently returning to the US from China in February 2024. These are not 'hobbyist' drones. They appear to be large, commercial-grade devices that are up to six feet in diameter and often avoid detection The person accompanying Zhou at Ocean Park most recently entered the United States from China on November 26. The Vandenberg Space Force Base is used to launch spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. Read More Mysterious drones are 'changing time' on clocks in New Jersey as locals fear they're being targeted by UFOs In addition to its military space launch mission, the base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX. Government officials have suggested that the New Jersey drones are coming from an Iranian 'mothership' off the East Coast. Republican Rep Jeff Van Drew said Wednesday that Iran launched the vessel 'probably about a month ago' after making a deal with China 'to purchase drones, a mothership and other technologies.' 'These drones should be shot down,' he told FOX News, adding that 'the military is on full alert with this.' However, the Pentagon stated there is no evidence the drones are the work of an adversary and denied there's an Iranian 'mothership' lurking off the coast. Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Sing said in a briefing: 'At this time we have no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary.' California China FBI New Jersey Share or comment on this article: Drone mystery deepens with Chinese man's troubling Google history after his arrest for 'flying over US base' e-mail 12 shares Add commentHilton Grand Vacations ( NYSE:HGV – Get Free Report ) and Wynn Macau ( OTCMKTS:WYNMY – Get Free Report ) are both mid-cap consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, valuation and institutional ownership. Insider & Institutional Ownership 97.2% of Hilton Grand Vacations shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.3% of Hilton Grand Vacations shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Hilton Grand Vacations and Wynn Macau, as reported by MarketBeat. Risk and Volatility Hilton Grand Vacations has a beta of 1.82, meaning that its stock price is 82% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Wynn Macau has a beta of 0.6, meaning that its stock price is 40% less volatile than the S&P 500. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Hilton Grand Vacations and Wynn Macau”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Hilton Grand Vacations has higher revenue and earnings than Wynn Macau. Profitability This table compares Hilton Grand Vacations and Wynn Macau’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Summary Hilton Grand Vacations beats Wynn Macau on 11 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About Hilton Grand Vacations ( Get Free Report ) Hilton Grand Vacations Inc., a timeshare company, develops, markets, sells, manages, and operates the resorts, plans and ancillary reservation services under the Hilton Grand Vacations brand. It operates through Real Estate Sales and Financing, and Resort Operations and Club Management segments. Real Estate Sales and Financing segment market and sells the VOIs, and source VOIs through fee-for-service agreements with third-party developers; and provides consumer financing and services loans. Resort Operations and Club Management segment manages and operates the clubs which offers exchange, leisure travel, and reservation services, as well as engages in the rental of inventory made available due to ownership exchanges through its club programs, and provides ancillary services including food and beverage, retail and spa at timeshare properties. Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. About Wynn Macau ( Get Free Report ) Wynn Macau, Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the development, ownership, and operation of integrated destination casino resorts in Macau. The company's Wynn Palace resort features approximately 468,000 square feet of casino space providing 24-hour gaming and various games comprising private gaming salons and sky casinos; a luxury hotel with guest rooms, suites, and villas; and food and beverage outlets. Its Wynn Palace resort also consists of approximately 107,000 square feet of retail shopping; 37,000 square feet of meeting and convention space; recreation and leisure facilities consisting of a cable car ride, health club, spa, salon, and pool; and public entertainment attractions, including a lake, animated floral art displays, and fine art displays. In addition, the company's Wynn Macau resort features approximately 294,000 square feet of casino space offering 24-hour gaming and various games, including private gaming salons, sky casinos, and a poker pit; hotel towers with rooms and suites; food and beverage outlets; and recreation and leisure facilities, such as health clubs and spas, a salon, and a pool. Further, its Wynn Macau resort includes approximately 64,300 square feet of brand-name retail shopping and 31,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Macau. Wynn Macau, Limited operates as a subsidiary of WM Cayman Holdings Limited I. Receive News & Ratings for Hilton Grand Vacations Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hilton Grand Vacations and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .LLMs Raise Efficiency, Productivity of Cybersecurity Teams
Enzo Maresca picks out three Chelsea youngsters for praise after 3-1 win over Astana as the Blues boss hails his young side for their performanceNone
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale costs in the United States picked up sharply last month, signaling that price pressures are still evident in the economy even though inflation has tumbled from the peak levels it hit more than two years ago. The producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 0.4% last month from October, up from 0.3% the month before. Measured from 12 months earlier, wholesale prices climbed 3% in November, the sharpest year-over-year rise since February 2023. Higher food prices helped fuel the November wholesale inflation reading, which was higher than economists had expected. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. From a 10-year-old to a Muppet to a president-elect, NYSE bell-ringers range from famous to obscure The first guest invited to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The even list includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. Trump is named Time's Person of the Year and rings the New York Stock Exchange's opening bell NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange after being recognized by Time magazine as its person of the year. The honors Thursday for the businessman-turned-politician are a measure of Trump’s remarkable comeback from an ostracized former president who refused to accept his election loss four years ago to a president-elect who won the White House decisively in November. At the stock exchange, Trump was accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump grinned as people chanted “USA” before he opened the trading day and raised his fist. Ontario to restrict electricity exports to US and bar American-made alcohol if Trump tariffs applied TORONTO (AP) — A senior official in Canada’s most populous province says that Ontario could bar American-made alcohol and restrict electricity to three U.S. states if President-elect Donald Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products. The states are Michigan, New York and Minnesota. An official in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government said Thursday that it's contemplating restricting Ontario's liquor control board from buying American-made alcohol. Ontario is also considering restricting exports of Canadian critical minerals required for electric vehicle batteries. Stock market today: Wall Street’s rally stalls as Nasdaq pulls back from its record NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell following some potentially discouraging data on the economy. The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% Thursday for its fourth loss in the last six days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. Reports in the morning showed more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits than expected, while inflation was hotter at the wholesale level than economists expected. Adobe helped drag the stock market lower after giving forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. ECB cuts rates a quarter point amid concerns of tepid growth, impact of Trump trade policies FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank is cutting interest rates by a quarter percentage point amid signs of weakening growth and concern about the impact of political chaos in France and the possibility of new U.S. import tariffs. The bank’s rate-setting committee made the decision Thursday at its skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt to lower the benchmark rate from 3.25% to 3%. Lower rates should support growth amid signs that the post-pandemic recovery is slowing in the 20 countries that use the euro currency and concerns that U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump might impose new tariffs, or import taxes, on goods imported to the US after he is inaugurated Jan. 20. YouTube TV is hiking its monthly price, again. Here's what to know NEW YORK (AP) — Are you a YouTube TV subscriber? Your monthly bills are about to get more expensive again. YouTube has announced that it’s upping the price of its streaming service’s base plan by $10 — citing rising content costs and other investments. The new $82.99 per month price tag will go into effect starting Jan. 13 for existing subscribers, and immediately for new customers who sign up going forward. YouTube TV has rolled out a series of price hikes over the years. When launched back in 2017, the going price of its streaming package was $35 a month. By 2019, that fee rose to $50 — and has climbed higher and higher since. Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor The head of the Federal Aviation Administration says he will step down next month to let President-elect Donald Trump name his choice to lead the agency. Mike Whitaker announced his pending resignation in a message to FAA employees on Thursday. Since taking the helm at the FAA in October 2023, Whitaker has dealt with challenges that include a surge in close calls between planes, a shortage of air traffic controllers and antiquated equipment. He has led a tougher enforcement policy against Boeing since a panel blew off a jetliner in January.
NoneAustralia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere - or even there?