The psychedelic frogfish is an alien found right here on Earth

“Who’s this alien?” is Mashable’s enduring series about the exceptionally peculiar critters that inhabit a relatively small, ocean-dominated world in the outer realms of the Milky Way galaxy, called Earth. Many of these lifeforms, you’ll find, are quite alien.

Hiding in the nooks and crannies of dead piles of Indonesian coral is a pudgy fish, wholly covered in swirls of orange and white. Seen from the right perspective, the critter might be mistaken for a vibrantly colored brain.

But amid the explosion of whirling lines are cryptic, aquamarine eyes and a camouflaged frown. Inhabiting shallow seas around the tropical Ambon Island, this creature was mostly unknown to the scientific world until 2008.

It’s the psychedelic frogfish.

“It’s an incredibly vibrant frogfish,” said Rachel Arnold, a marine scientist who coauthored the research that identified the kaleidoscopic creature as a new species.

Many frogfish — a stocky group of fish notorious for violently gobbling their prey — are also known for blending into their undersea worlds. Some look like sponges, and others like seaweed, noted Arnold. The psychedelic frogfish — or Histiophryne psychedelica — certainly takes camouflaging to an extreme level. “They do aggressive mimicry,” she said. The fish take on an appearance similar to species of tropical coral with whirling, orange patterns. “It reminded me of many patterns of corals I have seen,” said David Hall, an underwater wildlife photographer who captured the first shots of the frogfish.

A psychedelic frogfish in Ambon, Indonesia.

Image: David Hall / seaphotos.com

This allows the lumbering, ungainly fish to hole up in the shadowy coral as unassuming prey comes near. At the right time, perhaps when naive prey swim near or inside a fateful cavern amid the coral, the psychedelic frogfish will promptly “swallow them whole,” said Arnold.

Curiously, when Arnold traveled to Ambon to see these astonishing critters, hiding out amid coral rubble some 10 to 15 feet beneath the ocean surface, the psychedelic frogfish didn’t match the surrounding environment, which was devoid of the brain-like, orange corals that the psychedelic frogfish often resembles.

It’s unknown why the psychedelic frogfish live in these particular dark holes, then, and also why the fish seem to vanish from their Ambon homes for extended lengths of time, only to turn up once again.

“They’re still a bit of an enigma,” said Arnold. “It shows up and disappears for long periods of time.”

What’s more, the fish are fantastically-patterned, but never easy to find here — even when they’re known to be around. “If I had to search for these fish on my own, I would never have found them,” said the photographer Hall, noting that he relied upon a local guide who had previously spotted a psychedelic frogfish.

Though relatively new to science, the psychedelic frogfish are well-known to Indonesian locals — though before Hall no one had a camera in the right place at the right time.

A pair of psychedelic frogfish in Ambon, Indonesia.

“It’s the local people that really knew about its existence,” said Arnold. “The local people really understand more about this fish than we do.”

Yet with limited time diving around these elusive frogfish, Arnold and her team deciphered a good deal about the species. Most known frogfishes have a lure hanging from their head, which they hold out to attract prey, said Hall. But the psychedelic frogfish doesn’t carry a lure. It just waits for unwitting prey to pass by.

“The local people really understand more about this fish than we do”

True to its name, the psychedelic frogfish often “hops” around to get places, using its fins to push off the bottom of the seafloor. Curiously, when egg-bearing females emerge from their dark holes, they wrap their dorsal (back side) and tail fin around a peach-colored clutch of some 200 eggs, looking for safe harbor to place the priceless sacks of life.

Leaving hundreds of eggs on the coral-littered seafloor, however, poses modern-day problems. “Conservation-wise, it’s a pretty big red flag,” explained Arnold, noting that it would be easy for collectors — perhaps eager to capture the hallucinatory fish — to sleuth out the eggs and over-harvest the species.

Each psychedelic frogfish — while all almost fantastical and brilliantly patterned — is markedly distinct. Though, amid the profusion of lines and swirls, their unique line expressions might be indiscernible to the human eye.

“Their striping is like their fingerprint,” said Arnold.

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Ring the alarm: Beyoncé just dropped a new live album

By Rachel Thompson2019-04-17 09:44:29 UTC

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. Yes, that’s right, Beyoncé has just dropped a new album.

Entitled Homecoming, the live album has been released to coincide with the just-launched Netflix documentary of the same name.

The live album features the full setlist from Beyoncé’s iconic Coachella performance, including tracks like “Crazy in Love,” “Formation,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) and “Drunk in Love.”

And for the Destiny’s Child stans among us, there’s also “Bug A Boo,” “Say My Name,” “Lose My Breath,” and “Soldier.”

Thank you, Beyoncé, for this gift.

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Republicans stockpile cash to safeguard Senate majority

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — Five incumbents up for reelection, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, topped $2 million in the first quarter. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

Campaigns

Five GOP incumbents raised more than $2 million in the first quarter, as the party hopes to hold the chamber in 2020.

Senate Republicans — faced with a much tougher map than two years ago and an unpredictable political environment in a presidential year with Donald Trump at the top of their ticket — are stockpiling cash early to guard against losing their majority next year.

While the GOP is mostly on defense, the playing field is significantly narrower than it has been in previous cycles. Republicans are defending 22 seats, compared to just 12 for Democrats. But only two GOP seats are in states Trump lost in the last presidential election, and only a half-dozen GOP senators appear vulnerable at the outset of the cycle. Democrats need to net at least three seats to retake the majority — four if they lose the presidency again — leaving them clear paths to retake the chamber but little margin for error.

Story Continued Below

Every Senate Republican incumbent in a battleground race raised more than $1 million in the first quarter of the year, a benchmark number puts them in strong position at the outset of the cycle. Five incumbents up for reelection — Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Martha McSally of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — topped $2 million in the first quarter.

“I think they’re doing exceptionally well,” said Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

After winning back control of the House last year, Democrats are turning toward the White House and Senate in 2020. Republicans, meanwhile, are stressing the importance of holding the chamber, which has driven Trump’s remaking of the federal judiciary over the past two years, including confirming two new Supreme Court justices.

Democrats acknowledge the strong fundraising quarter but see gaps they can exploit. They expected Gardner, who previously chaired Republicans’ campaign committee, and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose 2014 race was the most expensive in the country, to post higher totals. Gardner raised $2 million, and Tillis pulled in $1.2 million. Democrats expect to be competitive in both states.

“They’re obviously in a more defensive posture,” J.B. Poersch, the president of Democratic group Senate Majority PAC, said of Republicans’ standing so far this cycle.

Democrats have had early success, as well. Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama, the most vulnerable senator on the 2020 map from either party, has $3.1 million in the bank and can build a head of steam for his uphill reelection in the heavily red state while the Republican primary field remains unsettled. (His first GOP challenger, Rep. Bradley Byrne, has $2 million in the bank). Three other Democratic incumbents Republicans hope to target all hauled in more than $1 million: Sens. Gary Peters in Michigan ($1.9 million), Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire ($1.4 million) and Tina Smith in Minnesota ($1.1 million).

And Mark Kelly in Arizona, Democrats’ top recruit so far this cycle, raised $4.1 million, doubling McSally and ending the quarter with $1 million more in the bank than the appointed Republican incumbent. Republicans expected Kelly to post a massive first-quarter haul but are watching closely to see if he can sustain it in the next three months.

“Democrats are building an early advantage with grassroots support and enthusiasm that will outrun the special interests fueling Senate Republicans, who will need every cent they can get to try to defend their toxic records,” said Lauren Passalacqua, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

For Republicans, the plans for the Senate cycle are clear: Tie Democrats to their presidential contenders and try to force them left ahead of next fall. McConnell, speaking to reporters last week, framed the cycle as a “referendum on socialism.”

“We’re planning on running independent campaigns. And, if they take my advice, I think the best argument for us is [Democrats] are fundamentally trying to change America into something it’s never been,” McConnell said, citing the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. “If you want to make sure it doesn’t happen, you’ve got to elect a [Republican] Senate majority.”

Democrats, on the other hand, doubt Republicans will be able to run independent from Trump, and plan to tie incumbents to the president at every turn, particularly on health care. In Colorado, two new candidates entered the race against Gardner this week, and both tied him to Trump in their launch videos.

“By and large, this cycle is going to be a lot about whether they can get out from under Trump and there hasn’t been a lot that’s happened early on that suggests they will,” said Poersch, who leads the Democratic super PAC.

For now, the main thing missing for Democrats is candidates. Kelly is considered a top recruit in Arizona, and a slew of candidates in the primary to take on Gardner. But, so far, Democrats don’t have any top-tier candidates in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina or Georgia, where Stacey Abrams is still weighing a bid and is still being heavily recruited by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) to run against GOP Sen. David Perdue, who raised $1.8 million in the first quarter.

In Texas, veteran MJ Hegar and Rep. Joaquín Castro are both considering running against Cornyn. But either candidate would face a steep fundraising gap with the incumbent, who has outraised every other incumbent senator from both parties and stockpiled $7.4 million — close to $3 million more than Ted Cruz, his Texas colleague, had at this point in 2017 before facing a surprisingly spirited and well-funded challenge from then-Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

Hegar, by contrast, has $37,000 leftover from her House campaign last year, while Castro has only $88,000 in the bank. Both would need massive fundraising success to catch up with Cornyn.

Democrats say it’s far too early to be concerned about recruitment. They have promising prospects in Iowa and Maine, and are still hopeful Abrams will turn Georgia into a top-tier race. The two candidates who flipped Republican seats last year, then-Reps. Jacky Rosen and Kyrsten Sinema, entered their races in July and September 2017, respectively. Gardner entered his own race in February of 2014, just months before the election.

“Unless you feel the need to clear the field, there’s not a lot of reasons to get in the race in January now,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “Because of online fundraising, because of the relatively small number of competitive races, you don’t need to put yourself out there as a target much more than a year ahead of time.”

Others, however, are hoping for more movement in the coming weeks. Celinda Lake, a Democratic consultant, described recruitment as “a lot of indecision” and said she thinks more candidates should enter races soon to build up the infrastructure to take advantage of the online fundraising.

“There are a lot of tactical reasons that would suggest you should get in earlier, not the least of which is building an online donor base,” Lake said.

Meanwhile, without opponents to bash, Republican incumbents are mostly focused on fundraising.

“Everybody’s taking it very seriously. I think one thing that’s different about this cycle and recent cycles has been the small-dollar contirbutions,” said Cornyn. He pointed to the $80 million O’Rourke raised in Texas last year to demonstrate that any opponent can catch fire quickly and make a race unexpectedly competitive.

“I think that’s a new dynamic we haven’t had to deal with before,” Cornyn said.

Even some Republicans in deep-red states are watching their backs. Graham, whose recent embrace of Trump shored up his GOP primary standing in South Carolina, raised $2.1 million and has $4.6 million in the bank.

Josh Holmes, a top adviser to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said there weren’t any blind spots where Republicans failed to hit their mark.

“I don’t see any evidence there’s anybody who had a terrible effort,” Holmes said.

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.

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Here’s an important interview with that kid who shaved his siblings’ heads

By Sam Haysom2019-04-17 09:00:21 UTC

Children are often adorable, but they can also be little terrors.

Here to perfectly illustrate that dichotomy is the Plucknette Family, who recently went viral on Instagram after little Teddy found an electric razor and decided to give his siblings a trim.

In the clip above from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, they chat through the whole saga again.

And although Teddy swears he’s not going to do any more trimming, the fact that he’s earned his family a free trip to Disneyland probably won’t help his resolve…

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After almost dying at sea, refugees learn to love the water

Messina, Italy – Mory Jallow* can still hear the traffickers screaming insults at him as they pushed him and a group of fellow Gambian migrants onto a dinghy headed to Europe.

“It was a very cold night, and I was so paralysed [with fear] I couldn’t speak with the other boys on the boat with me,” Jallow said. “By early morning, the water began pouring on board, and I was sure I was going to die at sea.”

He remembers fainting, then a hand out of the blue helping him board another ship.

A voice told him in French that they were now headed to Sicily.

“A place I had never heard of. But I still couldn’t speak, so I said nothing.”

A year after his arrival, the now-18-year-old lives with around two dozen teenage African boys at the Basilica di Sant’Antonio community in Messina, southern Italy.

“The teachers help us get through every step and teach us a lot. But it’s been hard, because even though I’m not alone, I still miss my family every day,” he said.

According to Save the Children, 1,439 unaccompanied minors arrived in Italy in the first months of 2018.

At arrival ports, I’ve met many traumatised migrants who, despite the horrible shipwreck experience, still strongly associated the idea of sea with a sense of humanity, brotherhood and altruism.

Ester Russo, psychologist

The small city of Messina, on the north-eastern tip of Sicily, Italy’s southernmost region, has welcomed hundreds since 2015, the beginning of the Mediterranean refugee crisis.

Many are now guests of charitable Christian organisations, and local residents have extended their arms.

Two years ago, teachers of the local Caio Duilio nautical high school held welcoming events.

“In December 2016, we did an open day for the boys of the Sant’Antonio community, to show them the school and encourage them to apply once their Italian was good enough to let them follow classes,” said Giuseppe Pinci, a professional dive master and part-time swimming instructor at Caio Duilio.

But the refugee boys were shocked to see activities in the sea mentioned among the school’s main subjects.

This gave the headteacher an idea. He soon launched “Friendly Sea”, a course aimed at the teenage group teaching first aid, sea rescue, diving skills and the principles of maritime laws, as well as organising meetings with the Italian coastguard.

Pinci, the course leader, said he chose the sea rather than a swimming pool as a practise venue for its symbolic significance and psychological impact.

“On the first day, some didn’t feel like fully dipping in the water and only came to watch the sea,” he said. “Others were braver and took a swim, but didn’t immerse themselves below sea level.”

Teacher Giuseppe Pinci and a young refugee participant during a scuba-diving session to get familiar with the beauty beneath the Mediterranean’s surface [Courtesy: Giuseppe Pinci]

He divided participants into two groups: those whose only experience of the sea was a shipwreck and others who had to learn how to love it again. “We needed them to be at the same level to get to the following stage together, as a compact group.”

Since the programme began in the summer of 2017, 14 migrant children have become regular students at Duilio.

Jallow, part of the pilot diving class, is now in his final year at the nautical school.

But he was sceptical at first. The sea would only remind him of his own tragedy.

“Today, I feel less scared. My hope is to be able, one day, to help other migrants like me to no longer be afraid, and save them from drowning,” Jallow said.

Ester Russo, a psychologist specialised in migrant mental health with experience of offering refugees first-aid services at Sicilian ports, said people who survive the sea crossing are often left with a distressing feeling of guilt, after seeing women and children die without having been able to help them.

“I think group activities with those sharing the same traumatic experience can offer some sort of mental relief. The symbolic choice of using the sea is also particularly meaningful,” she said.

“At arrival ports, I’ve met many traumatised migrants who, despite the horrible shipwreck experience, still strongly associated the idea of sea with a sense of humanity, brotherhood and altruism.

“In the sea, there are also people saving people, so it’s possible to help survivors identify the sea water with feelings of hope and resilience, later in the healing process.”

I could taste my own tears, as salty as the sea water that later slapped us all in the face during the crossing.

Aissy Junior, refugee

In a flashback, 17-year-old Aissy Junior remembers the sound of mothers crying mixing with smugglers making aggressive and loud demands.

“I could taste my own tears, as salty as the sea water that later slapped us all in the face during the crossing,” he said.

It took Junior two months to walk to Libya from his native Cameroon, then another month waiting at the docks of Tripoli’s port before being pushed on board a dinghy.

He remembers suffering hunger and loneliness, despite being constantly surrounded by people.

“I come from a big family of six brothers, and I’ve never felt more lonely in my entire life,” he said.

He has been fostered by Massimo Sigillo, a PE teacher at Caio Duilio who he met through the Friendly Sea course.

“I like that Massimo and his wife Silvana don’t ask me questions about my Libyan nightmares, but patiently wait for me to open up whenever I feel [ready],” Junior said.

The swimming instructors didn’t make him feel different from Italian kids, and he was excited to learn how to float and not swallow sea water, like he did during the crossing.

“I’m still not as good as I want to be, but with practise, I’m getting there. I’m positive 2019 will be the year I’ll overcome my fears once and for all,” he said.

Sigillo, Junior’s legal guardian, said the boy was diagnosed at his arrival with depression.

“This had a big, negative impact on interpersonal relationships with his classmates. After a year of swimming classes, though, I notice a big difference. He trusts people more, but there’s still a lot to do. Doesn’t matter, we’ve got time,” Sigillo said with a hopeful smile.

Refugee minors get back in the water at Messina’s main beach [Courtesy: Giuseppe Pinci]

It is a delicate time for refugees attempting to live alongside Italians, many of whom after the new government’s election last year have grown sceptical about welcoming migrants and rescuing them at sea.

In 2016, Caterina Filippelli, a former professional water polo player, started a similar initiative to Friendly Sea.

But some local residents, after watching the news on TV, complained about the presence of “black foreigners”, using racist and derogatory language.

Shortly after, her project was not renewed.

The young migrants enrolled in the Messina programme want to keep the project going, even if that means paying out their own pockets.

“Since I live in Messina, the sea has become my ally. I learned to swim and I’m no longer scared. My goal is to become a lifeguard because I want to help other fellow black brothers escape from war and poverty, like me,” said 19-year-old Hubert, who ran away from the Ivory Coast where his family couldn’t afford to educate him.

He said he saw his friend and travel companion die at the hands of a smuggler, and since that episode, he has pledged to help others recovering from similar experiences.

As Pinci prepares the oxygen cylinders, overlooking the crystalline waters hitting Messina’s shores, he talks about new plans for the course, such as adding a sailing module and lifeguard certifications.

The sea can provide career opportunities, he says, and help the boys integrate within the poor local economy.

“Here the sea is man’s best friend,” he said. “We need to gently encourage that friendship.”

Names marked with an asterisk* in this piece have been changed to protect the interviewees’ anonymity.

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Elon Musk explains why you shouldn’t charge your Tesla battery to 100%

Thou shalt not charge your Tesla to 100%, unless you absolutely must.

Image: Smith Collection/Gado / gettyimages

By Stan Schroeder2019-04-17 08:04:13 UTC

Electric car batteries should not, generally, be charged to 100%. Long-term, this reduces the battery’s longevity, and Tesla cars actually charge up to 90% by default.

But if you’re pressed for range, should you change this and charge up to 100%? Well, unless you absolutely must squeeze every bit of range out of your battery, the answer is still no.

It’s not just about battery degradation. In a recent Twitter exchange, Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained that regenerative braking does not kick in at full charge, meaning the car is less energy efficient.

A Tesla Model 3 owner asked Musk whether she should charge up to 100%, given her commute is a total of 160 miles, which leaves little wiggle room to do much else with the car without a recharge. Her Model 3 is the Standard Range Plus variety, which has 240 miles of range at full battery capacity, but this drops to about 216 miles at the default 90% charge setting.

Musk’s answer is that she should still charge to 90% or 95%, to reap the full benefit of regenerative braking.

It’s not a big deal. Charge to 90% to 95% & you’ll be fine. At 100% state of charge, regen braking doesn’t work, because the battery is full, so car is less energy efficient.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 16, 2019

Regenerative braking is the tech that turns braking energy into electricity, extending the car’s battery range. Its effectiveness varies by a number of factors, but there are reports of it extending a Tesla’s range by as much as 30%. So charging the battery to 95% might actually be almost as good, range-wise, as charging to 100%.

To know exactly how close the numbers get, one would have to know when, exactly, regenerative braking kicks in. I’ve pinged Musk for the answer and will update the article if I get it, but anecdotal evidence from Tesla forums suggests that it happens when the battery is anywhere from 84% to 94% capacity, so roughly in line with what Musk had said — but ambient temperature is also a factor, so your mileage (literally) may vary.

These types of tricks will likely become common knowledge as electric cars get more popular, but now they’re still exotic to many users who are used to filling the car up to the max. But electric battery-powered cars offer many advantages that ICE cars don’t — regenerative braking being one of them — and the sooner we learn to reap the full benefits, the better.

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Beyoncé’s ‘Homecoming’ documentary is now streaming on Netflix

Flawless.

Image: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella

By Shannon Connellan2019-04-17 08:01:50 UTC

Alright, let’s get in formation — Beyoncé’s documentary is now streaming on Netflix.

Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé takes a look behind the scenes of one of the most iconic performances in music history: Queen Bey’s unforgettable show at Coachella 2018.

Featuring appearances by Destiny’s Child, Jay-Z, and Solange, the electrifying two-hour performance took over a bespoke pyramid stage, one that enjoyed a second life as an installation at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

But apart from these dazzling guest appearances, Beyoncé’s performance primarily paid tribute to the creative spirit of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) community.

At two hours and 17 minutes, Homecoming takes a look at the creative road that led to the historic cultural moment, from conception to choreography, all the way to showtime.

Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé is now streaming on Netflix. Go, go, go.

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Saudi women’s rights activists back in court as trial resumes

Prominent Saudi women’s rights activists are due back in court on Wednesday in a trial that has drawn international criticism, just days after campaigners reported a new crackdown on their supporters.

The 11 activists, among them Loujain al-Hathloul, who has accused her interrogators of sexual abuse and torture during nearly a year in custody, face charges that include contact with foreign media, diplomats and human rights groups.

A panel of three judges at the Riyadh criminal court is expected to respond to the defence case, submitted by the women earlier this month.

Western diplomats and media have been barred from attending the high-profile trial that kicked off last month.

The women are expected to attend separate court hearings, according to people with access to the trial.

Riyadh has faced pressure from Western governments to release the women, most of whom were detained last year in a wide-ranging crackdown against activists ahead of the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female motorists.

Three of them – activist Aziza al-Yousef, blogger Eman al-Nafjan and preacher Rokaya al-Mohareb – have been granted bail.

In an apparent crackdown on the women’s supporters earlier this month, Saudi authorities arrested at least nine writers and academics, including two US-Saudi dual nationals.

Al-Yousef’s son, Salah al-Haidar, is among the two Americans detained.

Last Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had pressed Saudi Arabia – a close US ally – to release the US citizens.

Crackdown

The crackdown is the first since the brutal murder of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October, which sparked unprecedented international scrutiny of the kingdom’s human rights record.

People close to the Saudi establishment have warned that public criticism by family members could prolong their detention.

At one emotionally charged court hearing, some women broke down as they accused interrogators of subjecting them to electric shocks, flogging and groping in detention, two people with access to the trial told AFP.

A Saudi prosecutor roundly rejected the accusation, witnesses said, reiterating the government’s stance. The government has said the detained women enjoy all rights afforded to them under Saudi law.

Torture allegations

The women on trial were arrested last May and branded as traitors.

Five men arrested at the same time are not on trial. Rights groups say two of them have been released, but the others’ status is unclear.

Another US-Saudi national, Walid al-Fitaihi, has been imprisoned since 2017 under Riyadh’s anti-corruption campaign. His son told US senators last month he had been tortured in detention, with the tactics including electric shocks and whipping.

The siblings of Loujain al-Hathloul, who have publicised her case in US media, say men describing themselves as “close to the state” had asked her parents to stop them from speaking out.

“We stayed silent for eight months. We thought that being silent would solve the issue,” her brother Walid al-Hathloul told CNN.

“We found out at the end of the day that this made the case even worse and that’s why we’re speaking out now. At the end of the day we didn’t have any options but to speak out.”

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22-Year-Old Jamal Murray’s Absurd Game 2 Is Sign of Future Stardom for Nuggets

DENVER, CO - APRIL 16: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets reacts to a play during Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on on April 16, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images

Fortunately for Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets, no matter how seemingly hopeless NBA playoff games are after three quarters, they always include a fourth.

Murray’s first seven playoff quarters featured frigid shooting, but he heated up when Denver needed him most. His 21-point fourth-quarter eruption Tuesday produced a shocking 114-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2, salvaged a series split and may have saved Denver’s postseason.

NBA @NBA

21 PTS. 8/9 FG. 3/3 3FG.

What a 4th Q from @BeMore27!

#MileHighBasketball #NBAPlayoffs https://t.co/XsvI9gTvVb

There’s still a long way to go in this first-round series with the Spurs, who held double-digit leads in Games 1 and 2. It’d be a mistake to say the Nuggets are in the clear. But Murray’s eruption, which featured eight consecutive made buckets after an 0-of-8 start from the field, felt like something bigger than a one-off late-game takeover.

For starters, it was a study in the power of confidence. Because you have to be self-assured to take shots like this while you’re staring down an 0-2 hole against a No. 7 seed:

SLAM @SLAMonline

Jamal Murray dropped 21 POINTS (8-9 FG) in the fourth! (via @nuggets) https://t.co/D2LC75w10M

Murray hit exceptionally difficult shots during his incendiary run—shots that players get benched for attempting. In the wake of his no-show up until the fourth quarter, a lot of coaches never would have given him the chance to take those shots.

If Nuggets head coach Mike Malone had turned away from Murray after his 8-of-23 (0-of-6 from deep) performance in Game 1, it would have been understandable. And if Malone had relied instead on Gary Harris, who scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting in Game 2, or Malik Beasley, who heated up in spurts during both contests of this series, nobody would have questioned it.

But Malone seemed to understand there was more at stake:

Ben Golliver @BenGolliver

Beautiful sentiment from Nuggets coach Michael Malone on why he stuck with Jamal Murray despite rough first three quarters in Game 2 win over Spurs: “I knew in my heart he needed to get these minutes. I needed to show him I believed him.” https://t.co/Nrmaon5FYc

That wide-lens approach is rarely employed in the win-now environment of postseason basketball. But much of the immediate reaction to Murray’s explosion seemed to apply a similar focus on the big picture.

It’s easy to get hyperbolic when you’ve just watched someone set the nets ablaze for an entire quarter, but the consistent placement of Murray’s efforts into a broader context felt right.

Nick Kosmider @NickKosmider

This was one of the greatest performances in Nuggets playoff history. That’s not prisoner of the moment. That’s fact. Murray carried the Nuggets when the game — and the series — looked to be in peril.

That’s because the Nuggets aren’t an ordinary No. 2 seed. Skepticism was attached to this young team even before it fell to the Spurs in Game 1 over the weekend. That loss validated critics’ concerns about Denver’s lack of experience and its uncharacteristically deferential superstar, Nikola Jokic.

nick wright @getnickwright

The Nuggets are exactly what so many of us said they were: A pretend contender with a pretend superstar.

Good luck next year, fellas.

In seizing Game 2 like a conventional star would—by scoring and scoring and scoring—Murray quieted some of those doubts and offered a glimpse of Denver’s ceiling.

Jokic isn’t wired for a takeover like that. He’s a passer first, and a gifted scorer (at a plodding pace) when he has to be. Since Jokic’s emergence, Denver has badly needed a reliable high-volume gunner.

Murray’s first seven playoff quarters negate the “reliable” part. Streaky might be the first word you’d use to describe him. But he’s barely 22, and when a player is as obviously skilled and unafraid of the moment as he is, trusting natural development to produce more highs and fewer lows feels like a safe bet.

And if Murray uses this performance as a springboard, his pairing with Jokic could turn the Nuggets into something special.

You could see some of that Tuesday, as Jokic did everything within his considerable facilitating powers to spring his scorching teammate. Jokic assisted only one of Murray’s eight fourth-quarter buckets, but he set screens, hunted handoffs and got out of the way.

DENVER, CO - APRIL 5: Jamal Murray #27 and Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets as seen during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 5, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees tha

Bart Young/Getty Images

It’s strange to imagine Jokic, an All-NBA talent who rang up 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in Game 2, as a sidekick. He’s far better than that. But Jokic’s game revolves around subtlety and skill. He exploits weaknesses with his passing and patience. He picks apart a defense’s frailties with precision and guile. He operates with a scalpel, but it sometimes feels like he gets queasy at the sight of blood.

Murray is the Nuggets’ much-needed butcher, delighting in the carnage of cutting a defense apart with bold, aggressive hacks.

Murray needed a breakthrough moment to get his postseason going, and Denver needed it ahead of a trip to San Antonio for two games that could have ended its season if Game 2 hadn’t played out like it did.

Back to that big picture again, though: Murray’s role in the win illustrated what this team could become.

With young squads like Denver, you focus on the ceiling. You ask what’s possible if everything breaks right over a three- or four-year timeline.

If this version of Murray shows up a bit more often, the Nuggets’ long-term upside is difficult to comprehend. He fills a specific shot-making, devil-may-care, ultraconfident void in the team’s makeup when he goes off like this. He allows Jokic to be himself, and he permits other role players to organize themselves around a one-two punch.

He just makes everything clearer.

Yes, consistency will matter. Murray wouldn’t have needed to catch fire to save Denver if he was lukewarm rather than ice cold earlier in the game. But let’s not minimize the moment.

Murray’s arrival could double as Denver’s takeoff on a yearslong journey of success.

Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference, Cleaning the Glass or NBA.com unless otherwise specified. Accurate through games played Tuesday, April 16.

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Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers Take 2-0 Series Lead vs Russell Westbrook, Thunder

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, right, reacts after making a basket as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George, left, trails the play during the first half of Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Portland, Ore., Sunday, April 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Dipaola)

Steve Dipaola/Associated Press

The Portland Trail Blazers are two wins away from their second playoff series victory in five years following Tuesday’s 114-94 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 at Moda Center.

Oklahoma City swept Portland in their four regular-season matchups, but the first-round playoff series has been a different story as the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed defended home court in the opening two games.

Damian Lillard (29 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks, four made three-pointers) and CJ McCollum (33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three made three-pointers) were too much for the Thunder, and Maurice Harkless added 14 points and nine boards in support.

Paul George (27 points, eight rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (14 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds) spearheaded the losing effort for Oklahoma City.

Dame, CJ Combo Will Propel Trail Blazers to Western Conference Finals

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Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson won’t be the only dynamic duo backcourt in the Western Conference Finals.

Lillard and McCollum were brilliant for extended stretches in Tuesday’s game and set the stage for their eventual run to the third round of the playoffs. Any time OKC built momentum, one of them darted through the lane, drilled a critical three-pointer or facilitated for teammates when defenders came too far out on their shots or collapsed on their penetration.

McCollum drilled a buzzer-beating three on a beautiful assist from his running mate to tie the game at the half, and they went into takeover mode the rest of the way.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

3⃣J at the halftime buzzer

Things are getting good in Portland https://t.co/t16JQqgQ8y

Jusuf Nurkić @bosnianbeast27

CJ

The ball is always in one of their hands, which means they are in complete control—much like in Game 1 when Lillard connected on monumental triples, including one from well beyond the arc to push the lead to four with less than three minutes remaining.

While Lillard is known for his offense, his suffocating defense on Westbrook on the other end was the primary reason the 2016-17 MVP went a mere 5-of-20 from the field and struggled to establish a rhythm throughout the game.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Made threes for the series:

Damian Lillard- 9
OKC- 9 https://t.co/EBiK5HPy94

SB Nation @SBNation

CJ McCollum right now https://t.co/Ql5EqSqv0J

The talent, clutch factor and ability to rely on each other when one is either struggling or facing an elite defender is one reason the Trail Blazers will be in the Western Conference Finals, but so is their position in the postseason bracket.

Mighty Golden State is on the other side. The Houston Rockets, who are likely the Warriors’ primary challengers after pushing them to seven games in last season’s Western Conference Finals, are on the other side of the bracket. The red-hot Utah Jazz that finished the regular season on a 13-3 run are on the other side of the bracket.

Even the scrappy Los Angeles Clippers, who overcame a 31-point deficit against the Warriors in Monday’s contest and would bring a physical presence throughout an extended series, are on the other side of the bracket.

If Portland can parlay its 2-0 lead over the Thunder into a series victory, its backcourt combination won’t have to deal with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, James Harden, Chris Paul or Donovan Mitchell until the Western Conference Finals.

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It will play either the Denver Nuggets or San Antonio Spurs in the second round, each of which features their own concerns.

Denver is inexperienced at this time of year, seeing how it made the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign. It also hasn’t won a playoff series since 2009 and already lost home-court advantage to the Spurs in Game 1.

San Antonio deserves respect given the infrastructure in place with Gregg Popovich and 22 straight playoff appearances, but the Spurs don’t have the defensive capability to slow Lillard and McCollum. They were an ugly 20th in the league in defensive rating during the regular season, per NBA.com, and no longer have a stopper like Kawhi Leonard to prevent the guards from taking over in crunch time.

Get ready for a showdown between the Lillard-McCollum tandem and Curry-Thompson tandem because Portland’s guards are going to propel the Blazers into the Western Conference Finals.

Westbrook’s Focus on Individual Matchup with Dame Primed to Derail Thunder

The Westbrook and Lillard matchup was sure to take center stage entering this series, and it did again Tuesday when the point guards had a physical exchange in the first half.

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However, Lillard had the last laugh for the second game in a row, as he fed off the energy of the crowd while serving as a driving force for Portland as it overcame a slow start and dominated the second half. His shot-making was on full display again from well beyond the arc, and he didn’t back down from guarding the lightning-quick Westbrook on the other end.

Royce Young @royceyoung

Lillard is locking Westbrook, and then drills a 28-footer.

Westbrook appeared to press at times, trying to match his counterpart’s effort instead of facilitating for George and using his explosiveness to work in the lane and create easier looks.

As a result, he was 1-of-6 from three-point range, shot 25 percent from the field and turned it over six times.

It is not particularly surprising Westbrook focused so much on matching Lillard given their recent history together. Cody Taylor of USA Today‘s Thunder Wire noted the Thunder point guard appeared to tell Lillard he has “been busting that ass for years” during a regular-season matchup and didn’t hesitate to taunt the Portland fans:

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Russ continues to taunt Blazers fans https://t.co/iTIdz5Cq3Z

He had every right to express the bravado at the time since OKC swept the Trail Blazers in the regular season, but his team suddenly has its back against the wall with a 2-0 hole and George nursing a shoulder injury.

While George was impressive in Tuesday’s contest, it is asking a lot for him to play like the MVP candidate he was for much of the season at less than 100 percent. That means it could be up to Westbrook to lead the Thunder back into this series in front of the home fans.

He is certainly capable of doing just that, but he cannot focus so much on the individual matchup with Lillard.

It derailed his game Tuesday and could derail his entire team in the series.

What’s Next?

The series shifts to Oklahoma City for Friday’s Game 3 and Sunday’s Game 4.

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