By Tom Westerholm Jaylen Brown and the Celtics survived a tough afternoon challenge from the Timberwolves on Sunday, claiming a 107-105 victory that came down to the final possession. Here are the takeaways. Jaylen Brown started incredibly hot. Jaylen Brown hit his first 3-point attempt of the game on the Celtics’ second possession of the game. On the next possession, Brown hit his second 3-point attempt of the game. On the next possession, Brown hit his third. Precisely a minute later, he hit his fourth. After picking off a steal, Brown mixed Rudy Gobert up with his handle and buried his fifth. Just three-and-a-half minutes into the game, Brown already had 15 points. Jaylen Brown with FIVE straight 3s to start the game pic.twitter.com/jPhK6DXWQV Brown finally attempted a heat check that was a little too difficult which missed, and he held up a hand to apologize, although there couldn’t have been too many people in the arena upset with his decision-making at that point. Brown cooled off a bit after that, finishing with 29 points on 10-for-18 shooting. He had a couple of nice drives, a couple of nice post-ups, and a decent evening on the defensive end. He also hit maybe the biggest shot of the game with 1:15 remaining – a transition 3-pointer that pushed a tenuous two-point lead to five. Jaylen Brown steps into his 7th three of the game! Celtics lead by 5 with 1:15 remaining! MIN-BOS | NBA League Pass 📲: https://t.co/ovv3alftmh pic.twitter.com/0BfNzQ5aKa But for the first 3.5 minutes, Brown put together one of the hottest stretches we’ve seen from a Celtics player so far this season. Sometimes a star just catches a heater, and we all get to watch. The Celtics survived a chaotic final possession. The Celtics were the better team for lengthy stretches and built a lead as high as 19, but the Timberwolves ground their way back into the game multiple times and created a very solid opportunity for themselves on the final possession – Anthony Edwards drove into the paint and kicked out to Jaden McDaniels in the corner. McDaniels was open because Jrue Holiday was playing free safety on the set, and Jayson Tatum rotated over to defend McDaniels, who swung it to Naz Reid for what would have been the game-winner. McDaniels’ pass was a little low, and Reid had to collect and hoist a tough shot with Jrue Holiday flying out at him. He missed wide left off the rim. The Celtics defended the possession very well – Brown forced Edwards far enough under the rim that the Timberwolves star would have had a tough time sneaking in for a layup, Tatum read the play beautifully, and Holiday’s ability to see the entire play developing remains unmatched. Still, credit to the Timberwolves who are now just .500 but in the early going be remain one of the NBA’s tougher teams for the Celtics to deal with and are due for a run once they find themselves. Something new from Derrick White? Early in the fourth quarter, White finished off one of the nastier moves we’ve seen from him recently. Driving as fast as he could down the floor, White pulled a move out of Edwards’ bag – hitting the brakes hard and slowing down to allow two defenders to fly by as he stopped and dropped in a little jumper. White finished with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting to go with nine rebounds, five assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. He scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and was a team-high +8. The Celtics picked on Rob Dillingham. The Timberwolves have a massive defensive advantage with Rudy Gobert in the paint, and the Celtics were cognizant of him whenever he was on the floor. But Minnesota also has the type of guard the Celtics love to exploit in Rob Dillingham – a very talented but physically challenged rookie who is listed at 175 pounds. Dillingham came alive in the second half and finished with 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting, but the Celtics’ job offensively was much simpler whenever he was on the floor. The Timberwolves are an interesting Western Conference opponent given their combination of size, talent and defensive prowess at the wing – both Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are well above average defending on the perimeter with size and length. Dillingham’s presence, however, might simplify things a little too much for the Celtics for the Wolves to play him significant minutes the next time the two teams meet. More solid minutes for Xavier Tillman. One game after being dusted off against the Wizards, Tillman once again played a more extensive role on Sunday. He played 14 minutes and scored three points with four rebounds, but he was solid on the defensive end and once again looked like he might merit more playing time as the season progresses. A back-to-back and a break. The Celtics return to action on Monday evening when they take on the Clippers at 7:30 p.m. They will have two days off before traveling to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Friday in their final game of NBA Cup group stage play. We will have more takeaways later this evening. Sign up for Celtics updates🏀 Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during basketball season. Be civil. Be kind.Business News | CII Proposes Reforms in PSL Framework; Calls for More Development Finance Institutions in Budget Demands
With financial institutions (FIs) fortifying their defenses and evolving their strategies against digital payment fraud, criminals are turning to a new weak spot: the customers themselves. Gone are the days of clunky phishing emails riddled with typos. Today’s fraudsters are using advanced social engineering scams to target consumers directly, leveraging fear, urgency and even fake customer service lines to dupe unsuspecting victims into handing over sensitive information. The latest PYMNTS Intelligence in “ The State of Fraud and Financial Crime in the U.S. ” reveals that social engineering fraud has increased by 56% in the past year. While FIs have made strides in curbing traditional digital payment fraud, the escalating sophistication of scams highlights critical gaps in their defenses. Unlike traditional digital payment fraud — which saw a significant decline in its share of dollar losses, dropping by 57% in 2024 — social engineering scams exploit human psychology rather than technological loopholes. Fraudsters now rely on “customer-centric” tactics, leveraging trust to bypass the robust security systems FIs have built around digital payments. This shift underscores the need for FIs to continuously adapt their fraud prevention strategies and prioritize customer education to mitigate the growing threat of social engineering scams. Read more : Financial Scams Drive 122% Increase in Fraud Losses by US Banks Fraudsters Target Consumers as Banks Beef Up Security The decline in digital payment fraud is a testament to the effectiveness of advanced security measures, such as transaction alerts and device fingerprinting. Yet, combating social engineering scams requires a different approach. A PYMNTS Intelligence report, “ The Impact of Financial Scams on Consumers’ Finances and Banking Habits ,” a collaboration with Featurespace , revealed that financial scams are widespread, affecting 3 in 10 U.S. consumers in the past five years. Scams damage consumer trust in FIs. Over half of victims consider switching FIs, and 30% actually do. The sad reality is that the true incidence of scams is likely higher than what’s being reported, due to embarrassment and perceived futility of reporting. Sixty-five percent of victims blame themselves for falling victim to fraud. But against that backdrop, the same PYMNTS Intelligence data shows that victims prioritize advanced fraud detection and monitoring technologies as the most important safeguards financial institutions can implement. Behavioral analytics — an emerging technology that analyzes patterns in user behavior to detect anomalies — has proven particularly adept at identifying scams that exploit human targets. “[End-users] often don’t have a lot of time to look at a particular message. It becomes harder to understand of it’s a ‘real’ message or one that’s trying to deceive us,” David Excell , founder of Featurespace , told PYMNTS, highlighting the role that technology can play in preventing fraud before the bad actor can stick their foot in the front door. However, a striking 83% of FIs cite budgetary constraints as a barrier to implementing new anti-fraud technologies or enhancing existing ones. While the cost of innovation remains a challenge, FIs must weigh these expenses against the financial and reputational risks of inaction. Read more : Why the Customer Experience Should Drive Fraud Prevention Strategies Winning the Digital Game of Cat and Mouse Forget the stereotype of elderly victims falling prey to smooth-talking fraudsters. Today, it’s the digital-savvy millennials and Gen Z consumers who are more likely to take the hit, per PYMNTS Intelligence. These generations, often perceived as tech-literate, are still frequent targets for scams like identity theft, fake eCommerce schemes and investment fraud, which can deliver devastating financial blows. Scammers do more than deceive their targets. These criminals contribute to undermining trust and confidence in FIs, online transactions and the financial system as a whole. Financial institutions sit at the front lines of this battle and have an opportunity — if not an obligation — to take a stand. From advanced fraud detection technologies to streamlined reporting processes, FIs can empower consumers with tools to detect, report and recover from scams. The fight against fraud is a dynamic and high-stakes battle. As fraudsters continue to refine their strategies, FIs must demonstrate equal agility by embracing innovation and prioritizing customer protection. Institutions that fail to adapt risk not only financial losses but also erosion of customer trust — a critical component of their long-term success.
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As the stakes are high in these crucial matchups, both Real Madrid and Inter Milan will need to bring their A-game to secure victories and advance to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. The football world will be eagerly watching as these two European giants clash with their respective opponents in what promises to be an enthralling display of skill, tactics, and determination.
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Furthermore, in the men's and women's team events, the Chinese national team has demonstrated their superior teamwork, coordination, and strategy, as they continue to dominate the competition and emerge victorious in every tournament they participate in. With their unmatched chemistry and synergy on the court, the Chinese team has managed to maintain their position as world number one in the team events, showcasing their collective strength and unity as a force to be reckoned with.UEFA Champions League Preview: Bayer Leverkusen vs Inter Milan, Who's in Hotter Form?Title: Debunking the Rumor of "Most Stringent Vehicle Inspection Ever"
