(NewsUSA) - Despite increased interest rates and inventory challenges, you can still be a homeowner this year.

Many first-time homebuyers may not realize that there are many ways to make home ownership happen, and not all of them involve a 20% down payment.

The need to put down 20% of the cost of a home is a general misconception according to Freedom Mortgage, a residential mortgage lender with experience originating conventional, FHA and VA loans. They are an independent, non-bank, full-service, residential lender whose mission is to expand opportunities for first-time homebuyers, especially military personnel and consumers with low down payments.

One secret to securing a successful loan is to work with a loan officer who is experienced in the wide range of available home loans, especially those backed by the U.S. government. That way, homebuyers are aware of all potential financing opportunities and companies who offer those options. A good loan officer will walk you through the process and find a loan that works for your budget. Remember—even if your credit history is less than stellar, or if your resources for a down payment are limited, owning a home is still within reach.

Government-insured loans for first-time homebuyers that don’t require a 20% down payment include:

• VA loans. If you are a Veteran—either active military or retired—you may be eligible for a VA purchase loan through the federal government with no down payment.
• FHA loans. A Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan allows for lower rates, flexible credit terms, and low minimum down payments (approximately 3.5%). FHA loans are designed for individuals with lower credit scores (minimum 550) and can be used for refinancing, too.
• USDA loans. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans help people seeking to buy homes in rural (and some suburban) areas. USDA loans are not available everywhere, but they are an option in many states. Benefits include competitive interest rates and, in many cases, no down payments. USDA loans have no limits on the loan, and low mortgage guarantee fees. The minimum credit score is 620.

For homebuyers with good credit and finances, a conventional loan may be a good bet, because these loans allow you to finance a wider range of houses than other mortgage types do. Conventional loans also may allow you to borrow more money to finance a more expensive home.

The bottom line is that home ownership can—and should—be available to everyone. A lender such as Freedom Mortgage can help identify the best loan that lets you purchase a home sooner and start to build wealth through home equity.

Visit www.FreedomMortgage.com for more information or call 833-687-1212 for assistance.

(NewsUSA) - Dangerous Blues by Stephen Policoff

A dark yet comic storm of family relationships laced with a buzz of the supernatural, where the fleeting light of the present must constantly contend with the shadows of the past.

Paul and daughter Spring sublet a New York apartment after the death of Paul’s wife Nadia. Paul meets the mother of one of Spring’s new friends, Tara, a blues singer and perhaps the spark Paul needs. But Paul fears he is being haunted by Nadia. Tara, who grew up in a New England cult, is haunted, too.

“Wildly creative, the absolute perfect chord of magic, a wifely ghost, a bit of shamanism and a lot about human bonds and beliefs, all set against the backdrop of a Greenwich Village blues club,” says Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3YC953J.
 

Dinosaurs Like Bananas Too! by Erin Ciaravino

An exciting, illustrated children's book for ages 2 to 8 that explores the beauty of unexpected adventure in the most unlikely of places.

Young Logan Ciaravino created the story as a tool of self-expression when suffering from a speech delay. By using his imagination, he was able to articulate his first creative thought, which is the story of “Dinosaurs Like Bananas Too!”

Logan, the story's main character, encounters a new friend, T-Rex, and the two embark on an imaginary journey through Logan's home. Each room transforms into a magical place where new friends teach the pair exciting new things, encouraging us to be unassuming in how we approach the world. The key message: When you are open to adventure, there are lots of new things to try!" Purchase at https://bit.ly/3lkcNRc.

Perfectly Imperfectly YOU by Jamie James

Have you ever wanted to fit in? Maybe wished you could change something about yourself? How about being a little embarrassed of something you feel is out of place? Although it may not always feel like it, all your "imperfections" make you perfect! YOU, as you come, are exactly who our world needs!

Through her deep love and commitment to give her children what her childhood didn't have, Jamie James wrote some stories that would not only be easy to read but contain simple understanding to help children through their questions and concerns. Not only did she fall in love with writing, she saw the beautiful emotion and reactions from children close to her. Jamie's passion is once again shown through this reignited fire. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3S2CphW.

Simplify: Powerful Words for Life’s Complicated Situations by Susan Pazak, PhD

Simplify your day by using these powerful words, scriptures, and thoughts to shift your perspective, mood, and outlook. Life doesn't need to be terribly complicated.

Negative words and thoughts complicate everyday life, especially during difficult times. Core beliefs and negative words and thoughts can be changed to create a simple life. Simplify contains 90 sayings and scriptures that give specific ways to change our words and thoughts during any of life's situations and circumstances.

Discover how changing what we say and think allows us to have peace amidst life's storms. Over time, or maybe immediately, you will experience a simplified perspective. You will discover how to change the way you speak and think, and the shift in belief will be life-changing. Purchase at https://bit.ly/40kngff.

(Revised 4/19)

 

BookTrib’s Bites is presented by BookTrib.com, where readers come to discover new and emerging authors.

(NewsUSA) - Spring and warmer weather means more time outside, and finding the right swing set for your yard is a great way to get your kids and their friends (parents, too!) energized and enjoying outdoor play.

When choosing a swing set, several factors to keep in mind include safety, convenience, and style.

Backyard Adventures has been providing premium, wooden modular swing sets for more than 40 years. The company’s continuing mission is to help families discover the joys of simple outdoor play through fresh air, friendship, exercise, and imagination. The company offers customizable outdoor playsets that enable hundreds of different configuration possibilities to suit a range of tastes and yard sizes.

“Outdoor playtime is critical to the healthy development and growth of kids, and we have continued to innovate and offer new designs and playsets that appeal to homeowners,” according to the company. “The customization of our back yard swing sets coupled with the unmatched quality is what continues to set us apart.”

Backyard Adventures’ new Treehouse Peak Series, for example, is designed for larger spaces. Special features include high-quality forts, swings, and customizable accessories such as slides, playhouses, and monkey bars with ninja style training features. Best of all, the Treehouse Peak Series is designed for parents and children to play together!

Other series of swing sets include the Peak Playsets, which can be customized with rope ladders, climbing walls, and classic style tire swivel swings. Bridged swing sets allow even more options with the ability to combine two fort structures or more into huge backyard playscape.

For smaller spaces, the Space Savers playsets don’t compromise on quality or fun, and can also include climbing walls, picnic table, gang planks, and sandboxes that bring adventure to any backyard.

With prices starting at $2,500 for smaller swing sets to upwards of $50,000 for deluxe models, there is a swing set for every family, backyard, and budget. All swing set models feature an attractive two-toned stain and natural cedar wood.

Backyard Adventures wooden playsets are available through trusted dealers across the country, and the company website helps families locate the dealer nearest to them. In addition, check out the online playset designer and create your family’s one-of-a-kind outdoor play space.

Visit www.backyardadventures.com for more information, or follow Backyard Adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

(NewsUSA) - Despite having a standard of living among the highest in the world, the maternal mortality rate in the United States has increased over the past 25 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The numbers are especially poor for Black women, who are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts, while black infants are more than twice as likely to die as white infants. These disparities persist regardless of level of education.

“Infant and maternity mortality rates are regarded as measures of the health of a society. The racial and ethnic disparities in our current rates reflect longstanding biases that challenge our very basic capacity to offer fair and ethical health care,” said Dr. Lenaye Lawyer, an OB-GYN and medical director for AmeriHealth Caritas, a national leader in Medicaid managed care and other health care solutions for those most in need. “The provider community should be aware of these disparities and recommendations for reducing them.”

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia tops the list as the state with the highest rates of maternal mortality, 46.2 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births for all women. The rate is even higher--66.6 deaths per 100,000 live births--for African American women.

The National Partnership for Women & Families has noted some of the broader problems in the health care system and in the delivery of maternal care that disproportionally affect Black women, including lack of access to care, low income, and being uninsured.

A 2018 article in the journal Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology offered a model to help address these disparities. The model includes:

-Promoting a culture of equity for all women from preconception care through prenatal care and postpartum care.

-Educating doctors and medical staff about health care disparities in Black women during pregnancy and in general.

-Engaging patients in shared decision making.

AmeriHealth Caritas Corporate Chief Medical Officer, Population Health, Dr. Lily Higgins added that, Dr. Lily Higgins, an AmeriHealth Caritas market chief medical officer, added that improving health literacy and self-advocacy skills can also help more black women have healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and babies.

“If the health care system can foster a culture of health equity, literacy, and advocacy, we will take a big step towards eliminating maternal health disparities in this country,” said Dr. Higgins.

AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 13 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves approximately 5 million Medicaid, Medicare, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Health Insurance Marketplace® members. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com.

(NewsUSA) - Spring and warmer weather means more time outside, and finding the right swing set for your yard is a great way to get your kids and their friends (parents, too!) energized and enjoying outdoor play.

When choosing a swing set, several factors to keep in mind include safety, convenience, and style.

Backyard Adventures has been providing premium, wooden modular swing sets for more than 40 years. The company’s continuing mission is to help families discover the joys of simple outdoor play through fresh air, friendship, exercise, and imagination. The company offers customizable outdoor playsets that enable hundreds of different configuration possibilities to suit a range of tastes and yard sizes.

“Outdoor playtime is critical to the healthy development and growth of kids, and we have continued to innovate and offer new designs and playsets that appeal to homeowners,” according to the company. “The customization of our backyard swing sets coupled with the unmatched quality is what continues to set us apart.”

Backyard Adventures’ new Treehouse Peak Series, for example, is designed for larger spaces. Special features include high-quality forts, swings, and customizable accessories such as slides, playhouses, and monkey bars with ninja style training features. Best of all, the Treehouse Peak Series is designed for parents and children to play together!

Other series of swing sets include the Peak Playsets, which can be customized with rope ladders, climbing walls, and classic style tire swivel swings. Bridged swing sets allow even more options with the ability to combine two fort structures or more into huge backyard playscape.

For smaller spaces, the Space Savers playsets don’t compromise on quality or fun, and can also include climbing walls, picnic table, gang planks, and sandboxes that bring adventure to any backyard.

With prices starting at $2,500 for smaller swing sets to upwards of $50,000 for deluxe models, there is a swing set for every family, backyard, and budget. All swing set models feature an attractive two-toned stain and natural cedar wood.

Backyard Adventures wooden playsets are available through trusted dealers across the country, and the company website helps families locate the dealer nearest to them. In addition, check out the online playset designer and create your family’s one-of-a-kind outdoor play space.

Visit www.backyardadventures.com for more information, or follow Backyard Adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

(NewsUSA) - Marine Toys for Tots, which is traditionally known as a Christmastime charity, has evolved into a year-round force for good. The year-round assistance and emotional relief that the organization provides extends beyond the holiday season, because needs aren’t seasonal, and neither is Toys for Tots.

The Program’s year-round distributions reassure families, who face adversity and exceptional circumstances throughout the year, that Marine Toys for Tots is committed to delivering messages of hope, restoring and building self-esteem, and inspiring youngsters to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. The Program takes great pride in spreading hope around our Nation and being a force for good in order to promote a brighter tomorrow, especially during uncertain times.

In East Palestine, Ohio, children and families have recently faced devastating hardships due to the train derailment that left the river and air contaminated with toxic chemicals. East Palestine Social Concern, a local organization that assists families with rent and utilities, provided support to the impacted families, while Toys for Tots delivered emotional relief through the gift of toys and books to over 400 children in the local area. 

“This is so exciting because the kids really have been overlooked through this whole process. They haven’t had a voice, their fears and anxiety a lot of times are portrayed through what their parents are feeling, and they’re not really getting heard,” said a local volunteer. “And so, it was awesome that [Toys for Tots was] willing to give these [toys] away now and not make ‘em wait for Christmas. This is just fantastic. I love seeing the kids excited and the families.”

During their seventy-fifth anniversary last year, Marine Toys for Tots distributed more 24 million toys to nearly ten million less fortunate children, provided more than 6.3 million books to children in need through their Literacy Program and supported over 220,000 Native American children living on remote Reservations through their Native American Program. The Program also established their newest initiative to support children living in foster care and provided toys, books, games, and school supplies to over 447,000 children living in the Foster Care system.

Looking ahead to 2023, Marine Toys for Tots will continue to be the force for good that will provide significant comfort and relief to families who face hardships throughout the year. This spring and summer, Toys for Tots has committed to providing 100 truckloads of toys to communities throughout the U.S. and one million books to Title I funded schools. These existing programs and initiatives will bring emotional relief and reassurance in times of tremendous loss to children across the Nation – Toys for Tots is committed to making their days ahead a little brighter.

Visit www.toysfortots.org to support the year-round Programs and be part of the force for good!

(NewsUSA) - With Easter just around the corner, we bring your attention to the work of a Chinese scholar and philanthropist who has combed through 3,000 years of philosophical world history to reveal the truth of Jesus’s message and the Human Calling he brought to all humankind. 

Daofeng He’s illuminating new book, THE HUMAN CALLING: Three Thousand Years of Eastern and Western Philosophical History (Morgan James Faith), is a journey into the past to help us navigate into the future.

Never before has this sort of study included an in-depth look into the development of both Eastern and Western philosophy and examined how the shifting currents of time, including social, economic, political and religious beliefs, have brought us to the present day.

We are living in an era where predatory monopolies are intensified, governments are over-expanded, and personal agency is weakened. Global social turmoil is at an all-time high. From the Occupy Movement, Black Lives Matter and the “Great Resignation” in the United States to the “Laying Flat” mentality in China, we have found that in this global, technocratic, money worshipping, and ultra-pragmatic system, more and more people are losing faith in their value as an individual.

Politicians and corporations around the world have hijacked the public forum and turned public media into a tool to enhance their interests. How can people see the machinations in this enormous, complex international system and realize their value as individuals and members of communities? How can they regain their autonomy? 

He believes that we must understand the origins and development of the competing philosophies, beliefs, and ideologies between the East and the West to truly understand the roots of conflicts and turbulence in the world today. This will allow us to reconstruct the sacred origin of the modern universal value system and help people rediscover the dignity and public grace of individual life. 

A survivor of the violence and famine of Mao Zedong’s totalitarian Cultural Revolution, the dream-crushing violence at Tiananmen Square, and the rise of China’s market economy, He grew up in an atheist society devoid of spirituality. After years as an economist, entrepreneur and NGO director, He retired to Maryland in 2015 with some heavy questions on his mind: “What kind of life is really worth living? Is there any other option for human life aside from the modern grind of forced busyness, manipulation by online advertisements, and hatred and violence generated and directed by those who form public opinion? Can we find a way to make human life return to its former graceful and dignified pace, make it encourage inquiring, independent thinking, peaceful communication, mutual respect and philosophical exchange, and connection to the divine source of ‘the human calling’?” 

To find the answers, He traced the growing dysfunction of humankind’s alienation by examining the rise and fall of the world’s great civilizations and their religious, philosophical, economic and political histories. His intellectual journey led him to a startling conclusion—the calling of Christianity. “My new faith shattered my unreasonable expectation to find absolute truth in the Eastern sages who preached that morality was relative. It also cut off the path to the materialistic gods of the new, moneyed East.” 

THE HUMAN CALLING is the book we need right now to illuminate our shared human history and provide answers as to how we can start creating a better world. 

Visit THE HUMAN CALLING website at https://www.thehumancalling.com or purchase the book HERE.

(revised April 12. 2023)

(NewsUSA) - Filing your taxes can be stressful and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. As the deadline for filing taxes approaches, don’t let the pressure overwhelm you. Follow these five tips for a smooth tax season.

Know the different types of taxes you might have to pay.

Federal Taxes: Your money is taxed at a rate between 0% and 37%, depending on how much you earn. Your employer will deduct the money for these taxes, and the taxes listed below, from your paycheck each payday.

State Taxes: Not all states require you to pay state income taxes, but those that do typically take 3% to 11%.

Local Taxes: These apply only to certain large cities, such as New York City, and can be as much as 10% of your gross paycheck.

Social Security: Your employer will withhold 6.2% of your pay to cover Social Security taxes.

Medicare: For this tax, 1.45% of your pay is withheld from your check.

Understand what getting a tax refund means.

People make big plans for tax refunds, but most Americans are unclear on why they’re getting a refund. A refund indicates that you overpaid your federal and state taxes, essentially giving the government an interest-free loan. Adjust your tax withholding through your payroll to have less money deducted from your paycheck.

Understand the different tax forms you might receive.

These are the different forms needed to file your taxes:

• W-2: This comes from your employer and summarizes wages, taxes and deductions throughout the year.
   
• 1099: These are used to report other types of income you’ve received, including bank interest (1099-INT). Not every taxpayer receives these forms.
   
• 1098: This form and its variants show payments you’ve made that may qualify you for tax benefits. For example, a regular 1098 shows mortgage interest paid, a 1098-T shows money paid for school tuition and expenses, and a 1098-E shows student loan interest paid.

Understand due dates.

Your tax return is usually due on April 15, although this year’s deadline has been extended to April 18. If you’re not ready, you can request a six-month extension, but this is only an extension for filing the return. The money you owe is still due by the regular tax deadline.

Understand what to do if you owe taxes and don’t have the money to pay right away.

Don’t panic, but don’t ignore the problem either. Contact the IRS to set up a payment plan. You’ll have to pay the government eventually, and until you do the IRS can add costly interest and late fees to what you owe. Get started, pay what you can as soon as possible, and then continue making payments.

Just as you can change your withholding to have your employer deduct fewer taxes from your paycheck, you can increase the amount to keep from owing in the future. Contact your HR/Payroll department to learn more.

For help in figuring out how your income taxes impact your financial situation, reach out to a CFP^® professional at LetsMakeAPlan.org.

(PointSpreads.com) - Not all heroes wear capes. Many of them wear football pads, cleats, sneakers, and skates, and some even carry a bat or a stick. We’re talking about transcendent athletes who can make the jump from the field of battle to the silver screen.

With the release of Air - a movie inspired by Michael Jordan - PointSpreads.com, known for its reporting on the latest sports betting news (and the latest point spreads, of course), has compiled a shortlist of athletes whose larger-than-life personas, accomplishments or backstory would be worthy of the big screen - as well as the best actor to portray each one.   Which athlete will be the subject of the next Hollywood megahit?

“That sounded like a fun bet, so we decided to put some odds to it,” says Robert Jones, a former bookmaker at a major sportsbook and senior contributor at PointSpreads. 

Tom Brady

Now that he’s retired, Brady is the glamor boy who showed the world he was much more than a pretty face. Brady had a career spanning two decades, rarely got injured, and has more records than Motown.

A handsome face and an ‘aw-shucks’ demeanor is what is needed to play the seven-time Super Bowl champ. So, who is the perfect fit? We believe Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, Patrick, would be the man to do justice to the role, according to PointSpreads.com.

“We think Brady has great odds of a Hollywood portrayal of his life and career.  The man is a legend.  The consensus around our office would be +300, or 3-to-1 odds, just behind Kobe Bryant,” Jones says.

Kobe Bryant

The Black Mamba needs to be memorialized in film, and not just any movie, but one that will stand the test of time. An all-time classic with superb directing and cinematography worthy of capturing one of the most electrifying ball players ever to grace the hardcourt.

His tragic death, made even more heart-wrenching when his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other souls lost their lives in a plane crash on that fateful day in January of 2020, will have the audience misty-eyed and searching for Kleenex. PointSpreads.com’s pick to play Kobe is Michael B. Jordan. 

“There must be a Kobe film coming. I’d give it +150 odds,” Jones says.

Conor McGregor

Another celebrity that is no stranger to the pages of PointSpreads.com is Conor McGregor. Love him or hate him, it’s impossible to ignore him. The Irish MMA superstar exploded onto the scene with outrageous trash-talking and a unique fighting style that seamlessly blended a hammer-fisted boxing approach with the nuanced techniques of capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art rarely seen within the confines of the Octagon.

McGregor is a natural southpaw but can switch to orthodox at the drop of a dime and his Billionaire Strut, fashioned after WWE founder Vince McMahon’s imperious swagger, is cinematic gold. Tom Hardy, an acclaimed martial arts practitioner himself, gets the gig with no audition required.

“McGregor’s personality, backstory and Irish heritage appeal to a big demographic and there must be a producer in Hollywood wanting to make this happen.  I’d give it a solid +450,” Jones says.

Simone Biles

Considered to be the greatest gymnast in the history of the sport, Simone Biles is a 4’8” pixie mounted on a pair of hydraulic lifts and a body of twisted steel that allows her to do what few others have been able to do.

Seven Olympic and 25 World Championship medals comprise her gymnastics resume but the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to her by Joe Biden in 2022 reflects how truly transcendent and entrenched in the fabric of American culture she has become. Marsai Martin has our full support to recreate the wonder that is Simone Biles on the big screen.

“Simone captured our hearts and attention and any movie about her would most certainly be well received.  I’d give it 6-to-1, or +600 odds that we’ll be seeing a trailer with her likeness in the near future,” Jones says.   

Image credit: Brian BAHR / AFP (PointSpreads.com)

(Point Spreads) - Whether you’re a player, fan, coach or bettor, this NBA season has been wild, featuring moments that have shocked and delighted many across the country.

Caught on Camera - The season started with a bang… rather more of a hook, as the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors would witness their inner-turmoil shown to the world following a fight between veteran Draymond Green and rising star Jordan Poole.

Green, known to instigate confrontation with opponents, teammates, or anyone really, would step to Poole during a practice and land a massive right hand on to the side of the fourth year player out of Michigan.

This is not the first, nor the last time teammates would fight at practice, but with the rise of social media and cameras being everywhere, the footage would be leaked to the press and instigate a messy situation into a messier one with record-breaking speed.

Green would be suspended and Poole would deal with having to relive an embarrassing moment now confined to the annals of history.

The multiple time NBA Champion, Green, would be contrite in his apology to Poole, claiming in the days after the suspension that he would give his teammate space and only attempt reconciliation or communication if the younger player was ready or interested in doing so.

As of this writing the Warriors are in contention for the playoffs, standing at the #7th seed, but the impact that this fight had on the chemistry, comfort, and potential for the Warriors to run it back in 2023 has certainly been mitigated.

Despite all of this, the Warriors are currently the fifth best bet to win the NBA Championship this season as per experts at Point Spreads, trailing the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and the current favorite, the Boston Celtics.

The Brooklyn Shuffle - One team that went from an odds favorite to a team in a drastic rebuild are the Brooklyn Nets. 

Following multiple seasons of injuries, coaching disputes, protests and more distractions than anyone else could bear, the next “Big 3”, consisting of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, which then turned into Durant, Kyrie, and Ben Simmons, is now reduced to Ben Simmons.

Harden would be traded for Simmons in 2022, following numerous alleged issues between the three stars, which would bring out the player in Simmons, who despite his many gifts has had a very public battle with anxiety and numerous injuries that would leave him on the sidelines during the 2022 playoffs.

The next casualty would be Steve Nash, who amidst his first NBA coaching job would be put into a political chess match with Durant, who allegedly demanded that either Nash goes or he goes. Joe Tsai, the Nets owner, would side with Nash and GM Sean Marks - until seven games into the season, when he’d fire Nash amidst a 2-5 start and Irving landed in hot water over promoting a documentary that was alleged to be antisemitic. 

Three months later, Irving would be the next to go, as he would be shipped to Dallas to help Luka Doncic and company in their quest for an NBA Title.

It would seem that the Mavericks are the winner of the trade as they are the sixth seed in the west (half game up on the Warriors), and the Nets are a +25,000 underdog to win the NBA Championship this season and are out of playoff contention, according to PointSpreads.com. 

With Simmons’ injury issues following him to Brooklyn and sidelining him for the foreseeable future. Durant would read the tea leaves himself and force a trade to the Phoenix Suns.

The most shocking was the sudden personality change in Ja Morant.

Morant, who has become one of the best players in the NBA and a leader of the tenacious Memphis Grizzlies, was cause for concern in 2022, when he allegedly threatened a fan on Twitter.

From there, Morant would allegedly threaten a security guard in a Memphis Shopping Mall, due to a supposed confrontation between Morant’s mother and a store employee, which could have been exacerbated by the nine or so people in Morant’s entourage.

Less than a week later, Morant was accused of beating up a teenager due to a basketball accidentally thrown at his head.

These incidents coupled with a confrontation between Morant’s father and Fox Sports 1 Analyst Shannon Sharpe, two confrontations between his friends and members of the Indiana Pacers, and the recent controversy involving Morant brandishing a handgun and leaked photos of him in a strip club with nearly $250,000 spread across the room, Morant was suspended for eight games by the NBA and has entered counseling. He's now back on the court and the fans are loving him.

These are just a few of the biggest surprises that have shaken up fans – and the betting odds – this NBA season, according to PointSpreads.com analysts. 

With the NBA Play-in tournament and the NBA Playoffs just a few games away, what else will have an effect on the NBA season?  

Image credit: Loren Elliott / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP for PointSpreads.com