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The New Orleans Pelicans were swept in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs ... but Master P knows the secret to getting the team on track, telling TMZ Sports he'd transform the team into a championship contender if he were on the coaching staff!

We caught up with the king of New Orleans and his hoops star son, Mercy Miller, at LAX recently and asked him about the Pels’ disappointing end to the season at the hands of the number one seed OKC Thunder.

While many fans have suggested the team move on from Zion Williamson, and some of the other key pieces, P says he’s optimistic about the future of NOLA hoops.

Bob Dylan didn't just do iconic music in his heyday -- he was painting crap too ... and one of his artwork pieces could be yours ... 'cause it's up for grabs, TMZ has learned.

A painting Bob did in 1968 -- from a previously unseen collection of work from Dylan's Woodstock years -- is on the auction block, and it features an abstract design of a bull ... as well as music notes, bow ties, animals, and other notable imagery.

The painted canvas was given to Woodstock-area resident Sandy LePanto in exchange for an astrology chart ... with the painting remaining with the LePanto family until recently, as it was rediscovered by Anthony LePanto's estate.

Influencer and boxer Tristan Hamm -- famously known for knocking out a Logan Paul look-a-like -- is ready to put ex-NFL star Le'Veon Bell to sleep in the ring this month ... telling TMZ Sports he wants Dillon Danis next!!

Hamm and Bell are slated to fight on the Misfits Boxing card on May 25 at the NRG Arena in Houston, Texas ... and Tristan says he's ready for the challenge ahead, despite his debut being just six months ago against Rodney Petersen (you may know him from his run-in with Nate Diaz).

Hamm knocked that dude out in just 53 seconds ... and he's now looking for a similar outcome against Bell.

3:58 PM PT -- Toronto Police Service tells TMZ ... they responded to Drake's house at 3:30 PM ET today and escorted a man off Drake's property after he wouldn't leave when told. We're told they ticketed the man.

Drake received another unexpected visitor Saturday ... with security taking down another alleged trespasser -- punctuating a week of scary moments at the estate.

New video and photos -- obtained by TMZ -- show one of Drake's security guards holding down this newest alleged trespasser outside Drizzy's Toronto mansion about an hour ago, the third this week.

Check out the clip ... it's a pretty quick shot, but there's clearly one man holding down another on the lawn outside the house -- and, he appears to be holding the guy's arms behind his back.

Rudy Moreno -- the longtime comedian who was huge in the Latin community -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

The comedy vet passed away after a stint in a Los Angeles ICU his agent Mark Scroggs confirmed. He did not provide a cause of death.

As we reported ... he ended up in the ICU while battling pneumonia and receiving dialysis treatment -- and his wife, Arlene, couldn't find him, claiming the hospital told her he wasn't in the system.

Christy Martin's happy Sydney Sweeney's lacing up her boxing gloves ... saying she's thrilled Syd's playing her in a new biopic, and she wants to make sure her ring moves look authentic.

The boxing legend tells TMZ ... she's excited for Syd's performance, especially because she has a background in MMA and combat sports -- and says the actor's performance can prove dynamite comes in small packages!

Martin maintains she had no say in casting, and while she hasn't spoken to Sweeney yet ... she's anxious to let her know how honored she is she's taking the role.

Christy says she'll definitely be involved with Sydney's boxing training, specifically to help the star with her left hook ... giving her championship-level tools for the flick.

Matisyahu says Macklemore's new track isn't about freeing Palestine, as Mack claims -- instead, it only sows deeper discord by pushing what he sees as antisemitic tropes.

We caught up with the Jewish singer-songwriter in L.A., and he tells TMZ he's heard Macklemore's song, "Hind's Hall" -- and, quite frankly he thinks it'll keep people in conflict because of its inflammatory lyrics.

Matis starts by mentioning Macklemore's controversial 2014 disguise... one that featured a prosthetic nose, beard, and hat many called antisemitic.

The Formula One Miami Grand Prix blew the Super Bowl outta the water in the VIP department ... so says gamer FaZe Banks, who tells TMZ Sports last weekend's event was "insane!!"

Folks like Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, Kendall Jenner, Steve Aoki, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joe Burrow, BLACKPINK's Lisa and Ed Sheeran -- just to name a FEW -- were all in attendance for the big race in Florida ... and if that sounds overwhelming, Banks says that's 'cause it really was.

"F1 was f***ing dope," Banks -- who was a special guest of Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves -- said of the festivities. "S***'s lit, people like it clearly."

Matt Barnes says the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching vacancy is a tough gig, but thinks JJ Redick would be able to handle the pressure ... telling TMZ Sports the former sharp-shooter has a "great basketball mind."

The Purple and Gold are looking for their next head coach now that Darvin Ham is out after two years ... and they're in desperate search of someone who can get them back in perennial title contention.

Barnes told us at LAX this week he doesn't have a clear favorite to take over the clipboard in L.A. ... but when we asked about Redick's name being thrown around as a potential candidate, he was all about it.

How do you top the 'Greatest Roast of All-Time??' How about going at another GOAT -- 'cause comedian Chris D'Elia tells TMZ Sports a roast of LeBron James would be a worthy follow-up to Tom Brady's night of hell.

But, don't get your hopes up, folks ... 'cause he doubts that'll ever happen.

We talked to D'Elia all about the successful Netflix special at LAX this week ... and picked his brain about the rules of roasting -- after all, he DID crack jokes at a guy named Justin Bieber's expense back in 2015.

As the viral debate rages on whether women would be safer alone in a forest with a random dude or a bear -- one wildlife expert is weighing in ... and she's saying, oh the humanity.

Here's the deal ... a TikToker recently went around asking women on the street if they would feel safer alone in the woods with a bear or an unknown man... and, perhaps not shockingly ... most took the bear, which sparked a larger overall convo about female safety.

The debate whipped up controversy, with insulted men condemning the bear pick ... but as it turns out, a pro who's plugged in to the field of bear biology says ... these ladies are right!

Scott Stapp and his wife are headed for a split, 'cause she's filed for divorce ... TMZ has learned.

The Creed singer's wife of nearly 2 decades, Jaclyn, has decided to end the marriage, according to her rep. The split has been in the works for quite some time, though ... as court records, obtained by TMZ, show Jaclyn actually filed her divorce petition last May.

Her rep says she's faced a long battle in her relationship with Scott and, despite never envisioning divorcing him one day, she's decided to move on.

Joel McHale says the "Community" movie's probably shooting soon, lifting fans' spirits ... but, he's not sharing the set with Chevy Chase anytime soon.

We caught up with the actor in L.A. Friday ... and, we had to ask him about the flick fans have wanted since the show went off the air back in 2015.

JM says the time's finally come 'cause they're shooting the movie either in the fall or early next year ... though he qualifies that a bit since the movie's been promised a couple times before.

Xzibit got fans hyped with a video teaser making it seem like he's bringing back his "Pimp My Ride" franchise -- but it's actually a mobile game that confirms he's still fully dedicated to car culture!!!

Mr. X to the Z checked in with TMZ Hip Hop Friday to discuss his partnership with Chrome Valley Customs, which added his likeness and all sorts of digital accessories to the app.

X tells us he was surprised fans associated the announcement with 'PMR' -- especially because it's been off the air since 2007 -- but understands the passion for it.

Ne-Yo has the type of vocals ripe for AI programs to duplicate -- even he knows it's an inevitable reality -- but the R&B superstar is supremely confident computers can't replace the original.

We got Ne-Yo at LAX, where he admitted ... even though he's not a lawmaker, it's clear to him the music industry is going to need some serious policing with the advent of AI tech.

Ne-Yo's not completely against AI but is adamant permission and payment are necessary in all cases, especially with posthumous releases.

Diddy is asking a judge to toss a Jane Doe's lawsuit which alleges sexual misconduct against him ... and he lays out a few different reasons.

According to the filing, obtained by TMZ, Diddy's attorneys want Jane Doe's suit -- in which she alleges she was violated by Diddy and others at the age of 17 back in 2003 -- dismissed with prejudice ... and they say the statute of limitations on the statute she’s suing under has lapsed.

In other words, Diddy's attorneys say this woman missed her window to sue -- but more importantly, they point out ... she didn’t include many pertinent details -- outside of her alleged assault -- which they feel makes her claims paper thin and not worthy of being heard. They also insist … her allegations simply never happened, period.