At age 37, Paul Pierce is having a grand ol’ time on this play-off run with the Washington Wizards.
So before turning his attention to whomever his team’s second-round Eastern Conference opponents will be in a week or more – either No 1 seeded Atlanta Hawks or No 8 Brooklyn Nets – Pierce wanted to relish Washington’s sweep of the Toronto Raptors.
So within a couple of hours after the Wizards completed the franchise’s first 4-0 win in a best-of-7 series by beating Toronto 125-94 on Sunday night, Pierce’s Twitter and Facebook accounts were in full troll mode, replete with doctored photos.
One showed an image of Pierce sitting on the iconic “Game of Thrones” iron-sword seat, under the headline “King in the North,” a play off the Raptors’ “We the North” slogan. Another depicted Drake, the Canadian rapper who is the Raptors’ “Global Brand Ambassador,” ripping open a shirt to reveal Pierce’s No 34 Wizards jersey, alongside the line, “If you’re reading this the Wizards just swept,” and accompanied by these words: “Drake a fool lol.”
Aside from Pierce’s contributions on the court – such as 14 points and four of Washington’s club post-season record 15 three-pointers on Sunday – he is putting in work off it, mentoring younger teammates such as John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter. Not to mention doing what he can to get into foes’ heads.
“Play-offs is a different game. The intensity goes up, more is on the line, and that’s where you see the stars become superstars,” Pierce said. “And that’s what you saw in this series tonight from John and Bradley.”
Pierce has been through it all, playing in 152 career play-off games and winning an NBA championship ring with the 2008 Boston Celtics.
He was signed last off-season when the Wizards lost Trevor Ariza to free agency, and after having a lighter workload during the regular season, Pierce has given the Wizards the sort of clutch three-point shooting and leadership they needed.
A year ago, Wall and Beal made their post-season debuts, eliminating the Chicago Bulls in the first round before losing to the Indiana Pacers in the second.
“The biggest thing now, I don’t want that feeling again. I don’t want to have that same feeling of going home, knowing that we should be advancing,” Beal, a third-year shooting guard, said after scoring a game-high 23 points Sunday.
He also was not shy about acknowledging the Wizards’ aspirations.
“Winning this series really gives us confidence, but at the same time, we need to stay humble, because it’s not over,” Beal said. “We have another tough series up next. And then another one after that, if we advance. And another one. So it never stops.”
Heady talk for someone who plays on a team that went more than three decades without topping 45 wins, until getting 46 this season.
And by eliminating No 4 seed Toronto, No 5 Washington have made it to the conference semi-finals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1978 and 1979, when – still known as the Bullets – the team won a title, then reached the NBA Finals.
Atlanta lead Brooklyn 2-1, with Game 4 of that series Monday.
Now comes some time off for the Wizards, a chance for Pierce to get a breather, for Wall to let his dinged-up right shoulder to heal, for Beal to do the same with his banged-up knee.
“It’s great to get this out of the way and get a rest while the other guys are playing,” said Wall, who averaged 17.3 points and 12.3 assists against Toronto.
Going into the first round, Pierce drew attention for his remarks about the Raptors’ lack of the “It” factor.
He’s pretty sure others’ perception of the Wizards is changing.
“To go out there and not only be the underdog, but to sweep them,” Pierce said, “I think it does send a message that you can’t take Washington lightly.”
*Associated Press
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Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Teenage%20Mutant%20Ninja%20Turtles%3A%20Shredder's%20Revenge
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ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
More on animal trafficking
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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