Warren scores career-high 53 as Pacers beat 76ers 127-121
Warren scores career-high 53 as Pacers beat 76ers 127-121.....»»
Warren scores career-high 53 as Pacers beat 76ers 127-121
Warren scores career-high 53 as Pacers beat 76ers 127-121.....»»
Ybanez drops career-high 34 points, rallies Golden Spikers past Bulldogs
Josh Ybanez erupted for the UST Golden Spikers as he led a comeback over defending champions National University Bulldogs, 28-30, 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-9, in the UAAP Season 86 men's volleyball tournament Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum......»»
Tyrese Maxey drops career-high 50 as 76ers down Pacers
Tyrese Maxey resets his career-high in points after shooting 63% from the field to send the 76ers to their eighth straight victory.....»»
Taylor Swift, Beyonce reporting jobs trigger controversy
It's rare for a news outlet to dedicate a reporter to one personality, but the publication USA Today has decided Taylor Swift and Beyonce are phenomena requiring their own beats. The recent announcement by Gannett, which owns USA Today, that it was seeking two journalists to cover the biggest names in music as if they were running for president triggered both excitement and eye rolls -- and broader conversation about coverage priorities in an increasingly fragmented and financially precarious news media environment. Gannett, which owns more than 200 daily newspapers, has slashed jobs across local markets over the past several years, laying off six percent of its news division in December. So news of the Tay and Bey positions struck a nerve. "I suppose now is a good time to remind Twitter that I'm the only full-time news reporter left at my newspaper that was sold by Gannett in December," said Brad Vidmar on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Vidmar, 41, works for The Hawk Eye, a newspaper in Burlington, Iowa that GateHouse, an investment firm-run publishing company, purchased in late 2016. In 2019 GateHouse acquired Gannett and took its name, becoming the largest newspaper company in the nation -- and one with a reputation for scooping newspapers before curtailing their resources. Gannett resold The Hawk Eye to a family-owned media company in late 2022 -- its staff a skeleton of what it once was. "They just kept cutting and cutting and cutting staff all across the board," Vidmar told AFP. "What you saw was a situation where there are fewer reporters, reporters forced to take on multiple beats." Losing local content meant filling the paper with wire stories or stories from the broader USA Today network, he explained. Vidmar said Gannett's announcement of the Swift job made "my eyes roll." "They've been downsizing newsrooms for years now, but of course, they need somebody dedicated to covering Taylor Swift," he said. Shaping a generation Gannett said the new positions will be employed by USA Today and The Tennessean, the company's Nashville-based paper. The aim of the new jobs -- which are in addition to three music reporters The Tennessean now employs -- will be to "capture the excitement around Swift's ongoing tour... while also providing thoughtful analysis of her music and career," Gannett said. Another position is aimed at similarly analyzing Beyonce's impact. The NewsGuild's New York branch was skeptical, writing on X: "Gannett's strategy to be profitable again: 1) Lay off hundreds of reporters 2) Destroy local news coverage 3) Hire a Taylor Swift reporter." Lark-Marie Anton, Gannett's chief communications officer, said in a statement to AFP that "these roles do not come at the expense of other jobs," noting that in Gannett's bid to "grow our audience," the company has hired 225 journalists since March and has more than 100 open roles. "Taylor Swift and Beyonce Knowles-Carter are artists and businesswomen. Their work has tremendous economic impact and societal significance influencing multiple industries and our culture -- they are shaping a generation," Anton said. Under pressure Robert Thompson, a media scholar at Syracuse University, said his initial reaction to the new jobs was questioning whether "this is a joke." But he said after more reflection "I think it would be silly to categorically dismiss this... There are so few things that everybody really kind of knows whether they're fans or not, and Beyonce and Taylor Swift are some of the very rare ones." The jobs have the potential to allow for "really insightful ways to tell the story of 21st-century America through the lens of its most popular personages," he said. On the other hand, Thompson acknowledged that the negative reaction to the new jobs in light of dwindling local news coverage is reasonable. "If you were to get a bunch of people together and say, 'We've got X number of dollars, how should they be spent?' Most of them would probably not say the Taylor Swift beat," he said. "But that doesn't mean that separate from that context there can't be some really good things to come of it." If performed correctly, the new jobs are not necessarily the "dream" careers some headlines have touted them as he said. The fan bases for both Swift and Beyonce are notoriously defensive -- music critics who make even the slightest negative comment about their idols can be doxxed or receive death threats. Along with the "organized wrath" of Swifties and the Beyhive, the worlds these artists have curated are famously guarded. Plus, Thompson noted, "The eyes of the profession are going to be on these poor folks when they finally get hired." "That first piece that they file -- it better be really good." The post Taylor Swift, Beyonce reporting jobs trigger controversy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Alcaraz’s ‘dream’ Wimbledon can signal changing of the guard
Alcaraz ended Djokovic's run of four successive Wimbledon titles with an epic 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory in a final for the ages on Sunday. The 20-year-old wore down Djokovic over four hours and 42 minutes of unrelenting drama on Centre Court, clinching his first Wimbledon crown and the second major title of his career. After two decades of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dominating the sport, Alcaraz says his victory could be the start of a new era. "It's a dream. I'm 20. I didn't experience many moments like this. Making history like I did today, it's the happiest moment of my life," Alcaraz said. "Beating Novak at his best on this stage, making history, being the guy to beat him after 10 years unbeaten on this court is amazing for me. "It's great for the new generation to see me beating him and make them think they are capable of doing it as well. It's great for me, and the young players as well." When Djokovic won his first major at the Australian Open in 2008, Alcaraz was still three months shy of his fifth birthday. But with Federer retired and Nadal close to the end of his glittering career, Alcaraz has emerged as Djokovic's biggest challenger. Alcaraz, who won his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, has replaced the Serb at the top of the world rankings and his Wimbledon victory may hasten the emergence of a new generation to replace the "Big Three". "Beating Novak, winning Wimbledon is something I dreamed about since I start playing tennis," Alcaraz said. Djokovic was aiming for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title and could also have matched Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 Grand Slam singles crowns. Instead, the 36-year-old leaves Wimbledon licking his wounds after beating over-powered by the relentless Alcaraz. In an ominous warning to Djokovic, Alcaraz said his All England Club win can provide a foundation for more success when they meet again. 'I grew up a lot' -"Probably before today I didn't think I was ready to beat Djokovic in five sets in an epic match like this, to stay good physically and mentally against a legend like Djokovic," Alcaraz. "I will remember this moment in other Grand Slams and think I am ready to play five sets against him. It probably changed my mind a bit." Alcaraz's previous clash with Djokovic had ended in defeat in the French Open semi-finals in June, when the Spaniard fell apart after suffering stress-related cramping. Learning from that painful loss, he held his nerve superbly this time. "I am such a different player since the French Open. I grew up a lot. I took lessons from that match. I prepared a little bit differently mentally," he said. "I handled the nerves better than I did at the French Open. I fought until the last ball. It was a long match. The mental part allowed me to stay there for five sets. "If I had lost the second set probably I couldn't have got the trophy, I would probably have lost in straight sets. That gave me a lot of motivation." Djokovic's frustration at Alcaraz's stubborn resistance boiled over when he smashed his racquet against the net post after being broken in the final set. But the Serb had no complaints about the defeat and even labelled Alcaraz a combination of himself, Federer and Nadal. Asked about that glowing tribute, the ultra-confident Alcaraz said: "It's crazy that Novak say that. But I consider myself a really complete player. "I have the shots, the strength physically, the strength mentally. "Probably he's right. But I don't want to think about it. I'm the full Carlos Alcaraz, let's say." smg/dj © 1994-2023 Agence France-Presse The post Alcaraz’s ‘dream’ Wimbledon can signal changing of the guard appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Stains on Luna’s ‘Hymén’
Striking is the so-contemporary debate ongoing in artistic and intellectual circles regarding Juan Luna’s rediscovered work sporting two titles, “Hymén, O Hyménée” and “Boda Romana”. Strikingly contemporary since the debate revolves around an urgent general question of our present times: What is to be done about art made by bad men? Anyone cognizant of feminist consciousness and conversant with Luna’s true biography easily raises that question when gazing at Luna’s painting, tackily commoditized as the “holy grail” of Philippine painting. But once the general question is advanced, it also raises a specific related question: Do we separate the art from the artist? One side of the current debate answers we must divorce the painting from its maker’s life, judging it strictly on its aesthetics. A biography should not color our aesthetic experiences of the painting. But the other side asks: How can we possibly exercise such a divorce after being injured by the knowledge of Juan Novicio Luna’s awful monstrousness? Now an “awful thing disrupts the great work; we can’t watch or listen to or read (or see) the great work without remembering the awful thing,” reminds critic Claire Dederer, whose recent excellent book “Monsters” coincidently fell on my lap just as the present debate on Luna’s painting heated up. In Luna’s case, the awful thing is that on the morning of 22 September 1892 inside a Paris apartment bathroom a lividly jealous Luna shot in the head his wife and the mother of his two children, Maria “Paz” Pardo de Tavera. Maria “Paz” Pardo de Tavera is the diaphanous bride of Luna’s painting, a vibrantly-colored, visibly eroticized, raucous scene of a procession accompanying the bride’s walk to the bridegroom’s chambers. Inescapably, the painting — possibly started in 1886 during Luna’s honeymoon and completed in 1889 — can’t now be seen but as a chilling contrapuntal to the marital violence in Paris. Additionally to the murder, as historian Raquel A.G. Reyes pointedly says, “Juan Luna terrified his domestic household with his violent rages. He beat his wife and, in the months leading up to her murder, the beatings had increased in frequency and viciousness. Paz was desperately unhappy and her mother feared for her daughter’s life.” Luna subsequently faced trial for his crimes by a French court — he also shot in the head his mother-in-law and wounded his wife’s two brothers — but was acquitted on the verdict his violence could be attributed to “the semi-barbaric peoples of the Tropics”. It’s an ironic verdict for a thick-lipped Europeanized reformist colonial subject who, despite his award-winning paintings, failed to convince his colonial masters of his fitness to be a fellow Spaniard. He was not, as Jose Rizal once perceptively noted, radical enough. Maria “Paz” Pardo de Tavera, meanwhile, suffered a doubly tragic fate. She was later vilified and effectively erased from history by a generation of Filipino intellectuals bent on promoting proto-nationalist agendas. Consequently, Ms. Reyes argues, “Juan Luna’s career as painter… in Philippine nationalist history flows smooth and untarnished.” Luna “the first nationalistic painter” got a free pass, even forgiven and largely lionized as a “genius,” which currently connotes “the name we give our love (for an artist) when we don’t want to argue about it; when we want our opinion to be fact.” Such are the emotional “disruptions” staining Luna’s “Hymén.” Removing the stains is impossible, however. “When someone says we ought to separate the art from the artist, they’re saying: Remove the stain. Let the work be unstained. But that’s not how stains work,” says Dederer. Stains, you see, travel forward and backward in time, “affecting the perpetrator and defining the perpetrator not just at the time of the abuse, and not just after the abuse, but before he committed the crime. Our knowledge of the crime affects the person he was all along. The knowledge is a time traveler — because our idea of that person is affected by our new knowledge.” Email: nevqjr@yahoo.com.ph The post Stains on Luna’s ‘Hymén’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Madonna hospitalized for several days, tour postponed
Madonna is recovering after falling ill with a "serious bacterial infection" that landed her in an intensive care unit for several days, her manager Guy Oseary said in a statement Wednesday. "Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care," he said. "A full recovery is expected." Oseary said the 64-year-old pop icon's "Celebrations" tour, due to start July 15 in Vancouver, Canada, was postponed until further notice. The New York Post's Page Six website said the pop star was taken to a hospital in the city after becoming unwell. Her global, nearly sold-out tour was billed as paying homage to Madonna's more than four-decade long career, and according to her website boasted 84 concert dates. Stops in the United States were to include Detroit, Chicago, Miami and New York, the city where her storied rise to superstardom began. She was then slated to continue in Europe, with dates in London, Barcelona and Paris, as well as four dates in Mexico City. The Grammy-winning megastar behind classics including "Like a Virgin" has asserted incalculable influence over her stellar career as one of music's top stars. In his statement on social media, her manager vowed to provide more information when available, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows. In 2020 Madonna underwent hip replacement surgery following an injury sustained on her "Madame X" tour. 'Material Girl' Born in 1958, the Catholic-educated artist headed to New York in the late 1970s with just 35 dollars in her pocket. She scraped a living through everything from nude modeling to selling donuts. Her first big single was "Everybody" in 1982, followed by a string of hits including "Lucky Star," "Borderline," and "Holiday." The 1984 release of "Like A Virgin" propelled Madonna onto the international stage. She followed up in 1985 with another disco anthem, "Material Girl." The early 1990s saw her don infamous pointy cone-shaped bras on her "Blond Ambition" Tour in 1990. She also released a racy book called "Sex," filled with photographs of sexual acts that was released to accompany her 1992 album "Erotica." In the late 1990s her music took off in a new direction, thumping to a new dance-flavored beat on her multi award-winning 1998 album "Ray of Light." In 2003 she grabbed the showbiz world's attention by clinching pop princess Britney Spears in a lingering kiss on stage at that year's MTV Music Video Awards. And she still displays the provocative streak for which she is both beloved and notorious. In January, news dropped of her forthcoming tour in a video nodding to her 1991 documentary "Truth or Dare." In the clip, the Queen of Pop plays the classic sleepover game with fellow celebrities, all with risque undertones. "I am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my fans the show they have been waiting for," she said when announcing the tour. The post Madonna hospitalized for several days, tour postponed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Madonna hospitalized for several days, tour postponed
Madonna is recovering after falling ill with a "serious bacterial infection" that landed her in an intensive care unit for several days, her manager Guy Oseary said in a statement Wednesday. "Her health is improving, however, she is still under medical care," he said. "A full recovery is expected." Oseary said the 64-year-old pop icon's "Celebrations" tour, due to start on 15 July in Vancouver, Canada, was postponed until further notice. The global, nearly sold-out tour was billed as paying homage to her more than four-decade-long career. Stops in the United States were to include Detroit, Chicago, Miami, and New York, the city where her storied rise to superstardom began. She was then slated to continue in Europe into the fall, with dates in London, Barcelona, and Paris. The Grammy-winning megastar behind classics including "Like a Virgin" has asserted incalculable influence over her stellar career as one of music's top stars. In his statement on social media, her manager vowed to provide more information when available, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows. In 2020, Madonna underwent hip replacement surgery following an injury sustained on her "Madame X" tour. 'Material Girl' Born in 1958, the Catholic-educated artist headed to New York in 1977 with just 35 dollars in her pocket. She scraped a living through everything from nude modeling to selling donuts. Her first big single was "Everybody" in 1982, followed by a string of hits including "Lucky Star," "Borderline," and "Holiday." The 1984 release of "Like A Virgin" propelled Madonna onto the international stage. She followed up in 1985 with another disco anthem, "Material Girl." The early 1990s saw her don infamous pointy cone-shaped bras on her "Blond Ambition" Tour. She also released a racy book called "Sex," filled with photographs of sexual acts that were released to accompany her 1992 album "Erotica." In the late 1990s, her music took off in a new direction, thumping to a new dance-flavored beat on her multi-award-winning 1998 album "Ray of Light." She has maintained the provocative streak that she is both beloved and notorious for well past middle age. In 2003 she grabbed the showbiz world's attention by clinching pop princess Britney Spears in a lingering kiss on stage at that year's MTV Music Video Awards. She dropped news of her forthcoming tour in a video nodding to her 1991 documentary “Truth or Dare.” In the clip, the Queen of Pop plays the classic sleepover game with fellow celebrities, all with risque undertones. The post Madonna hospitalized for several days, tour postponed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Eagles keep Ateneo afloat
With its fancied women’s team already out, the men’s squad is left as the last team standing for the vaunted volleyball program of Ateneo de Manila University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85. The hopes of salvaging their school pride in this centerpiece sport now rests on the shoulders of the Blue Eagles after their women’s squad missed the Final Four for the first time in 14 years. Ateneo head coach Timmy Sto. Tomas and the rest of the team would rather not think too much of the plight of their women’s counterparts and just focus on their task at hand. He said they do not want any added pressure as they work hard to keep its semis bid alive. “It’s not really an added pressure. The women’s team, they have their own goal and we have our own goal. We just have to manage our expectations,” Sto. Tomas said. “Because if we dwell too much on what happened to our women’s team it will be an added pressure on our end.” After all, even the Blue Eagles are in a precarious position in their Final Four campaign in what turned out to be a difficult year for the school’s volleyball program. “So as much as possible we try to focus on what’s happening on our team. We don’t treat it as pressure but motivation so that our volleyball program will still have a team heading to the Final Four. It’s more of a motivation rather than pressure.” Ateneo pumped life into its flickering semis hopes after beating De La Salle University in a marathon contest, 22-25, 25-19, 26-28, 25-20, 15-13, last Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena behind the career night of Ken Batas. Batas did justice for the Blue Eagles as he dropped 30 points for their seventh win in 13 games tied with the Green Spikers and Far Eastern University in a three-way tie at third to fifth. Three-peat-seeking and undefeated National University and second-running University of Santo Tomas secured the top two spots armed with twice-to-beat advantages. Ateneo, which advanced to the next round in the previous six seasons, faces the daunting task of bringing NU on Saturday to better its chances of securing if not assuring at least a playoff for a semis ticket. “We want to get in the Final Four. We have to play really well against NU, especially since they’re unbeaten. We don’t want our fate to be determined by the remaining games of other teams,” Sto. Tomas said. A loss would push the Blue Eagles to the brink of elimination. A defeat coupled with wins by La Salle and FEU against University of the East and Adamson University, respectively, would show the Blue Eagles the exit door marking the first time Ateneo won’t have any team in the semis since 2014. “We have to work hard to keep our semis fate in our hands,” the mentor added. The post Eagles keep Ateneo afloat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UST makes Final Four grade
University of Santo Tomas completed the Final Four cast after showing Far Eastern University the exit door, 26-24, 22-25, 25-16, 25-23, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Veteran Eya Laure capped her efficient outing by hammering down the finishing blow to banish the last hurdle blocking the way of the Tigresses’ third straight semifinals appearance. UST improved its win-loss record to 9-3 for a share of the second spot with semis-bound defending champion National University. Standings leader and twice-to-beat De La Salle University and Adamson University occupy the other Final Four seats. Laure, whose back-to-back aces midway through the fourth set cleared the way for UST to take control of the match, finished with 28 points and had eight digs. The outside hitter and skipper punched in 23 kills off 47 attempts and had three aces and two kill blocks for the Tigresses, who will shoot to boost their chances of clinching the last semis incentive with another win over the Lady Bulldogs on Wednesday. While Laure took care of offense, Detdet Pepito took charge of the floor defense drawing praise from head coach Kungfu Reyes. “We’re just happy our B7 (Pepito) was activated especially during the latter part of the game. Detdet was a bit tentative in the first and second sets. At least, she bounced back on the following sets,” Reyes said of his defense specialist who had 21 digs and 19 excellent receptions. UST had a close call in the opening set and allowed FEU to steal one in the second frame before recovering its bearing to seal the win. Laure landed consecutive service winners to seal the Tigresses decisive 5-0 rally to take a 19-17 lead in the fourth set. The Lady Tamaraws kept the game close but an error followed by Laure’s crosscourt hit put the Tigresses at match point. Laure put FEU out of its misery after saving two match points in the battle that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. Imee Hernandez added 19 points while Milena Alessandrini, Jonna Perdido and Regina Jurado scored seven each for UST, which came back from a 16-21 deficit to steal the extended opening set. The Lady Tamaraws kissed their semis hopes goodbye after dropping to a 6-7 slate. Still, it was a good run for FEU, which will close its campaign against Adamson on 30 April, after finishing with a 1-13 card last year. Laure put FEU out of its misery after saving two match points in the battle that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. Chenie Tagaod scored 12 points while Gerzel Petallo had 11 for the Lady Tamaraws. Meanwhile, De La Salle University mercilessly mauled also-ran Ateneo de Manila University, 25-22, 25-19, 25-18, to secure the top seeding in the Final Four. Rookie Shevana Laput picked the perfect time to drop her career-high 16 points as the Lady Spikers hiked their record to 12-1 and extended their head-to-head winning streak over their archrivals to 12 dating back to Season 79 spanning six years. Angel Canino added 13 markers while Thea Gagate had 12 for La Salle, which will close its elims campaign on 29 April against winless University of the East. In men’s play, FEU halted a four-game slide with a morale-boosting upset win over UST, 25-21, 22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-10, to strengthen its bid for a Final Four seat. Rey Sabanal and Dryx Saavedra scored timely hits in the fifth set as the Tamaraws escaped with their seventh win in 13 games. The duo pushed FEU’s separation to 13-9 in the deciding frame before UST’s rookie sensation Josh Ybanez committed the last of his team’s costly 45 errors from the pipe to send the Tamaraws at match point, 14-10. Then Mark Calado wasted no time, attacking from the back row straight to the center of the Golden Spikers’ court for the skid-breaking victory. Calado had 21 points and seven digs for the Tamaraws while Saavedra pitched in 16 points. Ybañez uncorked 28 points on 27-of-52 attacks with 17 excellent receptions and six digs as the Tigers saw their eight-game winning streak snapped for a 10-2 card. The post UST makes Final Four grade appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth by beating the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. Elsewhere in the East, the Miami Heat thrashed the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 to edge ahead of the top seeds 2-1 in their best-of-seven series. In Brooklyn, the Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter surge. Harris said the Sixers were determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fellow," Harris told the TNT television network. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. "Getting swept is trash," a dejected Claxton said. "It's not a good feeling." Suns on the brink In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix beat the Clippers 112-100 for a 3-1 series lead. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display. In Miami, the Heat took full advantage of the absence of Milwaukee's two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, leading by double digits much of the night. Jimmy Butler scored 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting before departing late in the third quarter after taking a hard fall. After visiting the locker room he returned to the bench but with the game in hand did not go back on the floor. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points and fellow reserve Kyle Lowry added 15 as the Heat bench delivered 59 points. "We just came out here and played with some intensity," Lowry said. The Heat will try to level the series on Monday, but Lowry said he knows they'll face a tough task. "Every game is a different game," he said. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the team would continue to "monitor" Antetokounmpo, who suffered a back contusion in game one, missed game two and was a late scratch on Saturday. In the late game the Memphis Grizzlies welcomed star guard Ja Morant back after a hand injury as they visited the Los Angeles Lakers with their series knotted 1-1. The post Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo ruled out of Game 3 against Miami
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out of the third game of the Bucks' NBA playoff series against the Miami Heat on Saturday an hour before tip-off. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player will miss a second straight game with a lower back contusion, suffering in a bad fall in the opening game of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series. Head coach Mike Budenholzer had indicated Friday that Antetokounmpo might be ready to take the floor, but said in his pre-game remarks to reporters that it's not clear when he will return. "We'll continue to monitor him throughout the day (Sunday) and the next day," Budenholzer said. "It's not always a linear thing. He's not in a position where he can play, so we're going to continue to monitor and work with him and hope for the best." Without Antetokounmpo the Bucks won game two of the series to go into Saturday's game in Miami level at 1-1. Antetokounmpo is just one of the high-profile players with injury concerns in the first round of the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers were without another MVP candidate in star center Joel Embiid Saturday but still beat Brooklyn 96-88 to complete their sweep of the Nets. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in their 112-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns and Memphis's star point guard Ja Morant was questionable for the Grizzlies' game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. The post Bucks’ Antetokounmpo ruled out of Game 3 against Miami appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves, Knicks dominate Cavs
The Denver Nuggets, fueled by a Nikola Jokic triple-double, beat Minnesota 120-111 on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold on their NBA Western Conference playoff series as the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks notched big home wins. The Knicks had Madison Square Garden rocking with a dominant 99-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers that put New York up 2-1. The Hawks clawed back to 2-1 after dropping the first two games against the Celtics in Boston with a 130-122 triumph. Atlanta crucially avoided falling into a 3-0 hole -- a deficit no NBA team has ever recovered from to win a best-of-seven series. And that's exactly where Western Conference top seeds Denver have the Timberwolves after two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic's seventh career playoff triple-double. Jokic scored 20 points with 11 rebounds and 12 assists, and when he was limited by foul trouble in the third quarter his teammates kept the pressure on. Michael Porter Jr scored 25 points to lead six Nuggets players in double figures and Denver's reserves out-scored the Timberwolves bench 29-10. They kept the Timberwolves at bay despite a sparkling 36 points from Anthony Edwards, whose three-pointer early in the third pulled Minnesota within three points. They were down by five with less than five minutes remaining, but couldn't break through. Jokic, who led the league with 29 triple-doubles in the regular season, said he knows they'll be even more determined on Sunday to prevent a sweep on their home floor. "We know they're going to go even more aggressive in two days," Jokic said. "So we just need to keep our composure and we know what to expect." In New York, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and RJ Barrett added 19 for the Knicks, who rebounded from a humbling game two defeat in Cleveland. The Knicks' suffocating defense contributed to a dismal night for Cleveland's Darius Garland, who missed 17 of his 21 shot attempts on the way to 10 points. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 to lead the Cavs, who became the first team this season to be held under 80 points in an NBA game. To top it off, Garland -- who scored 32 points in the Cavs' win on Tuesday -- needed treatment on his left ankle in the second half after stepping on a courtside photographer's foot. The game was the first playoff contest at Madison Square Garden in two years and the "chaos" that New York native and Cavs star Mitchell predicted materialized. Both teams made sloppy starts in the raucous atmosphere, but the Knicks steadied to take a 13-point halftime lead that they pushed to as many as 27. "This was great," said Brunson, but he warned that the Cavs would punch back in game four on Sunday. "You want to carry it over, but at the same time we've got to be focused, we've got to be ready to go." In Atlanta, Trae Young scored 32 points and Dejounte Murray added 25 as the hot-shooting Hawks clawed back into their series against the Celtics. Young shook off two sub-par performances with a stellar display, connecting on 12 of 22 shots from the field with six rebounds and nine assists. "Our whole team was making plays all night and it was up to me to go make the right one," Young said. "It's not only to score, sometimes it's to get everybody involved." He also produced a pair of blocks as the Hawks out-hustled the second-seeded Celtics -- who fell to Golden State in the NBA Finals last year. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Boston. Marcus Smart added 24 and Jaylen Brown had 15 for the Celtics, who drained 21 three-pointers but were out-rebounded 48-29. Smart said there was no secret to the Hawks' advantage on the boards, which led to their 23-9 edge in second-chance points. "It's just a matter of will," Smart said, "and they wanted it more tonight." Tatum still had a chance to tie it with 58.1 seconds left but his three-point attempt bounced off the rim and the Hawks pulled away. "I've got to play better," said a dejected Tatum, who said he made too many untimely turnovers and poor decisions. "This one tonight is on me." Atlanta will try to level the series when they host game four on Sunday. The post Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves, Knicks dominate Cavs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wild win carries 76ers to 3-0 lead over Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers beat Brooklyn 102-97 on Thursday in a rugged clash that featured two ejections and a controversial kick from Joel Embiid and moved the Sixers one win away from a sweep of their NBA first-round playoff series. The 76ers, down by five with 2:15 remaining at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, surged home to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series, the Nets well aware that no NBA team has come back from 3-0 down to win a series. Embiid, Philadelphia's MVP candidate, scored just 14 points but pulled down 10 rebounds and produced a crucial block with eight seconds remaining and Philadelphia up by two. Plenty of pundits will argue he should have been out of the game by then, but Embiid wasn't ejected when he aimed a kick from the floor at Nic Claxton's groin as the Nets player stepped over him in the first quarter. Sixers star James Harden was tossed late in the third quarter after piling his shoulder into Royce O'Neale's body on a drive to the basket. And Brooklyn's Claxton was ejected early in the fourth when he picked up a second technical foul for taunting Embiid. "We stayed together," Embiid said of the key to the hard-fought victory. "We kept playing through everything that was going on." Tyrese Maxey keyed the late surge, scoring 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter. His step-back three-pointer with 44.7 seconds left gave the Sixers a 99-96 lead. Spencer Dinwiddie cut the deficit by one with a free throw and looked headed for a game-tying layup when Embiid soared up to reject the shot and the Sixers held on. Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 26 points and Dinwiddie added 20, but Brooklyn are in danger of being swept for the second straight season. Embiid, who went to the locker room briefly in the first quarter and could be seen limping later in the game said that despite their commanding lead the Sixers need to be better in Saturday's game four. "Tonight was probably our worst night," he said. "I wasn't good at all, so I'm going to be better." In other games Thursday, the defending champion Golden State Warriors tried to claw out of a 2-0 hole when they hosted the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors were without star Draymond Green, who was suspended one game after stamping on Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis in game two. The Los Angeles Clippers were without injured Kawhi Leonard as they hosted the Phoenix Suns in game three of their Western Conference series. The teams split the first two games in Phoenix. The post Wild win carries 76ers to 3-0 lead over Nets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UST’s Hernandez is UAAP Player of the Week
UST’s Imee Hernandez imposed her will in the middle in a rock-solid performance to power her team against Ateneo de Manila University on Saturday, 16 April in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament at the PhilSports Arena. Hernandez punished the Blue Eagles with quick attacks and provided solid defense for the Golden Tigresses with her blocking. When the dust settled, Hernandez notched a career-best 24 points on 19 attacks, three blocks, and two service aces as UST stopped Ateneo, 25-22, 25-20, 27-29, 25-21. Scoring efficiently on a 19-of-31 attack clip, Hernandez helped lead the Golden Tigresses to their third straight win as they rose to an 8-3 win-loss card, tied with Adamson and defending champ NU at No. 2. Hernandez and company likewise strengthened their chances of finishing in the top two of the standings, which merits a twice-to-beat incentive in the Final Four. With her strong outing, Hernandez earned the citation as the Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week presented by San Miguel Corporation and Philippine Sports Commission with MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival, and Jockey as minor sponsors. Hernandez bested other candidates like teammate Eya Laure, La Salle’s Angel Canino, Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos, and reigning MVP Bella Belen of NU for the citation handed out by print and online scribes covering the beat from 12-16 April. "'Yung mindset ko talagang gawin lang 'yung role ko, kung ano 'yung dapat kong gawin sa loob ng court and syempre ipakita 'yung maturity na dapat mayroon kaming mga seniors," said Hernandez. "Hindi titigil, hindi kami masa-satisfy sa ganito lang. Kailangan malampasan namin palagi. Sabi ni coach [Kungfu Reyes] kailangan everyday nalalampasan mo 'yung ginawa mo today." This marks the second week in a row that a Tigress won the weekly citation, as Laure earned the honor for the period of 29 March to 2 April, before the UAAP took a break for the Holy Week. The post UST’s Hernandez is UAAP Player of the Week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trollano erupts for 44, NLEX roars
Don Trollano went unstoppable in his most explosive game in his career and playoffs-bound NLEX bulldozed past Terrafirma,142-125, to beef up its twice-to-beat bid in the PBA Governors’ Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum......»»
Jokic does it all, Nuggets sting Hornets dispatch Hornets
Nikola Jokic set a career-high with 27 rebounds including a franchise record 20 in the first half along with 40 points and 10 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets, 119-115, on Sunday night......»»
Sanya set to explore off-beat roles
Sanya Lopez: I will accept whatever project is given to me. I trust (my management) because it is responsible for the success of my career and will look after me......»»
Spence pressed to beat Pacquiao better than anybody else who has done it
The marching orders have arrived for WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. — hand Manny Pacquiao the worst loss of his career......»»
Booker shines as Suns draw first blood against Clippers
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Devin Booker delivered a 40-point triple double as the Phoenix Suns shook off some playoff rust to beat the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers, 120-114, in the opening game of the Western Conference finals. Booker also had 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple double as the Suns won […].....»»