Kevin Durant's big 4th, Serge Ibaka's perfect night lift Thunder in Game 4
When Lil Wayne turned down Kevin Durant's invitation to watch the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, he missed quite a show by the three-time scoring champion.
Durant scored 18 of his 36 points in a scintillating final 7 minutes, Serge Ibaka added a career-high 26 points and the Thunder evened the series at two games apiece by beating the San Antonio Spurs 109-103 Saturday night.
After seeing his team's 15-point lead dwindle to four, Durant took over midway through the fourth quarter by scoring all 16 of the Thunder's points during a span of just over 5 minutes to keep the Spurs at bay.
"I didn't tell myself that I need to go score because what we were doing was working," Durant said.
"We were passing the ball and guys were making shots. ... I just wanted to stick with what we were doing, but it started to open up for me and I could see some lanes that gave me some opportunities to make some shots."
With All-Star teammate Russell Westbrook limited to seven points, Durant did almost all of the damage late to send the series back to San Antonio all square for Game 5 on Monday night.
Durant, who finished behind only LeBron James in MVP voting, hit three straight jumpers, the last one coming after he bumped into Tony Parker in the lane to draw a foul and set up a three-point play. Then he attacked the rim for his next three baskets, getting to the line again when he was fouled on a layup off of James Harden's alley-oop.
Durant hit another jumper after coming off a Westbrook screen for the last basket in his personal run -- and the Spurs were still within striking distance. Rookie Kawhi Leonard bracketed a pair of 3-pointers around that Durant jumper, and the Spurs were only down 102-96 with 1:24 left.
The Spurs succeeded in getting the ball out of Durant's hands on the next possession, only for him to provide the assist on Harden's 3-pointer from the left wing that bumped the lead to nine.
"When a player that talented gets hot, it's really hard to contain," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We tried different things and they didn't work.
"He scored a bunch in a short period of time. When we tried to blitz or really help, he kicked it and they made big shots."
Durant hit two free throws in the final minute to help close it out.
"We tried to do a couple of different things but his play was better than anything we did defensively, that's for sure," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He finished it off in fine fashion."
Before the game, Durant said he still hoped to convince Lil Wayne to come see a game in Oklahoma City after the rapper created a stir before Game 3 by tweeting he was denied access and followed it up by saying he felt "unwanted" at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
With another big closing effort, Durant provided another reason to catch the Thunder in the playoffs.
"I just want to be calm and composed and poised in those situations and make the right basketball play," Durant said. "I just try to calm down and go with my instincts."
Oklahoma City is trying to become the 15th team in NBA history to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a seven-game series, and the eighth to do it since 2004. The Thunder avoided an even trickier task by winning.
Only eight teams have ever overcome a 3-1 hole, and only two had done it while needing two wins on the road -- the 1995 Rockets and 1968 Celtics.
"We've just got to go down there with the mindset that we're going to play hard every possession, play together like we've played in these last two games and we'll see what happens," Durant said.
"We've just got to keep believing, man, and we'll be fine."
Tim Duncan had 21 points for San Antonio, which had won 20 in a row before losing Game 3. Leonard added 17 points and nine rebounds.
The Spurs wiped away most of a 15-point deficit with a run that coincided with Popovich turning to DeJuan Blair, who's had some notoriously big games against the Thunder but had occupied a spot on the bench for most of the playoffs after starting 62 of the 66 regular-season games.
Blair sprung free for a layup early in an 18-5 comeback, and Ginobili's 3-pointer from the top of the key trimmed Oklahoma City's lead to 73-71 with 1:16 to go in the third quarter.
The Spurs were within four after Duncan's left-handed runner with 6:55 left in the game. That's when Thunder coach Scott Brooks called a timeout, and Durant came out of it firing away. He made seven of his last eight shots and also finished with eight assists and six rebounds.
"It was hard because were on a run, we were feeling good about ourselves and we just couldn't make a stop," Ginobili said.
Ibaka made all 11 of his shots -- and all four of his free throws -- to lead a strong performance from Oklahoma City's frontcourt while Durant's usual running mates, Westbrook and Harden, both struggled.
Ibaka, starting center Kendrick Perkins and reserve Nick Collison combined to go 22 for 25 from the field for 49 points. Westbrook missed eight of his 10 shots and Harden was limited to eight points.
The Thunder shot 56 percent and outrebounded San Antonio 41-31.
Oklahoma City pulled ahead to stay with a 12-3 run early in the second quarter with Durant and Westbrook both taking a break. Westbrook nailed a 3-pointer from the left side soon after returning to provide the Thunder's first double-digit lead at 43-33 with 4:44 to go before halftime.
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Gayle, Windies stars to grace Ultimate Bash 2
JAMAICAN left-handed batsman Christopher Gayle is among a slew of local and regional stars set to grace the second staging of the Cricket Clubs Activity Committee (CCAC) Ultimate Cricket Bash festival at the Melbourne Oval, starting at 10:00 am today.
Gayle, fresh from topping the run-scoring charts playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the just-ended Indian Premier League, and all-action all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, as well as the Barbadian pair of Dale Richards and Sulieman Benn, are all booked to appear.
Others set to compete are the Jamaicans Andre Russell, David Bernard, Andrew Richardson, Carlton Baugh and successful four-day captain Tamar Lambert.
In a statement issued by CCAC chairman Wavell Hinds, the big-hitting Gayle shared that he is looking forward to supporting the clubs and parishes by competing in the fundraising event.
"I'm looking forward to it because it's always good to give back to club cricket in the country. I will always support this kind of venture that I'm a beneficiary and a product of," Gayle stated.
Meanwhile, Hinds told the Jamaica Observer that he is expecting a fun-filled day of cricket, netball and other activities at the event, which was last held two years ago.
"We have great expectations of how things will turn out. It won't be just about cricket as thanks to the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) we have also arranged for two FastNet netball matches. It is a family-oriented affair so expect bounce-about and other games for children," said the former West Indies batsman.
He explained that Dwayne Bravo's late inclusion is a pleasant surprise.
"Bravo wanted to play initially, but his club in Trinidad is in the final stages of their Twenty20 Festival. However, because of inclement weather there, and some matches being rained out, he chose to come to Jamaica, and we have accepted him with open arms.
According to the former left-handed opener, the aim of the CCAC is to strengthen the unity within the clubs and parishes, rejuvenate the local cricket circuit and create an atmosphere to encourage players to feel a sense of responsibility and attachment to their respective clubs.
The Ultimate Cricket Bash 2 event, which is put on in association with the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) and endorsed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), will help in raising funds for the CCAC to improve infrastructure, such as club maintenance and the acquiring and repairing of various machines and equipment.
Hinds added that Gayle, Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan have made "financial contribution of significant amounts and the CCAC is more than grateful for their kind gesture."
In the feature encounter of the all-day spectacle, a CCAC All Stars XI will clash with a Jamaica Invitational XI.
For the curtain-raiser, a Masters and Celebrities XI is set to oppose a Media XI.
As a result of the Cricket Bash, no matches in the JCA-run Senior or Junior Cup competitions will be played.
Ashmeade clocks PB for second behind Gatlin
JAMAICA'S young upstart sprinter Nickel Ashmeade, clocked a personal best 9.93 seconds to gain second place behind American Justin Gatlin, in the Samsung Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon today.
Gatlin produced a powerful late burst to win the race in 9.90.
Ashmeade's fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter was sixth in a season's best of 10.05.
Bolt: 'I can break 100m world record'
Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt has told CNN he can set a new 100 meter world record at the London 2012 Olympic Games -- and could run as fast as 9.4 seconds.
Bolt took the 100m gold medal at Beijing 2008 in a world-record time of 9.69s, before bettering that mark one year later with a stunning 9.58 at the World Championships in Berlin.
The 25-year-old, who is also the record-holding world and Olympic champion over 200m, is confident he can become the first man to smash the 9.4 barrier in the British capital in August.
"After my trials leading up to the Olympics, then it depends on where my fitness is," he said. "If everything goes well, I can determine, how fast I think I can go.
"Everybody has been talking about this 9.4 all season. If it's possible, I'll be the one to run 9.4 seconds."
Bolt was talking to CNN Olympic contributor Linford Christie, a 100m gold medalist at the Barcelona Games in 1992, after recording 9.76 in Rome on Thursday -- the fastest time this year.
Bolt named IAAF male athlete of the year after world championships double
The Kingston native's electric performances and exuberant personality have made him a global celebrity, with his "lightning bolt" pose now recognized all over the world.
"I think it was God sent," said Bolt when asked about the iconic stance. "But it was slightly originated from an archery pose.
"I just copied it and made it my own and it worked. It's catchy and I'm like the Michael Jordan of track and field really!"
Bolt's charisma on the starting blocks sets him apart from previous generations of sprinters, who would take a far more serious approach to race preparations.
He revealed how an encounter with U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin, who served a four-year doping ban between 2006 and 2010, influenced his approach to racing.
"For me it never happened until Justin Gatlin," he said. "I ran once with him in Zagreb, he did something which was really funny to me.
"We were walking back and forward and he actually spat across my lane. And when he did it, I knew he was trying to intimidate me and I found it really funny.
"Today it doesn't really bother me. I just go there, enjoy myself and relax. It's just one of those things where over the years the game has changed."Bolt suffered a setback at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, when a false start in the 100m final allowed his compatriot Yohan Blake to claim the gold medal.
In London, Bolt will once again face competition from Blake as well as longtime rival Tyson Gay of the United States -- the 100m world champion in 2007.
Caribbean Overseas Territories honour the Queen
This weekend, the UK's Overseas Territories in the Caribbean, like many other countries and territories around the world, will be marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by lighting beacons. They will join the beacon lighting across the UK, continuing a tradition, first started to communicate but now carried out as a symbol of unity. The Queen will light the last beacon of the day at the end of the BBC concert, which will take place at the front of Buckingham Palace.
The island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean, with only 262 inhabitants, will have the world's most remote beacon, and Saint Helena will be lighting five beacons to form a diamond shape. Montserrat, whose capital, Plymouth, was destroyed by the Soufriere Hills Volcano eruption in 1995 will be lighting their beacon in the new capital, Little Bay. This will be a double celebration, both of the Jubilee and also of the progress made on the island since the volcano.
The celebrations will light up the world, with beacons lit in the Overseas Territories in the Pacific, Atlantic, Southern and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean Sea.
As well as the beacons, several Overseas Territories' leaders are travelling to the UK to take part in the London Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend. This includes the Thames River Pageant where the 'Sapele' will fly all the flags of the Overseas Territories and a dinghy will be sailed by Sea Cadets from Bermuda. Leaders will also attend the BBC concert at Buckingham Palace, where they will be able to sample British food from hampers designed by Heston Blumenthal and listen to live music from British and Commonwealth artistes, and the Thanksgiving Service at St Paul's Cathedral.
Foreign Office Minister, Henry Bellingham, said of the Overseas Territories' involvement: "We are delighted that so many of the Overseas Territories are celebrating the Diamond Jubilee with events both in London and the Territories. The fact that the Overseas Territories are playing such a full role is recognition of their close relationship with the Queen and the UK. Involving them in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations is part of our strategy of reinvigorating our relationship with the Overseas Territories".
Police reports at odds with residents' in Mountain View slaying
The police say the man killed along Mountain View Avenue this morning was among a group of men who engaged them in a fierce gunbattle.
The Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) says a 40 Calibre Smith and Wesson pistol with a magazine containing two rounds was also seized.
The slain man has been identified as 25-year-old Kavorah Shue, who is of a Jarrett Lane address.
The killing sparked angry protest among residents who blocked a section of Mountain View Avenue.
The residents say Shue was killed in cold blood.
However, the police say they were on an operation in the area when they came under heavy gunfire from a group of men.
They say the fire was returned and Shue was later found suffering from gunshot wounds.
The Independent Commission of Investigations is probing the incident.
Full self-government for Tobago by year’s end
obago Organisation of the People leader Ashworth Jack says “full internal self-government for Tobago will be attained before the end of this year.” Jack said that in his address at last night’s second anniversary rally of the People's Partnership in Scarborough. The rally was also the launch of the TOP’s 2013 Tobago House of Assembly election campaign.
Jack began by retracing the history of the island’s attempt to secure internal self-government. Jack said, “For 50 years the PNM had denied us, Tobagonians, our constitutional rights to self-determination.” He said his main objective in politics was not to become chief secretary but to ensure the island secures internal self-government: “I give you the assurance that Tobago and Tobagonians will experience the realisation of full internal self-government before the end of 2012,” Jack told the rally.
He said the PP Government will establish new institutions to promote and protect the nation’s democracy based on community participation, transparency, accountability and good governance.” Jack also used the rally to defend his decision to join the People’s Partnership Government, which includes the United National Congress, the Congress of the People, the National Joint Action Committee and the Movement for Social Justice. The MSJ is not participating in the celebrations, saying there were too many outstanding critical issues facing the country for such celebrations.
Jack said it was ANR Robinson—the former leader of Tobago’s Democratic Action Congress—who formed an alliance with other parties in 1986 to defeat the PNM. He said Tobago benefited from that partnership called the National Alliance for Reconstruction.
Jack said the former THA chief secretary, Hochoy Charles also benefited from a former partnership Government led by Robinson. He criticised Charles, Deborah Moore-Miggins and Hughvon des Vignes for seeking to challenge him, saying they were never available when Tobago needed them most. He described them as “a bunch of absentee leaders.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was expected to announce the names of a three-member committee to look at the issue of internal self-government for Tobago during her address to the rally last night. The rally was the culmination of a series of events hosted by the PP to mark its second anniversary in office in Tobago this past week, which included a two-day retreat to reconfigure the Cabinet, a Cabinet meeting and the opening of several facilities on the island, the opening of the $200 million Magdalena Grand Beach Resort and the sod turning ceremony for a new service station at Roxborough.
Thieves make off with $120,000 in jewelry in Trinidad
San Fernando police are investigating a major jewelry heist at St Joseph Village, San Fernando, on Indian Arrival Day (May 30). The thieves escaped with a haul of precious stones, including diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies, valued at more than $120,000. The victim, 75-year-old retiree Zahida Ahamad, told the police the items, including necklaces, rings and earrings, were kept in a jewelry box in her bedroom.
She said she last saw the items on March 1. On Wednesday, she made a check and found the items missing. Ahamad said several people had access to the box. San Fernando police are continuing investigations into this and another unrelated incident in which a 65-year-old housewife was robbed of more than $85,000.
The woman, of Dow Village, South Oropouche, reported to the police that she was standing next to her vehicle in the car park of an agricultural shop in Marabella around 11 am on Thursday. She said she heard a noise and on checking, observed the left front door glass of her vehicle broken and two men running away.
The men then boarded a station wagon and escaped. She later discovered her handbag, valued at $250, and which contained $85,000, a cellphone valued at $400, and three bank account books missing.
Weak US job figures for May hit markets
Stock markets have fallen following worse-than-expected US job figures.
The Dow Jones closed down 275 points, or 2.2%, while in Frankfurt the Dax was down 3.4%, in Paris the Cac 40 fell 2.2% and London's FTSE 100 lost 1.1%.
The US economy added 69,000 jobs in May, well below forecasts. It was the smallest number created since May 2011.
Earlier, EU figures showed the eurozone jobless rate at 11% in April, unchanged from March, but still the highest since records began in 1995.
The drop in the Dow was the biggest one-day fall in seven months, taking the index to its lowest level since 21 December last year.
Responding to the job figures, US President Barack Obama said there was "a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be... but we will come back stronger".
While pointing out that the manufacturing sector had been "consistently adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s", he called on Congress to pass more measures included in his jobs bill that would help put people back to work.
"There is no excuse when so many people are looking for work. Now is not the time to play politics, not the time to sit on your hands," he said.
He highlighted measures to prevent more layoffs, proposed legislation to put construction workers back in work, tax breaks for small companies to help them hire more staff and measures to help homeowners refinance their mortgages.
'Awful number'
The US jobless rate rose to 8.2% from 8.1% in April, the Labor Department said.
To make matters worse, the number of jobs added in March and April was revised down by 49,000.
There are five million fewer jobs in the US than there were when the recession began.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said: "Today's weak jobs report is devastating news for American workers and American families."
He described the report as, "a harsh indictment of the president's handling of the economy".
Employment increased in the categories of healthcare, transport and storage, and wholesale trade, but declined in construction.
The number of people who had been unemployed for more than 27 weeks, who are classified as long-term unemployed, rose to 5.4 million in May from 5.1 million in April.
They account for 42.8% of the unemployed.
"It's an awful number," said Rick Meckler, president of Libertyview Capital Management in New Jersey.
"Not only is it awful in its numerical terms, it comes at a very skittish time in the markets because of the European crisis. A number like this brings concern about a global slowdown."
The participation rate, which shows the number of people employed as a proportion of the workforce, rose to 63.8% from 63.6%, reversing the decline seen in April.
Global problems
European stock markets and US stock market futures were already lower following more signs of weakness in the Chinese and eurozone economies.
As well as the eurozone jobless figures, an influential business survey for the eurozone suggested the pace of contraction in its manufacturing sector was increasing.
And a similar report in China showed activity in its biggest, mainly state-owned, factories hit the lowest point this year in May due to weak domestic demand.
Following the release of the US jobs figures the euro briefly fell below $1.23 to hit its lowest level since July 2010, before recovering to stand at $1.2355.
The final estimate for the US purchasing manager's index (PMI) for May suggested that the manufacturing sector was growing, but by less than it had done since February.
The PMI came in at 54.0, down from 56.0 in April. Any figure above 50 indicates growth.
Separate figures showed that there was a small rise in US consumer spending in April. It rose 0.3%, having gone up by a revised 0.2% in March.
Personal incomes grew by 0.2% in April, which was the smallest gain since November and suggests spending may be limited in the coming months.
Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of US economic activity.
Barbados Senator says adjustment will aid economy
SENATOR Andre Worrell has lauded the adjustment made and acknowledged the benefits accrued to the economy from the increase of the Value Added Tax in Barbados, during challenging economic times.
He added his contribution to the debate on Wednesday in the Honourable Senate during the debate on the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2012, where he noted it happened at a time when Barbados was facing a challenge and needed to find a way of enhancing revenue collection.
“...Through this measure and containing expenditure, we were able to reduce the fiscal deficit. It was done at a time which was difficult for Barbados but the benefit was that it was a small sacrifice to be made but the long term objective has done a lot for this country; in terms that we can have some confidence that the Medium Term Fiscal Strategy, which was by this government in 2010 is showing that the government has a plan and is working towards a plan to stabilise the economy of Barbados and also to take it forward.”
“We are doing it in such a way that we are not putting unnecessary burden on the people of Barbados but everyone has to make sacrifices,” he explained.
Senator Worrell pointed to the stress that has been placed on Barbados’ main tourism markets and the fact that Europe, including Germany and even closer to home Trinidad did not receive a glancing blow from the recession, even though the latter appears to be seeing some turnaround in 2012.
“Strong economies such as Trinidad which has a number of resources, oil, strong manufacturing, are facing challenges as well.
“Here in Barbados we do not have the resources, but have to identify ways of increasing our revenue so that we can pay our bills. And one of the mechanisms that came to us and which is a good mechanism to implement, is raising the revenue collected through VAT and it has worked,” he reiterated.
The Senator also made the point that when the DLP came to office in 2008, there was a large amount of debt which it was forced to take on board. “In the years of plenty nothing was put aside to pay off that debt but we had to bring all of these things to book. We are told about VAT revenue which the previous administration would have received but we can’t find any of it,” he lamented.
He pointed to a need to reduce the country’s high fuel bill and to focus more on renewable energy projects. Senator Worrell also made a case for the need to pay close attention to goods on the shelves so that when the VAT is removed, that savings can be seen and shared among Barbadians.