Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague in action against the Washington Wizards during the first half of the NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, USA, 23 March 2016. EPA/SHAWN THEW
Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague in action against the Washington Wizards during the first half of the NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, USA, 23 March 2016. EPA/SHAWN THEW
Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague in action against the Washington Wizards during the first half of the NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, USA, 23 March 2016. EPA/SHAWN THEW
Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague in action against the Washington Wizards during the first half of the NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington,

Atlanta Hawks are hitting the right form during NBA regular-season stretch


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At this year's NBA trade deadline, the rumours surrounding the Atlanta Hawks followed the narrative that the team that just last season won 60 games were ready to blow the whole thing up.

Several teams were linked to starting point guard Jeff Teague. There was even talk of the Hawks gauging the market for their best player, Al Horford, who is free to sign with any team during the coming off-season.

This would have been madness last year, but this year’s Hawks are middling along the fringes of the Eastern Conference play-off race. Maybe it was time to start the whole thing over from scratch?

Apparently not content with any of the offers they received for their players, the Hawks kept what they have and have since even added a much-needed backup centre in Kris Humphries to their ranks.

So it was decided – Atlanta would give it one last go at trying to achieve success with this core group of players.

The Hawks have responded to that faith in management by tearing through their schedule and are currently the hottest team in the league not residing in Oakland, winning 11 of their past 14 games going into Saturday’s game with Milwaukee Bucks.

Atlanta are playing their best when it matters most, with only 10 games left on the regular-season schedule.

They are locked in a four-team race for the East’s No 3 seed for the play-offs (the Cleveland Cavalierss and Toronto Raptors are pretty set in the top 2), but for the first time all year are starting to resemble last year’s juggernaut.

Unlike that team, though, this year’s Hawks are achieving their good results with defence.

Since the calendar flipped to 2016, Atlanta have been the best defence in the NBA, and for the season are second in defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions) at 98.9. Only San Antonio Spurs – naturally – are better.

They could also have the deepest rotation in the Eastern Conference, should everyone stay healthy.

Off the bench, back-up wing Thabo Sefolosha – who missed last year’s play-offs after the NYPD broke his leg – is a long-limbed nightmare of a defender that could give the LeBrons of the world fits. Teague gives way to little when he leaves the floor in lieu of back-up point guard Dennis Schroeder, who is the better defender of the two. Humphries brings much-needed rebounding to a team that do so poorly. And third-year wing Tim Hardaway Jr has emerged as the two-way threat the team envisioned he could be when they traded their first-round pick to the New York Knicks for him last summer.

That is not to mention the starting line-up that boasts four All-Stars and five men who can step out and hit three-pointers at any time. Not many teams can claim to have that kind of arsenal available to them.

The Hawks peaked early last year and appeared to be spent by the time the play-offs came. This year, they are peaking at just the right time for the decisive time of the season.

If nothing else, the rest of the league should be on alert. The Hawks are back.

kjeffers@thenational.ae

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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Sole survivors
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  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S

Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900

Engine: 937cc

Transmission: Six-speed gearbox

Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm

Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km

MATCH INFO

World Cup 2022 qualifier

UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm

Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a  month before Reaching the Last Mile.

Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

 

No more lice

Defining head lice

Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.

Identifying lice

Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.

Treating lice at home

Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.

Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital

UAE%20FIXTURES
%3Cp%3EWednesday%2019%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3EFriday%2021%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Hong%20Kong%3Cbr%3ESunday%2023%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Singapore%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2026%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2029%20April%20%E2%80%93%20Semi-finals%3Cbr%3ESunday%2030%20April%20%E2%80%93%20Third%20position%20match%3Cbr%3EMonday%201%20May%20%E2%80%93%20Final%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Singham Again

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Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

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Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
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  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
THE DETAILS

Deadpool 2

Dir: David Leitch

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz

Four stars

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Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card

6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m​​​​​​​
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m​​​​​​​
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m​​​​​​​
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m​​​​​​​
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m

Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets