Things must have felt grim for the Oklahoma City Thunder following their Game 5 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA play-offs.
They were now staring at a 3-2 deficit, having fallen by a single point at home in overtime in that crucial fifth game. It was their fourth straight overtime game against Memphis, in fact, and they had lost three of them. They only even won Game 4 in OT because reserve guard Reggie Jackson had lifted the team with the performance of his life.
Kevin Durant was struggling to take over contests with the the hounding Tony Allen defending him. And, worst of all, Russell Westbrook had shot 44-of-128, just 34.4 per cent.
That Game 5 against the Grizzlies actually summed up Westbrook to that point perfectly – 30 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, good for a triple-double (basically basketball’s gold standard for a single-game performance). But he shot 10-for-31.
Despite his other qualities, Russell Westbrook was wielding the double-edged sword of high-volume, low-percentage shooting for a good many self-inflicted wounds. They were, very nearly, fatal.
And then the Thunder, very much to their relief, got the good Westbrook back. He shot 42.9 per cent (9-of-21) in Game 6, and added nine rebounds and five assists. He was at his best in Game 7, shooting 10-of-16 (62.5 per cent), scoring 27 points, dishing 16 assists and grabbing 10 rebounds – a real triple-double, this time.
Oklahoma City won those two games by a combined 31 points.
In their shockingly comfortable victory over the Clippers in six games in the second round, Westbrook averaged 26.3 points per game, 6.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists. He shot 49.1 per cent (54-for-110).
This is the Russell Westbrook, especially with Serge Ibaka out for the rest of the play-offs, that the Oklahoma City Thunder need to not only get past the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, but to unseat the Miami Heat as NBA champions.
Kevin Durant will do his part. No one need worry about that. As Westbrook himself said after Game 3 against the Clippers, “We get the ball to Kevin and he does what he does.”
Thus it falls on Westbrook to be the X-factor. Since that Game 5 against the Grizzlies, he’s been exactly that.
When Westbrook is in form, he can embody the best of his sport – the unmatched athleticism, the theatrics, the fearlessness.
Stronger than any point guard in the game, quicker than all but a few, Westbrook is a physical specimen capable of creating not only for himself, which he does in plenty, but also for his teammates, as some of his recent assist totals show. His range and leaping ability make him a better rebounder than almost anyone in his peer group. His vision and smarts get questioned – but they shouldn’t. He’s actually probably among the most cerebral players in the NBA. Those occasional avert-your-eyes shooting totals simply come from his absolute, unyielding faith in himself. “Taking the foot off the gas” doesn’t really appear to be built into him.
That is what he needs to learn. Pippen and Jordan. Stockton and Malone. Westbrook needs to find his own comfort in that role, because there are no doubts that Durant is the Jordan and Malone to Westbrook’s Pippen and Stockton.
It’s not about being disciplined so much as it is about figuring out how to best channel your talents to amplify your own production and that of the more talented player you’re teamed with. It seems like he’s done that over his last eight games.
The San Antonio Spurs will be a very, very stiff challenge. Missing Serge Ibaka will hurt. But if Westbrook can find his inner Stockton and Pippen (and, come to think of it, he kind of plays like a more aggressive cross between Stockton and Pippen), he and Durant will be near-impossible to stop with or without Serge.
Russell Westbrook’s game can be beautifu and terrifying – sometimes for opponents, sometimes for his coach. If the Thunder want to be champs, he’s going to need it to be more of the former.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.5L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh129,999 (VX Luxury); from Dh149,999 (VX Black Gold)
A QUIET PLACE
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Rating: 4/5
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
Fresh faces in UAE side
Khalifa Mubarak (24) An accomplished centre-back, the Al Nasr defender’s progress has been hampered in the past by injury. With not many options in central defence, he would bolster what can be a problem area.
Ali Salmeen (22) Has been superb at the heart of Al Wasl’s midfield these past two seasons, with the Dubai club flourishing under manager Rodolfo Arrubarrena. Would add workrate and composure to the centre of the park.
Mohammed Jamal (23) Enjoyed a stellar 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League campaign, proving integral to Al Jazira as the capital club sealed the championship for only a second time. A tenacious and disciplined central midfielder.
Khalfan Mubarak (22) One of the most exciting players in the UAE, the Al Jazira playmaker has been likened in style to Omar Abdulrahman. Has minimal international experience already, but there should be much more to come.
Jassim Yaqoub (20) Another incredibly exciting prospect, the Al Nasr winger is becoming a regular contributor at club level. Pacey, direct and with an eye for goal, he would provide the team’s attack an extra dimension.
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Notable groups (UAE time)
Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim, Henrik Stenson (12.47pm)
Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (12.58pm)
Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood (1.09pm)
Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Zach Johnson (4.04pm)
Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Adam Scott (4.26pm)
Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy (5.48pm)
You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
Results:
Women:
1. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) 322.95 points
2. Lysanne Richard (CAN) 285.75
3. Ellie Smart (USA) 277.70
Men:
1. Gary Hunt (GBR) 431.55
2. Constantin Popovici (ROU) 424.65
3. Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR) 392.30
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2
Company profile
Company name: Hayvn
Started: 2018
Founders: Christopher Flinos, Ahmed Ismail
Based: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sector: financial
Initial investment: undisclosed
Size: 44 employees
Investment stage: series B in the second half of 2023
Investors: Hilbert Capital, Red Acre Ventures
UAE athletes heading to Paris 2024
Equestrian
Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzooqi, Salem Al Suwaidi, and Ali Al Karbi (four to be selected).
Judo
Men: Narmandakh Bayanmunkh (66kg), Nugzari Tatalashvili (81kg), Aram Grigorian (90kg), Dzhafar Kostoev (100kg), Magomedomar Magomedomarov (+100kg); women's Khorloodoi Bishrelt (52kg).
Cycling
Safia Al Sayegh (women's road race).
Swimming
Men: Yousef Rashid Al Matroushi (100m freestyle); women: Maha Abdullah Al Shehi (200m freestyle).
Athletics
Maryam Mohammed Al Farsi (women's 100 metres).
Company Profile
Company name: Cargoz
Date started: January 2022
Founders: Premlal Pullisserry and Lijo Antony
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 30
Investment stage: Seed
The Emperor and the Elephant
Author: Sam Ottewill-Soulsby
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Pages: 392
Available: July 11
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
Co-founders: Arto Bendiken and Talal Thabet
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: AI
Number of employees: 41
Funding: About $1.7 million
Investors: Self, family and friends
Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope