An opposition player tries to dispossess the ball from Thunder's Kevin Durant.
An opposition player tries to dispossess the ball from Thunder's Kevin Durant.
An opposition player tries to dispossess the ball from Thunder's Kevin Durant.
An opposition player tries to dispossess the ball from Thunder's Kevin Durant.

UAE

Durant keeps Thunder streak going

Kevin Durant had 33 points and 11 rebounds to help the Thunder win 89-77 over Portland Blazers for their sixth game in a row

National staff

February 10, 2010

  • English
  • Arabic

The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their longest winning streak in six seasons with a 89-77 win over the Portland Blazers on Tuesday night, Kevin Durant had 33 points and 11 rebounds to help the Thunder win their sixth game in a row. The winning run is the franchise's longest since the team was in Seattle, where they won nine consecutive games in 2004 as the Seattle Sonics.

"We're feeling good going into the break," Durant said. "The most important thing is that we come back ready to play after the All-Star break. "We need to enjoy the break but come back with that mind set ready to fight through these last 30 games." It was the 25th game in a row that Durant has scored 25 or more points - the longest streak since Allen Iverson managed it in 27 consecutive games during the 2000-01 season.

The game was the first time the two former Northwest division rivals have played in Portland this season. The Thunder left Seattle two years ago and a smattering of fans around the Rose Garden wore Seattle Sonics T-shirts or held signs saying "Save Our Sonics". "This is a great environment, one of the best in basketball," said Scott Brooks, the Oklahoma City coach. "It was bad, a bad effort tonight," Nate McMillan, the Portland coach, said.

Elsewhere in the NBA, the All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups returned to the Denver Nuggets' line-up to inspire a 127-91 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Anthony scored 19 points after missing eight consecutive games with an ankle injury, while Billups had 16 following a one-game absence, also because of an ankle problem. "The good thing is my first game back, I didn't have to do too much," Anthony said. "But the bad thing is, I already had been sitting out for two weeks. I wanted to play [more], but I'll take a 36-point win any day.

"We didn't expect to beat a good team like that by that amount of points, but we came out and played well from the beginning. "Everybody got involved. Everybody was on the same page. We knew in the back of our mind how important this game was." The defeat was the Mavericks' worst of the season as the Southwest Division leaders' poor form continued with their fifth loss in seven games. Meanwhile the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to a season-high 12 games as they beat the New Jersey Nets 104-97. LeBron James again led the way with 32 points and 11 assists for the Cavs.

"It's impressive no matter what league you're in, no matter who you're playing against," James said. "To have a 12-game winning streak against the best competition in the world is impressive." "He's an amazing player and keeps getting better and better," Kiki Vandeweghe, the New Jersey coach, said of James. "There aren't accolades to describe his game." * With agencies

Emirates exiles

Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.

Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.

Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.

Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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