Basket Ball / Sports

Bucks finish off shorthanded Bulls in Game 5, advance to face Celtics in second round

The Milwaukee Bucks took care of business on Wednesday.

The defending NBA champions made sure not to prolong their first-round series and finished off the short-handed Chicago Bulls with a 116-100 victory in Game 5 at Fiserv Forum.

The best-of-7 matchup began inauspiciously for Milwaukee with a lackluster performance in Game 1 and then a 114-110 defeat in Game 2. Despite a knee injury to star Khris Middleton that will keep him out at least two weeks, the Bucks looked much crisper in winning three straight, including two in Chicago, to eliminate the Bulls.

“We’ve been talking about the depth of the roster, the quality of the roster, a lot this season,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Other guys have gotten opportunities and played well. And our defense has tightened up and we’ve leaned hard on that these three games.

“But we’ve got depth, we’ve got a good group. We miss Khris, I don’t think anyone underestimates how important and how effective he is for us. While we don’t have him, we got to be our best up and down the roster.”

Third-seeded Milwaukee will face the second-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Celtics, who swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, have home-court advantage and will host the first two games of the series.

Chicago wasn’t expected to give Milwaukee much of a challenge given the 3-1 series deficit and the absences of key guards Zach LaVine (health and safety protocol) and Alex Caruso (concussion protocol).

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points, with 32 coming in the first three quarters as the Bucks pulled away early and never allowed the Bulls to really threaten.

“Sometimes I got to score the ball,” Antetokounmpo said. “But in my head I don’t think about, ‘Hey, I got to score the ball. Khris is down, I got to score 40.’

It’s kind of the opposite. It’s like, ‘Khris is down now, we got to get 30-40 points from somebody else.’ So you got to move the ball.”

Pat Connaughton was …

Basket Ball / Sports

Curry, Warriors Hold Off Jokic, Eliminate Nuggets in Game 5

Back in the starting lineup at last, Stephen Curry took over late and brought his team back just as he has so many times during Golden State’s deep postseason runs.

Curry scored 30 points in his return to the starting five and the Warriors beat Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets 102-98 on Wednesday night to win their first-round series in five games.

It has been three years since Curry carried Golden State on a big playoff stage — like those five straight trips to the NBA Finals — but he’s certainly still got it.

“Tonight was just a weird feeling because we hadn’t been there in a while,” said Curry, last season’s NBA scoring champion. “We wanted it so bad, kind of made it a lot more difficult on ourselves. But we still remember how to do it, which is a good feeling.”

Curry scored 11 points during the fourth quarter after the Warriors began the final 12 minutes down by eight. The two-time MVP converted a three-point play with 1:33 left and scored again with 29 seconds remaining to help send the Warriors on to the second round in the Western Conference.

“I was a witness, letting him cook, create plays for him. Try to get him open looks and after that, you know what he does,” Warriors guard Gary Payton II said.

Jokic scored 12 of his 30 points in the final 3:46 and finished with 19 rebounds and eight assists.

The Warriors — thriving with the support from their raucous home crowd in their first close-out playoff game at Chase Center — advanced to play the winner of the Memphis-Minnesota series led 3-2 by the Grizzlies heading into Game 6 on Friday in Minneapolis. The Grizzlies eliminated Golden State in the play-in round last year.

Jokic tied it at 90 on an 18-footer with 2:26 remaining before Payton made a layup moments later. Payton also hit a go-ahead 3-pointer from the corner in front of Denver’s bench with 6:57 left to put Golden State up 86-84. …

Basket Ball / Sports

Bridges shines, Suns grab 3-2 series lead

With the series tied at 2-2, the Phoenix Suns welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to their homecourt for deciding Game 5. Both teams need this win to assert their will on the series. The Suns are shorthanded with Booker still not available. The Pelicans want to take advantage of that fact and gain the momentum in the Playoffs.

The Phoenix Suns went with their starting lineup of Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Deandre Ayton. The New Orleans Pelicans started with CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, Brandon Ingram, Jaxson Hayes and Jonas Valanciunas.

Game Summary

With the opening tip, both teams locked horns to take the lead early on the game. The crowd was enticed with such intense battles between the two teams. Early on in the game, the duo of Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton went to work. Ayton went to the paint and attacked the rim.

The Pelicans offense got a bit cold after a few minutes and they struggled immensely. The Suns defense was tight enough to frazzle the Pelicans and they turned the ball over multiple times.

In the 2nd quarter, a display between the two guards of both teams took place as they went head to head. McCollum and Paul were the ones who went on the offensive this time and distributing the ball to their teammates. Yet the Suns early lead was more than enough to take the 1st half with a score of 59-46.

In the 2nd half, the Pelicans went entirely on the offensive led by Ingram and Valanciunas. They were getting baskets to fall so that they could cut the lead. But the Suns were not as fazed. Mikal Bridges appeared and he went on the offensive. Bridges has shown scoring spurts and this was one of those moments.

The Suns held their 10 point lead entering into the 4th quarter. During a play, Brandon Ingram had possession of the ball and was hit on his elbow by Mikal Bridges which forced him to be on the bench for …

Basket Ball / Sports

Oladipo helps deliver clincher for Heat, who move to Round 2

It was about a year ago. Victor Oladipo was sitting alone in a dark room. The realization that he needed a second surgery on his right leg was settling in. Frustration, fear, sadness and anger just came pouring out of him.

He broke down.

“I was at the lowest point I could be at,” Oladipo said.

That moment is clearly not forgotten: Oladipo gave his recollections of what went on in that room Tuesday night, to illustrate both where he was and where he is. He scored a team-high 23 points in Miami’s series-clinching 97-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks, a victory that sent the Heat to the second round of the playoffs.

It was only the 10th game this season for Oladipo, including the regular season. But with Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry sidelined, the Heat needed someone to step up in Game 5. Many did, including Oladipo, who needed two surgeries to fix a right quadriceps tendon, spent basically a year rehabbing after each of those procedures, and has been limited to 66 games in the last three seasons combined.

“I can’t really explain why I’m going through what I went through,” Oladipo said. “I can’t really explain why I’m here today. But I’m staying in the moment and making every moment mean something. Just going out there and playing hard, man. We had a great win. A great series. But the job isn’t done yet. There is still a lot more basketball left. We’ve just got to keep getting better. That’s what I’m focused on doing.”

It’s the 12th time that the top-seeded Heat have moved into the conference semifinals; Game 1 against either fourth-seeded Philadelphia or fifth-seeded Toronto will be in Miami on Monday.

For Oladipo, it’ll be a first. He’s appeared in 18 playoff games in his career, all of them of the first-round variety.

“I really admire him. I do, for this journey for the last three seasons where he’s been dealing with injuries and frustration, and then really working to make himself available …

Crime / Entertainment / News

British DJ, Tim Westwood accused of sexual abuse by multiple women

According to the Guardian, the women claim Tim abused his position as a renowned DJ in the music industry to exploit them.

The Guardian indicates that three out of the seven women have accused the DJ of sexual behaviour that is “opportunistic and predatory.”

The other four have alleged that the DJ groped them at events.

These revelations were made public through a joint inquiry by the Guardian and the BBC, focused on the DJ.

The allegations against Tim goes as far back as 1992 and the most recent is in 2017.

One of the women said: “Someone taking advantage of my naivety and lack of confidence isn’t something that I should have to carry with shame.”

The seven women who spoke to the BBC are all black.

The women tell their stories in a BBC Three documentary, Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power, which airs on BBC Three at 21:00 on Tuesday.

According to two of the women, who were aspiring to start a career in the industry, they agreed to meet the DJ in London to discuss music. They accuse the DJ of driving them to a flat and initiating unwanted and unexpected sex. One was 19 at the time, while Westwood was 53.

Another woman, then a member of an R&B group, said she met Tim when she was 17 and the DJ was in his mid-30s. She says the DJ subjected her to unwanted oral sex after agreeing to meet him.

The women who accused him of groping said the DJ touched their bottoms or breasts as they posed for photographs with him at different events where he was performing.

The BBC and the Guardian changed the names of the women, to protect their identities. The media outlets indicated the women do not know each other. Some of them still work in the music industry and fear repercussions, according to the BBC and the Guardian.

Allegations about Westwood’s behavior toward young black women have circulated on social media for some time. In 2020, Westwood issued a

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Entertainment / News

Comedian Bovi reveals why he was banned from the United States of America

Nigerian comedian Bovi Ugboma has revealed that he has been banned from entering the United States of America.

The comedian made this known why answering questions from his fans via his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, April 27, 2022.

According to Bovi, he was banned from the country after he clashed with a visa-issuing officer and got labelled. The popular comedian said he was banned from entering the United States of America because he had an ego clash with a visa issuing officer. “ill luck! Met a charity like issuing visa officer. Egos clashed! I got labelled,” he wrote.

When asked to advise people addicted to hard drugs including cocaine, the comedian urged victims to “seek help through therapy. To defeat something stronger than you, you need something/someone more powerful than you.”

He also spoke about his frosty relationship with comedian, Ayo Makun.

A fan asked why they have refused to perform at the same show

“You ever seen Chris Rock at a Kelvin Hart show,” he replied.

Bovi Ugboma is a Nigerian stand-up comedian, actor and writer.

He has organized popular stand-up comedy concerts like Bovi: Man on Fire across the globe.

He is married to Kris Asimonye and they have three children.

…
Entertainment / Music / News

Wizkid hints on getting $1 million to headline at the Rolling Loud concert in Toronto

Rolling Loud has announced the Nigerian singer as one of three headliners for their first concert in Canada’s largest city, Toronto. Wizkid, Dave, and Future are the headliners for the three-day concert, which will take place at Ontario Place, a 15,000-person capacity outdoor concert venue in the heart of Toronto.

Following the announcement and confirmation of his story by Wizkid, the Nigerian pop star made a shocking revelation. He hinted in his story that he was paid a million dollars to be one of the event’s headliners. Wizkid will perform on the third day, September 11th, 2022. Other than Wizkid, Mavin Records Rema is the only Nigerian scheduled to perform at the concert.

Wizkid teases a $1 million payday to headline the Rolling Loud concert in Toronto. Wizkid’s story is simply a confirmation of Future’s tweet from a few days ago, in which he claimed he was paid a million dollars to headline a concert. “How many trap niggas u kno can get 1mil ah show??? #IMDATNIGGA,” he tweeted.

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Education / News / politics

ASUU strike: Varsity lecturers making negotiation difficult – Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has blamed the Academic Staff Union of Universities for prolonging the industrial strike in the country.

The minister said the union had made negotiation difficult for both parties.

Ngige disclosed this in a statement by Patience Onuobia, Acting Head of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister was reacting to the insinuations that he was responsible for the ongoing action by the union.  Ngige, however, said he had done what many could not do to forestall strikes by ASUU.

According to him, negotiation now is being made impossible by ASUU.

He said: “For example, ASUU insists that National Information and Technology Development Agency should take the payment platform, University Transparency Accountability Solution that it developed.

“That they should deploy it for payment in the university whether it is good or bad, whether it failed integrity and vulnerability test or not.

“ASUU members know that fraud committed on payment platforms can run into billions.

“If a hacker adds zeros to hundreds, it becomes billions.”

Ngige noted that NITDA brought out the report of its test on UTAS, noting that it passed the user acceptability but failed vulnerability and integrity tests that were the two critical tests that prevented fraud.

He said: “As a conciliator, I spoke to ASUU and NITDA to continue the test and see whether they could make up the lapses and arrive at 100 per cent because that is what NITDA insists on.

“NITDA said they cannot even take the platform at 99.9 per cent of vulnerability and integrity.

“That they can’t take that risk on a payment system, that it can be hacked into.

“These are the issues.

“So if you hear someone saying Ngige is responsible, it is wrong.

“I’m not the one that implements.

“I’m the conciliator.

“I conciliate, so that there will be no more warfare and even in conciliation, once I apprehend, the parties go back to status quo ante, which means, you call off the strike.

“ASUU …

Football / Sports

Man City vs Real Madrid final score: PL leaders win 7-goal thriller

Kevin De Bruyne had a goal and an assist and Manchester City thrice led by multiple goals in a 4-3 defeat of Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

City opened up a 2-0 lead and Real Madrid never made it level over 90 minutes as Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva all joined De Bruyne on the score sheet.

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior scored on either side of halftime to bring the score to 2-1 and 3-2, but Carlo Ancelotti’s Real can be thankful to be down only two goals as City ran all over Madrid in the first half.

The second leg comes Tuesday at the Bernabeu, as City looks to return to the European Cup final for a second-successive year and Real looks to keep alive its hopes of a record 14th title.

Man City vs Real Madrid final score, stats

Man City 4, Real Madrid 3

Scorers: De Bruyne (2′), Jesus (11′), Benzema (33′), Foden (53′), Vinicius (55′), Bernardo Silva (74′), Benzema (pen. 82′)

Shot attempts: Man City 16, Real Madrid 11

Shots on goal: Man City 6, Real Madrid 5

Possession: Man City 60, Real Madrid 40

…
News / politics

2023: I’ll never drop presidential ambition – Kalu

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor-Kalu, has said that he did not drop his 2023 presidential ambition, as reported by some sections of the media.

He said he would contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress if the party zoned it to the South-East.

Kalu, who cleared the air over a statement he released on Tuesday, maintained that equity demanded that the South East should be supported to get the presidential ticket of the APC.

He said, “My stand is very clear, I didn’t drop my presidential ambition and I will never drop it. “I only urged our brothers from the South-South and South-West geo-political zones who came out en masse to contest for the office of the president to drop their ambition and support us because of equity.…

Basket Ball / Sports

Doncic scores 33, Mavs rout Jazz for 3-2 series lead

Luka Doncic delighted the crowd in his first home playoff game coming off a calf injury.

Frustrated the Utah Jazz as well.

The young Dallas superstar had 33 points and 13 rebounds while also being thrown to the court on a hard foul that led to Hassan Whiteside‘s ejection as the Mavericks routed the Jazz 102-77 on Monday night for a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.

Doncic made his series debut in Game 4 at Utah, when the Jazz scored the last five points in the final 31 seconds for a one-point win that evened the series. He never let Game 5 get close.

“For his second game, it looks like he’s been playing this whole series,” coach Jason Kidd said. “His conditioning, his effort on the defensive end. As we talk about rebounding, he’s one of the best for us and he did that tonight.”

After the first four games were decided by eight points or less, Utah never had a chance after a nearly six-minute scoreless drought in the second quarter that fueled a 22-4 Dallas run on the way to a 52-36 halftime lead.

Game 6 is Thursday night in Salt Lake City, with the Jazz regaining their formidable home-court edge, but facing the long odds of just 18% of teams winning a series after dropping the fifth game when the teams split the first four.

The Mavericks haven’t advanced in the postseason since winning the 2011 championship. Utah is in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, but has yet to get past the second round in that stretch.

Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points and Rudy Gobert added 17 points and 11 rebounds in the lowest-scoring game for the Jazz since they lost by 50 at Dallas (118-68) on Nov. 14, 2018. They were 3 of 30 from 3-point range (10%) and shot 38% overall.

Donovan Mitchell, who averaged 30 points in the first four games, scored just nine and missed all seven of his 3-pointers before leaving with a left hamstring injury …

Basket Ball / Sports

Jayson Tatum scores 29 as Boston Celtics complete sweep of Brooklyn Nets

Jayson Tatum was stunned, yet certain. He disagreed with his sixth foul but had no doubt the Boston Celtics, with their rock-solid defense, would hold on without their scoring star.

“Couldn’t believe it at all, but I think that’s what we’re built for,” Tatum said.

They might be built for a championship.

Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown had 22 and the Celtics completed a four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, becoming the first team to reach the second round of the playoffs with a 116-112 victory Monday night.

Marcus Smart added 20 points and 11 assists for the No. 2-seeded Celtics, who made easy work of what was thought could be a tough series. Boston will wait for the winner of the series between Milwaukee and Chicago, in which the defending champion Bucks hold a 3-1 lead.

The Celtics showed no fear of the Nets, who with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving didn’t have the profile of the typical low seed. Boston won on the final day of the regular season instead of losing to fall down the standings and avoid the matchup.

Turns out, there was no reason to worry.

“It’s funny to us, because we don’t duck and dodge anybody,” Smart said. “We knew what we were going to come in here and do.”

Durant had 39 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, breaking free after the Celtics had defended him well in the first three games. But he couldn’t get the Nets the win they needed to extend what instead goes down as a massive failure of a season.

Expected to be an NBA Finals contender, the Nets needed a strong finish just to grab the No. 7 seed.

Seth Curry scored 23 points for the Nets. Irving, whose unavailability for home games much of the season because he isn’t vaccinated against the coronavirus contributed to the Nets’ performing so far below expectations, had 20 points.

“A lot of stuff that may factor into why we lose, but they were just a better team,” Durant said.…

News / politics

Just In: Supreme Court voids Andy Uba’s participation in Anambra governorship poll

The Supreme Court has voided the participation of Andy Uba in the last governorship election in Anambra State as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A five-member panel of the court, held in a judgment on Tuesday, that the APC breached its guidelines for the conduct of primaries and thus, failed to conduct valid primary from which Uba emerged as the party’s candidate in the Anambra governorship election.

The Supreme Court affirmed the February 23, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the December 20, 2021 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The apex court proceeded to dismiss the appeals filed by Andy Uba and the APC – marked: SC/CV/240/2022 and SC/CV/241/2022. In the December 20, 2021 judgment, Justice Ekwo held among others that Uba was never a candidate in the election held on November 6, 2021 having emerged from an illegally conducted primary election held by the APC.

Justice Ekwo held that the plaintiff, in the case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/648/201, George Moghalu (an APC aspirant for the election) succeeded in proving that the APC did not conduct a valid primary election from which Uba claimed to have emerged as the party’s candidate.

Details Shortly……

Fraud / Law / News / politics

Probe: Court orders CCT Chairman to appear before Senate

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, to appear before the Senate.

In his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo said the order was to allow Umar to face his probe over alleged public misconduct.

The judge held that Umar is answerable to the Senate on moral standards and conduct as a public officer administering the law.

Justice Ekwo stated that Umar’s suit seeking to stop his probe by the Senate lacked merit and was consequently dismissed.

The Senate asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit filed by Umar seeking to stop his probe for alleged misconduct.

Umar had initially gone to court to challenge the powers of the Senate to investigate him over an alleged assault he perpetrated against a security guard at the Banex Plaza.

He was alleged to have publicly assaulted one Sargwak, a security guard at the Banex Plaza in Wuse 2, Abuja, following a disagreement between them over a parking space on the premises.

Details later……

Basket Ball / Sports

Jokic, Nuggets avoid sweep with Game 4 victory over Warriors

The Denver Nuggets aren’t fazed.

They realize no team has ever won four elimination games in a single postseason series. They also know they’re the only team in league history to overcome back-to-back 3-1 playoff deficits.

That’s where they find themselves after avoiding a sweep by the Golden State Warriors with a 126-121 win Sunday to send the rough-and-tumble series back to San Francisco.

”Can I say we want them right where we want them? No, but we’re alive,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. ”We live to fight another day.”

Game 5 is Wednesday night.

Although none of the 143 other teams who faced a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs ever bounced back to advance, the Nuggets became the league’s first team ever to overcome 3-1 deficits in consecutive series two years ago when they bounced the Jazz and Clippers in the Orlando bubble.

”The odds are against us,” said MVP favorite Nikola Jokic. ”But we’ve beaten the odds a couple of times, so why not?”

Jokic scored 37 points and fed Will Barton for a 3-pointer from the left corner with 8.3 seconds left after Monte Morris’ short jumper broke a 121-all tie and Austin Rivers stole Otto Porter Jr.’s pass.

It was a reversal of final-minute fortunes for the Nuggets, who faltered down the stretch in a five-point loss in Game 3.

”We felt like it could have been 2-2 if we didn’t drop that last game,” said Rivers, who noted the Nuggets finally matched the Warriors’ physicality, especially down the stretch.

Morris finished with 24 points. He hit five 3-pointers in the third quarter, the most in a quarter by any player in these NBA playoffs.

Aaron Gordon chipped in 21 points and helped stifle Jordan Poole, who came in averaging 28.7 points this series but was held to 11.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 33 points despite missing 13 of 23 shots, going 3 for 11 from long range and missing four free throws for the first time in his career, whether in the …

Basket Ball / Sports

Jimmy Butler, Heat crush Hawks for 3-1 playoff series lead

Jimmy Butler erupted for 36 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead the Miami Heat to a dominant 110-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks and a 3-1 lead in the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

The top-seeded Heat led by as many as 27 points in the victory Sunday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

“I’m not the only one who is in rhythm,” Butler told reporters. “I feel like we are playing great basketball and getting stops whenever our spacing correct. This was a good one, but we have another one to get.”

With another win, the Heat can claim the best-of-seven series and advance to a second-round matchup with the No. 4 Philadelphia 76ers or No. 5 Toronto Raptors. Sunday’s Game 4 featured 10 lead changes and was tied five times. The Heat outscored the No. 8 Hawks 48-26 in the paint and 8-0 off fast breaks. The Hawks made just 40% of their field goal attempts. The Heat totaled just six turnovers, with zero in the first half.

The also Heat played without veteran guard Kyle Lowry, who is dealing with a hamstring strain.

“We just wanted to be organized,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of playing without Lowry. “We didn’t have our quarterback and Jimmy and Bam [Adebayo] allowed us to get settled, particularly in the first half. “We had to find a way to win this game. A lot of it was our defense and versatility.”

Forward De’Andre Hunter scored 11 points and went 3 for 3 on 3-point attempts to help the Hawks earn a 26-25 lead through the first quarter. The Hawks started the second on a 9-2 run, but the Heat responded with a 15-2 run to take a 44-37 lead 3:58 before halftime.

The Heat also scored 11 unanswered points to end the quarter for a 55-41 advantage at the break. Butler scored 13 points in the second. The Heat outscored the Hawks 25-20 in the third and took an 80-61 edge into the fourth. Butler scored a …

Basket Ball / Sports

Pelicans tie Booker-less Suns with 118-103 win in Game 4

Brandon Ingram scored 16 of his 30 points in the third quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Phoenix Suns — playing without injured star Devin Booker — 118-103 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the first-round series.

Jonas Valanciunas reasserted himself in the middle with 26 points and 15 rebounds to help the Pelicans pull even heading back to Phoenix for Game 5 on Tuesday night.

Booker strained his right straight after scoring 31 first-half points in the top-seeded Suns’ Game 2 loss. Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 23 points and eight rebounds, and fellow center JaVale McGee had 14 points.

Chris Paul, who had 19-point fourth quarters in the Suns’ two playoff wins, was held to four points in 35 minutes. He had 11 assists, but committed three turnovers.

The Pelicans led 89-85 with 8:05 left and used a 12-0 run to ice it. Valanciunas, limited to six points in a Game 3 loss, scored 10 points in a 3:34 span of the fourth quarter to help the Pelicans pull away. He punctuated his scoring spree with a 3-pointer from the left wing.

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Entertainment / News

Music Exec, Abu Abel denies issuing threats against suspected cultists

The Chief Executive Officer of Obimzy Records and Properties, Abel Egbarin, popularly known as Abu Abel, has debunked social media reports crediting him with threats against some alleged cultists in the country.

There had been a widely speculated message online insinuating that the music exec had ‘declared war’ against cult members.

Reacting to the development, Abu Abel told Punch how much he valued the sanctity of life, while also expressing his disdain for any form of violence.

He said, “Every human life is sacred, I do not support any form of violence, and I do not have the capacity to perform the function of security agencies whose primary responsibility is to maintain law and order in the country.

“I admonish these misguided elements who are working tirelessly to pitch me against some alleged cult members to desist from such irresponsible acts and find something worthwhile to do with their time for the betterment of society.

The business mogul further expressed his dismay over the length to which the proponent of the fake news went to attribute his name to such a life-threatening message.

Abu Abel said, “It is worrisome that those who are circulating this slander even added my name and claimed that I pledged to reward anybody that can kill one Dolapo, otherwise known as Dolly Pizzle. I however advise the public to disregard the viral rumour as such will never come from me.

“Furthermore, as a law-abiding and responsible citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I hereby disassociate myself from any criminal activities that may arise from the post. Consequently, I have written a petition to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, notified security agencies, and instructed my legal team to immediately take necessary legal steps to apprehend whoever might be behind the post.

“More important than the need to even exonerate myself, is the need for people to know that I am a gentleman with good character, and I will never sponsor a murder or an attack on anyone. People should not

…
Crime / Entertainment / Music / News

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky spotted at dinner for 1st time since rapper’s arrest

Barbadian singer Rihanna has been spotted with her partner A$AP Rocky for the first time since his arrest.

According to PageSix, the couple had dinner at the popular celebrity spot, Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

As usual, Rihanna had her belly bump on full display while also rocking a black bra, black-and-white jacket and sparkly mini shorts.

PageSix said Rihanna and Rocky were at the dinner with family friends for a baby shower.

It would be recalled that Rocky was arrested at the Los Angeles airport on Wednesday, April 20, upon his arrival from the much talked about trip to Rihanna’s home country, Barbados.

According to PageSix, he was taken into custody and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

The rapper is under investigation by the LAPD for his alleged involvement in a Nov. 6 shooting.

The rapper first ran into trouble with the law in 2019 after he was arrested in Sweden.

He was arrested for his involvement in a public fight with some alleged drug addicts.

In an interview, he described his time in prison as “very difficult and humbling experience.”

He was jailed for a month.

Rocky and his partner Rihanna are expecting their first child together.

…
Basket Ball / Sports

Joel Embiid’s 3-pointer in final second leads 76ers past Raptors in OT

Joel Embiid made a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Philadelphia 76ers a 104-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night and a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.

After 76ers coach Doc Rivers called timeout to save the possession as the shot clock was running down, Embiid took an inbounds pass from Danny Green and hit a turnaround shot from near the sideline before running back to his bench in celebration.

Toronto’s OG Anunoby couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

Embiid had 33 points and 13 rebounds, helping the 76ers rally from a 17-point deficit. James Harden had 19 points and 10 assists before fouling out in the closing seconds of regulation.

Tyrese Maxey scored 19 points and Tobias Harris had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who can wrap up the series in Game 4 on Saturday.

Anunoby scored 26 points, Gary Trent Jr. had a playoff-high 24, and Precious Achiuwa had 20 for the Raptors.

Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had 12 points. VanVleet shot 3 for 13, going 2 for 10 from 3-point range.

Philadelphia never held a lead in regulation, finally grabbing a 99-97 edge on Maxey’s shot with 3:27 left in overtime.

Anunoby’s 3 briefly put Toronto back on top, but Embiid’s basket with 2:36 left made it 101-100 for the Sixers.

Embiid fouled Anunoby with 26 seconds left, and the Toronto forward made the first but missed the second, knotting it at 101-all.

Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes sat for the second straight game because of the sprained left ankle that knocked him out of Game 1. Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Barnes is making progress and could return Saturday.

The 76ers, who shot at least 30 free throws in each of the first two games of the series, went 15 for 20 from the line in Game 3, with Embiid making six of nine attempts.

Trent was limited to 10 minutes of action in Game 2 because of illness, and didn’t play in …