The curtain closes today on the NBA regular season, 169 days after it opened. What we have discerned from 1,232 games as they relate to the play-offs can be summed up in one word, which also reflects the monetary value of a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey with LeBron James's name on it. Nothing.
Oh, we were mesmerised by the theatre framed by that curtain, from James's pre-game hand-powdering and Blake Griffin's power slams to Carmelo Anthony's high-rent relocation and Dwight Howard's high-tech fouls count.
We took guilty pleasure from watching the Heat in a hoops version of the old sitcom Three's Companyas James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh invested blood, sweat and (literally, according to their coach) tears to scratch out a decent record.
We relearned that boring can be beautiful, as robotic Tim Duncan and his cyborg San Antonio Spurs (not really, but that is their image) ruled the Western Conference.
We were reminded that a Rose is not always a Rose. With their point guard Derrick Rose, an MVP candidate, at the wheel, the Chicago Bulls lorded over the Eastern Conference. With former stand-out Jalen Rose at the wheel, a driving-under-the-influence arrest - and a failure to disclose it to ESPN - resulted in his suspension as NBA analyst.
We recognised that age is a state of mind, especially if the state is Massachusetts, where mid-30s guys Ray Allen (35), Kevin Garnett (34) and Paul Pierce (33) delivered 55 regular-season wins for the Boston Celtics.
We saw nightly highlight reels of flashy moves and trashy mouths, of jivin' and high-fivin', of gravity-defying dunks and great players in extended funks.
Now, with the post-season at our doorstep, we glance at the standings, surely to discover a party-crasher in - or an unforeseen absentee from - the post-season field of 16. Maybe a projected title threat from the pre-season that barely squeezed in. Or a team that exceeded modest expectations.
Well, there is ...
No? Then how about ...
Wait, you have the ...
Here is what you have: nearly a half-year of hoops that eliminated nobody of consequence, rewarded nobody that came out of the blue and reduced the suspense so much that the heavyweight teams were left with a single worry: what will we be seeded?
Yes, for months, the Orlando Magic endured sleepless nights fretting over whether they be 4 or 5 in the East. Only when the Atlanta Hawks started resembling the Minnesota Timberwolves could Orlando exhale, knowing they had home-court advantage in the first round.
Big whoop. The Magic slogged through 82 games, all to secure a home date in a Game 7 against Atlanta - not that many series go the distance anyway. "That is what they play the regular season for," some announcer, struggling to be serious, will intone.
The NFL, the NHL and MLB are blessedly different. Their regular seasons lack predictability, the play-offs sprinkled with surprises.
The NBA season is almost all for show. You tell me Kobe Bryant will not miss much time with injuries, and I'll tell you that the Los Angeles Lakers are as certain as Jack Nicholson seated front row for the play-offs to gain a top-three seed.
Way back in October, it all began with Chicago, Boston, Miami and Orlando comprising everyone's envisioned top four in the East.
Teams playing only for position in the draft lottery, it was assumed: the Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and the LeBron-less Cavaliers.
Do not look for differences between these two pictures - the final standings and the forecasted standings. There is almost none.
In the West? Only the Memphis Grizzlies, the eighth seed, graduated from the rank-and-file. Of course, had Houston's Yao Ming not suffered his 27th career-threatening injury or Jerry Sloan, the Utah Jazz coach, not quit in his 58th season, Memphis would be singing the blues by now, the same as after any other season.
Mercifully, the exhibition schedule is over. While usually more predictable than other play-offs - superior seeds have won 76 per cent of all series since the league adopted a 16-team format - this post-season, like its predecessors, oozes drama.
Can James take a title to South Beach after infamously announcing that he was taking his talents there? Can Howard stop filling his stat line with technical fouls and focus on points, rebounds, blocks ... and a title? Can Anthony, the newest New Yorker, trigger a run by the Knicks?
Can Bryant send out his Zen Master coach, the retiring Phil Jackson, with one last ring to gaze at while he meditates all day?
These play-offs have everything but the Clippers' Griffin, whose time will come. The real season arrives this weekend. About time.
sports@thenational.ae
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
The%20stats%20and%20facts
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S
Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm
Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
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Rating: 4 stars
Company%20Profile
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Europe wide
Some of French groups are threatening Friday to continue their journey to Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union, and to meet up with drivers from other countries on Monday.
Belgian authorities joined French police in banning the threatened blockade. A similar lorry cavalcade was planned for Friday in Vienna but cancelled after authorities prohibited it.
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
