Steph Curry scored 28 points as the Golden State Warriors roared back to life in their Western Conference finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with an emphatic 118-91 victory.
Curry seized control of the contest with a spellbinding third-quarter points blitz as the Warriors squared the series at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s Game 3 in Oklahoma City.
The 27-point blowout victory preserved Golden State’s remarkable season-long record of never having suffered back-to-back defeats.
“Our ball movement was a lot better tonight. We got it going side to side and set screens and found easier shots and thankfully they went down,” Curry said. “That’s the way we’ve got to play going forward.”
Curry meanwhile played down what looked like a swelling on his right elbow which appeared after he tumbled into the stands.
“We’ll get freshened up and get ready for another dogfight on Sunday,” Curry said.
“That’s what this series is going to be about — who wants to be more physical.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr paid tribute to Curry’s virtuoso display.
More from the NBA play-offs:
Jonathan Raymond on Game 1: Oklahoma City forge winning identity in surprise victory over Golden State
NBA Conference Finals preview: Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook — who could ask for more?
“He’s the MVP for a reason and he knows he didn’t have his best night in Game 1. He came out and played exceptionally well,” Kerr said. “Business as usual. This is what he does.”
“They were playing well and they had some momentum; I just know we made some stops and Steph got loose.
“That’s what Steph does, when he can find some space and make a few threes in front of the home crowd it’s a huge boost.”
Kerr meanwhile said he would have no difficulty motivating his team for the challenge of facing Oklahoma City on the road.
“We knew we needed to win tonight badly and we responded well,” Kerr said. “Now we’ve got to go there and play well and it’s a tough place to play. I don’t think we’ll have any problem getting ‘appropriate fear’ from our guys.”
Thunder coach Billy Donovan agreed Curry’s flurry changed the game.
“I thought we were in good shape and then they hit us with that flurry,” Donovan said.
“Obviously we let Curry get loose a few times and we need to do a better job in that area. They played very well.”
Oklahoma City had stunned the reigning NBA champions and their fans at the Oracle Arena in Game 1 on Monday, overturning a 60-47 half-time deficit to run out deserved winners.
A similarly nail-biting encounter looked likely in the early exchanges in Game 2, with the Thunder always managing to stay in touch despite an error-strewn first half characterised by several turnovers.
Yet the Warriors took control in the third quarter with Curry’s devastating scoring burst propelling them to a double-digit lead.
A technical foul from Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant had provided the impetus, gifting Curry the chance to hit four free throws to put Golden State ahead 71-59.
That was swiftly followed by two swaggering three-pointers and an outside jumper from Curry and suddenly Golden State were up 79-59.
Curry eventually was responsible for all 15 points of a 15-2 Golden State run in the third quarter and this time there was to be no fightback from the Thunder.
The Warriors had soon stretched their lead to 20 points, a margin they held as they headed into the fourth quarter, ahead 88-68.
An Andre Iguodala three-pointer early in the fourth followed by an emphatic dunk put Golden State 25 points clear at 93-68, as the Thunder reeled in the face of relentless pressure.
For Oklahoma City, Durant scored a game-high 29 points with one assist and six rebounds while the talismanic Russell Westbrook finished with 16 points and 12 points.
Yet in contrast to Monday’s all-around Thunder performance, Westbrook and Durant were the only two Oklahoma City players to score in double figures, highlighting the problems the visitors had penetrating a determined Warriors defensive display.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Results
ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):
First round
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
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BABYLON
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
More on Quran memorisation:
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
MATCH INFO
First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs
Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets
Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
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Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office