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‘We all know what time it is’: Heat’s late, crucial stretch brings Nets next

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

The Heat know what it takes to make the playoffs, having reached the postseason the past three years. So gearing up for a two-week stretch to end the regular season is nothing out of the ordinary.Miami’s final eight games could result in the Heat finishing as high as fifth in the Eastern Conference. Or the Heat could get stuck in the play-in round.Miami hopes to get one step closer to clinching an important top-six spot in a Saturday night home game against the Brooklyn Nets, who sit half a game behind the Heat in the conference standings entering the 8 p.m. showdown at Miami-Dade Arena.“It is our March Madness, our April madness,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “This is why we’re in this business — to be tested, to have the competition, to play against good teams that are playing for something, as well.”The last time Miami (40-34) faced Brooklyn, the Nets (39-34) won 116-105 at the Barclays Center, and small forward Mikal Bridges scored 45...

Biden: US will ‘forcefully’ protect personnel in Syria

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

By JOSH BOAK, BASSEM MROUE and JON GAMBRELL (Associated Press)OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that the U.S. would respond “forcefully” to protect its personnel after U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard following an attack Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria.“The United States does not, does not seek conflict with Iran,” Biden said in Ottawa, Canada, where he is on a state visit. But he said Iran and its proxies should be prepared for the U.S. “to act forcefully to protect our people. That’s exactly what happened last night.” Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalat...

Center of attention: Giants eyeing interior offensive line after Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates depart

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

The Giants’ starting left guard and center from last season’s playoff run are both gone.Starting center Jon Feliciano signed a one-year free agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers this week, following starting left guard Nick Gates (Washington Commanders) out the door.So GM Joe Schoen must prioritize the interior offensive line in April’s NFL Draft, along with wide receiver, corner and a host of other needs.Two centers the Giants have shown interest in, per sources, are Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz and Ohio State’s Luke Wypler. Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence also is viewed as a potential great fit.The 6-3, 301-pound Schmitz and 6-5, 330-pound Torrence are both projected first-round picks. The 6-3, 303-pound Wypler is a projected second- or third-rounder. Wypler is a local product, too. He grew up in Bergen County, N.J., and played at St. Joseph Regional in Montvale.Center has been a bit of a revolving door for the Giants, and really they just...

Jay-Z’s net worth hits $2.5 billion following Bacardi deal

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

“Run This Town,” indeed! Jay-Z’s net worth is more than double what it was just a few years ago, according to a new estimate.On Friday, Forbes reported that the rapper’s real-time net worth was $2.5 billion, making him the 1,209th wealthiest individual in the world.That position put him not far behind Oprah Winfrey (1,204th on the ranking with $2.5 billion) and well ahead of billionaires like former NBA star Michael Jordan (1,485th with $2.0 billion) and Apple CEO Tim Cook (1,589th with $1.8 billion).Forbes estimated Jay-Z’s net worth to be $1 billion in 2020 and $1.4 billion in 2022, the same year the magazine named him the third highest-paid entertainer after he sold his stakes in the music streaming platform Tidal and the champagne brand Armand de Brignac.Jay-Z’s latest increase in net worth is largely due to his February deal with Bacardi over the D’ussé cognac brand. He and the beverage company previously owned D’ussé in...

Tom Thibodeau’s signature defense on the decline as Knicks head home after ugly Florida trip

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

What has happened to Tom Thibodeau’s vaunted defense?Yes, the Knicks’ offense has been humming at high levels for this franchise, but the coach’s specialty is lagging this season — especially lately.The Knicks were 17th in defensive efficiency heading into Friday’s NBA schedule, a ranking even worse than during last season’s plunge to the draft lottery.They’ve been mostly roasted on 3-pointers, allowing the third-most treys in the NBA before Friday. It’s a product of Thibodeau’s system — which is built to protect the paint while leaving the Knicks susceptible to kick-out passes to the 3-point line — but lately the scheme is backfiring.“Their general disposition is to stop the ball with off-ball defenders being in and forcing kickouts,” an NBA coach said. “That is why they’re giving up a high number of 3s.”Some of it is as simple as teams are finally burying their open 3-pointers. But ther...

Red Sox announce MLB will withdraw ‘Boston’ trademark application

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

The push to trademark “Boston” for the Red Sox is no more, principal owner John Henry announced.Henry, in a statement sent to the Herald, brushed back at the league’s patent play.He stated: “On March 17, Major League Baseball initiated, oversaw, and directed a trademark application on behalf of three of its clubs, including the Boston Red Sox. Major League Baseball — not the Boston Red Sox — initiated this filing. Today, at our request, MLB has agreed to withdraw the application. MLB’s intent was to protect these clubs’ use of their city name in connection with professional baseball services and apparel, not an attempt to own the city name or prevent others from using the city name.”It has been a perplexing situation from the start.Various experts on trademarking and patent law told the Herald that this was a fruitless, “absurd” move with a “very low chance” of success.The application drew criticism from fans on social media, who...

Photos: Muslims celebrate Ramadan around the world

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

Joanna Tavares | New York Daily NewsMuslims around the world began their month-long observance of Ramadan at sundown on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. The holy month is done with prayer and fasting from dawn to dusk to honor Allah. Practitioners pray, fast, reflect and abstain from smoking and sex to bring them closer to God until the final night on April 22. The dates usually vary by a few days depending on the moon and a country’s location.Peshawar, PakistanMuslim devotees pray before breaking their fast on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar on March 23, 2023. (Photo by Abdul MAJEED / AFP) (Photo by ABDUL MAJEED/AFP via Getty Images)Srinagar, IndiaMuslim devotees pray inside the Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani shrine on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Srinagar on March 23, 2023. (Photo by TAUSEEF MUSTAFA / AFP) (Photo by TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/AFP via Getty Images)Manila, PhilippinesWomen pray during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at a mosque in T...

Bruins’ A.J. Greer given one-game suspension

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

A.J. Greer was given a one-game suspension by the NHL’s Department of PlayerSafety for his crosscheck to the face of Montreal Canadiens’ forward Mike Hoffman in the Bruins’ 4-2 win over the Habs on Thursday at the Garden.It is the first time Greer has been suspended or fined in his 99 games in the National Hockey League.Late in the first period, Greer and Hoffman were jousting with their sticks before a faceoff. They eventually turned to face each other and, after Hoffman put his stick into Greer’s chest in what the league deemed a defensive posture, Greer crosschecked him in the face.“It is important to note that this is not a case of a stick directed towards the body that rides up the opponent,” according to the league’s video explanation. “This crosscheck is delivered cleanly to the head of Hoffman. And while we understand Greer’s assertion that he does not intend to strike Hoffman in this manner, players are responsible for t...

Bruins notebook: This weekend could be a tone setter for B’s

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

The Bruins’ back-to-back games this weekend had appeared to be a pivotal two-game set for months. They will play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (1 p.m.) at the Garden and then travel to Carolina to play the Hurricanes on Sunday (5 p.m.).But the importance of these two games has changed. Standings-wise, Saturday’s game does not matter much. The B’s have all but sewn up the Atlantic Division (a win on Saturday or a regulation loss by Toronto will clinch the Atlantic). Meanwhile, the Bolts won’t be caught from behind by Florida and their hopes of catching Toronto for second-place are dimming.Psychologically, however, a game against a potential second-round opponent at this point in the season is not a throwaway.Neither team wants to lay an egg in this situation and, to be honest, both clubs could stand to manufacture a good performance. The B’s are riding a five-game win streak but have needed superb goaltending performances from Linus Ullmark and Jer...

ACLU: Lawsuit likely if Nebraska bill on trans health passes

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:09:04 GMT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Now that a Nebraska bill to ban gender-affirming treatments for minors has cleared its first and toughest hurdle, parents and children likely to be affected by the measure are preparing for a legal fight, the American Civil Liberties Union said Friday.“It’s discriminatory on the basis of sex,” said Jane Seu, policy counsel with the Nebraska ACLU. “It also violates the free speech rights of doctors.”The bill — which has led opposing lawmakers to stage an effort to filibuster every bill before the Legislature this session — would outlaw gender-affirming therapies such as hormone treatments, puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgery for those 18 and younger. It would also ban Nebraska doctors from referring minors to other providers — even those in another state — for such treatment.Republican lawmakers on Thursday advanced the bill from the first of three rounds of debate on a largely party-line vote. But even if enacted this year, opponents say the f...