🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Thunder, Celtics secure big wins in NBA playoff openers, Magic upset Pistons
via The Namibian5 min read
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics began their NBA playoff campaigns with significant victories on Sunday. The Thunder, aiming to repeat as champions, routed the Phoenix Suns 119-84. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player and Finals MVP, led Oklahoma City with 25 points, while Jalen Williams added 22 and Chet Holmgren scored 16. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised his team's defensive performance. In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics, seeded second, dominated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combining for 51 points. Tatum, who made an unexpected return from an Achilles tendon injury, expressed his excitement to be playing. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic shocked the Detroit Pistons with a 112-101 win. Paolo Banchero scored 23 points for the Magic, and Franz Wagner contributed 19, helping Orlando withstand a 39-point effort from Pistons star Cade Cunningham. The Magic's victory extended the Pistons' home playoff losing streak to 11 games.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are anticipated to challenge Kimi Antonelli's winning streak at the Monaco Grand Prix. Leclerc, who recently extended his contract with Ferrari, won his home race in 2024 and has secured pole position three times in the last five years. Hamilton, who finished second in Montreal, is looking forward to returning to Monaco, a circuit where power is less critical and car performance is key. Antonelli, the current championship leader, acknowledged that Ferrari's car might be better suited for the Monaco street circuit, where Mercedes has historically faced challenges. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff downplayed their prospects, emphasizing the unique nature of Monaco and the small margins involved. Ferrari aims for their first win since Carlos Sainz's victory in Mexico in 2024. Qualifying will be crucial, and the new 'overtake mode' could lead to more overtaking opportunities during the race. McLaren, the most successful team in Monaco, hopes to celebrate their 60th anniversary and 1000th race start by competing against Ferrari and Mercedes, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar also expected to contend. Cadillac will make their debut race appearance at the event.
The upcoming Tour de France is anticipated to feature a significant yellow jersey battle, with four-time champion Tadej Pogacar aiming for a record-equalling fifth victory. He is expected to face strong competition from two-time former winner Jonas Vingegaard and Paul Seixas. However, a notable aspect of this season is that these top riders have largely avoided each other in pre-Tour stage races. Pogacar, 27, and Vingegaard, winners of the last six Tour de France editions, have only competed against each other once since last year's race, at the one-day European Championships in October. Vingegaard, having recently won the Giro d’Italia, will not race again before the Tour. Pogacar is preparing for the Tour by participating in the week-long tours of Romandie, which he won last month, and Switzerland. Seixas is heading to the Criterium du Dauphine and has raced Pogacar twice this year, finishing second to him in two one-day races. This contrasts with previous years where top contenders frequently met in pre-Tour events. Other riders like Florian Lipowitz and Remco Evenepoel are also opting for different or fewer warm-up races. Despite this, the Tour of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes will see strong competition among riders like Oscar Olney, Isaac del Toro, Juan Ayuso, and Joao Almeida, who are expected to contend for top-five finishes.
The 2026 Tour de Windhoek, Namibia's international cycling event, was officially launched, with organizers promising an exciting race. Scheduled from August 13 to 16, 2026, the event will feature elite and emerging cyclists competing on challenging routes. Pupkewitz Megabuild managing director, Martin Schoeman, confirmed the company's continued commitment as the title sponsor, highlighting its support for the growth of cycling in Namibia and its corporate social responsibility. Schoeman stated that the sponsorship aligns with Pupkewitz Megabuild's vision of improving lives and contributing to a progressive Namibia. He also noted that Pupkewitz Motors will serve as the mobility partner, and Agrimark as the fuel sponsor, with these partnerships crucial for a professionally managed event. Gerald Vries, executive director in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, reaffirmed the government's commitment to fostering a thriving sports environment in Namibia through strategic partnerships, athlete development, and talent nurturing from grassroots to elite levels.
Must ReadThe Roads Authority RA spent over N$2.6 million on private lawyers to conduct disciplinary hearings that led to the dismissal of two executives, former RA transport executive officer Sidney Boois and divisional manager Richard Milinga. They were fired in February after being accused of inflating a vehicle procurement tender valued at approximately N$16 million. Lawyer Ileni Velikoshi received N$1.5 million as chairperson of the hearing, and the firm Köpplinger Boltman van Greunen Incorporated was paid N$1.1 million as the initiator. Labour experts have criticized the expenditure as an "extreme wastage of resources" and a disregard for public funds, especially given that the case has now moved to the High Court, potentially incurring further costs. RA spokesperson Hileni Fillemon declined to comment, citing the sub judice nature of the matter. Lawyer Richard Metcalfe questioned the use of a disciplinary process for allegations of fraud and corruption, suggesting that criminal charges with the Commercial Crime Investigation Unit or the Anti-Corruption Commission would have been more appropriate and cost-effective.