CHICAGO (AP) — Two-time NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers' starting lineup against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. After missing his first seven shots and ambling deliberately in his left knee brace in the first quarter, the 2023 MVP went on a tear to propel the Sixers to a 108-100 win over the Chicago Bulls. Embiid connected on eight of his next 10 shots in the second quarter for his first 19 points of the game, which lifted Philadelphia to a 62-50 halftime lead. The Sixers stretched it to 19 before holding on for their fourth win in five games, and Embiid finished with 31. “I just got lucky and started making shots,” Embiid deadpanned when he talked to reporters almost 90 minutes after the game. “We just missed shots and we adjusted and we got them in.” Embiid, a seven-time All-Star, added 12 rebounds in his fifth game this season. The 7-foot center had missed the previous seven games because of knee injuries and a three-game suspension for pushing a sports columnist. Embiid finished slightly above his career average of nearly 27.8 points per game in 33 minutes. The Sixers don't play again until Friday thanks to the NBA Cup, so coach Nick Nurse planned to give his star ample work Sunday with a break and recovery time ahead. “All of a sudden he certainly caught fire there with a little bit of variety,” Nurse said. “I know a lot of it seemed like foul-line jumpers, which it was. He snuck in a roll or two and a couple of post-ups. It gave us a lot of confidence.” The Sixers trailed 33-23 after the first quarter. Behind Embiid and a 16-0 run in the second, they took the lead for good. Chicago got within four points twice in the fourth, but Philadelphia closed it out. “We guarded really well and we rebounded extremely well at both ends,” Nurse said. Tyrese Maxey got his first career triple-double as part of the winning formula and clicked with Embiid. Maxey finished with 25 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. “It was great, that's who he is,” Maxey said of Embiid. “After he got in the game it's easy, it was easier, man. There was a lot more space out there.” The All-Star trio of Embiid, Maxey and Paul George (12 points) played together for only the second game this season. “Obviously we've got the connection,” Embiid said. "We know when things are not going right, what we need to do. Now it's up to us to make the shots and the plays. “After that first quarter, it just felt like we needed to take more of an ownership as far as getting us back in the game. They're great players.” AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaHaitians massacred for practicing voodoo were abducted, hacked to death: UN
Burt, the huge crocodile that rose to fame with a cameo in the movie "Crocodile Dundee" and continued to impress visitors with his fiery temper and commanding presence, has died. Burt died over the weekend, the Crocosaurus Cove reptile aquarium in Darwin, Australia, said. He was at least 90 years old. "Known for his independent nature, Burt was a confirmed bachelor -- an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm," Crocosaurus Cove wrote in social media posts. "He wasn't just a crocodile, he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures. While his personality could be challenging, it was also what made him so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years," the aquarium wrote. A saltwater crocodile, Burt was estimated to be more than 5 metres (16 feet) long. He was captured in the 1980s in the Reynolds River and became one of the most well-known crocodiles in the world, according to Crocosaurus Cove. The 1986 movie stars Paul Hogan as the rugged crocodile hunter Mick Dundee. In the movie, American Sue Charlton, played by actress Linda Kozlowski, goes to fill her canteen in a watering hole when she is attacked by a crocodile before being saved by Dundee. Burt is briefly shown lunging out of the water. But the creature shown in more detail as Dundee saves the day is apparently something else. The Internet Movie Database says the movie goofed by depicting an American alligator, which has a blunter snout. The Australian aquarium where Burt had lived since 2008 features a "Cage of Death" which it says is the nation's only crocodile dive. It said it planned to honor Burt's legacy with a commemorative sign "celebrating his extraordinary life and the stories and interactions he shared throughout his time at the park."Stunning! Giant Santa Claus made of 5,000 drones lights up the sky in marvelous Christmas displayNone
Iran recruiting children to attack Israeli targets across Europe amid setbacks: reportThe traditional holiday movie launch may be getting supplanted by blockbuster video games, with major interactive releases increasingly taking up prime advertising space and drawing consumer dollars. There have been examples of video games out-grossing the box office since the ’90s. Culturally, films have been thought of as a group entertainment activity, while games have been regarded as more of a gift to put under the tree for kids and game fans. A new study suggests that’s shifting. An ad for holiday blockbuster game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on a Melbourne tram. Credit: Simon Schluter About three in five adult Australians play games, and more than half of the population intends to make a gaming-related purchase as part of their holiday spending, according to the survey conducted by YouGov. Of those people, the average anticipated spend was about $200, whereas Australians in general anticipated spending about $82 at the cinema. Millennials were expected to be the highest spenders, with the largest proportion of that age group planning to spend up to $250 on gaming purchases over the holiday period. The survey, commissioned by Xbox, also found that more than half of adult Australians prioritised games in their holiday entertainment, and that 61 per cent of families with children agreed gaming was a bonding family tradition. Xbox Australia’s games lead Eve Oorloff said the medium was becoming more of a shared holiday experience, as families increasingly have multiple generations of game-players. “This shift in perception is really encouraging, as more people are beginning to see the value of gaming in bringing people together, much like the movies have done for generations,” she said. “We love being at the forefront of this continued evolution and adoption of gaming across generations, and watching it become a shared experience between players.” Telsyte analyst Foad Fadaghi, who was not involved in the research, said video games are appealing as gifts and activities when families are looking to maximise value in terms of dollars spent per hour of entertainment. A trip to the cinema with the whole family can easily cost as much as the most expensive new game. “According to everything we’ve seen, there’s been a shift against that kind of retail spending. People are spending a lot more time at home for their entertainment,” he said. “Entertainment is always a function of discretionary income, and clearly families see a lot of value in games.” Xbox says families are increasingly playing video games together as a holiday tradition. New games for this holiday period include Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Call of Duty Black Ops 6 , both published by Microsoft-owned studios, as well as Astro Bot , Lego Horizon Adventures , Super Mario Party Jamboree and Sonic X Shadow Generations . Microsoft’s own games are included in its Game Pass Ultimate subscription service – meaning families could also play Indiana Jones and hundreds of other games for $23 a month, roughly the price of a movie ticket – on Xbox consoles or on PCs, which the study indicated were used for gaming by about half the playing population. But Fadaghi said the increased digitisation of the games marketplace came with certain dangers for game sales, especially at Christmas. Digital gifts are available but might not be preferred by family members who want to wrap up a present, and games could become less favourable as a gift if the trend towards subscriptions continue. In the era of Netflix, few people get DVDs as a gift. Harrison Ford has been digitally recreated as he looked in 1980 for The Great Circle, a globe-spanning, fascist-punching adventure set just after Raiders of the Lost Ark. “Subscriptions represent great value for money. But they represent an ongoing payment, so for some people it’s a little bit different from that one-off gift,” he said. The YouGov study indicated that, of the people who intended to make a gaming purchase these holidays, about two in five expected to buy a gift card or voucher. Loading Oorloff said Xbox invested in a wide variety of games to enhance the value of Game Pass, but Hollywood-style release campaigns were still vital for blockbuster games, which take many years and millions of dollars to make. “Making a splash at launch helps capture interest and build momentum and awareness. It also sets the title up for ongoing success through fan engagement with downloadable content, updates, expansions, and community events,” she said. “Games offer rich narratives, cinematic experiences, and interactive storytelling that rival any Hollywood production; the launch of a hotly anticipated title can feel similar to a movie premiere.” Get news and reviews on technology, gadgets and gaming in our Technology newsletter every Friday. Sign up here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Video games For subscribers Tim Biggs is a writer covering consumer technology, gadgets and video games. Connect via Twitter or email . 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