Friday 45 Sports Friday, December 6, 2019 Antetokounmpo leads Bucks past Pistons as Lakers trump Jazz LOS ANGELES: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 35 “At first I was trying to talk back, trying to points propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to a 13th let them know this is more than basketball. We straight NBA victory on Wednesday, a hard- can stop playing basketball, we can fight. “At fought 127-103 win over the Pistons in Detroit. the end of the day my teammates want me in Antetokounmpo, the reigning NBA Most Valu- the game, my teammates want me to keep my able Player, powered through a contentious en- head in the game.” The tough-guy posturing counter, pulling down six rebounds and handing didn’t help the Pistons and the Bucks emerged out nine assists as the Bucks continued their with their longest winning streak since 1973. domination of the Pistons. The Lakers put on a defensive clinic in Utah, The Bucks improved to 19-3 — tied for best coming up with 13 steals and blocking 12 shots record in the league with the Western Confer- as they held the Jazz to 41 percent shooting. ence-leading Los Angeles Lakers, who beat the Anthony Davis, battling illness that saw him Utah Jazz 121-96 in Salt Lake City. Milwaukee, receive intravenous fluids at halftime of the whose eight wins over Detroit last season in- Lakers’ win at Denver on Tuesday, scored 26 cluded a first-round playoff sweep, have now points. Davis added five rebounds, six assists notched two wins this season over the Pistons. and three blocked shots. The Bucks led by 11 at halftime, and by 20 LeBron James added 20 points and handed after three quarters as the Pistons proved unable out 12 assists for the Lakers, who didn’t trail at to mount a challenge. Khris Middleton added 17 all after the first quarter and led by as many as points for Milwaukee and Eric Bledsoe chipped in 15. Andre Drummond led Detroit with 23 25 in the second half. “Thirty-two fastbreak points, 14 rebounds and five assists. points on the second night of a back-to-back, Antetokounmpo and Detroit’s Blake Griffin that’s just great effort by our team,” Lakers clashed early and often. Midway through the coach Frank Vogel said after his team’s 10th DETROIT: Ersan Ilyasova #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Detroit Pis- second quarter, Griffin elbowed Antetokounmpo straight road win. tons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. — AFP in the face and teammates hurried to intervene “We just want to continue to battle on the as the two exchanged words. defensive end,” Davis said. “We played with Antetokounmpo answered in the third with a great pace tonight and were able to get who returned to Florida on Wednesday for the against the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-114. monster block of Griffin’s layup attempt, and less points in transition. We just played together.” birth of his second son. The Heat led by as many The Timberwolves led 93-91 with 7:19 re- than a minute later when he hit the court after a The Jazz lost for the fifth time in sixth games as 11 points early in the second quarter, but maining when the Mavericks made three-point- foul by Bruce Brown, Griffin angered the Bucks — but suffered just their second home defeat Boston closed the half on a 28-9 scoring run to ers on five of their next six possessions to seize by stepping over Antetokounmpo’s legs. of the season. take a 52-44 lead at halftime and never trailed in the momentum. Dwight Powell led the Mavs with Middleton raced over and admonished Griffin In Boston, the Celtics defeated the Miami the second half. 24 points, connecting on nine of nine from the and after a lengthy review Brown, Griffin and Heat 112-93, handing the Heat their first defeat Jaylen Brown scored 31 points and Kemba field. Luka Doncic added 22 points — a rela- Middleton all received technical fouls. “At that of a three-game road trip that had included wins Walker added 28 for the Celtics, who withstood tively quiet night for the Mavs’ young star after point, I was, like, tired,” Antetokounmpo said. “I over the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors. a 37-point performance by Miami’s Jimmy But- his 33-point, 18-rebound performance against was, like, ‘They’re going to do this all night.’ Miami were without coach Erik Spoelstra, ler. The Dallas Mavericks won a see-saw battle New Orleans on Tuesday. — AFP Atletico seek quick games, are at home to 19th-placed Espanyol. Leaders Gladbach points, four ahead of fourth-placed Bayern, and Atleti’s hopes of repeating 2014’s remark- closing in on the unofficial autumn champions able title win have all but faded with Sunday’s title with the winter break coming later this fix at Villarreal in 1-0 defeat at home to Barca, yet even finishing seek to beat Bayern month. Gladbach forward Alassane Plea said in the top four might prove a challenge unless felling Bayern would mean so much. “Bayern transitional season they can find some inspiration soon. are a big club with countless successes,” he Simeone’s side are far from entertaining, MUNICH: Borussia Moenchengladbach try- said this week. “They have won the league title with only six teams in the league having ing to bring down the mighty Bayern Munich almost every season in the past years and play scored fewer than their 16 goals, although they after years of Bavarian dominance might without interruption in the Champions League. MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s seemingly un- can boast the second best defence. sound like a line from a 1970s German football “They have top players and are arguably shakeable position as Spain’s third force has Today’s game represents an ideological almanac but that will be the case tomorrow the strongest team in the league. That is why come under threat following a slide in form and clash of sorts — Villarreal, who are 13th in the when the two sides meet in the league. we really want to win that game.” Plea has they desperately need to get their season back table, have the best attack outside of Real and formed a formidable partnership with fellow For decades-long roles have been reversed on track when they visit Villarreal in La Liga Barca but the fifth worst defence. Frenchman Marcus Thuram and Swiss inter- this season, with the ‘Foals’ of Gladbach gal- today. The match would be taking place in Simeone has blamed his side’s recent strug- national Breel Embolo, scoring four goals and Miami had the league got its way but after los- gles on the huge overhaul his squad under- loping away at the top of the standings while recording four assists. ing a legal battle last month, the teams will be went in the post season, asking for patience in Bayern struggle to keep pace. For younger Thuram has contributed six goals while meeting on the shores of Spain’s east coast a “season of transition”. German football fans this is a completely new Embolo, who struggled for a starting spot at experience but more seasoned fans could rather than the sunshine state. He can point to key departures such as An- Schalke 04, has five. “The fact that we are still Atletico’s season had promised so much draw parallels to some 45 years ago when league leaders shows how good we have been toine Griezmann, their top scorer for the last Bayern, in the midst of their three consecutive after a flying start of three straight wins five seasons, stalwart defenders Juanfran, Fil- working and how good a season we have been but they have been on a downward spiral European Cup wins, lost their domestic crown playing,” Plea added. “We have a great team ... ipe Luis, Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez, to a sensational Gladbach team. since, earning only three victories in their plus Spain midfielder Rodrigo. and we are currently in just very good form.” last 12 games. Gladbach won five of eight league titles The Bavarians will be feeling the heat, hav- But the club spent a staggering 300 mil- The club have finished in the top three in between 1970 and 1977, including three ing suffered a shock 2-1 home loss to Bayer lion euros ($331 million) on replenishing their La Liga in all seven full seasons under Diego straight from 1975-77. Bayern have again be- Leverkusen last week, their first defeat under in- squad and many of their new arrivals are not Simeone but are currently sixth in the stand- come the most powerful force in German foot- terim coach Hansi Flick. Another loss would see stepping up, especially 126-million euro man ball, having won seven consecutive league them drop further behind in the title race and put ings, six points off leaders Barcelona and sec- Joao Felix, who has failed to score for over titles starting back in 2013 but their opponents Flick’s future at the club in doubt. Second- ond-placed Real Madrid, who each have a two months. are enjoying a scintillating campaign. placed RB Leipzig, on 27 points, host Hoffen- game in hand. “We’re worried but now is the time to dig After decades stuck mid-table or even heim, while Schalke 04, a further two points Barca host struggling Mallorca on Saturday in and stay united,” added midfielder Saul lower, Gladbach are top of the heap on 28 behind in third, travel to Leverkusen.