‘Enough’, As Muntari Atletico aim for walks off after revenge against racial abuse Real; 4th attempt

TUESDAY, MAY 2,19 2017 19 Shooting tournament ends in style Page 17

LOS ANGELES: #25 of the shoots over #20 of the during the first half of Game Seven of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at on April 30, 2017. — AFP Jazz flatten Clippers 104-91

Thomas ignores heartache, lost tooth to lead Boston win

LOS ANGELES: Gordon Hayward scored 26 13 points and handed out nine assists. The Jazz tributed and we got the win.” The Boston guard being struck in the face by an elbow from “Just been in continual amazement the last cou- points and collected eight rebounds to lead sev- used a third-quarter spurt to grab a double-digit flew across the country to play after speaking Washington’s Otto Porter midway into the first ple of weeks with his ability to function and excel en Utah players in double figures, and the Jazz lead and retained it for almost the rest of the Saturday at his sister Chyna’s funeral in quarter. Thomas saw his tooth pop out and fall on the court. Today is just another eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers from the contest. Clippers forward , in his final Washington state. She was killed two weeks ago onto the court and, not missing a beat, went chapter of that.” “He’s one of the biggest winners Western Conference playoffs with a 104-91 road NBA game, scored six points. in a car accident. “Basketball, when I’m on the over and picked up the tooth off the floor and in this league,” Wizards coach said. victory in Game Seven on Sunday at Staples court, it just keeps me going,” Thomas said. “I do later handed it to a Celtics trainer, broadly dis- “He plays with everything he has. I can’t imagine Center. and con- CELTICS 123, WIZARDS 111 everything for my sister now and that’s all I can playing a bloodied gap-toothed smile on the being able to do it myself if I were in the same tributed 17 points apiece as the Jazz advanced to Isaiah Thomas shook off having a tooth do. That’s all I can do.” In the weekend’s only oth- bench after going 3-for-3 following the dental situation.” The Celtics outscored Washington 36- the second round, where they will meet the knocked out and the heartache of his sister’s er playoff game, the Utah Jazz beat the Los mishap and leading all first-half scorers with 19 16 in the third quarter, in which they seized their . Game One is Tuesday at funeral to score 33 points Sunday, powering the Angeles Clippers 104-91 to win their first-round points. “It just bothers me to talk,” Thomas said. first lead at 73-71 and stretched it to 95-80 enter- Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Favors also over Washington 123-111 in an Western Conference series 4-3. They will face “My tongue goes right through my tooth... I’ve ing the fourth before holding off the Wizards grabbed 11 rebounds before fouling out with NBA playoff game. Thomas went 11-of-23 from NBA win leader and defending conference cham- always had teammates that I’ve always clowned down the stretch. added 24 points 5:24 remaining to fill a void left by Jazz center the floor, 6-of-7 from the line and con- pion Golden State in the second round starting them about their tooth being out, and now I’m for the Celtics while center had 21 Rudy Gobert, who also was plagued by fouls. tributed nine assists as the Celtics battled back Tuesday. Thomas napped at home and on the one of them. Hopefully, we can replace it as soon points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Bradley Gobert finished with one and four after surrendering the game’s first 16 points to flight to Boston and ignored coach as possible.” Beal scored 27 points while added 20 rebounds in 13 minutes. beat the visiting Wizards in their best-of-seven saying he didn’t have to play. “It’s tough, but it’s points and 16 assists. Washington’s Markieff The Jazz won three of their four games on the Eastern Conference second round opener. “It was the playoffs,” Thomas said. “No excuses. I decided ‘CONTINUAL AMAZEMENT’ Morris injured his left ankle when he landed on Clippers’ home court. DeAndre Jordan had 24 a team effort,” Thomas said. “We got down big. to play and I just tried to give it all I got for my The effort by Thomas left both coaches Horford’s foot after a second-quarter jump shot. points and 17 boards to lead the Clippers. Jamal We didn’t give up. We didn’t put our head down. team, and we came out with the win.” Thomas awestruck. “I don’t know (how Thomas does it). I Morris said he will play in game two Tuesday but Crawford added 20 points and scored From the first guy to the last, everybody con- also had his left front tooth knocked out after wish I had that kind of character,” Stevens said. medical tests will be done Monday.

‘No regrets’ as Paul We meet again: Cavs, Raptors Pierce departs NBA back together in postseason

LOS ANGELES: Paul Pierce said now ready for a new chapter stay CLEVELAND: We The North vs. We Are six games. “The guys are going to com- Sunday he departs the NBA with “no tuned,” he posted on the social The Champions. One round earlier pete. We make it hard on ourselves regrets” despite the bitter disap- media site. Pierce leaves the game than a year ago, Toronto and Cleveland sometime, but at the end of the day pointment of the Los Angeles with 26,397 career points, the 15th- are meeting again in the NBA playoffs. we’re going to go down swinging.” They Clippers first-round playoff loss to most on the league’s all-time scoring On the way to winning their first title submitted last year in Game 6 at home, the Utah Jazz. “I really enjoyed myself list. On Sunday he played 22 min- last season, LeBron James and the Cavs when James scored 33 points with 11 with this group this year. Regardless utes, scoring six points and pulling took care of the Raptors in the Eastern rebounds, six assists and three blocks in of what happened today with the down three rebounds. He left the Conference finals, a series that was tied Cleveland’s 113-87 win. “He canceled basketball, I’m happy,” he said. “What court waving to fans in his home- 2-2 before Cleveland won the final two Christmas,” Casey said earlier this sea- I’ve been able to accomplish, what town, where his time with the games. The teams finished this season son. “One of these days ... one of these I’ve been able to do with my career, I Clippers at last let him play regularly with identical 51-31 records and their days.” For the Raptors to knock off the gave every ounce I could. I have no in front of family members, including history makes for an intriguing May Cavs, whose shaky defense still showed regrets.”After the retirements of Kobe his mother, Lorraine. matchup. “They know us,” James said, some significant holes against the Bryant and , the NBA is “It’s tough if you come up short of “and we know them.” Pacers, Toronto stars DeMar DeRozan bidding farewell to another star of your goals,” Pierce said. “Every year After sweeping Indiana in the and Kyle Lowry will have to be at their the 2000s in Pierce. The 39-year-old you set a goal to be champions and opening round, the Cavs will have best. “The two-headed monster,” won a title with the Boston Celtics in it’s a tough pill to swallow every year.” waited a full week before Monday’s Cleveland coach said. 2008 and competed for another in “I’ve been in the league 19 years and Game 1 tips off at Quicken Loans DeRozan averaged 23.5 points per the NBA Finals. But his bid to recap- had to swallow 18 tough pills.” Arena, where Cleveland is 15-1 against game in the opening round against ture that magic with former Celtics Preparing to leave Staples Center on conference opponents over the past the Bucks and may need to bump that coach in Los Angeles- Sunday, Pierce indicated the magni- three postseasons. The down time into the 30s for the Raptors to have a where he signed with the Clippers as tude of retirement had not fully gave James and his teammates a chance. He believes the Raptors are a free agent prior to the 2015 sea- sunk in. With his departure, Dirk chance to recharge, heal some nag- better equipped to battle the Cavs this son-didn’t pan out. But he was hailed Nowitzki and are the by his peers as one of the greats. only members of the 1998 NBA ging bumps and bruises and prepare time. “It’s just on us to put it together “Paul Pierce is ‘The Truth’” Bryant told draft class still playing. Perhaps for a Toronto team that not only added consistently,” he said. “We showed The Players’ Tribune website-a nod to when next season is approaching, (acquired from Orlando in spurts of how great of a team we can Pierce’s nickname. A video tribute on and he isn’t trying to gear himself February) and PJ Tucker (acquired from be then we have lapses here and there. the website featured Bryant, up for another long campaign, he Phoenix at the trade deadline) this sea- If we come together out there on the Shaquille O’Neal, will understand what retirement son, but is looking for revenge after floor no matter what happens, as long and an emotional , means, he said. “Maybe in those having its season ended by Cleveland as we come together, we can compete Pierce’s teammate in Boston and months, when I get up and I don’t in 2016. These Raptors don’t want that with anybody.” Toronto lost three of Brooklyn, among others. Pierce later have to practice, it’ll hit me more,” he to happen again. four against Cleveland this season with tweeted his thanks. said. When it does, he does not “We’ve got some fighters and the only win coming in the season “Thanku to all my NBA brothers expect to have any second thoughts LOS ANGELES: Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (left) shoots as Los Angeles Clippers scrappers,” coach said finale, when Lue rested James, Kyrie and sisters associated with the game about the decision to depart. “I forward Paul Pierce defends during the first half of an NBA basketball first-round playoff after Toronto eliminated Milwaukee in Irving and .— AP a game Ive loved my whole life but enjoyed this ride,” Pierce said.— AFP series on Sunday, April 30, 2017. —AP