SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2014

PGA PREVIEW Scott hungry to keep the sizzling run going

HAWAII: Masters champion Adam Scott preparing for Friday’s opening round at lowed up by claiming a FedExCup play- Masters and to share that kind of excite- goes into this week’s $5.7 million the Kapalua Resort where he will tee off off victory at The Barclays in August. ment and to hear the stories of how they Hyundai Tournament of Champions on along with defending champion Dustin celebrated was great.” In pursuit of an the Hawaiian island of Maui hoping to Johnson. “I feel like this is my time to AUSTRALIAN SUCCESSES 11th victory on the PGA Tour, Scott will maintain an extraordinary run of achieve what I want out of the game so He ended the season by winning the have to contend with an elite, winners- momentum that capped a break- I’ve got to keep the momentum going Australian PGA and the Australian only field of 30 which includes PGA through 2013 season. Having won his because it’s hard to find when you don’t Masters, teamed up with Jason Day to Championship winner Jason Dufner and first major title in gripping fashion at a have it. While you’ve got it, you’ve got land the team event at the World Cup fellow US Ryder Cup players Matt Kuchar rain-soaked Augusta National in April, to take advantage of it.” and was second in the Australian Open. and Zach Johnson. the Australian ended the year with two Asked to pinpoint the main reason Asked how he managed to deal with the However, there are five notable wins, a runner-up spot and a third plac- for his stunning form during 2013, Scott heightened media scrutiny, both in absentees from those qualified to com- ing in the land of his birth to cement his replied: “It’s hard to put it done to one United States and at home in Australia, pete this week at Kapalua - Woods, Phil status as the world number two. That thing. I think it’s probably more an Scott replied: “There are some adjust- Mickelson, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson astonishing run, which very nearly accumulation of a couple of years of ments to be made but so far it’s only all and Graeme McDowell. Long-hitting earned him only the second ‘triple working on the right things in my game. been good stuff. “It’s not hard to receive Dustin Johnson will defend the title he crown’ of wins in Australia, helped Scott “And then it’s all about executing it and these things. They are great honors I’ve won by three shots last year in a tourna- edge out world number one Tiger just believing a little more in everything been given and I’m really lucky to get ment reduced to three rounds and forced Woods as Player of the Year on I’m doing and letting it happen under that. I’ve just tried to enjoy it the most I to a rare Tuesday finish because of relent- Thursday in voting by the Golf Writers pressure.” Nine months ago, Scott can. I was so excited just to go back to less howling winds at the Kapalua Resort. Association of America. became the first Australian to win the Australia. Long established as the opening event “I’ve had a great run and hopefully Masters, beating Argentina’s Angel “My friends and family were so excited on the PGA Tour, this week’s edition is I’m going to keep it going this year,” Cabrera in a playoff of high emotion to see me, and then to see how much the seventh in the new ‘wrap-around’ Scott, 33, told Golf Channel while and excellent sportsmanship, then fol- everyone else embraced me winning the season for 2013-14. — Reuters Warriors overcome

MIAMI: Stephen Curry scored 36 points and handed attempts. Damian Lillard finished with 24 points, to lead the Bobcats with 20 points. because of a bruised left knee. Irving averages a out 12 assists and David Lee scored 32 points as the including all six of his 3- tries. The 21 3-pointers added 19. team-high 22.2 points. Orlando couldn’t hold a 10- Golden State Warriors beat the Miami Heat 123-114 matches a franchise high, set in a 139-105 victory at point lead in the fourth quarter and Cleveland tied Thursday night and extended the NBA’s longest cur- the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec 14. With the win, CAVALIERS 87, MAGIC 85, OT the game on Dion Waiters’ layup with .06 seconds rent winning streak to seven games. Curry was 13 for Portland upped its record to 26-7 and moved back Anderson Varejao hit two crucial jumpers in remaining. Varejao’s basket with 2:07 remaining in 22 from the field and 8 for 15 from beyond the arc for into the top spot in the Western Conference. It was overtime and tied a franchise record with a career- OT put Cleveland ahead 83-81. He added another Golden State. Lee added 14 rebounds, Klay the season-high fifth-straight loss for the Bobcats, high 25 rebounds as Cleveland beat Orlando to end basket with 1:34 left and hit two free throws with Thompson scored 16 points and Harrison Barnes had who were coming off a 112-85 loss to the Clippers a season-high six-game losing streak. The Cavaliers 23.9 seconds remaining to finish with 18 points. 15 for the Warriors. LeBron James scored 26 points the night before. Charlotte has lost six straight in were playing without All-Star point guard Kyrie Glen Davis scored 16 points for the Magic, who and Dwyane Wade added 22 for the Heat, which had Portland. Chris Douglas-Roberts came off the bench Irving, who missed his first game this season scored only two points in the extra session. all five starters in double figures. Chris Bosh scored 19, had 17 and Shane Battier 11 for BULLS 94, CELTICS 82 Miami. But the Heat allowed Golden State to shoot Joakim Noah had 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine 56 percent, make 15 of 29 tries from 3-point range, assists to help Chicago defeat Boston. Carlos Boozer and finish with a 40-31 rebounding edge. added 16 points, 14, Taj Gibson 12 and Mike Dunleavy 11 for the Bulls. Noah had nine assists KNICKS 105, SPURS 101 early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get another Iman Shumpert scored a career-high 27 points, and fell just short of a triple-double. Butler missed a including the tiebreaking tip-in with 23.4 seconds jumper with 8 seconds left, Noah’s last chance at left, and Carmelo Anthony had 27 points and 12 reaching 10 assists. Jordan Crawford led the Celtics, rebounds in his return from injury as New York sur- who have lost two straight, with 22 points. prised San Antonio. Amare Stoudemire added 11 points and Beno Udrih and Andrea Bargnani had 10 GRIZZLIES 99, SUNS 91 each for the Knicks, who ended a three-game losing Jerryd Bayless scored 13 of his 17 points in the streak. Marco Belinelli had a career-high 32 points, fourth quarter, coming off the bench to help but missed a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute for Memphis overcome Goran Dragic’s career-high 33 San Antonio. The Spurs dropped to 12-5 at home points in a win over Phoenix. Bayless helped the this season. They had won three in a row overall. The Grizzlies recover from the Suns’ 18-0 third-quarter Knicks’ skid coincided with Anthony sitting out with run, giving Memphis a 94-84 lead on a 3-pointer a sprained left ankle, but the All-Star forward looked with 4:30 to play. Zach Randolph had 20 points and refreshed in revitalizing the team’s struggling 15 rebounds in leading the Grizzlies past the Suns offense. for the second time this season. Ed Davis added 16 points and 11 rebounds. NETS 95, THUNDER 93 Joe Johnson hit a high-arching jumper as time 76ERS 113, KINGS 104 expired to give Brooklyn a comeback victory over Thaddeus Young had 28 points and Evan Turner Oklahoma City. Johnson’s game-winning shot had 24 as Philadelphia won its third straight game. capped an improbable rally from a 16-point second- Reserve guard Tony Wroten had 21 points for half deficit for the Nets, led by a season-high 29 Philadelphia, which ends a six-game road trip today points from Deron Williams. Brooklyn trailed 77-61 in Portland. Young had a career-high six steals, late in the third quarter, but Williams scored 18 in including five in the first half. DeMarcus Cousins the second half and helped set the stage for scored 22 of his 33 points in the opening half for the Johnson’s last-second shot. Paul Pierce added 18 Kings, who committed 23 turnovers and lost their points for the Nets. Kevin Durant led the Thunder sixth home game in a row to the 76ers. with 24 points. Oklahoma City was playing its fourth straight game without injured All-Star Russell JAZZ 96, BUCKS 87 Westbrook. The loss was the second straight for the Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and Derrick Thunder, only the second time they’ve lost two in a Favors had 21 points and 11 rebounds to help Utah row this season. hold off Milwaukee. Hayward, Utah’s leading scorer, had failed to reach double digits in the previous two TRAIL BLAZERS 134, BOBCATS 104 games but was efficient from the start against the Wesley Matthews had 25 points, including five of Bucks with 18 points in the first half. The Jazz made Portland’s 21 3 pointers, as the Trail Blazers routed all 17 attempts and outrebounded the Charlotte. The Blazers hit their first seven 3-pointers PHOENIX: ’ Zach Randolph gets a pass off against the Phoenix Suns Bucks 43-34 in a matchup of teams with the worst and finished by making 63.6 percent of their 33 during the second half of an NBA game on Thursday, Jan 2, 2014. — AP records in each conference. — AP