ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 12-13, 2021 16

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) drives against guard Garrison Mathews (24) in the fi rst half of an NBA game on March 10 in Memphis, Tenn. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Grizzlies overcome Wizards Mavericks pull away late to beat Spurs DALLAS, March 11, (AP): Luka Doncic “He might the longest teammate that Porzingis, who had offseason knee on the shot clock. tans and scored 13 apiece. had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists I’ve had,” Mills said. “He’s obviously surgery, has double-doubles in three The Spurs led 59-52 at intermission, The game tipped off the second half in his 33rd triple-double, Kristaps Porzin- well respected by this group particu- straight and seven of his last 12 games. which matched their largest lead of the of the season for both teams sitting gis had 28 points and 14 rebounds and the larly and every team that he’s played “I feel like I’m getting there,” Porz- half, led by DeRozan’s 14 points, eight outside of the playoff picture, looking used a late run to pull for. As a teammate, you just wish the ingis said. “I still have to keep work- assists and three steals. to rally for a postseason spot. away and beat the best for him.” ing on it. After surgery, the leg, it’s not Washington wanted to prevent 115-104 on Wednesday night. DeMar DeRozan had 30 points, 11 feeling the same.” Grizzlies 127, Wizards 112 Memphis from scoring in the paint but Dallas fi nished with a 17-4 run assists and four steals for the Spurs. In Memphis, Tenn., Jonas Valanci- had little success with the strategy, as against a Spurs team that will no lon- Mills added 14 points and unas scored a season-high 29 points the Grizzlies collected 78 paint points. ger have seven-time All-Star LaMar- had 13 for San Antonio, which was BASKETBALL and matched his season best with 20 The Grizzlies benefi tted from some cus Aldridge in the lineup. outrebounded 51-30 and outscored rebounds to lead the Memphis Griz- Washington shooting struggles in the ear- Before the game, coach Gregg 21-2 on second-chance points. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle called zlies to a 127-112 victory over the ly stages of the fi rst half, building the lead Popovich announced that Aldridge, “We lost the game on the boards,” Porzingis “tremendous.” Washington Wizards . Ja Morant add- to 19 points in the second quarter. But the 35, in his sixth season in San Antonio, Popovich said. “Porzingis was great on “He was great on defense. He passed ed 21 points and 10 assists for Mem- Wizards closed the half with a 21-7 rally would no longer be with the team by the boards. I thought we did a good job the ball. He cut. He moved. He did vir- phis, while rookie Desmond Bane to cut the defi cit to 67-62 at the break. mutual agreement. on Doncic. Played hard, played well, tually everything,” Carlisle said. fi nished with a season-high 20 points, That came with Beal, the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps “He’s been a great teammate,” said but too many mental mistakes and a Doncic is tied with Bob Cousy for going 5 of 8 from 3-point range. leading scorer, going 1 of 9 from the Porzingis (6) attempts a layup dur- Popovich, who added that Aldridge is little bit uneven fl ow and uneven per- 11th place in career triple-doubles. scored 21 points for fi eld in the half. ing the second half of the team’s healthy. “We just think this is a win-win formance offensively.” The Mavericks’ late spurt began the Wizards but was 6 of 22 from While the Wizards would make a NBA basketball game against the for both LaMarcus and for the club.” During the Mavericks’ late spurt, midway through the fourth quarter the fi eld, including only 1 of 8 from second-half run, even taking the league San Antonio Spurs, March 1 in Dal- Spurs veteran guard also the Spurs missed 11 straight shots over when the Spurs’ Derrick White fouled 3-point range. fi n- on a couple of occasions. Memphis las. The Mavericks won 115-104. played with Aldridge in Portland. a period of almost eight minutes. Josh Richardson with 1.2 seconds left ished with 20 points, while Davis Ber- pulled away in the fourth quarter. (AP)

NBA Results/Standings

PSG draw with wasteful WASHINGTON, March 11, (AP): NBA results and standings on Wednesday. Memphis 127 Washington 112 Dallas 115 San Antonio 104 Eastern Conference Western Conference Atlantic Division Southwest Division W L Pct GB W L Pct GB Philadelphia 24 12 .667 - San Antonio 18 15 .545 - Brooklyn 24 13 .649 -1/2 Dallas 19 16 .543 - Boston 19 17 .528 5 Memphis 17 16 .515 1 New York 19 18 .514 5-1/2 New Orleans 15 21 .417 4-1/2 Barca to reach quarters Toronto 17 19 .472 7 Houston 11 23 .324 7-1/2 Southeast Division Northwest Division W L Pct GB W L Pct GB Miami 18 18 .500 - Utah 27 9 .750 - Charlotte 17 18 .486 -1/2 Portland 21 14 .600 5-1/2 Atlanta 16 20 .444 2 Denver 21 15 .583 6 Washington 14 21 .400 3-1/2 Oklahoma City15 21 .417 12 Orlando 13 23 .361 5 Minnesota 7 29 .194 20 Central Division Pacific Division W L Pct GB W L Pct GB Milwaukee 22 14 .611 - Phoenix 24 11 .686 - Chicago 16 18 .471 5 LA Lakers 24 13 .649 1 Indiana 16 19 .457 5-1/2 LA Clippers 24 14 .632 1-1/2 Cleveland 14 22 .389 8 Golden State 19 18 .514 6 Detroit 10 26 .278 12 Sacramento 14 22 .389 10-1/2

‘Really inexcusable’ Capello ‘questions’ coach over Ronaldo gaffe in Juventus loss MILAN, March 11, (AP): Cris- tiano Ronaldo is accustomed to using his legs to score goals, not concede them. So when the record scorer was at fault for letting in the decisive goal that eliminated Juventus from the Champions League this week - with an elementary error, no less - it stunned even the most experi- enced of soccer analysts. Retired manager Fabio Capello conducted a virtual interrogation of fi rst-year Juventus coach An- drea Pirlo after the game against 10-man Porto, trying to fi gure out who was responsible for as- signing Ronaldo and teammate Álvaro Morata - who both turned their backs - to the wall that failed Juventus’ Federico Chiesa cel- to stop a free kick from Sérgio ebrates with Aaron Ramsey Oliveira in extra time. (right), after scoring his side’s The ball passed under the wall, second goal during the Cham- pions League, round of 16, sec- through Ronaldo’s legs, and into ond leg, soccer match between the left corner of the goal. PSG’s Kylian Mbappe (right), is challenged by Barcelona’s Sergino Dest during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Juventus and Porto in Turin, Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, March 10. (AP) Italy on March 9. (AP) SOCCER ros ($120 million) to lure Ronaldo away from Madrid in 2018 with Messi penalty saved by Navas on stroke of halftime “When you prepare the players the explicit hope that the fi ve-time for the wall, do you talk to them Ballon d’Or winner would help and ask, ‘If there’s anyone who’s likely comeback - if not for some PSG that night, but there was to be defense and Dembele burst through, the Turin club win the Champions PARIS, March 11, (AP): afraid, tell me, because then I League. Paris Saint-Germain with- very wasteful play from winger no reply this time. forcing Navas into a fi ne one-handed won’t use you in the wall?’ You Ousmane Dembele in terms of both Barca’s coach Ronald Koeman save with a low shot. Navas then After all, Ronaldo had just won stood early pressure from a were eliminated because you put the sport’s most coveted club title sloppy passing and poor fi nishing. made three substitutions for the clos- tipped Sergino Dest’s drive onto the two players in the wall who turned for three consecutive seasons with much-improved but waste- Barca kept probing in the second ing stages, but the visitors’ hopes crossbar as Barcelona opened PSG their backs on the ball and the ball Madrid, while Juventus were com- ful Barcelona side to draw half, and Messi had a chance from gradually fi zzled out as a cold wind up with its passing and movement. went in, and the goalkeeper wasn’t ing off a stretch that included two 1-1 and reach the quar- close range in the 61st but hesitated a whipped around Parc des Princes. But Dembele overhit a simple at fault,” Capello told Pirlo on Ita- runner-up fi nishes in 2015 and 2017. split-second before shooting and al- Koeman selected Frenkie de Jong pass that would have given Messi an ly’s Sky TV. But, if anything, Juventus has terfinals of the Champions lowed defender Marquinhos to as a makeshift center half, but most open goal midway through the half “That was really inexcusable - regressed with Ronaldo. The Bian- League. his shot with the goal gaping. of the action was at the other end as and Barcelona soon paid the price. to be eliminated because the play- coneri were eliminated by Ajax in PSG lead 4-1 from the first leg of At the same stage of the compe- Barca made a bright start. PSG took the lead after a video re- ers in the wall are afraid,” added the quarterfi nals of his fi rst season tition four years ago, Barcelona lost Dembele had a low shot saved and view ruled that defender Clement Capello, the former AC Milan, in Turin then lost to Lyon on away their round-of-16 game and moved Real Madrid, Roma, Juventus and four goals clear when Kylian 4-0 in Paris only to win 6-1 at Camp then wasted a great chance to pick Lenglet clipped striker Mauro Icardi. goals in last season’s Round of 16. Nou in one of the greatest come- out the unmarked Messi moments Mbappe sent his spot kick to goalie England coach. “Someone who The Champion League’s all-time Mbappe, who scored a hat trick at doesn’t face the shot head on and leading scorer (134 goals) has one Camp Nou, netted with a confident backs in Champions League history. later, shooting over instead. Marc Andre ter Stegen’s right. Neymar and Messi tormented Messi played a pass behind PSG’s Barca came straight back and who is afraid of getting hurt should more season remaining on his con- penalty in the 31st minute. never be part of the wall. In my tract but at age 36, Juventus appears That goal was fi rmly against the Dembele was erratic again, hitting career, I always asked the players a low shot straight at Navas after in no rush to hand him an extension. run of play and, after Barca had to tell me if they’re afraid. I had “It’s not on the agenda right squandered possession and chances, Griezmann’s superb angled pass to be sure that the shot would be now,” Juventus sports director Messi equalized in the 37th with a gave him space inside the left of the blocked by the wall.” Fabio Paratici said. “Cristiano powerful shot from 25 meters that penalty area. Pirlo accepted responsibility has his career in his hands. With tore into the top left corner. Messi then took matters into this for assigning Ronaldo and Morata these great players you always own hands, smashing an unstoppable to the wall but suggested that the know that when they decide to end shot past Navas with ferocious power. real problem was that his players their experience with one team and SOCCER The goalkeeper did better when he “underestimated the danger” of move on to another experience, saved with his legs from Sergio Bus- Oliveira’s shot, which was taken it’s they who decide, and you have But the six-time Golden Ball win- quets as Barcelona poured forward. at a great distance from the goal. to respect that decision. ner then had a penalty saved by goal- Incessant pressure led to a pen- “An error was committed and “We have to consider how he keeper Keylor Navas on the stroke alty for Barcelona, again following a unfortunately when you make mis- will feel in order to continue or not VAR check, when Kurzawa was ad- takes like these in the Champions once his contract expires,” Paratici of halftime, his fi rst miss from the League Round of 16 you pay for spot in the Champions League since judged to have impeded Griezmann. added. Messi seemed hesitant and went them,” Pirlo said. The consolation prize for Juven- 2015. An error also led to Porto’s tus this season could be a record- It is the fi rst time since 2005 that for power against Navas, his former opening goal, a penalty converted extending 10th straight Serie A neither Messi nor his great rival rival at Real Madrid, who kicked the by Oliveira. title, or another Italian Cup tri- Cristiano Ronaldo have reached the ball onto the crossbar with an out- Juventus won the game 3-2 but umph in the fi nal against Atalanta last eight of the competition, follow- stretched leg. were eliminated on away goals af- in May. ing Juventus’ exit on Tuesday. Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg (center left), is challenged by Liverpool’s Fabinho Mbappe had the last chance for ter Tuesday’s match ended 4-4 on But for the fi rst time in years, Barcelona dominated the fi rst half during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match be- PSG, but blazed his shot way over aggregate. Juventus is not in control of the and easily could have been ahead at tween Liverpool and RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena stadium in Budapest, in the 90th with Icardi waiting for a Juventus spent 100 million eu- Italian league. the break - and threatening an un- Hungary, March 10. Liverpool won 2-0. (AP) – See Page 14 pass.

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