MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2014 SPORTS gain Racing revenge

PARIS: Toulouse gained a measure of revenge on of pride and desire but they still need more maturi- closer to scoring a try than their hosts. But they had Kockott kicked 17 points for the hosts, with Teddy Racing-Metro with a turgid and try-less 15-9 victory ty because that kind of point can be important at a score from Yoan Audrin on 57 minutes ruled out Iribaren knocking over all Montpellier’s points. in the French yesterday. the end of the season,” said Racing coach Laurent by the TMO after was Bordeaux-Begles ran in seven tries as they Former New Zealand international Luke Travers. The victory crucially helped erase memo- adjudged to have knocked on when it seemed that thrashed former European champions Brive 46-10 McAlister scored four penalties with Toby Flood, ries of the record four-time European champions’ Toulouse’s had in fact stripped him of to end a run of four straight league defeats and the ex-England fly-half, adding a fifth for the hosts, play-off defeat to the Parisians at their Ernest- the ball. Audrin was left frustrated again a couple move up to fifth. who moved up to sixth in the table and the final Wallon home back in May, denying Toulouse a of minutes later after he failed to gather the ball Former All Black lock Jason Eaton scored the play-off place. “It wasn’t very spectacular but with semi-final place for the first time in 20 years. when over the try line as Dambielle’s penalty came only try of the match as La Rochelle held on to beat those conditions we couldn’t do any better,” said Toulouse had already lost three times to Racing back off the woodwork. Grenoble 19-15 and move out of the relegation Flood. “Racing are a good team and the main prior- in 2014 but this success will give them confidence The Parisians also had a late chance to snatch zone. Jonathan Wisniewski, one of the revelations ity was to win.” Benjamin Dambielle, standing in at going into the new year. the victory but Toulouse , of the season, kicked five penalties for Grenoble, fly-half for injured South African , The result in a forwards’ arm-wrestle played on a Racing-bound next season, won a line-out against who dropped to seventh. scored all of Racing’s points with two penalties and heavy pitch was decided by a yellow card shown to the throw five yards from the home line to clear the Oyonnax’s Argentine fly-half Ben Urdapilleta a drop goal. Racing remained fourth but missed Racing flanker on the stroke of danger. In other matches, 2013 champions Castres out-kicked Bayonne -half Christophe out on the losing bonus point after opting to kick a half-time. That also allowed former All Black climbed off the bottom of the table, ahead of Loustalot by four penalties to three in a 12-9 victo- penalty to touch late on in an attempt to win the McAlister to give the hosts the lead 12-9 going into Lyon’s clash with Clermont, with a much-needed ry that saw the hosts move above the Basques into game rather than going for the three points that the changing rooms and he added his final penalty 27-9 win over Montpellier. ninth. Later on, European champions and league would have secured the bonus. before Le Roux had rejoined the fray. Centre Thomas Combezou scored a try in each leaders Toulon face a difficult trip to Stade “You can see this is a team with a huge amount Racing will have some regrets after coming far half while South African-born France fly-half Rory Francais. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry (right) goes up for a basket as Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game. — AP Raptors snap Clippers winning streak

LOS ANGELES: Kyle Lowry scored 25 points the final minutes. But the Grizzlies always points. Luis Scola added 13, Chris Copeland Friday in Atlanta with their 15th win in their Tony Wroten scored 20 points and Robert and the Toronto Raptors’ reserves came up had an answer, putting six players in double had 12 and Lavoy Allen chipped in 10. last 17 games. Paul Millsap finished with 17 Covington added 17 for the Sixers (4-25), big in the fourth quarter of a 110-98 victory figures and snapping a four-game losing Jarrett Jack had 22 points and Joe points and eight rebounds for Atlanta. who could not overcome a sluggish offen- over the Clippers on Saturday, ending Los streak. Dwyane Wade scored 25 points for Johnson added 18 for Brooklyn, which had Khris Middleton led Milwaukee with 21 sive performance before halftime. Angeles’ eight-game home winning streak. Miami, which fell to 6-11 at home. Danny won its previous three games. The Nets, points, which tied a season high, and O.J. The Jazz limited the Sixers to just 12-of- Jonas Valanciunas had 22 points and 11 Granger scored a season-high 18 off the who entered the night 12-2 against teams Mayo added 11. Jared Dudley, who made 40 shooting (30 percent) from the field rebounds for the defending Atlantic bench for the Heat, who got 16 from Luol with losing records, couldn’t handle the NBA history on Friday by hitting all 10 of his before halftime. Michael Carter-Williams Division champion Raptors, who entered Deng and 13 from Chris Andersen. Pacers, who improved to 11-20. Indiana’s shots, including four 4-pointers, shot just 3 particularly struggled, shooting just 1 of 13 the day with a one-game lead over Atlanta bench, third-best in the league with 39.6 of 8 for nine points. in the first two quarters. He finished the for the best record in the Eastern MAGIC 102, HORNETS 94 points entering the game, outscored its game just 2 of 20. Conference. Lowry shot 9 of 17, after aver- Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 11 Brooklyn counterparts 52-16. JAZZ 88, 76ERS 71 aging 9.3 points and 27.5 percent from the rebounds, Tobias Harris scored 21 points Derrick Favors had 17 points, 15 KINGS 135, KNICKS 129 field over his previous four games against and Orlando overcame a career-high 42 HAWKS 90, BUCKS 85 rebounds and five blocked shots to lead DeMarcus Cousins scored nine of his sea- the Clippers. JJ Redick had 23 points and points from Kemba Walker to beat Jeff Teague scored 10 of his 25 points in Utah over Philadelphia. Trey Burke added 17 son-high 39 points in overtime in his return Blake Griffin had 22 for the Clippers, who Charlotte. Walker scored a Charlotte-record the fourth quarter, Al Horford added 20, and points, Gordon Hayward chipped in 15 and from a stomach ailment, and Sacramento lost at home for the first time since Chicago 35 in the second half and finished 15 of 30 Atlanta beat Milwaukee. The Hawks Enes Kanter finished with 10 points and 10 handed New York its seventh straight loss. beat them on Nov. 17. in the highest-scoring game of his career, avenged a 30-point loss to Milwaukee on rebounds for the Jazz (10-20). Rudy Gay scored 29 points and Darren but the Hornets could never regain the lead Collison added 27 points, 10 assists and a BULLS 107, Pelicans 100 after falling behind by 10 at halftime. Victor tiebreaking 3-pointer late in overtime for Jimmy Butler scored 33 points, Derrick Oladipo scored 13 points, Evan Fournier had NBA results/standings the slumping Kings. Sacramento had lost Rose had 19 and Chicago beat New Orleans 12, and Ben Gordon and Elfrid Payton each seven of its previous eight games, including for its sixth consecutive victory. The Bulls had 11 for the Magic (12-21). The Magic Toronto 110, LA Clippers 98; Orlando 102, Charlotte 94; Washington 101, Boston 88; Memphis four of five under interim coach Tyrone (21-9) also had three reserves score in dou- have defeated the Hornets (10-21) twice in 103, Miami 95; Chicago 107, New Orleans 100; Indiana 110, Brooklyn 85; Atlanta 90, Corbin. But a matchup with the NBA’s sec- ble figures in their ninth win in 10 games. Charlotte this season. Earlier this year they Milwaukee 85; Utah 88, Philadelphia 71; Sacramento 135, NY Knicks 129 (OT); Golden State ond-worst team helped reverse that slide. Aaron Brooks scored 13 points, and Taj erased a 23-point deficit to win. 110, Minnesota 97. Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points for Gibson added 12 points and 10 rebounds. the short-handed Knicks, who dressed only Eastern Conference Western Conference Nikola Mirotic finished with 10 points. WIZARDS 101, CELTICS 88 Atlantic Division Northwest Division nine players in losing for the 17th time in 18 Anthony Davis had 29 points, 11 Kris Humphries scored 18 points, Paul W L PCT GB Portland 24 7 .774 - games. rebounds and six blocked shots in his first Pierce had 17 and Washington beat Boston. Toronto 23 7 .767 - Oklahoma City 15 16 .484 9 NBA game in his hometown. Tyreke Evans It was the Wizards’ eighth win in their last 10 Brooklyn 13 16 .448 9.5 Denver 13 17 .433 10.5 WARRIORS 110, TIMBERWOLVES 97 scored 26 points for the Pelicans, and Jrue games, and it was decided quickly. Boston 10 18 .357 12 Utah 10 20 .333 13.5 Stephen Curry had 25 points and six Holiday had 19 points and seven assists. Washington scored 13 consecutive points to NY Knicks 5 27 .156 19 Minnesota 5 24 .172 18 assists, Klay Thompson scored 21 points and The Pelicans (15-15), who were coming take a 15-2 lead with not even 4 minutes Philadelphia 4 25 .138 18.5 Pacific Division Golden State shook off a two-game losing off a 97-90 victory over San Antonio on gone. Jeff Green scored 23 points for Central Division Golden State 24 5 .828 - streak by rolling past lowly Minnesota. Chicago 21 9 .700 - Friday night, were outrebounded 45-37 by Boston, which has lost four straight. By the LA Clippers 20 11 .645 5 Four others scored in double digits as the the Bulls. time the Celtics’ nightmare first quarter end- Cleveland 18 11 .621 2.5 NBA-leading Warriors (24-5) wore down the Milwaukee 15 16 .484 6.5 Phoenix 17 14 .548 8 ed, they were behind 30-12 and outre- Sacramento 13 17 .433 11.5 last-place Timberwolves in the second half. GRIZZLIES 103, HEAT 95 bounded by 16-6 and had eight turnovers. Indiana 11 20 .355 10.5 Golden State led by 27 points early in the Detroit 6 23 .207 14.5 LA Lakers 9 21 .300 15.5 Mike Conley scored 24 points, Marc Gasol Southwest Division fourth quarter and rested many of its regu- added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and PACERS 110, NETS 85 Southeast Division lars in the final minutes. Thaddeus Young Atlanta 22 8 .733 - Houston 21 7 .750 - Memphis never trailed on the way to beat- Rodney Stuckey scored 20 points, David Washington 21 8 .724 0.5 Memphis 22 8 .733 - finished with 17 points and six rebounds, ing Miami. Beno Udrih scored 11 for the West added 17, and Indiana overwhelmed Miami 14 17 .452 8.5 Dallas 21 10 .677 1.5 and Zach LaVine had 12 points and 14 Grizzlies, who led by 19 early in the second Brooklyn. Former Nets guard C.J. Watson, Orlando 12 21 .364 11.5 San Antonio 18 13 .581 4.5 assists in Minnesota’s eighth straight loss. half before Miami scored to get within one who played for Brooklyn during the 2012-13 Charlotte 10 21 .323 12.5 New Orleans 15 15 .500 7 The injury-ravaged Wolves (5-24) are in last or two points on 11 different occasions in season, came off the bench and scored 17 place in the Western Conference. — AP