Fourth-Quarter Run Leads Clippers Over Suns, 111-99
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SECTION B VISIT SAMOA NEWS ONLINE @ SAMOANEWS.COM THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018 CLASSIFIEDS • CARTOONS • ALOHA BRIEFS & MORE ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Fourth-quarter run leads C M Clippers over Suns, 111-99 Y K By JOSE M. ROMERO, Associ- Harris had 15 points in the Austin Rivers had 18 points ated Press third quarter, and Los Angeles and eight assists, and DeAndre PHOENIX (AP) — Tobias pulled away early in the fourth Jordan added 13 points and 15 Harris scored 27 points and the with an 18-0 run. rebounds for the Clippers, who Los Angeles Clippers gained The Clippers (41-34) moved have won four of fi ve. a little ground in the Western to a game out of the eighth Tyler Ulis led Phoenix with Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers yells to his team Conference playoff race with a playoff spot, one game behind a season-high 23 points and during the rst half of an NBA basketball game against the 111-99 victory over the Phoenix the Jazz after Utah’s 97-94 loss rookie Josh Jackson added 18. Phoenix Suns Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Suns on Wednesday night. to Boston. Jackson has scored 15 or more points in eight straight games, but the Suns’ losing streak reached 13 games. The Suns were without four injured players who get regular minutes: guards Devin Booker and Elfrid Payton, center Alex PAINT BOGO Len and forward T.J. Warren. Payton, who played in Mon- day’s loss to Boston, was ruled FRIDAY, MAR. 23 THROUGH SATURDAY, MAR. 31 out before the game with knee tenderness. Jordan reached 7,000 points for his 10-season career with a fi rst-quarter dunk, his fi rst points of the game. The fi rst BUY 1 Gallon ACE Paint quarter saw eight ties and fi ve lead changes, but the Suns ended it ahead 32-27 on a Get 1 buzzer-beating 3 from Ulis. Rivers’ 25-footer with a second left had the Clippers in front 58-56 at halftime. The Clippers opened the third quarter on a 12-3 run, including % Rivers’ layup with 8:03 left for a 68-59 Los Angeles lead. The Suns cut it to 80-76 after back-to-back 3s from Troy Dan- OFF iels. Jackson dunked in transi- tion to make it 85-82 going into the fourth quarter, but the Suns didn’t score until the 6:23 mark 50 of the period. TIP-INS Clippers: Jordan is the eighth C M player in franchise history Y K to score at least 7,000 career points. ... F Danilo Gallinari (fracture in right hand) did not play, but could return Friday at Portland after having missed 56 games with injuries this season. ... G Milos Teodosic did not play due to left foot soreness. Suns: With Payton out, the Suns used their 32nd different starting lineup combination of the season. ... F Jared Dudley appeared in his 465th career game as a Suns player, which THE MOST TOP RATED THE MOST tied him with Paul Westphal for 14th-most in franchise history. ADVANCED HELPFUL ... Coach Jay Triano used all 11 TECHNOLOGY PAINTS SERVICE available players for the game. UP NEXT Clippers: At Portland Friday. *2nd gallon equal or lesser value *excludes stains, varnishes & allcoat 699-9770 M to F 8:00 - 5:00 Sat. 7:30 - 2:00 Suns: At Houston on Friday. Page B2 samoa news, Thursday, March 29, 2018 James ties Jordan’s double-fi g- ures streak; Cavs top Hornets (Courtesy Photos) “Becoming a franchise’s all-time leading scorer is a big accomplishment and it’s a testa- ment to his hard work, dedica- tion and passion for the game of basketball,” Jordan said. “He exemplifi es what it means to be a Hornet.” Jordan did not comment on James tying his streak. James matched Jordan’s 17-year-old mark in the second quarter when he scored his 10th point on a powerful alley-oop dunk off a pass from J.R. Smith. James, who began his streak on Jan. 6, 2007, can break Jor- dan’s record Friday night at home against the New Orleans Pelicans. He scored 16 points in the second quarter and 13 in the third on 10-of-15 shooting during that span, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc as the Cavaliers built a 17-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Hornets cut Cleveland’s 20-point lead to 11 points but James re-entered the game and made an immediate impact with a few more highlight reel plays. He stole Frank Kaminsky’s pass near the top of the key and raced the length of the fl oor and threw down an emphatic one- handed dunk over Jeremy Lamb that brought the crowd to its feet again. Then with 3:09 left in the game, he grabbed Rodney Hood’s miss out of the air and dunked it hard with his right hand, punctuating the Cava- liers’ victory. James left the game to a Charlotte Hornets’ Kemba Walker (15) shoots over Cleveland standing ovation from the Char- Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) during the rst half of an NBA bas- lotte crowd, which was fi lled ketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, March 28, 2018. with Cavaliers fans wearing (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) James’ No. 23 jersey. TIP INS By STEVE REED, AP Sports as the franchise’s career scoring Cavaliers: Shot 71 percent Writer leader. After a sluggish three from the fi eld in the second CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) quarters, Walker scored 11 quarter and outscored the Hor- — LeBron James doesn’t go points in the fourth, including nets 42-28 to take control. into every game thinking he a reverse layup with 20 seconds Hornets: Walker established needs to score 10 points. left to break Curry’s mark of a new team record with his 44th The 14-time All-Star said it 9,839 points. consecutive made free throw. just “organically happens.” “I wasn’t supposed to be That free throw also brought It helps, of course, to be a here,” the 6-foot-1, 184-pound his career total to 1,999, which multi-talented 6-foot-8, 250- Walker told the crowd moments broke Gerald Wallace’s fran- pound forward viewed by many after the game ended. “... Any- chise record of 1,998. as the most physically talented thing is possible. If I can do it, JAMES’ DOMINANCE basketball player of all-time. anybody can.” James continued his domi- The 33-year-old James Walker had to grab a towel to nance against the Hornets. He matched Michael Jordan’s wipe away tears after breaking had his way against Charlotte streak of 866 consecutive the record. in two previous meetings this double-digit scoring games James approached Walker season, combining for 58 points, on Wednesday night, scoring at midcourt as time expired, 22 rebounds and 21 assists. 41 points to help the Cleve- gave him a huge hug and whis- It was also a strong bounce- land Cavaliers beat the Jordan- pered congratulations in his ear, back game for James, who was owned Charlotte Hornets 118- telling him it was an incredible limited to 18 points on 7-of-18 105 and remain in third place in accomplishment. shooting in a lopsided loss to the the Eastern Conference. “Listen, if you can be the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. “I can’t tell you how I’ve all-time leading scorer in any JORDAN’S STREAK been able to do it,” James said. franchise, that’s incredible,” Jordan’s streak of 866 “Any time I’m mentioned with James said. “That’s an incred- games with at least 10 points some of the greats, and argu- ible feat. I defi nitely went over came with the Chicago Bulls ably the greatest basketball and just told him how incred- and Washington Wizards from player of all-time in Mike, it’s ible that was. Even though with 1986-2001. just another feat for me to be the season that they’re having, UP NEXT just appreciative and humbled when accomplishments happen Cavaliers: Host Pelicans on by what I’m able to do.” throughout the season, you try Friday night. He wasn’t the only one not to take them for granted. I Hornets: Visit Wizards on making history. think it’s an incredible feat for Saturday. Although the game got him.” away from the Hornets in the Jordan, who was not at fourth quarter, there was still the game, issued a statement the matter of Kemba Walker through the team saying he was attempting to pass Dell Curry happy for Walker. samoa news, Thursday, March 29, 2018 Page B3 Nets pull away in fourth to beat Magic 111-104 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — said Vogel, whose team is 1-3 The season may be dragging against Brooklyn this season. for some teams at the bottom of “We knew this was going to the NBA standings, though the be a challenge and we certainly Brooklyn Nets are making the didn’t do a good enough job.” most of it. TIP INS The Nets put seven players Nets: Brooklyn is 11-6 in double figures, including all against the Southeast Division five starters and ran away from this season. The Nets average the Orlando Magic in the fourth 43.7 points off the bench, quarter en route to a 111-104 second in the NBA. Their bench victory on Wednesday night. contributed 39 against Orlando.