SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2014 Short-handed Spurs NBA results/standings San Antonio 109, Dallas 100; Denver 100, Golden State 99. Eastern Conference down Mavericks Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Toronto 46 32 .590 - DALLAS: Australian Patty Mills scored Brooklyn 43 35 .551 3 26 points on Thursday to lead San NY Knicks 33 45 .423 13 Antonio to a 109-100 victory over Boston 23 55 .295 23 Dallas that moved the Spurs closer to Philadelphia 17 61 .218 29 clinching the NBA’s best record. Kawhi Leonard finished with 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds Central Division for San Antonio, who were without Indiana 54 25 .684 - Tony Parker for the second straight Chicago 46 32 .590 7.5 game as the star point guard contin- Cleveland 32 47 .405 22 ued to recover from a back sprain. Detroit 29 50 .367 25 With the victory, San Antonio Milwaukee 14 64 .179 39.5 stayed on course to secure the best record in the league and home-court Southeast Division advantage throughout the playoffs. Miami 53 25 .679 - The Spurs notched their 61st victory Charlotte 40 38 .513 13 of the season, and are all but certain Washington 40 38 .513 13 to finish atop the Western Atlanta 35 43 .449 18 Conference with three games Orlando 23 55 .295 30 remaining. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who Western Conference have four games remaining, have a Northwest Division record of 57-21. The Spurs need to Oklahoma City 57 21 .731 - Portland 51 28 .646 6.5 win only one of their last three games DALLAS: San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) drives against or have the Thunder lose one for San Minnesota 39 39 .500 18 Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) during the first half of an Denver 35 44 .443 22.5 Antonio to claim the Western NBA basketball game Thursday, in Dallas. —AP Conference’s top seed. Utah 24 54 .308 33 The Spurs got a scare when super- Monta Ellis led the Mavericks with 99-98 with 4.7 seconds to play, send- Pacific Division star Tim Duncan left the game in the 24 points and Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 ing the announced sellout crowd of first quarter to have his right knee with six rebounds in his first game 19,596 roaring to their feet. Faried LA Clippers 55 24 .696 - examined, but Duncan returned to since he became the 10th-highest quieted fans moments later, backing Golden State 48 30 .615 6.5 the contest and finished with 20 scorer in NBA history on Tuesday. down Green for the winning shot. Phoenix 47 31 .603 7.5 points and 15 rebounds. Curry’s quick 30-footer rimmed off Sacramento 27 52 .342 28 Danny Green drained five three- Nuggets 100, Warriors 99 as time expired. Timofey Mozgov tied LA Lakers 25 53 .321 29.5 pointers for 15 points, and Tiago Kenneth Faried made a turnaround a career high of 23 points and set a Splitter chipped in 12 points. The hook shot over Draymond Green with career best with 29 rebounds, and Southwest Division Mavericks, meanwhile, fell into a vir- a half-second remaining, and the Faried finished with 18 points and 17 San Antonio 61 18 .772 - tual tie with Phoenix for seventh Denver Nuggets made Golden State boards to rally the Nuggets from 20 Houston 52 26 .667 8.5 place in the Western Conference with wait at least one more game to secure points down in the first half. Denver, Dallas 48 32 .600 13.5 the defeat. Dallas have played two a playoff berth with a stunning win which had lost six straight on the Memphis 46 32 .590 14.5 more games than the Suns, and the over the Warriors. Stephen Curry’s road, won both games at Golden New Orleans 32 46 .410 28.5 two teams will meet today in Dallas. floater over Faried put the Warriors up State this season. —Agencies Brazil struggles with its World Cup preparations SAO PAULO: Although expectations “Some of the delays is because there “All is written, all is signed and all Back in 2007, then president Luiz are high for Brazil’s football team at the was no work for years. But we’re on the the responsibilities or duties for each Inacio Lula da Silva said the World Cup World Cup, it’s already clear the coun- way now to finishing the stadiums.” party are very well known,” FIFA secre- stadiums would be financed mostly by try didn’t do a very good job preparing Three stadiums remain under con- tary general Jerome Valcke said. private companies, but today it’s known for the tournament. With only two struction, including the one hosting There were so many difficulties in that public funds are behind the vast months before the opener, there are the opening match between Brazil and Brazil that football’s governing body majority of them, either through loans serious concerns about the country’s Croatia on June 12 in Sao Paulo. All six has already hinted that things will be or tax breaks. readiness. Doubts remain about venues that were expected to be ready done differently in Russia in four years. That, in part, is what is expected to whether stadiums will be finished in by the end of last year missed FIFA’s “It’s a lesson and definitely we will fuel the street protests across the coun- time, and it’s highly unlikely all prom- deadline. The other six had already act differently,” Valcke said. “We will try, many of which could turn violent, as ised infrastructure work will be com- been used during the Confederations have to find a different way of working happened during last year’s pleted. Cup, but four of those also weren’t for Russia 2018.” Confederations Cup. The warm-up tour- Organizers will also have to worry ready when expected. One of the host The biggest loser this time is Brazil nament was not directly affected, but about the widespread street protests cities, Curitiba, was nearly excluded itself, which for political reasons insist- demonstrators used the competition’s that are expected during the tourna- from the competition because of the ed in hosting the tournament in 12 international appeal to attract attention ment with demonstrators already delays at its stadium. cities instead of the eight that FIFA to their demands and complain against unhappy about corruption, poor public Because the venues took so long to wanted and now is paying the price. FIFA and the local government. services and the billions of dollars be ready, FIFA is now racing to install The local government didn’t take With about 150,000 professionals being spent to host the World Cup and the temporary structures that are cru- full advantage of the World Cup and from security forces and armed forces the 2016 Olympics. cial for the media, sponsors and techni- missed a series of opportunities to available, the Brazilian government is Even though Brazil was awarded cal teams. Some of the host cities improve the country. Because of a lack promising that “the World Cup in Brazil the World Cup in 2007, local organizers didn’t want to pay for them even of proper planning, some of the prom- will be the safest” ever despite the are scrambling to complete all the nec- though they signed contracts saying ised infrastructure projects were can- protests. essary work. FIFA is more than worried, they would. celed and many will only be ready after But there is little doubt organizers saying it’s “a race” to make sure the The northeastern city of Recife the competition ends. can’t wait for the opening kickoff, when country delivers everything it prom- didn’t want to pay for its fanfest, which Airports won’t be fully ready in most of the focus will turn away from ised. allows those without tickets to watch time, according to industry experts, the off-the-field issues. Then it will all be “Brazil will be a well-done World matches in public areas for free, and there are also concerns with trans- on the shoulders of Neymar and coach Cup,” FIFA President Sepp Blatter said, prompting FIFA to say it could sue the portation projects and even with ener- Luiz Felipe Scolari, who will have a then criticized local authorities for tak- city for breach of contract. It remains gy supply during the monthlong com- much better chance to give Brazilians a ing too long to start work projects. unclear if the event will happen. petition. reason to celebrate. —AP.