ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2021 16 Brazilian referee Igor Benevenuto works during the Brazilian champion- ship soccer game between Palmeiras and Bahia in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Nov 8, 2019. When the coronavirus pandemic forced Brazilian soccer to take a break, Benevenuto took one of the few jobs that were still in high demand in his countryside city of Sete Lagoas, as a nurse at a public hospital filled with COVID-19 patients. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Lakers snap 4-game losing streak Griffin makes winning return to Detroit LOS ANGELES, March 27, (AP): Montrezl Har- rell had 24 points and 10 rebounds and the Lakers rallied in the second half to beat Cleveland and snap a four-game losing streak on Friday night. It was the Lakers’ first win since both LeBron James and Anthony Davis were injured and out of the lineup. James has missed four games after spraining his right ankle on March 20 against Atlanta, and Davis hasn’t played since mid- February due to a right calf strain. Larry Nance Jr. had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland. Nets 113, Pistons 111 In Detroit, James Harden scored 44 points and Blake Griffin added 17 in his return to Detroit, lifting the Brook- lyn Nets to a 113-111 victory over the Pistons. Harden was back after missing a game because of neck soreness, He added 14 rebounds and eight assists. Brooklyn was still without Kevin Du- rant (left hamstring strain) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons). Griffin spent three-plus years with the Pistons, but he reached a buyout agreement with Detroit earlier this BASKETBALL month and went to the contending Nets. The Pistons played a tribute vid- eo for him during a first-half timeout, and he stood to acknowledge the small number of fans in attendance. Jerami Grant scored 19 points for Detroit. Celtics 122, Bucks 114 In Milwaukee, Jayson Tatum scored 34 points, Marcus Smart had 23 and Boston beat Milwaukee to snap the Bucks’ eight-game winning streak and spilt the two-game series. Kemba Walker added 21 points, and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jaylen Nowell (4) shoots against Houston Rockets forward Sterling Brown (0) in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game, March 26, in Minneapolis. (AP) Jaylen Brown had 18 for the Celtics. For the second straight game, the Celtics held Giannis Antetokounmpo in check, holding him to 16 points, NBA Results/Standings UEFA removes 2 soccer officials linked to criminal cases well below his 28.6 average. Khris Middleton had 19 points and Jrue Hol- iday 17 for the Bucks. WASHINGTON, March 27, (AP): NBA results and Milwaukee won the opener 121-119 standings on Friday. on Wednesday night. Phoenix 104 Toronto 100 UEFA set to ‘decide’ next week Jazz 117, Grizzlies 114 Brooklyn 113 Detroit 111 In Salt Lake City, Donovan Mitch- Boston 122 Milwaukee 114 Denver 113 New Orleans 108 ell scored 35 points, Rudy Gobert had Portland 112 Orlando 105 25 and Utah beat Memphis for its 18th Minnesota 107 Houston 101 on 36-team Champions League straight home victory. Charlotte 110 Miami 105 Indiana 109 Dallas 94 Gobert added nine rebounds, and GENEVA, March 27, (AP): Changing prize money. sponsor revenue for the 2024 changes Mitchell had six assists and five re- Utah 117 Memphis 114 Atlanta 124 Golden State 108 the Champions League to a 36-team The clubs also want to play 10 dif- which will create more prize money. bounds to help the Jazz improve to LA Lakers 100 Cleveland 86 format featuring games from 2024 ferent opponents in a format creating Olsson cautioned “less is more” for 33-11. Bojan Bogdanovic added 17 Eastern Conference could be agreed by UEFA next week, 100 extra games in total and four extra the value of Champions League games. points, Jordan Clarkson 14. Atlantic Division a member of its executive committee midweeks exclusively for the Champi- The Swedish official was part of Ja Morant had 30 points and 11 as- Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Grif- W L Pct GB said. ons League. Philadelphia 32 13 .711 - UEFA management 20 years ago when sists for Memphis. Jonas Valanciunas fin reacts after a play during the Lars-Christer Olsson, who repre- The 30-nation European Leagues clubs pushed for a second group stage added 14 points and 18 rebounds, Dil- second half of an NBA basketball Brooklyn 31 15 .674 1-1/2 New York 23 22 .511 9 sents Europe’s domestic leagues on the group wants three places kept for na- that created more guaranteed games by lon Brooks had 22 points and Grayson game against the Detroit Pistons on March 26, in Detroit. (AP) Boston 22 23 .489 10 UEFA ruling committee, said it plans tional champions in its mid-ranked replacing some knockout rounds. Allen 17. The Grizzlies dropped to Toronto 18 27 .400 14 to meet on Wednesday if a proposal is members, and a schedule of eight “It was a total disaster,” said Olsson, 21-21, falling for the first time in four Southeast Division ready to be approved. games for each team. That would cre- who went on to be UEFA’s chief ex- games. and hit five 3-pointers in his Portland W L Pct GB Charlotte 23 21 .523 - The preferred option that includes ate 64 extra Champions League games ecutive from 2003-07. “I hope we are Memphis had a chance to force debut and the Trail Blazers overcame abolishing the traditional group stage and save two midweeks for domestic the absence star guard Damian Lillard Atlanta 23 22 .511 -1/2 not making the same mistake now.” overtime when Mitchell missed a driv- Miami 22 24 .478 2 could be agreed Tuesday by UEFA’s games. ing bank shot with 14.4 seconds left. to beat Orlando. Meanwhile a Croatian soccer offi- Washington 15 28 .349 7-1/2 club competitions committee. However, the UEFA panel meeting cial sentenced to prison in a corruption Brooks missed a 3-pointer on the other C.J. McCollum scored seven of his Orlando 15 30 .333 8-1/2 There is consensus between UEFA on Tuesday is stacked in the clubs’ end, and Mike Conley won a jump ball 22 points in the fourth quarter. Port- Central Division case linked to a Luka Modrić transfer W L Pct GB and leaders of European soccer’s top favor. was removed from a committee over- with 1.9 seconds remaining to seal the land won for a second night in a row clubs and leagues to add four entries to “We have to be honest and say that and improved to 14-6 this season in Milwaukee 29 15 .659 - victory. Indiana 21 23 .477 8 the Champions League with the teams the clubs have had more influence (at SOCCER Suns 104, Raptors 100 back-to-back sets of games. Lillard sat Chicago 19 24 .442 9-1/2 playing in a single 36-team standings UEFA) than we have had,” Olsson ac- out with a left knee contusion. Cleveland 17 28 .378 12-1/2 In Tampa, Fla., Chris Paul and De- Detroit 12 32 .273 17 from the 2024-25 season – a variation knowledged. andre Ayton each scored 19 points and The Magic, who lost for the 12th of the so-called “Swiss system” used UEFA has hoped to reach a deal on time in 14 games, had just eight play- Western Conference seeing the European Championship, Phoenix held off Toronto despite not Southwest Division in chess tournaments. the post-2024 look of club competi- ers available after trading franchise UEFA said . making a field goal in the last 3:50. W L Pct GB Where clubs and leagues differ is tions before its annual congress of 55 Damir Vrbanović lost an appeal fixtures Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fourni- Dallas 23 20 .535 - Paul and Devin Booker converted how to award the extra places, how member federations on April 20. last week against his conviction and a four free throws in the final 42 sec- er and Aaron Gordon and two others San Antonio 22 20 .524 -1/2 many games each team should play Olsson said many of those UEFA Thursday. Memphis 21 21 .500 1-1/2 three-year sentence in a ruling by the onds. Booker had 16 points to help the New Orleans 19 25 .432 4-1/2 and how to distribute the prize money. members are supporting the leagues’ supreme court of Croatia. Suns improve to 30-14. Hawks 124, Warriors 108 Houston 12 32 .273 11-1/2 The European Club Association ideas for fairer distribution of Champi- Vrbanović, a former executive at Paul also had eight assists, and Ay- In San Francisco, John Collins Northwest Division wants two entries reserved for teams ons League entries and money. Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatia soccer ton had nine rebounds and two blocks scored a career-high 38 points and had W L Pct GB who did not qualify on merit but are The Champions League currently Utah 33 11 .750 - federation, had been reappointed by - the last block on Siakam in the final 12 rebounds in Atlanta’s victory over Denver 27 18 .600 6-1/2 highly ranked by UEFA based on re- shares almost 2 billion euros ($2.4 bil- UEFA to its National Team Competi- minutes. Golden State. Portland 27 18 .600 6-1/2 sults in past seasons. Critics say that lion) among 32 clubs each season. tions Committee in 2019 while await- Siakam had 26 points and 11 re- Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points Oklahoma City 19 25 .432 14 would bail out storied clubs with tens UEFA officials have predicted a ing his appeal against the conviction Minnesota 11 34 .244 22-1/2 bounds for the Raptors, and Fred Van- for the Warriors in their fourth straight of millions of euros (dollars) in UEFA “significant increase” in broadcast and the previous year.