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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2014 SPORTS Blazers beat Spurs in OT

SAN ANTONIO: Damian Lillard scored a career- high 43 points, including 16 after regulation, and the Portland Trail Blazers handed the San Antonio Spurs their second straight defeat in triple overtime by rallying for a 129-119 victory Friday night. LaMarcus Aldridge had 32 points and 16 rebounds, and Wesley Matthews added 16 points as Portland (21-6) extended its winning streak to four games. Lillard scored the first nine points in the third overtime. Tim Duncan had 32 points and 10 rebounds, and added 27 points for San Antonio. The Spurs dropped their two previous home games by a combined three points, including a 117-116 loss in triple overtime to Memphis on Wednesday. It was the first time a team has played con- secutive triple-overtime games since the Baltimore Bullets did so in December 1951.

CAVALIERS 95, NETS 91 LeBron James scored 22 points and Mike GCC committe meeeting Miller, making his first start of the season, added 21 on seven 3-pointers to lead Cleveland over Brooklyn. Kuwait to take on Bahrain in James, who moved into 23rd place on the career scoring list, scored eight points in the Handicapped tourney fourth quarter as the Cavaliers bounced back from their biggest loss of the season Wednesday By: Abdellatif Sharaa against Atlanta. Joe Johnson led the Nets with 26 points. KUWAIT: Kuwait Handicapped Basketball Brooklyn guard Deron Williams limped off the national team will face Bahrain in the sec- court in the second quarter with a strained right ond match of the seventh Gulf champi- calf and didn’t return. onship which started Friday at the Kuwait Brooklyn cut an eight-point lead to 94-91 on Handicapped Sports Club under the Johnson’s 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining. patronage of Honorary Chairwoman Al- The Cavaliers committed a turnover, but Kevin Sheikha Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah. Another Garnett missed a contested 3-pointer and James match will take place between Oman and split two free throws with 1.3 seconds left. Saudi Arabia. The Championship draw which was carried out Thursday night BULLS 103, GRIZZLIES 97 resulted in matching Kuwait facing UAE, Shafi Al-Hajiri Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, Nikola Mirotic meanwhile Bahrain faced Saudi Arabia. added a season-best 27 and Chicago snapped The Organizing Committee of the GCC the tournament which brings the GCC Memphis’ six-game winning streak. Countries for the Handicapped Sport held handicapped athletes together in strong Butler went 11 of 21 from the field and its meeting at Crowne Plaza hotel under competition and friendly atmosphere and Mirotic connected on all six of his shots beyond the chairmanship of Sheikh Mohammad welcomed all delegations in Kuwait. the arc, setting a season standard for 3-pointers. bin Duaij Al-Khalifa from Bahrain. Al-Hajiri said Kuwait team held a train- Aaron Brooks scored 17 points and Joakim Noah Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khalifa lauded ing camp in Turkey for 11 days during finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Butler Kuwait’s hosting of the tournament and the which it had several friendly matches, then also had 10 rebounds as the Bulls outrebounded outstanding preparations by the organiz- it held a tournament with Egypt’s national the Grizzlies 51-45. ing committee, as expected from Kuwaitis. team ant Italy’s Torino in preparations for Mike Conley led Memphis with 21 points. He hoped that the competitions be strong the tournament. Beno Udrih had 15 before leaving with a hand to reflect the major development of the Al-Hajiri thanked the initiative of the injury in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies shot 39 handicapped sport in all GCC countries, Club’s honorary President Al-Sheikha Al- percent. adding that his committee supports all Sabah adding that this reflects her contin- SAN ANTONIO: Spurs guard Danny Green (right) drives around Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews during the first half of an NBA basketball game. —AP clubs and associations of the handicapped ued support to the club and those of spe- THUNDER 104, LAKERS 103 in the Gulf. cial needs. He also appreciated the support Russell Westbrook scored 31 points and hit a scored 22 points to lead the Pistons, who points, Al Jefferson added 20 points and 12 Meanwhile, Chairman of the Higher of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports key jumper with 38 seconds left, and Oklahoma extended their single-season franchise record rebounds, and Charlotte snapped a four-game Organizing Committee, President of the to the handicapped in all fields which City overcame the absence of NBA MVP Kevin for consecutive home defeats. losing streak with a victory over Philadelphia. Handicapped Sports Club Shafi Al-Hajiri helped the club’s team to win several tour- Durant against Los Angeles. Kyle Lowry and Lou Williams had 15 points Tony Wroten and Robert Covington scored 19 said he is pleased that his club is hosting naments abroad. Kobe Bryant missed a 17-foot jumper right each, James Johnson scored 12, and Patrick apiece for the Sixers, who dropped to 0-14 at before the buzzer for the Lakers, who had won Patterson and Terrence Ross added 11 each for home this season. They’re closing in on the NBA three of four. Bryant had nine points on 3-of-15 the Raptors. record for the most home losses to start a sea- shooting, but added eight rebounds and eight son, which is held by the 1993-94 Dallas assists. CELTICS 114, TIMBERWOLVES 98 Mavericks at 19. Reggie Jackson scored 25 points and hit the Kelly Olynyk scored 21 points and Boston The Hornets (7-19) had dropped 14 of 16 go-ahead free throws with 1:05 left for the showed crisp ball movement as it began the coming in but dominated the rebuilding Sixers Thunder, who persevered down the stretch for post-Rajon Rondo era with a win over struggling (2-23), who committed 24 turnovers that led to their eighth victory in nine games. Minnesota. 35 Charlotte points. Charlotte played without Durant sat out after spraining his right ankle One day after trading their star point guard to starting guard Lance Stephenson (pelvic sprain), in the first half of the Thunder’s loss at Golden the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics had six players who missed his first game of the season. State on Thursday night. Ed Davis had a season- score in double figures in their third straight vic- high 18 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers. tory, all against teams that have combined for JAZZ 101, MAGIC 94 just 17 wins this season. Leading 95-92 midway had 23 points and 10 NUGGETS 109, CLIPPERS 106 through the fourth quarter, the Celtics scored rebounds, and Gordon Hayward added 20 Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari hit suc- the next eight points and 12 of 14 to take a 107- points to lead Utah past Orlando. The Jazz, who cessive 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter, and 94 lead with 3:25 remaining. They stayed ahead won in Miami on Wednesday, claimed back-to- Denver regrouped after blowing a 16-point half- by at least 12 the rest of the way. Minnesota was back victories for the first time this season. Enes time lead to beat Los Angeles. led by with 26 points and Kanter added 11 points and Trey Burke had 11 Nate Robinson scored 20 points off the bench Chase Budinger with 19. Jeff Green added 18 points and five assists for Utah, which shot 53.4 to lead the Nuggets, who snapped a three-game points for Boston. had 14 points percent against a timid Magic defense. losing streak. had his second 30- and 10 rebounds. Tobias Harris led Orlando with 24 points and point performance in a row, finishing with 32 for Evan Fournier had 21. They combined for 7-of- the Clippers, who have dropped their last three HORNETS 109, 76ERS 91 11 shooting from 3-point territory. The Magic games on the road. Kemba Walker scored a season-high 30 have lost five of six.—AP Jamal Crawford added 20 points and Chris Paul had 17 points and 15 assists. Chandler and Gallinari hit back-to-back 3s for a 105-98 lead NBA results/standings Organization committee with 2:02 left. Los Angeles got off three desper- ate shots from 3-point range in the final seconds, Utah 101, Orlando 94; Charlotte 109, Philadelphia 91; Boston 114, Minnesota 98; Cleveland 95, Brooklyn 91; but they all missed. Toronto 110, Detroit 100; Washington 105, Miami 103; Chicago 103, Memphis 97; Portland 129, San Antonio 119 (OT); Denver 109, LA Clippers 106; Oklahoma City 104, LA Lakers 103.

WIZARDS 105, HEAT 103 Eastern Conference Western Conference John Wall had 20 points and 10 assists, Nene Atlantic Division Northwest Division scored 20 off the bench and Washington rallied W L PCT GB Portland 21 6 .778 - to beat Miami. Bradley Beal had 16 points and Toronto 21 6 .778 - Oklahoma City 13 14 .481 8 Paul Pierce added 14 for the Wizards, who won Boston 10 14 .417 9.5 Denver 11 15 .423 9.5 their sixth straight.Dwyane Wade finished with Brooklyn 10 15 .400 10 Utah 8 19 .296 13 28 points for Miami, which dropped its fifth con- NY Knicks 5 23 .179 16.5 Minnesota 5 20 .200 15 Philadelphia 2 23 .080 18 secutive home game and is 4-9 on its own floor Pacific Division Central Division Golden State 22 3 .880 - this season. Luol Deng scored 19 and Mario Chicago 17 9 .654 - LA Clippers 18 8 .692 4.5 Chalmers had 14 for the Heat. Miami had a shot Cleveland 15 10 .600 1.5 to tie the game with 11 seconds left, but Beal Milwaukee 14 13 .519 3.5 Phoenix 13 14 .481 10 intercepted a pass by Wade and made two free Indiana 8 18 .308 9 Sacramento 11 15 .423 11.5 throws to clinch the win. Wade hit a 3-pointer as Detroit 5 22 .185 12.5 LA Lakers 8 18 .308 14.5 Southwest Division time expired. Southeast Division Washington 19 6 .760 - Memphis 21 5 .808 - Houston 19 6 .760 1.5 RAPTORS 110, PISTONS 100 Atlanta 18 7 .720 1 Miami 12 15 .444 8 Dallas 19 8 .704 2.5 Jonas Valanciunas scored 17 points to lead a Orlando 10 19 .345 11 San Antonio 17 10 .630 4.5 balanced offense as Toronto handed Detroit its Charlotte 7 19 .269 12.5 New Orleans 13 12 .520 7.5 12th straight home loss. Montpellier end losing run Technical committee meeting PARIS: The pressure eased slightly on coach ball connected fortuitously for Toulouse with However, it was Toulouse who struck the final Fabien Galthie as Montpellier ended a run of McAlister’s boot and did not make full contact blow of the first-half. seven successive defeats with a thrilling 23-20 with the ground. A superb run by Maxime Medard from a Stevenson KOs Sukhotsky victory over Toulouse in their Top 14 clash yes- Toulouse head coach Guy Noves attempted penalty awarded in the final minute ended up terday. to rectify the problem in his front row as they with Vincent Clerc going over for the 88th try of QUEBEC CITY: Canada’s Adonis Stevenson overhand right that glanced off the left side A penalty with less than two minutes remain- came under increasing pressure in a succession his Top 14 career-McAlister converted to send easily retained his World Boxing Council of Sukhotsky’s face. ing by Teddy Iribaren sealed victory for the hosts of scrums close to their try line by sending on Toulouse only 13-10 down. light heavyweight title Friday, knocking out Sukhotsky was knocked down four and gave them their first victory since October Vasil Kakovin for Kisi Pulu, who had had a torrid Unbelievably despite the man down Clerc challenger Dmitry Sukhotsky in the fifth times in total in the fight that was sched- 11. time, with only 29 minutes on the clock. struck again a minute into the second-half- round at the Colisee arena. The 37-year-old uled for 12 rounds. It was the fourth title For Toulouse-who had their own blip earlier However, it made not a jot of difference as McAlister converted for 17-13. southpaw Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) defense for Stevenson since he grabbed in the season with five successive defeats-it was Montpellier won the next scrum and Paillaugue However, the Toulouse scrum was still creak- dropped Sukhotsky with a straight left the belt with a first-round knockout of only their second loss in the last 10 matches. this time decided to spread the ball with Pelissie ing and Pulu, who had had to come back on hand on the chin near the end of the Chad Dawson in June 2013. Stevenson has Benoit Paillaugue opened the scoring for feeding Wynand Olivier. when Kakovin was sin-binned, was yellow-card- round. won 12 fights in a row, including four times Montpellier with a well-struck penalty in the fifth The 31-year-old South African centre made ed in the 50th minute but shortly afterwards “I know with my power I don’t need to in 2013. minute. no mistake stretching out his arm to touch down Montpellier were awarded a penalty try as the force it,” Stevenson said. “The knockout will The 33-year-old Russian Sukhotsky (22- Paillaugue added a second penalty for 6-0 in when he was tackled short of the line-Paillaugue referee’s patience gave way. come. I waited and bang, I caught him.” It 3) had a four-bout winning streak ended. the 18th minute but the visitors reduced the converted for 13-3. Paillaugue converted for 20-17. However, was one of three knockdowns by Stevenson is expected to next face the win- deficit through former All Black Luke McAlister Kakovin’s introduction as a saviour for the McAlister levelled with a penalty but Iribaren Stevenson in the fifth round of the lop- ner of a March fight between Sergey with a penalty in the 25th minute. front row wasn’t a success. He was sin-binned in with a few deep breaths held his nerve to give sided fight. Kovalev and Jean Pascal. Asked about a Montpellier’s domination was not reflected in the 37th minute as the scrum collapsed under the hosts a much needed confidence boost The first knockdown was a devastating possible fight with Kovalev, Stevenson said: converting it into points and were denied a try Montpellier pressure-Paillaugue failed to con- ahead of games with Castres and defending left hand to the head. The second was an “You have to come to me.”—AFP when Alex Tulou went to touch down but the vert the penalty as it came back off a post. champions Toulon. —AFP