14 Established 1961 Sports Wednesday, April 11, 2018 Westbrook triple as Thunder seal playoff spot, Spurs through Cavaliers keep alive their hopes with a 123-109 win over New York Knicks LOS ANGELES: Paul George scored 27 points and Antonio Spurs, who sealed their 21st consecutive Russell Westbrook bagged a triple-double as the appearance in the postseason with a 98-85 win over Oklahoma City Thunder overcame an 18-point deficit to the Sacramento Kings. clinch a playoff berth with a 115-93 victory over the The Spurs advanced after strong performances off Miami Heat on Monday. Westbrook finished with 23 the bench, with Manu Ginobili chipping in with 17 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a dynamic per- points and Rudy Gay 18 points. formance which assured the Thunder of a postseason It remains to be seen where San Antonio will start in berth and kept them in the hunt for home-court advan- the playoffs however, with the Spurs one of four teams tage in the first round. locked on 47 wins heading into the final rounds of the The Thunder improved to 47-34 with the win, leav- regular season. New Orleans were the other team to ing them level on wins in the Western Conference clinch on Monday, with the Pelicans trouncing the Los standings with fourth-placed Utah, who have played a Angeles Clippers 113-100 at the Staples Center on the game fewer. George and back of a 28-point display Westbrook were backed by from Anthony Davis. Carmelo Anthony, who fin- Elsewhere Monday, Kevin ished with 11 points, while Love and LeBron James Jerami Grant contributed 17 combined for 54 points as off the bench as the Thunder We’re heading the Cleveland Cavaliers kept overcame a determined alive their hopes of snagging Miami side. in the right third place in the Eastern Josh Richardson led the Conference with a 123-109 scoring for the Heat with 18 direction win over the New York points while Hassan Knicks. Whiteside had 16. The defeat With just one regular sea- saw Miami slide back to sev- son game remaining, the enth place in the Eastern Cavaliers will likely need to Conference, a half-game ahead of Washington. defeat New York again today if they are to have any George said the Thunder would now aim to finish chance of sneaking past the in-form Philadelphia 76ers with a win in front of their home fans today, when they for the third seeding. The Sixers will be assured of third MIAMI: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat passes the ball against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma host the Memphis Grizzlies. “It feels great. We’ve got if they win their two remaining games against Atlanta City Thunder on Monday at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. — AFP one more to go, we’re heading in the right direction,” and Milwaukee. George said. However, Cleveland’s win on Monday handed them “It’s what we wanted. We wanted to come off the the tie-breaker over the Sixers, meaning that should round. Love, who led the Cavs scoring with 28 points “It just felt like we moved the ball a little bit better. road trip 2 & 0 and we did that. We’ve got one more to Philadelphia slip up against the Hawks on Tuesday or and grabbed five rebounds, said the team was finding For 48 minutes it felt like we did a good job of that. A close it up at home and get ready for these playoffs.” the Bucks on Wednesday, the Cavs will finish third. form at the right time. “Heading into the playoffs we lot of contributions, a lot of guys playing well, it’s Whichever team sits in third has a potentially easier always want to get better, and we feel like we’ve done always fun to play Madison Square Garden.” James fin- SPURS STREAK CONTINUES route to the Eastern Conference finals, with a series that,” Love said after Monday’s road win at Madison ished with 26 points and contributed 11 assists in a The Thunder were joined in the playoffs by the San against the injury-hit Boston Celtics likely in the second Square Garden. comfortable win for the 2016 NBA champions. —AFP Home success Asia Cup shifted stepping stone to UAE over to winning India-Pakistan abroad: Sharma cricket row MUMBAI: India’s excellent record at home is under- appreciated but it is an important stepping stone to winning matches abroad, batsman Rohit Sharma told KUALA LUMPUR: Cricket’s Asia Cup has been Reuters in an interview. Under talismanic captain Virat moved from India to the United Arab Emirates over Kohli, India won nine consecutive test series dating Pakistan’s refusal to cross the border, as relations back to 2015 before the 2-1 series loss in South Africa simmer between the arch rivals, the Asian Cricket in January halted their juggernaut. Council said yesterday. The stellar run firmly cemented India’s place on top The biennial event was due to be held in India in of the world test rankings but the bone of contention September, sparking protests from the Pakistan has been that out of the nine, six came at home while Cricket Board (PCB) who called for the event to be two of the away victories were in Sri Lanka with the relocated. “This year’s Asia Cup is moved out of India other in West Indies. “It’s just a general perception of to UAE and will be held from September 13-28,” people that we have to win away games. As long as you Sultan Rana, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) devel- are playing the game, you have to win everywhere,” the opment and event manager, told AFP. 30-year-old Sharma said at an event to launch the new India has suspended bilateral cricket ties with AlphaBounce Beyond shoe by Adidas. Pakistan since the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, which “It doesn’t matter where you win. People obviously Rohit Sharma New Delhi blamed on militants based across the bor- find it more interesting to write something different der. However India has continued to square off with when it comes to overseas victories. Yes overseas vic- Pakistan in international events like the 2016 Asia Cup tories are important but you have to win at home first group. I am sure we can take the learning from what in Bangladesh, the World Twenty20 at home and the then you win overseas. happened in South Africa with us when we go to 2017 Champions Trophy in England. “It is important for us to win every game, in every England.” Simmons, Jokic The Asia Cup has been marred by strained Indo- country. Any country we go to play we have to try and Pak relations since its inception when the UAE hosted win.” With trips to England and Australia pencilled in CAPTAINCY it in 1984. Two years later, India pulled out of the for later in the year, critics believe 2018 will be the real The right-handed batsman also leads India in limit- sweep Players of event in Sri Lanka, while Pakistan refused to send its test for Kohli’s men in the longest format. ed-overs matches in the absence of Kohli and recently team to India when it hosted the cup in 1991. Often hailed as the next big thing to come out of skippered them to victory in last month’s Twenty20 tri- the Week awards With Pakistan and India unable to host, Mumbai since Sachin Tendulkar, Sharma is an automat- series in Sri Lanka, also featuring Bangladesh. Bangladesh held three straight Asian Cups from 2012 ic choice in the limited-overs side and the only batsman “The experience has been ... a great learning curve,” DENVER: Australian Ben Simmons and Serbian to 2016. Rana said six Asian teams will compete in the to score three one-day international double centuries. said Sharma, who has led the Mumbai franchise to three Nikola Jokic were announced as the NBA Players of 50-over Asia Cup. “India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, His batting form in whites, however, pale in compari- Indian Premier League titles. “Whatever time I have the Week on Monday, the first time two international Pakistan and Afghanistan are the five top teams while, son. Since registering two centuries in his first two spent captaining for Mumbai, that experience really players have swept the awards in four years. there will be a qualifying round to select the sixth tests - against West Indies in 2013 - he managed his helped me while leading the national team.” For Sharma, The 21-year-old Philadelphia 76ers forward team,” said Rana, a former Pakistan first class player. third against Sri Lanka at home in November. most things are similar when it comes to leading an Simmons averaged 18.5 points, 10 rebounds and 8.8 Meanwhile, the ACC Emerging Asia Cup was also “There are challenging tours that are coming up Indian team or captaining the Mumbai side in the popu- assists in his team’s four wins last week to secure the jeopardised earlier this month when India refused to which we have to do well in,” said Sharma, who aver- lar Twenty20 league. “Things are not very different Eastern conference award and further make his case send their team to Pakistan to compete. “Emerging ages a shade under 40 in 25 Tests. “If you look at the when you lead a franchise or a national team,” he said. for Rookie of the Year honours.