SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2016 SPORTS on brink of quarterfinals in

LIEGE: Croatia needs only one more Bemelmans went long. Dodig and Italy, whose only Davis Cup title The winner of the tie plays Poland or ace - one of 17 he served up in the point to reach the Davis Cup quarterfi- Skugor then converted the second of came 40 years ago, will face either Argentina in the quarterfinals. Lorenzi match. Chiudinelli rebounded to earn nals after Ivan Dodig and Franko Skugor three set points in the second set after Argentina or Poland for a place in the won 7-6 (14), 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 7-5 in a match the first break of the match at the start won the doubles against Belgium’s another unforced error from semi-finals in July. which lasted nearly five hours and also of the second set but Lorenzi broke and Bemelmans, and easily won the 22- , the champions in 2014, featured the longest tiebreaker in World back twice in succession. He also saved yesterday. minute final set. were without star players , Group history. two break points in the seventh game After a tense first set, Dodig and Dodig, who won the who is injured, and , who The Italian clawed his way back from before going on to take the set with Skugor broke their opponents four doubles title last year with Marcelo opted not to play in the tie in Pesaro. 5-2 down in the final set and, although another ace. times and prevailed 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-1 to Melo, said winning the difficult first set Italy survived scares in both its sin- he wasted two match points, sealed the Lorenzi saved two set points on his give Croatia a 2-1 lead ahead of was “one of the keys,” adding that “it gles rubbers Friday to take a 2-0 lead in win when Chiudinelli hit long. Lorenzi own serve in the third set but gifted Sunday’s reverse singles. helped us stay in the match, then we its Davis Cup first-round tie against a was ranked 92 places above Chiudinelli Chiudinelli a way back into the match In the opening singles on Friday, were able to raise our game.” Today, Switzerland team missing Roger Federer after a fine run of form, but the 146th- when he sent a forehand long. The Swiss Goffin defeated Borna Coric in five sets Goffin will play Cilic, and Coppejans will and Stan Wawrinka. ranked Swiss had a 3-0 head-to-head player then claimed the fourth set as on the clay court of the Country Hall, face Coric. let slip a two-set lead record against the Italian. well with a superb return to level the and 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin In Rome, Italy became the first team and was forced to save three match Clay is also Chiudinelli’s least favorite match. Cilic eased past Kimmer Coppejans in to reach this year’s Davis Cup quarter- points before beating surface but he was aggressive from the Meanwhile, China yesterday beat straight sets. finals when and Andreas and almost did the same start and Lorenzi had to save two break Pakistan in a Davis Cup tie, winning the The Belgian pair led 5-4 in the Seppi defeated Marco Chiudinelli and but recovered to defeat Henri points in the sixth game. There was little doubles match after some good rallies tiebreaker but the Croats held on serve 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 for a 3-0 Laaksonen in four sets, winning 7-5, 7-6 to separate the pair in the tiebreaker too on day two at the Sri Lanka and converted their first set point when win over Switzerland. (4), 3-6, 6-3. but Lorenzi finally took the set with an Association courts.—Agencies LeBron powers Cavaliers to easy win over Wizards

CLEVELAND: LeBron James flirted with a Jersey. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points triple-double before sitting out the fourth for Minnesota, but only six after the first quar- quarter, Kyrie Irving scored 21 points and the ter. Cleveland Cavaliers avenged a recent ugly loss to Washington by throttling the Wizards RAPTORS 117, TRAIL BLAZERS 115 108-83 on Friday night. The Cavs were blown DeMar DeRozan had 38 points, Kyle Lowry out at Washington on Sunday, when James added 28 and Toronto overcame a huge game watched from the bench and the Wizards from Damian Lillard to beat Portland for its built a 30-point lead. But with James ener- franchise-record 12th straight home win. gized after not playing since Monday, and Lillard scored 50 points, one shy of his career Cleveland using a “small” lineup as forward high set last month in a 137-105 win over Kevin Love got the night off, the Cavs Golden State. DeRozan went 24 for 25 from the snapped Washington’s four-game winning free-throw line, both career highs. Jonas streak. James finished with 19 points, 13 Valanciunas had 17 points and 10 rebounds for rebounds and seven assists. Timofey Mozgov Toronto. Portland lost the season series to scored 14 points, 12 on dunks, for Cleveland. Toronto for the first time since 1996-97. C.J. John Wall scored 17 and Markieff Morris 13 McCollum added 24 for Portland, but he and for the Wizards. Lillard were the only Blazers in double figures.

NETS 121, NUGGETS 120, OT CELTICS 105, KNICKS 104 Brook Lopez had 20 points and tipped in a Isaiah Thomas had 32 points and eight basket with .4 seconds left in overtime to lift assists, Avery Bradley hit a go-ahead layup Brooklyn over Denver. Nikola Jokic missed with 17.7 seconds left and Boston Celtics won badly on a backward desperation shot off an its 13th straight at home. Evan Turner had 21 inbound pass as time expired, and the Nets points and eight rebounds for the Celtics, and beat the Nuggets for the fifth straight time. Jae Crowder finished with 20 points and eight Markel Brown had 21 points to lead the Nets rebounds. Boston trailed by eight points in and Bojan Bogdanovic added 17 points. the fourth quarter but used a series of mini- Bogdanovic made 2 of 3 free throws in the runs to eventually take the lead for good on final seconds of regulation to force overtime. the driving layup by Bradley. Carmelo Emmanuel Mudiay had 25 points to lead the Anthony had a chance to win the game in the Nuggets. Gary Harris added 21 points and closing seconds but badly missed a 3pointer Kenneth Faried had 17 points. off the backboard as time expired. Anthony : (L-R) Serbia’s tennis players Nenad Zimonjic and and Kazakhstan’s tennis players Aleksandr Nedovyesov and had 30 points and seven rebounds. Arron pose ahead of the tennis match during the Davis Cup World Group first round double match between Serbia and Kazakhstan at GRIZZLIES 94, JAZZ 88 Afflalo added 17 points and Kristaps Porzingis “Aleksandar Nikolic” hall in Belgrade, yesterday. — AFP Zach Randolph scored 25 points and finished with 15 points for the Knicks, who grabbed four rebounds in the final minute to lost their third straight. lead Memphis. Randolph, who finished with eight rebounds, was 9 of 18 from the field as HEAT 112, 76ERS 102 Djokovic beaten as Murray Memphis won its third straight and seventh Hassan Whiteside had 19 points and 19 in the last nine. Lance Stephenson, acquired rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored 21 points by the Grizzlies at the trade deadline, had 16 and Miami won its fourth straight. Goran brothers double up for victory points on 8-for-11 shooting, while Mike Dragic added 15 points and 11 assists for the Conley had 12 points. Mario Chalmers fin- Heat. Luol Deng scored 13 points and Joe PARIS: Novak Djokovic suffered his first Davis Nishikori, ranked number six, in the first reverse champions Croatia or Belgium in the quarter- ished with 11 points. Gordon Hayward led the Johnson, Amar’e Stoudemire and Gerald Cup defeat in five years yesterday as Serbia singles. finals. Croatia went ahead 2-1 in Liege when Ivan Jazz with 18 points, including keying Utah’s Green had 12 points each. Ish Smith had 26 slipped 2-1 down to Kazakhstan while Andy and is scheduled to face Nishioka in Dodig and Franko Skugor enjoyed a 7-6 (7/5), 6- offense in the third quarter. Derrick Favors points, eight rebounds and five assists and gave defending champions Great what may be the decider. 3, 6-1 win over Ruben Bemelmans and David scored 14 points, shooting 7 of 17. Rudy Robert Covington scored 25 points for the Britain a 2-1 lead over Japan. Nishikori is the highest-ranked player Murray Goffin. Gobert had 13 points, 18 rebounds and five depleted 76ers, who were missing several key World number one Djokovic and 39-year-old has ever played in Davis Cup, but he has won Italy became the first team to reach the quar- blocks. Shelvin Mack had 12 points and eight players. Philadelphia has lost 11 straight. The Nenad Zimonjic lost their doubles rubber to five of their previous six matches. “I played well ter-finals when Simone Bolelli and Andreas assists for Utah, which lost its fifth straight, Heat improved to 7-2 since losing Chris Bosh Kazakhstan’s Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr against him last year. I played him a couple of Seppi defeated Marco Chiudinelli and Henri striking another blow to its playoffs hopes. to a blood clot in his calf. They are 4-0 since Nedovyesov in Belgrade in the first round tie. times. He’s ranked six in the world, so he’s one of Laaksonen 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 for a 3-0 win over signing Johnson after the seven-time All-Star The 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 scoreline gave the best,” said Murray. Switzerland. HORNETS 108, PACERS 101 agreed to a buyout with Brooklyn. Kazakhstan a 2-1 lead ahead of the reverse sin- “It’s obviously going to be extremely tough, Italy, whose only Davis Cup title came 40 Kemba Walker scored 33 points and had gles on Sunday where the winner will go on to but I’m playing well and hopefully I can play a years ago, will face either Argentina, three-times 10 assists, Nicolas Batum added 31 points and SUNS 102, MAGIC 84 face either Britain or Japan in July’s quarter- good one tomorrow and try and seal the win.” runners-up since 2006, or Poland. Charlotte got its ninth win in the last 11 Alex Len scored a career-high 31 points finals. Switzerland, the champions in 2014, were games. Walker shot 9 of 17 from the field and and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Phoenix held Today, Djokovic will play BRYANS GIVE US EDGE without Roger Federer, who is injured, and Stan made all 11 free throws for his 10th 30-point Orlando scoreless for a 7 1/2-minute stretch when he will try to keep the tie alive for the 2010 Bob and gave the United States a Wawrinka, who opted not to play in the tie in game of the season as the Hornets swept the to snap a 17-game road losing streak. Devin champions. The final singles is due to feature crucial 2-1 edge with a thrilling five-set win over Pesaro. three-game series with the Pacers for the first Booker and Ronnie Price added 14 points against Nedovyesov. the -inspired Australians in World Group rookies Poland fought back in time in franchise history. Walker has aver- each for the Suns, who got their first road vic- In Birmingham, the Murray brothers edged Melbourne. Gdansk by winning the doubles against aged 29.6 points during Charlotte’s current tory since Dec. 7 at Chicago. The streak tied a Britain closer to the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-2, The 16-time and Olympics dou- Argentina after dropping both of Friday’s sin- three-game win streak. Al Jefferson chipped franchise record. Elfrid Payton had 19 pints 6-4 win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka and bles champions looked to be cruising to victory, gles. in with 13 points for Charlotte, which shot and 11 assists for Orlando, which shot 35 per- Yakutaka Uchiyama. breezing through the opening two sets before and Lukasz Kubot saw off 48.1 percent for the game to improve to 21-9 cent against the NBA’s bottom-ranked team Just as in their title triumph over Belgium in Hewitt and forced a fifth set. Carlos Berlocq and Renzo Olivo 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. at home. Paul George scored 35 points and in defensive field-goal percentage. November in what was Britain’s first Davis Cup But the American twins proved too strong in In Hanover, Tomas Berdych claimed a 50th Ian Mahinmi had 10 points and 14 rebounds success in 79 years, the brothers played a star- the decider, winning 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 to give Davis Cup win when he and veteran Radek to lead the Pacers. HAWKS 106, LAKERS 77 ring role. their team a 2-1 lead. Stepanek claimed a 7-6 (9/7), 7-5, 6-4 win over Reserve Dennis Schroder led six players in It was a fifth win in five Davis Cup outings for ’s Americans can wrap up the tie Germany’s and Philipp BUCKS 116, TIMBERWOLVES 101 double figures with 16 points and Atlanta the Murrays who didn’t face a break point on on Kooyong’s grass courts with just one more Petzschner. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points, 12 completed its first season sweep of the Lakers Saturday. victory on Sunday through their top-rated John The Czech Republic, champions in 2012 and assists and nine rebounds, and Khris since 1973-74. Kyle Korver made all four of his The win gave the hosts a 2-1 lead and world Isner-who faces -or who 2013, are 2-1 in front. The winners are likely to Middleton scored 32 points as Milwaukee 3-pointers for 15 points and newcomer Kris number two can seal the tie on could end up playing Hewitt. face France, who are 2-0 up on Canada in beat Minnesota. Antetokounmpo just missed Humphries added 14 points and eight Sunday when he faces Japan’s top player Kei The winner of that tie will face either 2005 Guadeloupe, in the quarter-finals. — AFP his third triple-double in six games. Playing at rebounds off the bench. The Hawks have held a high level since the All-Star break, he had four straight opponents under 40-percent the first two of his career on Feb. 22 against shooting for the first time since Dec. 7-20, the Los Angeles Lakers and Feb. 29 against 1996. Julius Randle had 16 points and 10 Infantino’s FIFA reign starts with budget flight the Houston Rockets. Antetokounmpo, rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost two in whose 12 assists were a career high, made 9 a row and 10 of 11. D’Angelo Russell’s streak CARDIFF: New FIFA president Gianni Infantino money. It is football’s money.” out who these two people were. Unfortunately it of 17 shots and 9 of 10 free throws while play- of four straight games with 20 or more points wants to slash costs at football’s world govern- For former UEFA secretary-general Infantino, was not possible at that time, I was told there is ing point forward most of the game. ended when he finished with seven points on ing body so he started his reign by taking a the visit to Bristol was particularly emotional. no archives,” he said. Middleton finished 11 of 16 shooting, includ- 3-of-16 shooting. Los Angeles fans began budget flight to his first significant meeting. When he was born in 1970, his life was saved by “It’s quite a coincidence the first trip I make ing 8 of 9 on 3-pointers, the most 3s by a chanting Kobe Bryant’s name in the closing Infantino, 45, flew to Bristol from on the a blood transfusion when he was five days old from Switzerland is to Bristol. Form that airport, Bucks player since Carlos Delfino made eight minutes, but he was nursing a sore right low-cost easyJet airline on Friday ahead of the with blood coming from Bristol and Belgrade. 46 years ago almost, the blood left to save my on March 18, 2011, in a 110-95 win over New shoulder and wasn’t around. — AP weekend’s International Football Association And the Swiss-Italian lawyer is keen to meet the life.” Board AGM in Cardiff. person from Bristol who helped save his life all While he is in the United Kingdom, Infantino FIFA have been criticised for their lavish those years ago. will also take in an English Premier League game NBA results/standings expenditure in the past, but Infantino, recently “It’s important to me because I tried to find when he sees Swansea play Norwich. — AFP elected as successor to the disgraced Sepp Cleveland 108, Washington 83; LA Lakers 77, Atlanta 106; Boston 105, New York 104; Toronto 117, Blatter, said they must look after their cash Portland 115; Denver 120, Brooklyn 121 (OT); Memphis 94, Utah 88; Milwaukee 116, Minnesota 101; because it does not belong to them. “I came Charlotte 108, Indiana 101; Orlando 84, Phoenix 102; Philadelphia 102, Miami 112. with easyJet today because it was the best Eastern Conference Western Conference option to Bristol and then Cardiff. I always take Atlantic Division Northwest Division the easiest and best option. I had to go to UEFA W L PCT GB Oklahoma City42 20 0.677 — to say goodbye to the executive committee,” Toronto 41 19 0.683 — Portland 33 30 0.524 9.5 Infantino said. “The traffic was terrible from Boston 38 25 0.603 4.5 Utah 28 33 0.459 13.5 Bristol to Cardiff which meant I was a little late. New York 25 38 0.397 17.5 Denver 24 38 0.387 18 We are normal people and we have to behave Brooklyn 18 44 0.290 24 Minnesota 19 43 0.306 23 like normal people. “There will be occasions Philadelphia 8 54 0.129 34 Pacific Division when I have to take a private plane, if I have no Central Division Golden State 55 5 0.917 — Cleveland 43 17 0.717 — other way to go somewhere, if it’s too complicat- Indiana 32 30 0.516 12 LA Clippers 40 20 0.667 15 ed or I need to go to three countries in the same Detroit 31 30 0.508 12.5 Sacramento 25 35 0.417 30 day. Chicago 30 30 0.500 13 Phoenix 16 46 0.258 40 “I will not now start travelling only easyJet. I Milwaukee 26 36 0.419 18 LA Lakers 12 51 0.190 44.5 will always take the best option. Everyone in Southeast Division Southwest Division FIFA should be working to optimise the costs. Miami 36 26 0.581 — San Antonio 52 9 0.852 — “This was my job at UEFA when I was general Atlanta 34 28 0.548 2 Memphis 37 24 0.607 15 secretary. I will give the philosophy from the top. Charlotte 33 28 0.541 2.5 Dallas 33 29 0.532 19.5 One of my priorities has always been to optimise Washington 30 31 0.492 5.5 Houston 30 31 0.492 22 the costs because we have to be responsible Orlando 27 34 0.443 8.5 New Orleans 23 37 0.383 28.5 what we do with the money, which is not our Gianni Infantino