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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018

Capitals blank Lightning to Juan Soto three-run homer trigger Pellegrini targets attacking 25force NHL playoff showdown 26 Nationals to a 10-2 win over Padres 27 revolution at West Ham

LeBron scores 44 to lead Cavaliers James adds more records to his amazing NBA legacy

CLEVELAND: #13 of the Cavaliers goes to the basket against the Celtics during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on Monday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. -—AFP

WASHINGTON: LeBron James scored 44 points, or defending champion Golden State in the a 34-18 lead after the first quarter, Cleveland closing have to have the same mindset we had the past two adding more records to his amazing NBA legacy, and NBA Finals starting May 31. the period on a 13-3 run and the Celtics missing three games. If our mind is there, we have what it takes to be powered the over Boston 111-102 James seeks his eighth consecutive trip to the NBA dunks in the opening 12 minutes. “Once we settled victorious.” Monday, equalizing their Eastern Conference final at Finals and fourth with the Cavaliers. down after the first we played much better. I don’t think two wins each. In unleashing his sixth 40- performance of this they were doing anything different,” Celtics forward Al TURNOVERS DEADLY FOR CAVS The 33-year-old superstar made 17-of-28 shots year’s playoffs, the most such efforts in any year since Horford said. “We have to execute better. It’s much Tristan Thompson added 13 points and 12 rebounds from the floor, 1-of-4 from 3-point range, and 9-of-13 Allen Iverson’s six in 2001, James rose to second on the harder on the road.” for the Cavaliers, who need to win once at Boston to free throws while contributing five rebounds, three all-time 40 or more playoff game list, passing NBA leg- James scored 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the advance. “They hit us in the mouth. We struck back,” assists and two steals to spark a crucial home triumph. end Jerry West with his 21st such total. first half and Kyle Korver added 14 points off the bench, Thompson said. “The real test is how we play in “I’ve just put a lot of work in,” said James of his And with his sixth basket of the night, James passed all in the first half, as Cleveland led by as many as 19 Boston.” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue hopes it won’t match point production. “The Man Above has given me some the old mark for career playoff field goals of 2,356 by points and opened a 68-53 half-time advantage. Monday’s 18 turnovers, twice as many as the Celtics. abilities I try to take advantage of.” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “He’s the best in the game at evaluating the game “Turning the basketball over has been killing us in this The best-of-seven showdown, level at 2-2, continues “Any time I’m in the same breath with the greats, it’s and figuring out what he wants and where he wants it,” series,” Lue said. “We like what we’re doing defensive- today at Boston, where the Celtics are undefeated in just humbling,” James said. “I think it’s pretty cool.” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of James. “You have to ly holding them to 41 percent (shooting). We just have these playoffs, with game six on Friday in Cleveland, make it as tough on him as possible.” to take better care of the ball.” where the Cavs have won seven in a row. CAVALIERS DOMINATE EARLY Although the Celtics trimmed the deficit to 89-76 led Boston with 25 points while Jason “There’s no love in there if you’re not wearing The Celtics outscored the Cavs in each of the final entering the fourth quarter and made a charge within Tatum netted 17, contributed 16 points green,” James said of Boston. “If we play like we did in three quarters but never managed to overcome eight, the rally was too little and too late. and 11 assists and Horford added 15 points. “Right now (games) three and four, I think we’ll have a good shot.” Cleveland’s ferocious start. James had five points in a “We were a lot better defensively, making them take we’re fighting for our playoff lives,” Horford said. “We The series winner will face either season wins leader 10-0 run that gave the Cavs a 19-10 edge on the way to contested shots, make the extra pass,” James said. “We have a big challenge.” — AFP

Manchester United forward lost his place in Kane, who first captained England in a Spurs striker the squad. Southgate has often played World Cup qualifier against Scotland last down the significance of the position, pre- year, said it was a “massive honour”. “I’m ferring to nurture a collective leadership very excited for the World Cup, can’t wait,” Kane to skipper within the team, but Kane will be the fig- he said. urehead as England go into their 15th “Leading the lads out is going to be spe- England in Russia World Cup. cial.” England face Tunisia, Panama and Kane, who scored 30 Premier League Belgium at the World Cup in which they will LONDON: Striker Harry Kane will wear goals for Tottenham this past season, has 23 send their third-youngest squad to a major the captain’s armband for England at next caps for England and netted 12 times. “For tournament, with an average age of 26. He month’s World Cup, ending speculation me the key for a captain is that you set the will have some experience around him, about who would lead Gareth Southgate’s tone every day in everything that we do, the however, such as Liverpool skipper Jordan squad in Russia. The announcement was way we train, the way we prepare and the Henderson and Chelsea’s Gary Cahill “Harry made in a video published on Twitter in professionalism towards the task,” will need the support of the other good which Southgate said Tottenham Southgate said. leaders we’ve got around him,” Southgate Hotspur’s Kane had “outstanding leader- “Harry is an exemplary model of that. He said.“You don’t become a top team by just ship” qualities. is a meticulous professional and is prepared having a good captain with good values. BURTON-ON-TRENT: England’s manager Gareth Southgate (R) talks with England’s striker England’s last full-time captain was to challenge people. “Now is a moment in That has to spread right throughout the Harry Kane during a training session at St George’s Park in Burton-on-Trent yesterday, ahead Wayne Rooney but the armband has been his life where he is prepared to bring that group but I think he’s the one ready to take of their international friendly football matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica. — AFP worn by several players since the former into the team environment.” that challenge on.” — Reuters