Established 1961 27 Sports Wednesday, May 30, 2018 Curry, Durant spark Warriors over Rockets to reach NBA finals Rockets ace James Harden finished with 32 points LOS ANGELES: Stephen Curry inspired a second- “There’s no quit in them. We saw where the bar was half fightback as the reigning champion Golden State this year, but we just couldn’t quite get there. “We’ll Warriors booked their fourth consecutive NBA finals take our summer off and then we’ll try it again next appearance with a 101-92 victory over the Houston season.” Rockets on Monday. Curry scored 27 points with Kevin Durant adding 34 ‘EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING’ as the Warriors advanced to an unprecedented fourth Rockets ace James Harden, who finished with 32 NBA finals meeting in a row against LeBron James and points, said his team’s second-half performances in the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors’ Western games six and seven had decided the fate of the Conference finals game seven victory in Houston hand- series. “One half of basketball. Two games, six and ed them a 4-3 series win, and came after the Rockets seven. We just didn’t have the same energy that we had led by as many as 15 points in the first half. had in the first half, the pace,” Harden said. “It’s The Warriors had looked vulnerable after a slug- extremely frustrating.” gish first-half performance Earlier it looked as if that saw them trail 54-43 Houston were ready to snap at half-time. But just as the Golden State-Cleveland they have done through- monopoly, shrugging off the out the playoffs, the injury absence of Chris Paul Warriors found an extra The second to make a fast start. The gear in the third period, Rockets swarmed over the with Curry and Durant half was vaunted Warriors offense to suddenly finding their keep the visitors firmly on range from three-point unbelievable the back foot. distance to come roaring The Warriors looked HOUSTON: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives against Clint Capela #15 and James Harden back into the contest. nervous from the outset, #13 of the Houston Rockets in the third quarter of Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 “Basketball is a 48- with a string of early mis- NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on Monday in Houston, Texas. — AFP minute game and no matter how badly we played, how takes that included two turnovers. Durant missed three many shots we missed, there’s always time to turn it free throws in a row early on as Houston gradually around,” Curry said. “The second half was unbelievable. pulled into a 24-19 first quarter lead. point range. A miserable first half for Golden State Two more quick threes from Curry gave the Happy to be back in the finals.” A disgusted Kerr told a courtside television inter- saw Eric Gordon make it 54-43 on the stroke of half- Warriors a nine-point advantage at 72-63, and from The Warriors outscored the Rockets by 33-15 in the viewer it was the “one of the worst quarters of basket- time with an aggressive driving layup. their the NBA champions were too strong as an third quarter, surging into a double-digit lead that they ball we’ve ever played.” The pressure continued in the Yet Golden State flicked the switch after the break, increasingly desperate Houston chased the game. never looked like surrendering. Rockets coach Mike second, with Clint Capela outstanding on defence for and Curry and Durant soon began raining down buck- Kerr later said there had been no hint of panic at D’Antoni meanwhile attempted to put a brave face on a Houston with a string of rebounds. ets from distance. A Durant three-pointer tied it at 61- halftime as the Warriors trailed. “I just tried to remind loss which came after his team had battled into a 3-2 The Rockets pulled away in the second, with 61 and Curry then struck with a three of his own to them that at halftime it was an 11-point game, and lead earlier in the series. Harden to the fore as the hosts moved 15 points clear give Warriors a 64-61 lead, the first time they had led that’s two minutes. If we get a couple of stops and a “I couldn’t be prouder of our team,” D’Antoni said. with both Durant and Curry struggling from three- since a fleeting 9-7 advantage early in the first. few threes we’re back in it,” Kerr said. — AFP Balotelli scores as Mancini starts Italy reign Reaching FIFA WCup has with a victory special taste among Arab fans KUWAIT: Arab football has real- Again, the team left the champi- ized many of its local and regional onship from the group stages, suf- ST GALLEN: Mario Balotelli got new Italy achievements since inception but fering two defeats. The Moroccans coach Roberto Mancini off to a winning start qualifying for the World Cup has a are facing a tough challenge in next by scoring the opener in a 2-1 win over Saudi special taste among football fans, as month’s World Cup because their Arabia in a pre-World Cup friendly in Saint only eight Arab teams made it to the group include Portugal, Spain and Gallen on Monday. Saudi Arabia face hosts globe’s most watched football cham- Iran. Russia in the opening match of the tourna- pionship since 1930. Tunisia’s first participation in the ment on June 14 while four-time champions Qualifying for the World Cup is a World Cup was in 1978 in Argentina, Italy stay home following their failure to qual- key challenge for Arab national foot- where it achieved the first victory ify for the first time in 60 years. ball teams. Egypt was the first Arab for an Arab and African team by Made the scapegoat for Italy’s first-round and African team to play in the sec- beating Mexico 3-1. However, the exit from the 2014 World Cup, Balotelli’s four- ond World Cup in 1934, but no Arab Tunisians left the World Cup from year Azzurri hiatus ended when he was teams made it to the championship the group stages after being beaten recalled by Mancini, appointed six months ST GALLEN: Italy’s forward Mario Balotelli (R) controls the ball during the international since until Morocco brought back by Poland by one goal and ended after Italy’s shock failure to qualify for Russia friendly football match between Italy and Saudi Arabia at Kybunpark stadium in St Arab participation in the 1970 cup in their clash against then West following a playoff defeat to Sweden. Gallen on Monday. — AFP Mexico. Germany goalless. The Tunisians, It took the 27-year-old Nice striker just 21 No Arab team played in the 1974 better known as Eagles of Carthage, minutes to get on the scoreboard with his first against the 67th-ranked Saudis. Mancini opt- striker scored the second when he turned in a World Cup in Germany, but Tunisia moved to the round of 16th in the goal for Italy since netting the winner against ed for a 4-3-3 formation with Gianluigi rebound ten minutes later. managed to qualify for the next 1998 World Cup in France, but left England at the 2014 World Cup. Substitute Donnarumma in goal and Sassuolo winger Al-Shehri pulled Saudi Arabia back into championship in Argentina in 1978. the 2002 World Cup that was jointly Andrea Belotti added a second midway Matteo Politano handed his full debut. the game four minutes later taking advantage Saudi Arabia and Tunisia are the two hosted by South Korea and Japan through the second half before Yahya Al- Balotelli came out firing early with the Nice of defensive error by Davide Zappacosta. Arab countries with most appear- from the group stages. Shehri pulled one back for the Saudis follow- striker heading just wide off a Leonardo Leganes winger Al-Shehri picked up a Salem ances in the World Cup, five times The Eagles of Carthage also qual- ing Italian defensive blunders. Bonucci cross. Al Dawsari flick and fired past the outrushing each. Algeria made it to the World ified for the 2002 World Cup in “I’m satisfied with the first half-perfor- He finally found a way through with a low Donnarumma into an empty net. After Cup four times, Egypt three, and one Germany, 2010 in South Africa and mance. The difficulties of the second half drive under the outstretched arms of Saudi Donnarumma denied Fahad Al Muwallad a time for each of Kuwait, the United 2014 in Brazil. They were knocked were down to tiredness due to the extra fit- goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais for his 14th late equaliser Italy held on for their first win Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iraq. out from group stages in the three ness training we’ve been doing over the last goal in 34 appearances. Napoli winger Lorenzo since their 1-0 World Cup qualifieraway to Egypt meanwhile played a single championships. Tunisia’s group in few days,” said Mancini. “Saudi Arabia are Insigne nearly added a second minutes later Albania on October 9, which was followed by match in the 1934 World Cup. this year’s World Cup includes approaching peak form because they are after picking up a pin perfect cross but defend- two draws and two defeats. “In the second It was defeated by Hungary 4-2 Belgium, Panama and England.