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Established 1961 Sport WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019 Odorizzi outduels Verlander Brazil mourns ‘superhero’ Liverpool’s flying full-backs 25as Twins edge Houston Astros 26 25 years after his death 27 ready for Barcelona test TORONTO: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors shoots the ball against Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. —AFP Sixers down Raptors to level series Jokic leads Nuggets to beat Blazers LOS ANGELES: Jimmy Butler scored 30 points as the “My team had a lot of faith in me tonight,” said Butler, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 35 Portland, led by 39 points from All-Star guard Damian Philadelphia 76ers turned the tables on the Raptors in who scored just 10 points in game one. “I told them I had points. Pascal Siakam added 21 and Kyle Lowry scored Lillard, trimmed a 12-point deficit to 101-96 with 8:02 Toronto on Monday with a 94-89 victory that knotted to come out and redeem myself. “More than anything we 20. But the five total points for Toronto’s reserves were left in the game. their NBA playoff series at one game each. The 76ers, got back, we guarded,” Butler added, saying defense dwarfed by the production of Philadelphia’s bench: 13 Denver responded with an 8-0 scoring run, ignited by beaten 108-95 in the Eastern Conference second-round would be key going forward in the series. points from James Ennis, 10 from Greg Monroe and three Mason Plumlee’s dunk. Portland’s CJ McCollum was then series opener, thwarted the Raptors’ second-half come- “When we let our defense dictate our offense we’re from Jonah Bolden. whistled for a flagrant foul when he caught a driving Jokic back bid, notching their first win in Toronto since such a great team,” he said. “We can’t let it be the other The Denver Nuggets, two days removed from their in the face, and the Serbian made both free throws. November 2012 to head home for game three tomorrow way around.” Sixers coach Brett Brown praised Butler as first-round, game-seven victory over the San Antonio Plumlee then slammed home a miss by teammate Malik all square. the team’s “rock.” “That was James Butler,” Brown said. Spurs, opened their Western Conference second-round Beasley and Beasley rebounded another miss and made a Butler added 11 rebounds and handed out five assists “That was the adult in the gym.” series with a 121-113 home victory over the Portland layup as the Nuggets seized a 109-96 lead with 6:11 left to for the Sixers, who led 51-38 at halftime despite 13 first- Embiid, battling a stomach ailment as well as the nag- Trail Blazers. play. Denver were in control from there, although Jokic half turnovers. The Raptors, who trailed by as many as 19 ging knee pain that troubled him in the first round, scored Serbian center Nikola Jokic scored 37 points, pulled and coach Mike Malone said they had plenty of room for in the first half, closed the deficit to 61-60 late in the just two baskets. The second couldn’t have been better down nine rebounds, handed out six assists and blocked improvement before they host game two today. third quarter. timed as he drove to bank in a shot that put the 76ers up two shots. Both teams came out firing, the Trail Blazers “We kind of went into the game a little sloppy, slow, we But they missed six of their first seven shots in the final 92-89 with 24.3 seconds remaining. connecting on 63.6 percent of their first-quarter shots and didn’t play a lot of defense,” Jokic said. Malone also felt period and the 76ers held on for the win. Butler scored 12 Toronto’s Danny Green then missed a potential game- Denver making 61.9 percent of their shots as the first peri- the Nuggets were lacking defensively, especially in the of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. That included a tying three-pointer and Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris od ended tied 32-32. early going. “We got the win, and when you know you three-pointer off an assist from center Joel Embiid that put grabbed the rebound. Harris was fouled and sealed the win Denver, up 58-55 at halftime, pulled away after the haven’t played your best basketball that’s a good feeling,” the Sixers up 88-81 with 2:14 to play. with two free throws. break, taking a 93-84 lead into the final period. Malone said. —AFP this year’s event, which begins on July 1. If he is fit Stephens to enough, the 31-year-old Scot could use his protected ranking to enter the tournament but he might apply for a wildcard in order to use that ranking for future events. wed US soccer “There have been no discussions with Andy yet,” said All England Club chairman Philip Brook on player Altidore Tuesday. “It’s too soon to know the answer to that one. “Should he wish to apply he would do so in the normal NEW YORK: Former US Open tennis champion Sloane way. We have a scheduled meeting on June 18 ahead of Stephens and Toronto FC’s United States striker Jozy the championships to decide on wildcards. Altidore are to be married. The 26-year old Stephens “We have a process which applies to all players.” As to and Altidore, 29, announced their engagement on whether that deadline could be extended for Murray, chief Monday with joint posts on social media saying, executive Richard Lewis said: “If Andy came forward with “Forever starts now” and “Forever yes.” a strong case I am sure we would work with him.” Stephens is currently ranked No. 8 in the world and Murray has not played competitively since the has won six WTA titles, including the 2017 U.S. Open. Australian Open in January, where he lost in five sets to Altidore, who signed a new contract with MLS side Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round. He said before Toronto FC in February, has scored 41 goals in 110 the tournament that he planned to retire after this year’s games for his country. Wimbledon, but also revealed the Australian Open Meanwhile, Wimbledon chiefs have suggested they could prove to be his last event. may extend the deadline for Andy Murray to apply for a Murray had a hip resurfacing operation in London in wildcard to compete at this year’s championships as the late January and says he is now pain-free, although he two-time winner battles to regain fitness. The British has only been hitting balls from a stationary position so former world number one, currently ranked 218th in the far. At its spring press conference, the All England Club world, is recovering from hip surgery and has yet to set also announced an 11.8 percent increase in prize money a date for a potential return. for 2019. The men’s and women’s singles champions will Murray, Wimbledon champion in 2013 and 2016, has each receive £2.35 million ($3.06 million), an increase an official deadline of June 18 to apply for a wildcard for of £100,000 on last year. —Agencies Sloane Stephens (right) and Jozy Altidore .