Established 1961 27 Sports Sunday, June 2, 2019 Warriors seek answers after NBA Finals loss to Raptors

Warriors also have a new appreciation for the Raptors’ speed

TORONTO: Confident despite losing their NBA Finals aggressive. Aggressiveness starts with me and every- opener, the defending champion Golden State Warriors body else will follow. If I’m on my heels, everyone else say they must hustle faster defensively and reduce mis- is on their heels. takes to defeat the Toronto Raptors. “All five guys got to do a better job of just being Seeking their third consecutive title and fourth physical, being alert, and we’ll be all right. “We’re crown in five years, the Warriors had won 12 consecu- champions. We understand what it takes. People hold tive playoff series openers before falling 118-109 us to a higher standard, but we hold ourselves to an Thursday, gaining hard-earned wisdom for Sunday’s even higher standard.” game two. Curry, who has sparked Golden State’s attack with “We’re down 0-1 but it’s not the end of the world,” forward Kevin Durant out with a calf injury, said a 10- Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. “We’ve proven our day break between games and being unfamiliar with resiliency and ability to win games we need to, answer the Raptors contributed to the Warriors’ loss. the bell and learn. “The first half after that 10-day break it was a little “They obviously played well but our confidence bit sloppier than we might have thought and a little bit remains the same. It’s just come out, play hard, get more rust that we had to shake off,” Curry said. “I don’t game two and take it from there. “I like the vibe that we think it’s that complicated what we need to do differ- have in the locker room in terms of everybody focusing ently-it’s just play better, take away easy buckets for on what they need to do differently and the overall them and control momentum a little bit better.” energy bump we need to have to go steal game two.” Green agrees the Warriors will be able to better Warriors coach Steve Kerr has stressed fast-moving compete against a team that has the speed and quick- defensive work because he sees familiar challenges in strike ability of their reptilian namesakes. “We got our how the Raptors play. “Transition defense is where it conditioning back,” Green said. “It was a bit rough after starts. We were just careless getting back,” Kerr said. 10 days off. Now we’ve got a feel for them. We know TORONTO: Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors shares a laugh with Matt Winer, Grant Hill, Isiah Thomas, and “When you’ve got a team that can push the ball from a what we can do better. I like where we’re at. Yeah, we Charles Barkley after the game against the Golden State Warriors during Game One of the NBA Finals at lot of different positions and plays fast, you’ve got to lost but I think we figured some things out, and we’ll be Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. — AFP be vigilant every possession. better next game. “If anything, they remind me of us.” Warriors for- “Our rotation has got to be better. We’ve got to fly ward Draymond Green, who took the blame for Pascal around a little bit more. We can still play better and I it and once you feel it. are rooting against us because we beat all their Siakam’s 32-point performance for Toronto in the know we will.” But the Warriors also have a new appre- “So now that we got a feel for it, we know how to teams,” Green said. “When you’re at the top, no opener, vows a more aggressive style Sunday. “We can ciation for the Raptors’ speed. “They’re very fast, a lit- adjust. We know how important it is.” The Warriors one’s ever cheering for you to stay there. They want do a lot better in executing and there are some adjust- tle faster than it even looks on tape,” Green said. “They accept that all of Canada, and much of the United to see you fall. That’s just kind of the mind of most ments we can make,” Green said. “I have to be more definitely have a lot of speed. It’s different once you see States, want them dethroned. “People in the States human beings.” — AFP Grief as Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ Wilder says Fury star Reyes killed rematch to in car crash follow Ortiz bout LOS ANGELES: heavy- MADRID: Former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Spain star weight world champion Deontay Wilder said Jose Antonio Reyes has been killed in a car crash, his Friday that he has lined up a highly anticipated hometown club Sevilla said yesterday. He was 35. rematch with Britain’s , to take place Reyes shot to fame at Sevilla before a switch to after Wilder’s September rematch with Luis Ortiz. Arsenal where he was part of the unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ “Well, as I always say I’m the realest champion 2003-2004 Premier League winners, before spells at in the business and as I’ve mentioned before I Real and Atletico Madrid. UEFA announced they would must handle all my controversial fights ASAP. Luis hold a minute’s silence in his honour ahead of Ortiz is first, then Tyson Fury,” Wilder said on Saturday’s Champions League final between Tottenham Twitter, announcing a fight that fans have itched and Liverpool. for since he and Fury battled to a bruising split Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger signed Reyes decision draw in December in Los Angeles. on the back of Spain’s Under-19’s European champi- Fury was leading on the scorecards before he onships win where he played alongside Fernando was knocked down by Wilder in the 12th round. Torres and Andres Iniesta, and a dazzling series of The big Briton beat the count, but his second matches with Sevilla the following season. knockdown of the bout helped cost him a victory. Arsenal described the accident as “awful news”. Chances of a rematch seemed slim after Fury “Reyes was, of course, a member of the Invincibles,” signed with promoters Top Rank for his fights to Arsenal said on their website. “(He) made a significant : In this file photo taken on April 29, 2015 Sevilla’s forward Jose Antonio Reyes celebrates after scoring dur- be televised in America on ESPN. Wilder fights contribution to that unbeaten season.” ing the Spanish league football match SD Eibar vs Sevilla FC at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium in Eibar. —AFP for Premier Boxing Champions which deals with “Thanks for what you gave us, and rest in peace,” broadcasters Showtime and Fox. Arsenal said. He won Premier League and FA Cup Further details-such as date, venue and tele- medals at Arsenal and came on as a late substitute authorities in the town where his family live, Utrera, and Xinjian Tianshan in China, before arriving at caster-for Wilder-Fury II have yet to be con- when the Gunners lost the 2006 Champions League said Reyes died in an accident on the main road from Extremadura this year as a free agent. firmed, although multiple US outlets reported it final to Barcelona. Sevilla to Utrera. They said another member of his fam- “With broken hearts we announce the news of would be scheduled in the first quarter of 2020. But it was at Sevilla where the pain will be most ily also died and a third person was injured. our player Jose Antonio Reyes’ death in a car crash In the meantime, Wilder said he would focus on keenly felt. “We couldn’t be confirming worse news,” Spain captain , who is also from the and we ask for you to pray for his soul,” Ortiz. Wilder won his first encounter with the Sevilla said when breaking the news. “Beloved Sevilla province of , came through the youth team just Extremadura said. , who overlapped with Cuban with a 10th-round stoppage, but not star Jose Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic collision. after Reyes and later played with him at Real Madrid Reyes as a player at Sevilla and is now the club’s before the 40-year-old had badly shaken the Rest in peace,” Sevilla, where he spent two four-year also tweeted his grief. “Broken. Shattered,” wrote director of football, also tweeted his sadness and undefeated champion. spells, said on Twitter. Ramos. “I have no words. All the affection for the family. referred to wingback Antonio Puerta, who died of a “By no means I’m looking past Ortiz, He’s a He helped Sevilla win the Spanish second division in We will always remember you, my friend! RIP brother.” cardiac arrest playing for Sevilla in 2007. dangerous fighter but I am looking through him,” his first stint at the club. He won the Europa League Reyes played 21 times for Spain between 2003 and “Impossible news to believe, impossible to tweeted Wilder, who is unbeaten in 41 fights with five times, twice with Atletico Madrid and three times in 2006, scoring four goals. He also won domestic league digest, that hard my God,” wrote Monchi. “What a 40 knockouts and draw-against Fury. his second spell at Sevilla. titles with Real Madrid and Benfica. After leaving left flank you are going to make, Antonio and you, Fury, 27-0 with 1 draw and 19 knockouts, is The emergency services in and the Sevilla in 2016, Reyes played for Espanyol, Cordoba up there. — aFP scheduled to return to the ring against German Tom Schwarz on June 15, fighting for the first time in Las Vegas, Nevada. Caster Semenya, has lodged her own appeal Meanwhile, world champion South African against the CAS award with the request that Anthony Joshua weighed in more than 20 pounds Injury hit France edge past the IAAF regulations be wholly suspended lighter than challenger Andy Ruiz Jr. on Friday as federation joins pending the finalisation of the appeal,” the he prepares to make his US debut at Madison China in last warm up statement said. Square Garden. “ASA has informed the Swiss Federal The unbeaten Joshua, the WBA, IBF and WBO CRETEIL: France eked out victory in their final warm up for the Semenya appeal Court that insofar as it participated in the heavyweight champion, tipped the scales at 247.8 Women’s World Cup when they beat China 2-1 in Creteil in the Paris CAS arbitration and to the extent that Ms pounds (112.4 kilos) ahead of today’s bout against suburbs. France won without several of their regular starters, includ- Semenya is a registered member of the ASA, the lightly regarded Ruiz. Ruiz, who agreed to ing captain , striker Eugenie Le Sommer and a third over CAS verdict the federation wishes to be considered as an face Joshua at the 11th hour last month after orig- Lyon star . interested party in the stay proceedings, and inal opponent Jarrell Miller failed a drug test, in the appeal against the award and will file weighed in at a chunky 268 pounds. France open their campaign against South Korea on June 7 and CAPE TOWN: Athletics South Africa viewed China as presenting similar problems. China kick off their its appeal papers shortly. “Accordingly, ASA Joshua, who weighed 246 pounds for his last (ASA) said on Friday it had joined Caster wishes to confirm that it will participate in the fight against Alexander Povetkin in September, is campaign the next day against another European power, . Semenya’s appeal against the ruling that France took the lead after 30 minutes when striker Valerie Gauvin stay proceedings and in the appeal before the an overwhelming favourite to defeat Ruiz, who is currently prevents the double Olympic found herself in the right place after a shot from Marion Torrent was Swiss Federal Court.” 32-1. Bookmakers are offering odds of 1/20 for champion from running her preferred dis- blocked. After that the home team created few chances as China pre- Semenya, who previously took testos- Joshua to make Ruiz the 23rd victim of his career. tance races unless she takes testosterone- sented a tougher test than Thailand, who France beat 3-0 in their terone suppressants and saw her perform- Ruiz has shrugged off taunts about his physi- suppressant medication. previous match.Defender Wang Shanshan levelled after 52 minute, set ance level drop off before the IAAF rules cal conditioning, telling reporters this week he up by Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Wang Shuang. France’s best Semenya announced on Wednesday that were lifted, says she will not go through the was “chubby and short, but fast as lightning.” attacking player , a PSG left winger, rescued the she would appeal the Court of Arbitration for process again. Testosterone is a hormone “I’ve never been knocked out. I’m still young, 29, home team with an unstoppable shot six minutes later. Sport (CAS) ruling that supported the IAAF’s that increases muscle mass, strength and I’ve never been hurt and I’ve never been in a big “We responded well,” said French coach . “It’s rule that means XY chromosome athletes haemoglobin and the IAAF said its own war,” he said. “This is the hardest fight of my already better than last week,” she said. “And I hope it’s not as good with differences in sexual development research showed it gave a significant career but I know I will pull off an upset. as next week.” Henry added to France’s injury problems earlier in the (DSDs) can race in distances from 400m to a endurance advantage to athletes in the “I believe in my heart that we can win, and we day. “It was a surprise for me too, I must confess that I would have mile only if they take the medication and 400m-mile range. are going to win. It will be one of the biggest done without it this morning,” said Diacre. “She’s fine, she’s better, reach a reduced level. The CAS verdict was highly controver- upsets in the world. I can be the first one to stop she just locked her back this morning when she woke up. Semenya has asked the Swiss Federal sial, with many high-profile current and for- him. In America, you have to have a dream, and “Considering how she was walking, I think it would have been diffi- Supreme Court to set aside CAS’s decision, mer athletes lining up on both sides of the have the heart to pursue it. I am a family man and cult for her to run tonight.” which she said did not consider medical pro- debate. Semenya won her last competitive a nice guy but, inside the ring, I am an animal. AJ, Diacre went on to say that the injuries to Henry, Le Sommer and tocols and uncertain health consequences of 800 metre race at the Doha Diamond get ready, get prepared. Don’t underestimate or Majri suggest France could be paying for Lyon’s success in winning taking such medication. Athletics South League on May 3 and if she is unable to overlook me.” the Champions League. “There are three Lyon women, long season. Africa said in a statement that, once it had overturn the CAS verdict, or gain a suspen- Ruiz Jr is coming off three consecutive victo- Women who have played in every competition. We would have done received full details of the CAS award, it sion, she will not be able to defend her two- ries, defeating Germany’s Alexander Dimitrenko without it, but now we’re dealing with it.” — AFP would file its own appeal through Swiss lap title at the world championships in in five rounds in his last outing. — AFP lawyers. “ASA is aware that our athlete, Qatar in September. — Reuters