14 Established 1961 Sports Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Curry, Durant help Warriors pull away from Mavs, 133-103

Aldridge, Murray power Spurs past Raptors, 101-97

DALLAS: escaped a suspension from fourth career game of 20 or more points. He was pivotal the league on Monday night, then led the Golden State to the Heat’s effort in the fourth quarter, scoring on a Warriors to a 133-103 victory over the Dallas layup, a mid-range jumper and four free throws. Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Curry had to Ellington made 6 of 7 3-point tries in the second quar- wait until Monday afternoon to get a verdict from the ter, tying for a franchise record. In 1992-93, NBA office whether he would be allowed to play. Shaw made six 3-pointers in a quarter and 10 for the During Golden State’s 10-point loss at Memphis on game. Atlanta was led by Kent Bazemore (20 points), Saturday, he lost his cool and chucked his mouthpiece Taurean Prince (20 points) and John Collins (14 points, in the direction of the referee. Once he learned he 11 rebounds). would get only a fine, the two-time league MVP fin- ished with a game-high 29 points. He made up for cold 76ers 97, Pistons 86 3-point shooting (2 of 10) by going 13 of 13 from the Ben Simmons posted a triple-double in his fourth free-throw line to help the Warriors improve to 2-2 on career game, and Philadelphia collected its first win of the season. Kevin Durant finished with 25 points, eight the season by downing Detroit. Simmons, the top pick rebounds and six assists, and Klay Thompson added 21 in the 2016 draft, piled up 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 points for Golden State. Draymond Green had 10 assists. He missed all of last season after undergoing points, eight assists and foot surgery but has seven rebounds. double-doubles in each of his first four games. Grizzlies 98, Rockets Joel Embiid powered for 90 30 points and nine Mike Conley keyed a Memphis closed rebounds, and Robert 13-0 run in the fourth Covington added 13 quarter to help Memphis the game on points for Philadelphia. rally for a victory over Reggie Jackson led Houston. With the a 20-2 run Detroit with 16 points Rockets leading 88-78 and seven assists, and he just past the midpoint of added six rebounds. DALLAS: guard Stephen Curry (30) is chased by guard J.J. Barea (5) the fourth quarter, Avery Bradley supplied during the first half of an NBA game in Dallas, Monday. — AP Conley sandwiched two 15 points for the Pistons, 3-pointers around a and Andre Drummond three-point play from James Ennis III on which Conley contributed 14 points with 14 rebounds. provided the assists. The second Conley trey matched NBA result/standings the Grizzlies’ biggest lead at 94-90. Memphis closed Bucks 103, Hornets 94 the game on a 20-2 run. Marc Gasol paced the Grizzles scored 32 points and Chris Phoenix 117, Sacramento 115; Washington 109, Denver 104; Golden State 133, Dallas 103; San Antonio 101, Toronto 97; Memphis 98, (3-0) with 26 points. Conley added 17 points and four Middleton added 20 to lead Milwaukee to a victory Houston 90; Milwaukee 103, Charlotte 94; Miami 104, Atlanta 93; Philadelphia 97, Detroit 86. assists. Ennis chipped in a double-double with 14 points over Charlotte. Antetokounmpo surpassed 30 points for Eastern Conference Western Conference and 11 boards. Eric Gordon led Houston with 27 points the fourth time in four games this season. With 147 Atlantic Division Northwest Division and added seven assists. Backcourt partner James combined points in those games, he passed Hall of WLPCT GB Minnesota 2 1 .667 - Harden posted 22 points and eight assists but also reg- Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-who scored 146 to open Toronto 2 1 .667 - Utah 2 1 .667 - Brooklyn 2 1 .667 - istered a game-high seven turnovers. the 1972-73 season-for the most points through four Portland 2 1 .667 - Boston 1 2 .333 1 Denver 1 2 .333 1 games in franchise history. Mirza Teletovic hit five 3- Philadelphia 1 3 .250 1.5 Oklahoma City 1 2 .333 1 Spurs 101, Raptors 97 pointers to finish with 15 points as Milwaukee went 9 of NY Knicks 0 2 0 1.5 Pacific Division LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 points and Dejounte 26 from long distance and shot 47.1 percent overall. Central Division LA Clippers 2 0 1.000 - Murray added 16 points and 15 rebounds as San Frank Kaminsky hit three of his four 3-point shots and Milwaukee 3 1 .750 - Golden State 2 2 .500 1 Cleveland 2 1 .667 0.5 LA Lakers 1 2 .333 1.5 Antonio outlasted Toronto to remain unbeaten. led Charlotte with 18 points off the bench. Jeremy Lamb Detroit 2 2 .500 1 The score was tied at 85 with 5:55 to play before the added 17 points, and and former Bucks Phoenix 1 3 .250 2 Indiana 1 2 .333 1.5 Sacramento 1 3 .250 2 Chicago 0 2 0 2 Spurs used a 3-pointer, two Kyle player Johnny O’Bryant finished with 15 and 14, respec- Southwest Division Southeast Division Anderson baskets and a Green turnaround hook shot to tively. Memphis 3 0 1.000 - Washington 3 0 1.000 - forge a 9-0 run that staked them to a 94-85 lead with San Antonio 3 0 1.000 - Orlando 2 1 .667 1 Houston 3 1 .750 0.5 3:08 left. Green had 17 points for San Antonio, which Wizards 109, Nuggets 104 Miami 2 1 .667 1 played again without injured forward Kawhi Leonard Bradley Beal scored 20 points, John Wall had 19 Charlotte 1 2 .333 2 New Orleans 1 2 .333 2 and point guard Tony Parker. DeMar DeRozan led the points and 12 assists, and Washington beat Denver. Atlanta 1 3 .250 2.5 Dallas 0 4 0 3.5 Raptors and all scorers with 28 points. Serge Ibaka and Jr. added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the C.J. Miles added 13 points each. Jakob Poeltl had 10 unbeaten Wizards, who began their four-game Western Suns 117, Kings 115 Kings rookie De’Aaron Fox tied the game at 112 on an points and 12 rebounds for Toronto. Conference road trip with a solid performance. All five Marquese Chriss scored 19 points, and Mike James 8-foot floater with 58 seconds left. James, who had 18 Washington starters scored in double figures. Nikola put Phoenix ahead to stay on a basket with 14.1 sec- points and seven assists in his first start in place of the Heat 104, Hawks 93 Jokic broke out with 29 points and nine rebounds, and onds left as the Suns overcame two tumultuous days to departing Eric Bledsoe, hit a 5-foot bank shot to give Josh Richardson scored eight of his 21 points in the Paul Millsap had 17 points and eight rebounds for the hang on for their first win. The Suns led by as many as the Suns the lead for good. The win came a day after fourth quarter, and Wayne Ellington scored 19 of his 20 Nuggets, who struggled with ball control. Denver com- 22 points and were up by 11 with 3:08 to play in the Earl Watson was fired as head coach and hours after in the second quarter to lead Miami past Atlanta. mitted 24 turnovers — eight by Jokic-and lost despite game. However, five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter by Bledsoe was sent home after tweeting that he no longer Richardson, in his third year in the NBA, put up just his outshooting Washington 48.8 percent to 44 percent. Sacramento’s Garrett Temple keyed a 14-3 run, and wanted to play for the Suns. — Reuters

World Cup in Australia in 2008 so we want to turn that around,” Smith said last Australia week. “It’s a celebration of our game and Dodgers ace I think everyone who gets involved with this tournament and comes out and sees favourites to all the matches is going to be for a treat. Kershaw pitches “There is going to be some great foot- lift Rugby ball played and there are some wonder- ful players on show throughout this tour- in World Series nament so I can’t wait.” LOS ANGELES: In the Twilight Zone of World Cup October, the clock turns back at Dodger LOOSENED RULES Stadium. To the mound, to the moments that SYDNEY: The 15th edition of the rugby Given the heavy concentration of top defined World Series champions. Orel league World Cup gets underway in quality talent in Australia Hershiser, steely and standing tall. Fernando Melbourne on Friday with Australia and New Zealand combined with the Valenzuela, eyes to the sky. The great Sandy unbackable favourites to lift the trophy lack of elite competitions in almost all of Koufax, the very picture of pitching. And that and organisers banking on tweaked eli- the other nations, the international feder- brings us to Game 1 on Tuesday, when the Los gibility rules to increase the competi- ation has loosened the eligibility rules. Angeles Dodgers host the Houston Astros. Up tiveness of the tournament. With the aim of ensuring as much top on the bump, on baseball’s biggest stage, we The Kangaroos are a prohibitive 5-1 quality talent as possible will be on finally get to see Clayton Kershaw. on with the bookmakers to claim their show, players with dual eligibility but not Kershaw has done most everything an ace 11th title on Dec. 2 in the last of the 28 picked by one country can turn out for can accomplish - three Cy Young Awards, five matches played by 14 teams in 13 cities the other. The result is the likes of eight- ERA crowns, three strikeout titles, a seven- across Australia, New Zealand and cap Kangaroo Robbie Farah captaining a time All-Star who’s also won an MVP trophy Papua New Guinea. Lebanon team also featuring Parramatta and thrown a no-hitter. The strength of New Zealand, who Eels five eighth Mitchell Moses, future Now, against a backdrop of the San stunned the hosts to win the World Cup Kangaroo James Tedesco turning out for LOS ANGELES: Curtis Granderson #6, Justin Turner #10, Logan Forsythe #11 and Enrique Gabriel Mountains majestic at sunset, the lefty the last time it was held Down Under in Italy and Jarryd Hayne joining the Fiji Hernandez #14 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the field ahead of the World Series at Dodger and his Dodgers make their pitch for the ulti- 2008, usually adds the only shred of side. The biggest beneficiaries have been Stadium in Los Angeles.— AFP mate prize. “I think that’s the final piece for competitive respectability to the tourna- Tonga, who managed to persuade stand- him,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ment. England, who contributed to three out NRL forward to Said Kershaw: “Who knows how many World Cup triumphs for Great Britain in ditch the New Zealand side on the eve of Kershaw has excelled at times in October. He pitch it all goes away, at least for me.” times I’m going to get to go to the World the early days of the tournament, pro- the Kiwi squad announcement. hung tough in Washington last season in the As for soaking in the atmosphere, that’s not Series? I know more than anybody how hard vide Australia’s opponents in the open- Tonga coach Kristian Woolf has deciding Game 5 of the NL Division Series, his style. Not right now. “I think I’m just going it is to get there. So, I’m definitely not taking ing match and are the only other nation named a team rich with NRL talent for earning his only big league save. to try to win tomorrow and I’ll let it sink all in this one for granted.” To those Kershaw plays with a realistic hope of upsetting the co- their opener against Scotland in Cairns He threw six sharp innings last week in the when we win. And if we don’t do that, I’ll let it with, he’s got nothing left to prove. A model of hosts. The English were the only team to on Sunday, Taumalolo starting with 2013 clincher at Wrigley Field to dethrone the Cubs sink in when we lose,” he said. consistency, the Dodgers see him as money score any tries against the Australians World Cup winner , Will in the NL Championship Series. That made Kershaw is 3-2 against the Astros, dating to every time he takes the mound. four years ago when the Kangaroos won Hopoate, Michael Jennings and Daniel him 2-0 with a 3.63 ERA in three postseason when they were a National League team. It seems almost like an insult to many, in all of their matches and destroyed the Tupou in the backline. starts this year, although he was tagged for Houston star Jose Altuve is 6 for 15 lifetime off fact, to suggest anything otherwise. Yet there Kiwis 34-2 in the final. Taumalolo’s defection will certainly four home runs in a win over Arizona. a pitcher known for his sharp slider and pin- is that one nagging set of stats that can’t be Mal Meninga’s squad, while not quite add spice to Tonga’s final pool game in But a truly signature moment, that’s still point fastball. overlooked: 6-7 with an unsightly 4.40 ERA of the quality of the 2013 vintage, is Hamilton against a New Zealand side missing. His opponent in the World Series “He’s got every weapon you would fear,” in the playoffs. again replete with the cream of the already weakened by the absence of five opener, Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel, already Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s got some Now, it’s no shame to struggle in the post- (NRL). eighth Kieran Foran because of injury has a couple. Keuchel won the AL wild-card hardware on his shelf at home.” At 29, season. All-Stars Chris Sale, Corey Kluber and Unflappable hooker Cameron Smith and Jesse Bromwich for disciplinary rea- game at Yankee Stadium two years ago with Kershaw could walk away after this Series and Max Scherzer all got banged around this captains the side and with his sons. six shutout innings. He won the opener of this head straight to Cooperstown. He’s 144- 64 month. Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Randy and Melbourne Storm team England, who have a strong halves year’s ALCS, tossing seven brilliant innings vs. with a 2.36 ERA overall after going 18-4 with Johnson and Tom Glavine, for all of their many mates, halfback Cooper Cronk and full- combination in Gareth Widdop and Luke the visiting Yankees. a 2.31 ERA this year. accolades, each had losing records in the back Billy Slater, makes up a “big three” Gale, are mentored by wily former Kershaw, as always, is eager to get going. “All the individual stuff is great, but at the postseason. Those guys also helped pitch looking to wrap up an NRL, State of Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett, who “There’s always butterflies,” he said before end of the day I just want to win a World their teams to championships. Origin and World Cup treble. was taking the long view of the cam- Monday’s workout at Dodger Stadium. “I Series,” he said last week, adding with a smile, “You remember watching. You remember “The World Cup is huge for our game, paign ahead of Friday’s opener against think this time is when the butterflies and anx- “If we win, I might retire, so I might just call it who went to the World Series,” Kershaw said. we don’t have fond memories of the last Australia.—Reuters iousness is more so. Once you throw the first a career.” — AP