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P20 Layout 1 Mariners blank England put Rays faith in Rooney and youth TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 201416 17 Argentina primed to deliver in Brazil Page 19 SAN ANTONIO: Tim Duncan, No. 21 of the San Antonio Spurs and Chris Bosh, No. 1 of the Miami Heat battle for a rebound during Game Two of the 2014 NBA Finals at the AT&T Center. — AFP Heat level Finals series with Spurs SAN ANTONIO: LeBron James bounced back from the cramps to put some pressure towards the rim, and I caught Tim Duncan games, with Game Three set for Tuesday. ments.” San Antonio was hurt by poor foul shooting, hitting only that forced him out of the NBA Finals opener by scoring 35 points peeking at me a little bit. “I was able to find C.B. in the corner in All eyes were on James on Sunday to see if had recovered 12 of 20, including just two of six in the pivotal fourth quarter. to lead the Miami Heat to a 98-96 win over the San Antonio Spurs one of his favorite spots on the floor and he knocked it down.” from the leg cramps that sent him to the sidelines for most of the “We lost a game, we not going to hang out heads,” said Duncan, on Sunday and even the series at one game each. A foul shot by James and a Dwyane Wade lay-up with nine sec- fourth quarter on Thursday. He was misfiring early on Sunday, who scored 11 points in the opening quarter but only seven the James went both inside and outside to hit 14 of 22 shots, onds left gave the Heat a 98-93 lead before a three-pointer at the making just one of his first four shots and committing three rest of the way. “We’re going to regroup. We know we can play including all three from beyond the arc, grab 10 rebounds and buzzer by the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili made the score closer than it turnovers. But in the second quarter, he had 11 points, 14 more in better.” An electrical outage that caused the air conditioning to deliver a key assist down the stretch to secure the win. actually was. “LeBron with the ball did a great job at his end and the third, and eight in the fourth. He scored mostly inside in the quit at the AT&T Center on Thursday was repaired and there were “He carried us,” said Heat guard Ray Allen. “He made some big we had to be really pretty perfect at the other end and we first half before finding his jump shot in the second. no heat issues on Sunday. shots. I don’t think they had an answer for him and he got it going. (weren’t),” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “We didn’t take “In the first half, I got into the paint, made some shots, got James, who probably suffered the cramps on Thursday And we needed every bit of it.” advantage of things, we made bad decisions. some rebounds, put pressure on their defense,” said James. “In because the courtside temperatures reached close to 90 degrees With San Antonio leading 93-92 and giving their full attention “We didn’t do it as a group. We tried to do it individually and the second half they backed up off me and I shot it.” (32C), played only 37 minutes on Sunday. to James, the four-time NBA MVP delivered a nifty pass to Chris we’re not good enough to do that.” Tony Parker led San Antonio San Antonio guard Danny Green said James was making ‘con- The 29-year-old, 10-time All-Star said he did not want to Bosh, who nailed a three-pointer with 1:18 left. with 21 points, followed by Ginobili with 19 and Duncan with 18. tested jumpers’ but the Spurs failed to alter their defense. “We dwell on the issue. “Mentally I didn’t want to even think about “It was rewarding in that it was a huge play to help us win,” said The Spurs won the first game of the finals, 110-95, in San didn’t expect him to shoot that well but he got hot,” he said. it too much,” he said. “What happened on Thursday was James. “I just seen it develop the whole time, and I wanted to try Antonio and the series now shifts to Miami for the next two That’s what stars do in this league. You’ve got to make adjust- Thursday.” — Reuters Crane lifts Record-collector Classic Nadal reels in Federer’s haul MEMPHIS: Ben Crane became the first player in nine years to win a PGA Tour event without a birdie in the final round PARIS: When Roger Federer won his and an Australian Open trophy. as he limped to a one-stroke victory at the FedEx St. Jude 17th grand slam title in 2012, it seemed “I don’t really care that much about Classic in Memphis on Sunday. Crane did just enough to his record haul would last forever as it the records. I’ll still play with a lot of secure his fifth tour title, carding a three-over-par 73 at the took more than a century of trying for a intensity. I’ll still be motivated. “I’ll follow TPC Southwind. He had the luxury of bogeying the final super-human male athlete to come my own path. Then when my career is hole, tapping in from one foot to finish at 10-under 270, along and win that many major trophies. over, we’ll count.” while fellow American Troy Merritt (71) claimed second Yet only two years later, a younger, fit- That path will initially lead him to place on nine-under. ter, hungrier rival by the name of Rafa Wimbledon, where he desperately wants Crane, 38, collected $1.044 million but the victory did Nadal is now threatening to topple the to make amends for his shock first-round not earn him a spot in the U.S. Open which starts on Swiss from his perch after hoisting his defeat last year to 135th-ranked Belgian Thursday. Still he was delighted to win again after chang- 14th major silverware at Roland Garros Steve Darcis. ing his swing over the past year to help cope with a back on Sunday. As the Spaniard has now The switch from clay to grass in just problem. contested the last three slam finals it is two weeks proved to be a challenge too “It’s been a battle this year,” he told CBS television. “I’ve not inconceivable that by the time he for Nadal and his overworked knees in changed a lot of stuff and I didn’t know if I would get it returns to Paris next year to target a 10th 2013, especially as he was on the way back. This is a big surprise.” Musketeers’ Cup, his name could be back from a seven-month injury break. Crane, who led after every round, held a three-shot alongside Federer’s on the list of all-time Twelve months on an he is more opti- edge over Merritt after 54 holes and Merritt was the only leading title hoarders. mistic about his return to the home of player to exert any pressure in a final round devoid of dra- As the first man to win nine times at lawn tennis. “I want to try to play well ma. Merritt, ranked 805th in the world, got within one the same grand slam tournament and again in Wimbledon,” said the Spaniard, stroke after nine holes, but did not pick up a birdie on the with time still on his side, Nadal has who preserved his status as world num- back nine. Neither did Crane, who became the first player shown no signs of relinquishing his hold ber one by beating Novak Djokovic in since Justin Leonard in 2005, also in Memphis, to win with- at the French Open, where he owns an the French Open final. eye-popping 66-1 win-loss record. “I’m healthy. That’s the most impor- out a final round birdie. The tennis world may be obsessed tant thing.” “I hope my knee will have the Crane started Sunday perfectly with his first shot of the with finding out just how many more positive feeling on grass, because I feel day, chipping in for birdie at the seventh hole in the weath- trophies Nadal is capable of winning my knee is better than last year on the er-delayed third round. but the 28-year-old did not seem to rest of the surfaces. That was his only birdie all day. Phil Mickelson, mean- care a hoot about where he ended up “Grass always was a little bit harder while, tied for 11th, four strokes behind, matching his best in the pecking order. “Federer, well, for me after the injury. Last year I tried, result on the PGA Tour this year, though he tied for second he’s had 17 and I have had 14 grand but I was not ready to compete at on the European Tour in Abu Dhabi in January. slams... but I’m not really worried. It’s Wimbledon. “Let’s see how my feelings Mickelson needs to win the US Open at Pinehurst, North not a source of motivation for me,” are there this year, but it’s a very impor- Carolina, to complete the career Grand Slam of all four MEMPHIS: Ben Crane poses with the trophy after winning the FedEx St.
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