SPORTS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2013 Hugo Lloris fears Suarez factor could derail Spurs LONDON: Hugo Lloris admits Luis Suarez presents north London club that the season is back on track “It’s important to get a good result against him a clear indication of what his team can aim for the biggest barrier to Tottenham’s efforts to contin- but French goalkeeper Lloris knows they must Liverpool and to get the win because there is only this season. ue their recent revival with victory over Liverpool cope with the threat of Suarez, the top-flight’s in- three points difference between them and us.” The Reds head into the weekend second in the today. Andre Villas-Boas’ Spurs side have recovered form striker who has scored 15 times already this Villas-Boas must decide whether to recall striker table after 15 matches and they trail leaders impressively from the shock of losing 6-0 at season. “They have a very good team with a superb Roberto Soldado, who pressed his claims with a Arsenal by five points. After the trip to White Hart Manchester City and will face the Reds at White striker in Suarez,” Lloris said. hat-trick in the 4-1 midweek Europa League victory Lane, Rodgers’ team host Cardiff before travelling Hart Lane knowing victory will bring them level on “It’s true that, at the moment, maybe he’s the over Anzhi Makhachkala after being replaced by to Manchester City and Chelsea to finish off 2013. points with Brendan Rodgers’ team. Since the City best player in the Premier League, but we have to Jermain Defoe in the last two Premier League line- The three away matches are against teams that defeat, which came on the back of a home loss to show good resilience when we come up against ups. have a minimum expectation of finishing in the top Newcastle, Spurs have won four and drawn one to him and against the team as a whole. “You know Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen is in con- four and Rodgers is looking forward to measuring haul themselves back into contention in the when you play against a great player that you have tention after returning against Anzhi after a his own side against tough opposition. Premier League title race and wrap up qualification to expect anything at any moment, so we just have month’s absence with an ankle injury. Meanwhile, “There are four games from Tottenham away to to the Europa League knock-out stages. to make sure that we remain focused and concen- Liverpool manager Rodgers believes the trip to Chelsea away, which takes us to the end of the year Another victory would enhance belief at the trate on our game. Tottenham starts a run of four games that will give and the 19-game mark,” Rodgers said.—AFP Gordon leads Pelicans past Grizzlies, 104-98 NEW ORLEANS: Eric Gordon made 10 of 12 shots on his way to 25 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans won their second straight game, 104-98 over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. Jrue Holiday added 20 points and 12 assists, hitting a clutch 3-pointer in the final minute to give New Orleans some breathing room after the Pelicans’ 19-point, fourth- quarter lead was trimmed to six with nearly five minutes remaining. Ryan Anderson scored 18 for New Orleans, which also benefited from a season-low six turnovers. However, New MUNICH: Bayern’s Thiago Alcantara of Spain, left, and Hamburg’s Milan Badelj challenge for the ball during the Orleans lost Tyreke Evans for the second half after aggra- German first division Bundesliga soccer match between FC vated a left ankle sprain that first occurred late last week. Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV in Munich, Germany, Jon Leuer scored 19 and Mike Conley 18 for Memphis, yesterday. — AP which has lost two straight. Zach Randolph added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who were done in by a 21-3 Pelicans run that started in the last half of the third quarter. Moyes wants The Grizzlies were as close as 63-62 on Kosta Koufos’ 6- foot runner halfway through the third quarter, but Randolph went to the bench with his fourth foul soon faltering United after. New Orleans then started to dominate, going on a 21-3 run that gave the Pelicans their largest lead at 84-65 early in the fourth quarter. to narrow focus The surge included Gordon’s layup and 27-footer with a second left in the third quarter. Gordon, who hit all three BIRMINGHAM: Manager David Moyes wants of his 3-point shots, hit from long range early in the fourth Manchester United to clear their minds of title quarter to make it 87-70 with 10 minutes left. NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Pelicans small forward Al-Farouq Aminu, top left, watches his shot go through the basket Memphis nearly had an answer, though. Mike Miller’s as Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph, right, pursues in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New talk as they look to avoid losing three successive Orleans, Friday. — AP Premier League games for the first time since free throws began a 15-3 run, which he capped with a 3 to 2001. United travel to Aston Villa today for a cut it to 94-88 with 4:53 still left. New Orleans called time- with a 103-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Detroit (11-13) league fixture that they have not lost since 1995, out soon after, and when the game resumed, Gordon hit a led by 21 early in the fourth and survived the Nets’ (8-15) 20-foot jumper, Holiday followed with a 9-foot floater, Al- NBA results/standings but with the champions already 13 points behind late surge. Nets power forward Kevin Garnett grabbed his Farouq Aminu sank a pair of clutch free throws and Holiday 14,000th rebound during the third quarter, becoming the leaders Arsenal, their grip on the title is weaken- connected from 3. That put New Orleans ahead 103-93 ing. 10th player in league history to reach that mark. He is only Indiana 99, Charlotte 94; Cleveland 109, Orlando 100; with 54 seconds left, and Memphis could not recover. the third player to have 25,000 points, 14,000 rebounds Toronto 108, Philadelphia 100; Atlanta 101, Washington However, Moyes believes that discussing the Memphis shot 75 percent during the first 10 minutes of 99 (OT); Boston 90, NY Knicks 86; Detroit 103, Brooklyn 99; possibility of closing the gap and winning a 21st and 5,000 assists, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl the game, allowing them to open an early 32-24 lead on Malone. New Orleans 104, Memphis 98; Oklahoma City 122, LA league title has to stop until they get back in the Tony Allen’s finger roll even as New Orleans shot better Lakers 97; Chicago 91, Milwaukee 90; San Antonio 117, mix with the other contenders. than 50 percent. The lead grew to 10 when Jerryd Bayless’ Minnesota 110; Utah 103, Denver 93; Phoenix 116, Thunder 122, Lakers 97 Sacramento 107; Houston 116, Golden State 112. “The gap is bigger than we would like it to be,” driving layup made it 40-30. Forward Kevin Durant scored 31 points to lead the he said. “We would like to be closer. We can only The gap remained about the same until Holiday’s 3 with Oklahoma City Thunder to an easy 122-97 victory over Eastern Conference do one game at a time. Let’s look at it later on 4:05 left in the period sparked a 10-0 run that included a 3 the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant added eight rebounds, Atlantic Division next year and let us see if we can answer the and layup by Anderson, the latter giving New Orleans a 49- five assists and four steal in 31 minutes of action. Guard W L PCT GB question better then. “This club expected to win 48 lead. Evans, who’d been playing on a sore left ankle, Russell Westbrook flirted with a near triple double as he Boston 11 14 .440 - all the games. That is the fact and that is why if reinjured himself on a drive in the final seconds of the half, collected 19 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds. The Toronto 8 13 .381 1 but was able to hobble back to the free throw line and Lakers (10-12) got 14 points and seven rebounds from Brooklyn 8 15 .348 2 you lose one or two then things get said. I knew Philadelphia 7 17 .292 3.5 that was the situation before I got the job, I make two foul shots to give the Pelicans a 55-54 lead head- center Pau Gasol while guard Kobe Bryant handed out 13 ing into the locker room. NY Knicks 6 16 .273 3.5 understand that. points but scored only four. Oklahoma City (18-4) moved Central Division “There are a lot of games we can get points in, to 11-0 at home. Indiana 20 3 .870 - Pacers 99, Bobcats 94 Detroit 11 13 .458 9.5 but we need to go and do it, not talk about it. We Lance Stephenson scored 20 points to help the Indiana need to make sure it happens on the field.” United Spurs 117, Timberwolves 110 Chicago 9 12 .429 10 Pacers defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 99-94. Stephenson Cleveland 9 13 .409 10.5 will be without striker Robin van Persie, who has Point guard Tony Parker had 29 points and six assists to made nine of 14 field goals and had 11 rebounds and sev- lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 117-110 win over the Milwaukee 5 18 .217 15 been ruled out for a month with a thigh strain.