Established 1961 25 Sports Tuesday, October 16, 2018 Warriors seek more NBA glory as title-hungry rivals lurk Stare Warriors to open 2018-19 NBA campaign against Oklahoma City WASHINGTON: Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player nine in all from 1957-1966, is the only NBA squad to Stephen Curry will enjoy watching the Golden State reach five consecutive NBA Finals-a feat the Warriors hoist another championship banner today Warriors can achieve this season. The Houston when they open the 2018-19 NBA campaign against Rockets, who pushed the Warriors to seven games in Oklahoma City. last season’s Western Conference finals, and the But the 3-point sharpshooter doesn’t need to look to Boston Celtics, bringing back injured stars Kyrie the rafters to know the Warriors remain the team to Irving and Gordon Hayward to a team that was one beat as they begin the quest for a third consecutive win from last season’s Eastern Conference crown, NBA title and fourth crown in five seasons. figure to lead a pack of rivals who ache for a chance “I’m still glowing,” Curry said. “The glow won’t wear to play for the championship. down until you get beat.” The Warriors boast three oth- “To be honest, it’s fun,” Curry said of wearing the er All-Stars in two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable target for every NBA rival. “No matter if it’s a Tuesday Player Kevin Durant, defensive stalwart Draymond night at home or a back-to-back in some random East Green and Curry’s backcourt partner Klay Thompson- Coast city, you’re going to be tested and you can’t just plus a fifth in injured center DeMarcus Cousins, signed sleepwalk through stuff. in July but still sidelined after left Achilles tendon sur- “We’ve been exposed at times in terms of when gery in January. we’re not extremely locked in that we can be beat. But Working Cousins into the lineup once he returns when we are focused and in tune with each other, could add some zest to the regular season for Golden understanding what we’re trying to do to be successful, State, which has so far avoided letting repetitive domi- obviously we’re tough.” nation lead to complacency. “That’s the thing I’m most No one knows that better than the Rockets, who proud of with our team,” Curry said. “We’re talented won a league-best 65 games last season behind NBA and all that, but the work that goes into it, the mental Most Valuable Player and scoring champion James approach to turn the page, has been there the last three Harden. Houston led Golden State 3-2 in the West finals years. “You work so hard to earn the right to be proud before Chris Paul suffered an injured hamstring and SAN JOSE: File photo shows Quinn Cook #4 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against the Los of yourself at the end of the summer.” missed the last two games, both won by the Warriors to Angeles Lakers during a pre-season game on October 12, 2018 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. —AFP reach the NBA Finals, where they swept Cleveland for ‘CAN’T JUST SLEEPWALK’ the crown. Golden State will try to become the first team since West to Golden State’s supremacy after adding 10-time out what that answer is.” the 2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers to win three con- ‘WE’VE GOT AN ANSWER’ All-Star Carmelo Anthony to the lineup. The Celtics have some sorting to do as well in an secutive NBA titles and join the 1950s Minneapolis While four-time NBA MVP LeBron James left “We’re trying to win a championship. The margin East up for grabs with James gone from Cleveland. Lakers and 1960s Boston Celtics as the only clubs to Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s unlikely to for error is very little,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni Toronto added Kawhi Leonard and Philadelphia offers win four titles in five years. lift them from 35 wins to title contenders in a season, said. “With this team, the depth we have, I think we’ve young star talent but Boston figures to be the best in The Celtics dynasty, with eight titles in a row and leaving the Rockets to again offer the best threat in the got an answer for everything. We’ve just got to figure the East. — AFP Bradley’s 3-run double helps Red Sox even ALCS Papalii gets surprise nod for BOSTON: Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a go-ahead, bases- clearing double with two outs in the third inning, and the All Blacks tour Boston Red Sox evened the American League Championship Series at one game apiece with a 7-5 vic- tory over the visiting Houston Astros on Sunday night. WELLINGTON: The All Blacks named Game 3 is today in Houston. Andrew Benintendi and uncapped flanker Dalton Papalii yesterday in a Rafael Devers had RBI singles in the opening inning off 32-man squad for a Test against Australia in Gerrit Cole (0-1) before Bradley’s key hit two innings lat- Japan and their tour involving matches against er. “I mean, he’s been doing that for a while,” Boston England, Ireland and Italy. manager Alex Cora said of Bradley. “Got to the point Papalii, who turned 21 last week, the only new- during the season that we had to actually take him out of comer in the squad, gets his chance after Sam the lineup for three, four, five days during the week- BOSTON: George Springer #4 of the Houston Astros slides safely into second base in the ninth inning against the Cane fractured a vertebra in the All Blacks’ win actually right before we went to Houston. Boston Red Sox during Game Two of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on Sunday in over South Africa earlier this month. The young “And he worked on his craft. He found a few things that Boston, Massachusetts. — AFP openside signed for Auckland this year and has he really liked about his swing. Seems like now he under- enjoyed a strong domestic season, leading the stands who he is as a hitter. There’s not too many hard-hit competition tackle count with his team top of the ground balls into his shift. He’s staying through it.” by getting the next four outs. Ryan Brasier retired Yuli slapped a single to left. ladder. Mookie Betts scored on Benintendi’s hit and also Gurriel with tying run on base to end a scoreless sev- The Astros tied the game in the second when “He has played outstanding rugby this year scored an insurance run in the seventh on the second enth, and Rick Porcello struck out two in a perfect Springer doubled down the right field line past Pearce’s and deserves his opportunity,” All Blacks coach passed ball of the inning by catcher Martin Maldonado. eighth. dive at first base. Gonzalez made it 4-2 when he hit Steve Hansen said. The squad also included the He added an RBI double in the eighth off Hector Rondon. Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel allowed a two-out Price’s full-count fastball off an advertisement above the return of a number of senior players, including Houston’s George Springer extended his postseason double to Springer in the ninth. Springer took third on a Monster seats with two outs in the third. hooker Dane Coles, lock Brodie Retallick, loose hitting streak to 11 games with two hits, including a two- wild pitch and scored on Jose Altuve’s single off the Gonzalez nearly exited the game in the bottom of the forward Liam Squire and prop Joe Moody. run double. Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run homer for Green Monster, but Kimbrel got the save when third when he crashed into the Green Monster attempt- The All Blacks will face Australia in Yokohama the Astros, who host the next three games after losing Benintendi made a twisting catch in front of the wall on ing to catch Pearce’s fly ball that went for a double. He on October 27, England at Twickenham on for the first time in this year’s postseason. Alex Bregman’s fly ball to left. crashed to the ground, was attended to by a trainer for a November 10, Ireland in Dublin on November 17 Boston left-hander David Price remained winless as a Cole allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in six few minutes and stayed in the game. and Italy in Rome on November 24. Hansen also starter in the postseason. In his 11th career playoff start, innings. “I thought he was a little over-amped,” Houston Hinch said of Gonzalez, “He got back to the wall. He’s named a 19-man squad to gather ahead of the he allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Price manager A.J. Hinch said of Cole. “He was pretty excited. played a couple of balls off this wall almost like a home Test against Japan in Tokyo on November 3, a exited to a nice hand from the crowd after issuing two A lot of energy. Wasn’t making a ton of pitches. And then player. He’s pretty good out there. He banged his back, week after the match against the Wallabies. walks in the fifth, and it was the first time his team won he found it.