THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 SPORTS Bayern’s captain Lahm drops retirement hint BERLIN: Philipp Lahm, Germany’s World contract until 2018, but admitted he at the very highest level and to recog- both the Club World Cup and UEFA based on any titles, more like how my Cup-winning captain and Bayern might hang up his boots in June 2017. nise when it is the right time to end my Super Cup in 2013. body feels and then decide how to con- Munich’s current skipper, hinted that he “I wouldn’t rule it out,” Lahm, who career.” Lahm has won every possible Bundesliga leaders Bayern are on tinue,” he added. In the past, Lahm has may retire from football at the end of the turns 33 on Friday, told magazine Sport domestic major title with Bayern, whom course to win a fifth straight German said he wants to stay in football when season. Bild. “I said nine months ago that it could he first joined in 1995 as a 12-year-old. league title this season, but Lahm says his career is over and Bayern chairman Lahm stepped down from interna- happen and nothing has changed since He lifted the 2013 Champions League any further silverware will not influence Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said they tional football after leading Germany to then. trophy and has also claimed seven his decision. will find a role for him when he finally the 2014 World Cup and has a Bayern “I want to be able to measure myself Bundesliga titles, six German Cups and “I definitely won’t make a decision retires. —AFP Rosberg one win away from his first title SAO PAULO: Win in Brazil on Sunday, win he wins in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, but needs the Formula One title: Nico Rosberg’s task no reminding that it is not over until it’s sounds simple enough but is a lot harder to over. Reliability, or lack of, can swing the achieve. momentum either way and Mercedes will The German is one step away from be doing all they can to ensure both drivers securing his first championship, which he have no mechanical issues. will do if he wins at Interlagos regardless of The memory of his first championship where Mercedes team mate, triple champi- with McLaren in 2008, secured in Brazil on and title rival Lewis Hamilton finishes. with an overtake on the last corner of the The odds are in Rosberg’s favour-he has last lap just when it seemed local favourite won for the past two seasons from pole Felipe Massa had clinched the title, is position in Sao Paulo whereas the anti- always there. clockwise circuit has yet to reward “It’s an unusual scenario to be in-fight- Hamilton with a victory. ing for something and not knowing for And yet the pressure of being within sure that what you do will guarantee you’re touching distance of a lifelong dream can able to make it,” said Hamilton. “One out- play on the mind, and increase the pres- come would be painful and the other sure, while the fickle Sao Paulo weather can would be a great achievement. wreak havoc with the best laid plans. “Regardless, I’m going to keep pushing. Last year, Hamilton had already won the Since the beginning of my Formula One title and his focus was elsewhere. This time career I’ve seen that everything can change he comes on the back of two successive even at the very last moment, so you have wins and, like Rosberg, seeking a hat-trick. to fight to the bitter end. I’ve never won in Another win for the Briton would take Brazil, so I go into this weekend focused on the battle down to the wire at Abu Dhabi’s changing that.” Yas Marina and, if Rosberg were to fail to Away from the title battle, both score in Brazil, a potential ‘winner takes all’ Mercedes drivers will have to watch out for scenario. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Max “I’ll wait until the end of the year,” said Verstappen and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Kimi Raikkonen. when asked whether he felt Rosberg Vettel must also watch his language, looked a ‘fairly safe bet’. after turning the air blue in Mexico with his Rosberg will not be changing his ‘one radio rants. Massa meanwhile will soak up race at a time’ approach. the atmosphere one last time, with Sunday “There are still two races to go and any- being his home farewell before retirement thing can happen in this sport, so I need to from Williams. focus my energy on the factors that I have McLaren’s Jenson Button will also be in my control,” he said. making what could be his last appearance Hamilton is in unfamiliar territory, with at the track where he won the 2009 cham- the title outcome out of his hands even if pionship. — Reuters CLEVELAND: Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, right, spins towards the basket as Atlanta Hawks’ Thabo Sefolosha (25) defends during the sec- ond half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Tuesday. The Hawks won 110-106. — AP Cavaliers beaten by Hawks CLEVELAND: Dennis Schroder scored a career- high 28 points as Atlanta handed reigning NBA NBA results/standings champion Cleveland its first loss of the season, 110-106 on Tuesday. Cleveland (6-1) cut a 96-81 Atlanta 110, Cleveland 106; Brooklyn 119, Minnesota 110; Memphis 108, Denver 107; Portland deficit early in the fourth quarter to 101-97 on 124, Phoenix 121; Dallas 109, LA Lakers 97; Sacramento 102, New Orleans 94. LeBron James’ basket with 3:14 to play. The Hawks scored the next six points, but 3-pointers Eastern Conference Western Conference by James and Kyrie Irving made it 106-103 with Atlantic Division Northwest Division 48 seconds left. Kent Bazemore scored 25 points W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 6 1 .857 - while Paul Millsap added 21. Dwight Howard, Toronto 4 2 .667 - Portland 5 3 .625 1.5 who received four stitches for a bloody lip in the Boston 3 3 .500 1 Utah 5 3 .625 1.5 Brooklyn 3 4 .429 1.5 Denver 3 4 .429 3 first half, had 17 rebounds. Kyrie Irving led NY Knicks 2 4 .333 2 Minnesota 1 5 .167 4.5 Nico Rosberg Cleveland with 29 points. Kevin Love added 24 Philadelphia 0 6 0 4 while LeBron James, who scored two points in Pacific Division the first half, had 23. Central Division Cleveland 6 1 .857 - LA Clippers 6 1 .857 - Unbeatens Kovalev, Ward NETS 119, TIMBERWOLVES 110 Detroit 4 3 .571 2 Golden State 5 2 .714 1 Brook Lopez scored 26 points as Brooklyn Chicago 4 3 .571 2 LA Lakers 4 4 .500 2.5 face Vegas title showdown kept Minnesota winless on the road. Trevor Milwaukee 4 3 .571 2 Sacramento 4 5 .444 3 Booker added 15 points and Sean Kilpatrick had Indiana 3 4 .429 3 Phoenix 2 6 .250 4.5 LOS ANGELES: Former world champion ago before a hometown crowd in Oakland, 14 for the Nets. Andrew Wiggins scored a career- Andre Ward says the winner of next week’s California. “It’s surreal,” Ward said. “Fighting high 36 points for the Wolves, making a career- Southeast Division Southwest Division showdown of unbeatens between himself as a young kid we never got too caught up best six 3-pointers. Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 Charlotte 5 1 .833 - San Antonio 5 2 .714 - and world light-heavyweight champion in ourselves. I get a little scared to look points, but scoring wasn’t the problem for Atlanta 5 2 .714 0.5 Houston 4 3 .571 1 Sergey Kovalev should be seen as boxing’s back on what we’ve accomplished and rel- Minnesota. Orlando 3 4 .429 2.5 Memphis 4 4 .500 1.5 Miami 2 4 .333 3 pound-for-pound king. ish it because the clock is still ticking. I’m Dallas 2 5 .286 3 Washington 1 5 .167 4 “It would be really hard to go against still going. I’ve got to show up and do what GRIZZLIES 108, NUGGETS 107 New Orleans 0 8 0 5.5 that, based on both our resumes and us I’m still doing. When I do peek back, just for Marc Gasol scored on an inbounds pass from stepping up and being willing to fight,” a split second, it’s overwhelming.” Vince Carter at the buzzer to lift Memphis. Gasol entered the game late in the opening quarter, season with eight straight losses, matching the Ward said Tuesday on an international con- Ward, who held a share of the world had 19 points for the Grizzlies, who had lost two missed the first eight games, serving a suspen- 2004-05 team for the worst start in franchise his- ference call. “The winner of this fight super middleweight crown from 2009 to straight, while Zach Randolph added 16. sion for a domestic violence incident in the sum- tory. Rookie guard Buddy Hield had 12 of his 14 should be pound-for-pound number one.” 2013, says the fight will go beyond easy Emmanuel Mudiay had 23 points and Danilo mer. Anthony Davis had 34 points and eight points in the fourth quarter and E’Twaun Moore The November 19 matchup in Las Vegas labels of Kovalev as a big puncher and Gallinari added 21 for the Nuggets. rebounds for the Pelicans, who have started the added 13.