SPORTS SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2014 Photo of the day Clippers silence Jazz SALT LAKE CITY: Blake Griffin had 20 points and Chris Paul shook off a sprained ankle to score 18 points to rally the Los SUNS 87, CELTICS 80 Angeles Clippers past the Utah Jazz 96-87 on Friday, extending Goran Dragic scored 20 points as Phoenix scored the last sev- their winning streak to 10 straight games. en points of the game to beat cold-shooting Boston. Los Angeles had its lowest points total during the streak, but After Jeff Green’s two free throws for Boston made it 80-80 the Clippers won this time with defense, forcing 20 turnovers by with 2:02 left, Alex Len started the decisive spurt with a three- the Jazz that led to 31 points. point play on a tip-in and a free throw. The Suns finished the The Jazz led 70-60 in the third-quarter, but the Clippers capi- scoring with a dunk by Markieff Morris and a layup by Dragic. talized on a rash of Utah miscues and poor shot selection to go Eric Bledsoe had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Morris on a 20-2 run. Paul landed awkwardly after a layup, spraining his added 15 points for Phoenix, which ended a three-game losing left ankle. The point guard limped up and down the court, but streak and moved one game behind Memphis for the eighth still led the Clippers’ come-from-behind-third quarter burst. He and final Western Conference playoff spot. Kris Humphries had had seven points and three assists in the six-minute run that 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who lost for the 10th ended with Will Green’s 3-pointer with 10:37 to play that made it time in 13 games. 80-72. TRAIL BLAZERS 111, PELICANS 103 PACERS 101, 76ERS 94 Damian Lillard scored 27 points and Nicolas Batum added 22 Paul George scored 25 points and David West had 18 to help as Portland ended a four-game skid while playing without All- Indiana beat Philadelphia, sending the 76ers to their 19th Star LaMarcus Aldridge. Wesley Matthews had 20 points for the straight loss. With a loss to Memphis on Saturday, the Sixers can Trail Blazers, who kept Aldridge out of the game due to a back tie the franchise record for consecutive defeats in a single sea- contusion. Anthony Davis scored a career-high 36 points and son. The Sixers lost 20 straight games in 1973 in a 9-73 season. Brian Roberts added 19 for New Orleans. The NBA record for consecutive losses in a season is 26 set by Trailing by five with less than six minutes to go, Lillard went the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers. on a personal 7-0 run to give Portland the lead for good at 96-94. A competitor performs during Red Bull Be-One at Phoenix Park in Pyeong Chang, The Sixers last won on Jan. 29 on Evan Turner’s buzzer-beater South Korea on March 1, 2014. — www.redbullcontentpool.com at Boston. Turner was traded to the Pacers at the Feb. 20 dead- CAVALIERS 103, WARRIORS 94 line and is now a key reserve on a team expected to make a Spencer Hawes had 22 points and 13 rebounds to help deep run in the NBA playoffs. Thaddeus Young led the Sixers Cleveland erase an 18-point first-half deficit on the way to a vic- with 25 points and 10 assists. tory over Golden State. Dion Waiters added 18 points and Luol Deng and Kyrie Irving had 16 apiece for the Cavaliers, who end- England rout Italy 52-11, NUGGETS 111, HEAT 107 ed a six-game losing streak against the Warriors. Stephen Curry Kenneth Faried scored 24 points and Darrell Arthur led a big scored 27 points and Draymond Green added 18 for the effort from Denver’s bench with 18 as Denver handed suddenly Warriors, who were without starting guard Klay Thompson, who chase 6 Nations title reeling Miami its fifth loss in six games. Evan Fournier scored 14, was in the Bahamas for his grandfather’s funeral. — AP Ty Lawson had 13 and JJ Hickson added 11 for the Nuggets. Denver’s reserves scored 57 points. ROME: Owen Farrell accounted for 22 Ray Allen scored 22 points for Miami, which fell three games points and Mike Brown added two tries as behind Indiana in the race for the No. 1 Eastern Conference seed NBA results/standings England stated its case for the Six Nations in the playoffs. LeBron James scored 21 points and Dwyane title with a convincing 52-11 win over Italy Charlotte 105, Minnesota 93; Washington 105, Orlando yesterday at the Stadio Olimpico. Wade added 19 for the Heat, who turned the ball over 20 times “We scored some great tries and we’ve and shot 7 for 24 from 3-point range. It was only the fifth win for 101 (OT); Indiana 101, Philadelphia 94; Toronto 99, come here and scored 50, and not many Denver in its last 18 games. Memphis 86; Phoenix 87, Boston 80; Denver 111, Miami teams have done that,” England coach 107; Portland 111, New Orleans 103; San Antonio 119, LA Stuart Lancaster said. “There were some SPURS 119, LAKERS 85 Lakers 85; LA Clippers 96, Utah 87; Cleveland 103, Golden errors in the first half, but I’m just proud of Danny Green had 15 points as San Antonio won its ninth State 94. the boys. It’s a great squad we’ve got straight and handed the Lakers their largest defeat in their long- developing and the bigger picture is time rivalry. San Antonio never trailed after the opening four Eastern Conference important.” The title will be decided after minutes, allowing coach Gregg Popovich to limit his starters and Atlantic Division Ireland’s match at France later, with Manu Ginobili to an average of 17 minutes. W L PCT GB England cheering for the French, who The Spurs had five reserves score in double-figures, led by Toronto 37 27 .578 - have little chance needing a massive win. Matt Bonner’s 13 points and 10 rebounds. San Antonio (49-16) Brooklyn 33 30 .524 3.5 Ireland can claim the title if it wins by any maintained the league’s best record ahead of Indiana and NY Knicks 26 40 .394 12 margin. “It’s uncontrollable for us,” Oklahoma City, who are both 48-17. Pau Gasol had 18 points Boston 22 44 .333 16 Lancaster said. “Obviously it would be nice and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles, which has lost five of six. to win it. But if Ireland go to France and Philadelphia 15 50 .231 22.5 win, well, then they deserve it.” WIZARDS 105, MAGIC 101 Central Division Farrell’s points came courtesy of one John Wall had 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Indiana 48 17 .738 - ROME: Italy’s Matias Aguero (right) clears the ball next to England’s Sergio try, one penalty and seven conversions. overtime and Trevor Ariza added 21 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago 36 29 .554 12 Parisse (center) during the Six Nations International rugby union match. — AFP Leonardo Sarto scored Italy’s only try late Washington beat Orlando in overtime. The victory ends the Cleveland 26 40 .394 22.5 in the second half after Luciano Orquera Wizards’ seven-game road losing streak to the Magic. Bradley Detroit 25 40 .385 23 converted two penalties early on. Having Beal added 20 points before being helped off the court with an Milwaukee 13 52 .200 35 lost all five of its matches in this year’s tour- Boshoff boot gives injury in overtime. Marcin Gortat finished with 19 points and 14 Southeast Division nament, Italy took the wooden spoon. “We rebounds. Tobias Harris had 21 points and Arron Afflalo finished Miami 44 19 .698 - started this tournament well and we fin- Washington 34 31 .523 11 ished negatively,” Italy coach Jacques Auckland the blues with 18 to lead the Magic. Orlando has now lost five in a row and Charlotte 32 34 .485 13.5 Brunel said, referring to a narrow opening 11 of their last 14. loss at Wales. “We’re behind in terms of JOHANNESBURG: Marnitz Boshoff con- dotted down and a simple conversion Atlanta 28 35 .444 16 what our goals were.”On a perfect spring- tinued a fairy tale first Super 15 season by replacement fly-half Chris Hickey left RAPTORS 99, GRIZZLIES 86 Orlando 19 48 .284 27 like day in the Italian capital, there were with 24 points for Golden Lions in a 39- just three points between the sides. Jonas Valanciunas scored a season-high 23 points and Kyle Western Conference large sections of white-clad England sup- 36 victory over Auckland Blues yester- The Blues did have a chance to Lowry had 22 points and 12 assists as Toronto won for the 11th Northwest Division porters inside the soldout stadium. But it day. The fly-half kicked four penalties, snatch victory when they gained pos- time in 14 games. Greivis Vasquez scored 17 points, DeMar Oklahoma City 48 17 .738 - was Italy who scored first, with a penalty three conversions and two drop goals at session from the kick-off after Marshall DeRozan had 16 and Amir Johnson 12 as the Atlantic Division- Portland 43 23 .652 5.5 from Orquera six minutes in after England sunny Ellis Park in Johannesburg to raise scored in the final minute.