Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Thursday 8 March 2018
NBA Roundup

Rockets beat

Thunder 122-112

for 16th straight win

By The Associated Press snapping its first three-
Oklahoma City - Chris Paul game losing streak of the
scored 25 points and the season.
Houston Rockets beat the Tomas Satoransky added
Oklahoma City Thunder 19 points and Markieff Mor-
122-112 on Tuesday night ris had 16 points and 13
for their 16th straight win. rebounds. Morris' baseline
James Harden had 23 3-pointer off Beal's feed
points and 11 assists, and made it 113-109 with 1:06
Trevor Ariza added 15 left in overtime.
points for the Rockets, who The fifth-place Wizards im-
are on the second-longest proved to 11-6 in their ex-
win streak in franchise his- tended stretch without All- Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) goes up for a shot between Oklahoma City Thunder
center Steven Adams, left, forward Paul George (13) and forward Carmelo Anthony (7) in the first
tory. Star point guard John Wall half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
Russell Westbrook scored 32 as he recovers from knee Associated Press
points and Carmelo Antho- surgery. They moved with-
ny added 23 for Oklahoma in a half-game of Indiana trailed by one to begin the the Hornets' playoff hopes. and Dallas beat Denver.
City, which is in a logjam of and maintained a one- fourth quarter, improved to While the 76ers shot 57.5 Ferrell and Nowitzki both
teams trying to fight their game lead on Philadelphia 4-16 when behind through percent from field — includ- made their first five 3s, and
way into third place in the in the Eastern Conference. three. ing 16 of 33 from 3-point Ferrell finished 9 of 11 from
West. Dwyane Wade scored 22 Toronto outscored Atlan- range — Charlotte's All-Star the field to help one of the
Oklahoma City had beat- points but missed on a po- ta 30-13 in the fourth. The point guard Kemba Walker NBA's worst teams hand the
en several of the league's tential game-tying jumper Hawks shot 6 for 18 in the couldn't find the bottom of Nuggets a loss they didn't
top teams this season. The with 4.1 seconds left in quarter and committed the net. Walker was limited need in the tight Western
Thunder have two wins overtime for Miami. eight turnovers. to a season-low five points Conference playoff race.
over Golden State, a vic- RAPTORS 106, HAWKS 90 76ERS 128, HORNETS 114 on 1-of-9 shooting. A second-year guard who
tory over Toronto and a win In Toronto, DeMar DeRo- In Charlotte, N.C., Rob- Dwight Howard had a came to Dallas on a 10-
over Cleveland this season. zan scored 25 points, Jonas ert Covington scored 22 season-high 30 points and day contract last season,
The Rockets avoided that Valanciunas had 15 and points, Ben Simmons flirted grabbed six rebounds, Ferrell finished 6 of 7 from
fate by going 17 of 33 on Toronto beat Atlanta for its with a triple-double and while Nic Batum had 12 long range. The 39-year-old
3-pointers and 29 of 34 on fifth straight win. Philadelphia handed Char- points and 10 assists for Nowitzki, in his 20th season,
free throws. C.J. Miles added 14 points, lotte its fourth straight loss. Charlotte, which fell seven all with the Mavericks, was
WIZARDS 117, HEAT 113, OT and Delon Wright and Simmons had 16 points, 13 games out of the final play- 5 of 7. Rookie Dennis Smith
In Washington, Bradley Serge Ibaka each had assists and eight rebounds off spot in the Eastern Con- Jr. had 18 points and a ca-
Beal scored 30 points on 12- 10 as the Eastern Confer- as the 76ers won for the ference with 17 games re- reer-high 11 assists as the
of-16 shooting and Wash- ence leaders won for the third time in the last four maining. Mavericks won for just the
ington had its best 3-point 12th time in 13 games and games. MAVERICKS 118, NUGGETS second time in nine games.
shooting night of the sea- completed their first season Dario Saric scored 19 points, 107 Wilson Chandler scored 21
son to beat Miami. sweep of the Hawks since Joel Embiid added 18 and In Dallas, Yogi Ferrell rode points for the Nuggets, who
Beal went 6 of 7 from be- 2001-02. JJ Redick chipped in with hot 3-point shooting to a couldn't follow up a win at
yond the arc, leading a The Raptors are 27-5 at 14 as seven 76ers finished in season-high 24 points, Dirk Cleveland with a chance
Washington team that fin- home, the best record in double digits in what might Nowitzki also was strong to sweep a three-game
ished 14 for 24 there while the NBA. Toronto, which have been the final blow to from long range to score 17 road trip.q

Bulls to adhere to NBA rules about resting players, tanking

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chi- ing roles. ing to use it." Paxson said ers from sitting out games, players for high-profile, na-
cago Bulls will start playing Holiday was back in the in a statement to several and teams from losing on tionally televised games.
Robin Lopez and Justin Holi- lineup for Wednesday's outlets that "after healthy purpose to improve their The rules also say unless
day again after receiving a game against the Mem- dialogue, the league de- draft position. The league there are unusual circum-
reminder from the league phis Grizzlies. Lopez was sit- termined that their situa- decreased the odds of the stances, teams should not
about player rest and tank- ting out his seventh straight tions fall into the 'player team with the worst record rest multiple healthy play-
ing. game, though coach Fred rest' policy. We respect the winning the lottery, and ers for the same game —
Bulls executive vice presi- Hoiberg said both players communication and coop- the NBA's Board of Gover- or rest healthy players for
dent of basketball opera- will start Friday at Detroit. erative dialogue with the nors gave Commissioner road games.
tions John Paxson said the "Our young guys will still league and will adhere to Adam Silver authority to "It's a little bit of a crazy
league communicated obviously get an opportu- their recommendations." fine teams that violate the situation," Lopez said. "I'm
with the team after the All- nity to play," Hoiberg said. NBA owners passed rules new guidelines about rest- always excited to get out
Star break about those two "We've got a rotation in in September designed ing players. there and play with the
players and their diminish- mind and how we're go- to prevent healthy play- Teams can't sit healthy guys on the floor."q