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SPORTS Thursday 7 december 2017
Westbrook’s triple-

double helps Thunder

rally past Jazz 100-94

By The Associated Press third quarter strong and
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — helped the Thunder cut
Russell Westbrook scored 34 Utah’s lead to 80-68 by
points in his seventh triple- the end of the period. He
double of the season, and scored 11 points in the
the Oklahoma City Thunder quarter.
rallied from 17 points down The Thunder finally took the
in the second half to de- lead on a layup by West-
feat the Utah Jazz 100-94 brook with about four min-
on Tuesday night. utes remaining.
Westbrook finished with 14 WIZARDS 106, TRAIL BLAZERS
assists and 13 rebounds. 92
Paul George scored 21 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) —
points, Steven Adams Bradley Beal scored a
had 20 points and nine career-high 51 points, and
rebounds and Carmelo Washington bounced back
Anthony added 14 points from a demoralizing loss Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots in front of Utah Jazz guard Donovan
and eight rebounds for the the night before to beat Mitchell (45) in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Dec. 5,
Thunder, who won their Portland. 2017.
third straight. Beal made 21 field goals, Associated Press
Rookie Donovan Mitch- also a career high, and the ankle. He had 15 points Suns guard Devin Booker Tuesday. He finished 4-for-
ell scored 31 points and Wizards led by as many as and nine rebounds before had to be carried off the 15 with 19 points, including
Joe Ingles added 16 for 23 points. He hit five 3-point- leaving. floor by two teammates 10 of 12 from the foul line.
the Jazz, who had won six ers. Damian Lillard finished The Wizards were coming after suffering an apparent Serge Ibaka scored 19
straight and scored at least with 30 points, eight re- off a 116-69 loss Monday leg injury with 2:40 remain- points and OG Anunoby
106 points in each game. bounds and nine assists for night at Utah, the second- ing and Phoenix trailing matched his career high
The Jazz led 47-39 at half- the Blazers, who have lost largest losing margin in by 11. Booker froze in pain with 16 as Toronto won its
time, and they opened three straight at home after franchise history. while playing defense and fourth straight.
things up even more early returning from a 4-1 trip. RAPTORS 126, SUNS 113 did not move as trainers The Raptors, who have
in the third quarter. A driv- Portland was hurt midway TORONTO (AP) — Kyle Lowry came out to examine him. scored 100 or more points
ing layup by Alec Burks put through the final quarter had 20 points and 10 assists, Booker, who shook off a in 10 consecutive games,
the Jazz up 72-55 as the when center Jusuf Nurkic DeMar DeRozan scored 20 2-for-11 start to score a sea- almost reached triple digits
Thunder continued to mis- limped off the court and to points and Toronto beat son-high 46 points Monday in three quarters Tuesday.
fire on open shots. the locker room after ap- Phoenix, improving its NBA- in a win at Philadelphia, Toronto led 97-79 heading
Westbrook closed out the pearing to injure his right best home record to 9-1. shot 0 for 7 in the first half to the fourth.q

Livingston-Kirkland incident a teachable NBA moment

By TIM REYNOLDS ed Kirkland for a week over ejection of his 15-year NBA
AP Basketball Writer his role in what happened career.
Referees have a thankless in the game against Miami. “At this point, it’s like they’re
job. Someone inevitably “We regret the recent in- trying to turn me into a
complains about almost cident between Court- jump-shooter,” James said
every call they make. Fans ney Kirkland and Shaun after his ejection last month,
scream at them. Players Livingston,” the National repeating a stance he’s of-
scream at them. Coaches Basketball Referees Asso- fered plenty of times be-
scream at them. They get ciation said. “The NBRA has fore that he doesn’t always
the overwhelming major- reached out to the Nation- get the same sort of calls
ity of calls right. The ones al Basketball Players Asso- that others get when they
they get wrong become ciation to explore ways to drive to the rim. “I can’t be
big news.That being said, improve on-court commu- a jump-shooter. I’m not a
they’re not without flaws. nications and civility.” jump-shooter.” Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) argues a call
So that’s what made what It’s time to have those talks. Referees are taught to de- with referee Courtney Kirkland before he was called for a tech-
the NBA did Monday so The player-referee relation- fuse situations and not add nical foul and was ejected, during an NBA basketball game
significant. The league ship, while never buddy- fuel to the proverbial fire. against the Miami Heat, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, in Miami.
suspended Golden State buddy, seems very strained That’s where Kirkland failed. Associated Press
guard Shaun Livingston for right now. Kevin Durant has Livingston got in his face to player were part of it,” War- by referees going forward.
one game because he been ejected from three argue that he had been riors coach Steve Kerr said. Kirkland loses a week of
got involved in an on-court games already this season, fouled seconds earlier, and Kerr took the high road, work, and when he’s eligi-
altercation with referee after getting kicked out replays suggested he had though it was clear that ble to return starting Mon-
Courtney Kirkland, a justi- of one in his first 700 NBA a case. Kirkland then took whatever happened day, he’s probably going
fiable sanction because games. Goran Dragic was two steps toward Livings- shouldn’t have happened. to face even more scrutiny.
players cannot be permit- so angry over a non-call ton, hardly in a menacing Livingston loses a game It’s a teachable moment
ted to angrily make con- last week that he kicked a way, but in a manner that check and now might find for the NBA. The league
tact with referees, ever. basket stanchion. LeBron didn’t help the situation. himself wondering if he’ll would be foolish to not take
But the NBA also suspend- James recently got the first “Both the official and the be watched more critically advantage.q