Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Tuesday 4 February 2020
Harden's 40 leads Rockets

over Pelicans 117-109

By KRISTIE RIEKEN 110-107 with about two only played six games.
HOUSTON (AP) — minutes to go. "No," he said. "You've got to
Houston coach Mike Eric Gordon added a bas- get him the damn basket-
D'Antoni has been around ket seconds after that and ball ... if not there's no rea-
James Harden long enough Danuel House hit a 3-point- son for us to have him in the
to know that he'd eventu- er to make it 115-107 with game. And that's not going
ally snap out of his shooting less than a minute left to to happen either."
slump. seal the victory. Williamson wasn't upset
But he admitted on Sunday Brandon Ingram had 28 about his lack of touches in
that he was quite relieved points and 12 rebounds for the fourth quarter.
to see it happen sooner New Orleans. "I trust my teammates," he
rather than later. Houston went with its small said. "They felt like what
"I can go home and go to lineup again as center Clint they did was the right play
bed now," D'Antoni said. Capela missed his second and I don't fault them with
"Before I wouldn't be sleep- straight game and the anything they did."
ing much." third in four games with a The Pelicans led by one to
Harden had 40 points and bruised right heel. Russell start the fourth and scored
came an assist shy of a Westbrook added 22 points the first four points of the
triple-double to lead the for the Rockets and Ben quarter to make it 97-92. But
Rockets to a 117-109 win McLemore had 22 off the Harden made a 3-pointer
over the New Orleans Peli- bench. before finding Westbrook
cans. Harden was more interest- for a layup to tie it up with
Rookie sensation Zion Wil- ed in talking about Hous- about 10 minutes left.
liamson had 21 points ton's defense down the The Pelicans were up by
and 10 rebounds for the stretch than his shooting. two points later in the
Pelicans, whose three- "We did a pretty good and fourth when House made a New Orleans Pelicans guards Josh Hart (3) and Jrue Holiday,
top, vie with Houston Rockets guard James Harden, center, for
game winning streak was solid job the entire game," 3-pointer to put Houston up a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sun-
snapped. he said. "The fourth quar- 102-101. Both teams missed day, Feb. 2, 2020, in Houston.
Harden, who added 10 ter was the time to lock it numerous shots after that Associated Press
rebounds and nine as- down and we did that to and Houston finally got
sists, poured in 26 points in win the game." back on the board with a it 108-103 with 3 ½ minutes Rockets: Coach Mike
the first half and cooled Pelicans coach Alvin Gen- layup by House with about to go. D'Antoni said Capela is day
down in the second half. try was unhappy that his seven minutes to go. Hard- This game was close to day with his injury and
But he still had his second team didn't get the ball to en made a layup after that throughout and Houston that he won't play until he is
straight game with 30 or Williamson for long stretch- to push Houston's lead to cut the lead to 93-92 enter- pain free. ... Houston made
more points after failing es in the fourth quarter. 106-101. ing the fourth quarter after 16 of 51 3-point attempts. ...
to score 30 in his previous "Zion can't go four minutes Hart made the first field McLemore made two of House had 12 points and 12
four games as he worked without touching the bas- goal for New Orleans in three free throws after he rebounds.
through a shooting slump. ketball and that's on me," more four minutes after was fouled on a 3-pointer. ZION'S START Sunday was
"James is James, so we can he said. "That's something that to cut the lead to 106- TIP-INS the fourth 20-point game
put all that other stuff the that I've got to make sure 103 midway through the Pelicans: New Orleans for Williamson. He's the first
rest because he seems like that that will never happen fourth. made 10 of 33 3-pointers. ... rookie to score 20 or more
he's back," D'Antoni said. again." The teams combined to Hart had 16 points and 10 points four times in his first
Jrue Holiday had three Gentry was asked if the fail- miss nine shots over the next rebounds. ... The Pelicans six games since Damian
points before Josh Hart ure to get the ball to him 2 ½ minutes before Harden scored just 16 points in the Lillard did it in the 2012-13
made one of two free was a product of the team added two points on free fourth quarter. ... Lonzo Ball season. Before Lillard, the
throws to allow New Or- not being used to playing throws that pushed Hous- scored 10 points with 11 re- last one to do it was Kevin
leans to cut the lead to with the rookie who has ton's run to 9-2 and made bounds and nine assists. Durant in 2007-08.q

Skier Mikaela Shiffrin announces

death of her father at 65

By The Associated Press federation said Shiffrin trav- his wife, Eileen. Jeff Shif-
Two-time Olympic champi- eled home from Europe frin would trek on the hill
on skier Mikaela Shiffrin says to Colorado on Sunday with his camera around his
her father, Jeff, has died. to be with her father and neck to take photos of his
He was 65. family at a hospital, where daughter.
"My family is heartbroken he died. No further details "He taught us so many
beyond comprehension were given. valuable lessons but above
about the unexpected Jeff Shiffrin, an anesthesi- everything else, he taught
passing of my kindheart- ologist in Vail, Colorado, us the golden rule: be nice,
ed, loving, caring, patient, and a former ski racer at think first," Shiffrin wrote. "This
wonderful father," the fam- Dartmouth, often attended is something I will carry with United States' Mikaela Shiffrin stands in the fish Rea after winning
ily posted on Shiffrin's social his daughter's races on the me forever. He was the firm an alpine ski, women's World Cup super-G, in Bansko, Bulgaria,
media accounts. World Cup circuit and at foundation of our family Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020.
The U.S Ski and Snowboard major championships with and we miss him terribly."q Associated Press