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A22 sports
Saturday 20 January 2018
Gordon scores 30 as Rockets beat Timberwolves 116-98

By The Associated Press whistle and held a jump
HOUSTON (AP) — Eric Gor- ball at midcourt. Magic
don scored 30 points to forward Aaron Gordon
lead the Houston Rockets grabbed the toss and sank
to a 116-98 win over the an apparent game-win-
Minnesota Timberwolves ning 45-footer as the horn
on Thursday night. sounded and Cleveland’s
James Harden returned crowd shrieked in disbelief.
to Houston’s lineup after But Gordon committed a
missing seven games with jump-ball violation with the
a left hamstring strain and move and Cleveland then
finished with 10 points on only had to inbound the
3-for-15 shooting in 26 min- ball to come away with a
utes. Houston went 4-3 in his win that shouldn’t have
absence. been so difficult.
Chris Paul had 19 points, Thomas had 21 points and
nine assists and six re- LeBron James finished with
bounds, and Clint Capela 16, helping the Cavs stop a
added 20 points for the four-game slide.
Rockets. Houston has won The Magic have dropped
15 of the past 17 meetings 17 of 19. Payton scored 19
with Minnesota, including a and Gordon had 17.
10-game winning streak at TRAIL BLAZERS 100, PACERS
home. 86
Jimmy Butler led Minnesota PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) —
with 23 points, and Karl- Damian Lillard scored 26
Anthony Towns added 22 points, Jusuf Nurkic had 19
points, 16 rebounds and points and a season-high
five blocks. 17 rebounds, and the Trail
76ERS 89, CELTICS 80 Blazers earned their fifth
BOSTON (AP) — Joel Em- consecutive home win.
biid celebrated his first NBA CJ McCollum added 16
All-Star selection with 26 points and Shabazz Napier
points and matched a ca- had 13 for Portland, which
reer best with 16 rebounds, beat Indiana for the ninth
leading the 76ers to the Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) floats up a shot in front of Minnesota Timberwolves forward consecutive time on its
road win. Andrew Wiggins (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, home floor.
Dario Saric scored 16 for in Houston. Victor Oladipo and Darren
Philadelphia, which won Associated Press Collison each scored 23
for the sixth time in seven cus Morris each scored 14 six assists and blocked two frantic final seconds after points for Indiana.
games. T.J. McConnell had points. After winning seven shots. blowing a 23-point lead. Indiana was without for-
15 points — all in the sec- in a row, Boston has lost two CAVALIERS 104, MAGIC 103 After Thomas made his ward Myles Turner, the
ond half. straight. CLEVELAND (AP) — Isaiah shots, Orlando’s Elfrid Pay- team’s second-leading
The Celtics played without The Celtics had no answer Thomas made two free ton missed a contested scorer this season. Turner
All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, for Embiid, who was 10 for throws with 11 seconds left layup with three seconds has missed five consecu-
who rested a sore left shoul- 19 from the floor and 6 of 7 and Cleveland came up left. The officials ruled tive games with a right el-
der. Al Horford and Mar- at the foul line. He also had with a defensive stop in the there was an inadvertent bow injury.q

LeBron, Curry are captains, to

draft NBA All-Star Game teams

By BRIAN MAHONEY in Los Angeles. “Captain who asked to be traded
AP Basketball Writer huh? Really Appreciate away from Cleveland last
NEW YORK (AP) — Team all the votes from the fans, summer and has led Boston
LeBron against Team Ste- media and players!” Curry to the best record in the
phen is the NBA’s new All- wrote on Twitter. James East.
Star matchup. will pick first as the player Perhaps it will be Milwau-
LeBron James and Stephen who received the most fan kee’s Giannis Antetok-
Curry will go head-to-head votes. He will make his 14th ounmpo, whom James
again, this time as cap- All-Star Game start, one came from behind to edge
tains who pick teams for behind Kobe Bryant for the with 2.6 million votes. The
the revamped NBA All-Star most in league history. Greek Freak had a little
Game. He could start his team with more than 2.5 million.
James and Curry received Kevin Durant, who teamed For now, James is keeping
the most votes from fans in with Curry to beat James his choice a secret.
their conferences Thursday and the Cavaliers in the “I’m not telling you,” he said Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James blocks a shot by Golden
night and will draft from a NBA Finals. Or maybe he after the Cavs squeaked State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, left, in the second half of an NBA
pool of the rest of the NBA’s could go with Kyrie Irving, a out a 104-103 win over Or- basketball game, Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in Cleveland.
best for the Feb. 18 game former All-Star Game MVP lando. q Associated Press