Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY
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SPORTS A23
Saturday 30 December 2017
Celtics rally from 26 down to stun Rockets 99-98
BOSTON (AP) — Al Horford Bledsoe had six points and
made a hook shot with 3.7
seconds left to give Boston made two key assists down
its only lead of the game,
and the Celtics rallied from the stretch and the Bucks
a 26-point deficit to beat
the Houston Rockets 99-98 found their missing defense,
on Thursday night.
Kyrie Irving scored 26 and holding the Timberwolves
Jayson Tatum finished with
19 for the Celtics, while to a season-low 12 points in
Marcus Smart drew two of-
fensive fouls against James the fourth quarter. Minne-
Harden in the closing sec-
onds to help Boston com- sota went cold over the last
plete the comeback.
Smart and Terry Rozier had 4:21 and had its five-game
13 points apiece.
Tatum made a layup with winning streak snapped.
seven seconds left to pull
the Celtics within 98-97, Bledsoe took a pass from
then Smart had position
on Harden for an offensive Antetokounmpo and
foul that gave Boston the
ball and a chance to win made an open 3-pointer
it. Horford converted from
the lane to put Boston up from the corner to give the
for the first time in a game
Houston had led through- Bucks their first lead of the
out and dominated until
midway through the third game at 95-93 with 2:25 to
quarter.
Harden finished with 34 go. Bledsoe followed with a
points and 10 assists. Eric
Gordon scored 24 points three-point play and then
for Houston, which shot 25
percent (9 of 36) in the sec- found Antetokounmpo un-
ond half and lost its fourth
straight. der the basket for an easy
BUCKS 102, TIMBERWOLVES
96 two points, pushing the
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Eric
Bledsoe scored 26 points lead to 100-93 with 1:04 left.
and Giannis Antetok-
ounmpo added 22 to help Minnesota perhaps wore Houston Rockets’ James Harden (13) protests a call beside Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart (36)
Milwaukee rally from a
20-point deficit and beat down a night after a 128- during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017.
Minnesota.
125 overtime victory over Associated Press
Denver and had a four- first time all season. Leon- to help Orlando break a 110
game road winning streak ard sat out for rest. Gay nine-game losing streak. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) —
snapped. exited the game late in the Evan Fournier scored 17 Shabazz Napier, who start-
Karl-Anthony Towns scored third quarter with a sore points and Aaron Gordon ed for injured guard Dami-
22 points for Minnesota and right heel. had 14 for Orlando, but it an Lillard, scored 15 of his
Andrew Wiggins added 21. Kyle Anderson had 16 was the Magic’s backup season-high 23 points in the
SPURS 119, KNICKS 107 points and eight rebounds centers who made the dif- fourth quarter and Portland
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — La- starting in place of Leon- ference in the game. rallied to beat Philadelphia.
Marcus Aldridge had 25 ard. Tony Parker scored 14 Bismack Biyombo had 12 CJ McCollum led all scor-
points and every San Anto- points, including 10 in the points and 13 rebounds, ers with 34 for the Blazers,
nio starter scored in double first quarter as San Antonio and Marresse Speights who snapped a six-game
figures to beat New York. bolted to an early lead. scored 16 points as re- losing streak at home. Port-
Pau Gasol added 17 points, Reserve forward Michael placements for injured land had a season-high 42
11 rebounds and seven as- Beasley led New York with starter Nikola Vucevic. points in the fourth quarter.
sists for San Antonio. 23 points. Courtney Lee Tobias Harris scored 21 The Sixers, who led by as
The Spurs improved to 17-2 and Kristaps Porzingis had points for Detroit, which many as 18 points in the
at home while winning their 18 points apiece, but Porz- had won five of six. Andre third quarter, have lost 10
third straight overall. ingis fouled out late in the Drummond had 17 points of their last 12 games.
The Spurs were without fourth. and 18 rebounds, and Ish Joel Embiid finished with
Kawhi Leonard and lost MAGIC 102, PISTONS 89 Smith contributed 13 points, 29 points and nine re-
Rudy Gay to a foot injury ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Elfrid seven rebounds and five bounds, while Dario Saric
only two nights after play- Payton had 19 points, eight assists. had 25 points and nine
ing with a full roster for the rebounds and eight assists TRAIL BLAZERS 114, 76ERS rebounds.q
Andy Murray makes tepid return
as he loses exhibition match
ABU DHABI, United Arab against Bautista Agut ear- serves were way below his Great Britain’s Andy Murray returns a ball to Spain’s Roberto
Emirates (AP) — Andy Mur- lier in the day with a recur- best. He did have one ace Bautista Agut during the second day of the Mubadala World
ray made a tepid return rence of pain in his right el- late in the fifth game, in Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,
to the court, losing a one- bow. which he also executed an Friday, Dec. 29, 2017.
set match 6-2 to Roberto Murray, who has been athletic lunge at the net to
Bautista Agut in the United struggling to find full fitness win a point. Associated Press
Arab Emirates exhibitions following a right hip prob- What appeared to trouble
on Friday. lem, was initially only in Abu Murray the most was re-
Murray, who has slipped to Dhabi to practice before trieving shots on the run
16th in the rankings after next month’s Australian with his backhand. He sent
ending last year as No. 1, Open. a few returns into the net,
wasn’t scheduled to play He is also expecting to play and did not even go for
at the Abu Dhabi tourna- in Brisbane, Australia next a couple of shots. Even
ment. However, he filled week. Murray, a three-time though he moved gingerly,
in for Novak Djokovic, af- Grand Slam winner, did not it was understandable as
ter the 12th-ranked Serb move around the court at he returned to training only
withdrew from his semifinal his usual pace and his first last week.q
