Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 24 OcTOber 2017
Winless Suns fire Earl Watson after 3 games this season

two of the losses were es- Watson was the league’s
pecially ugly. second-youngest active
The Suns were blown out coach behind the Lakers’
124-76 by the Portland Luke Walton, and the Suns
in their season opener were tied with the Chicago
Wednesday night, the most Bulls as having the young-
one-sided loss in franchise est opening-night roster in
history and the most one- the NBA this season.
sided season opener for “I’d like to see the fight
any NBA team. be a little bit more,” Wat-
Phoenix was routed by the son said after the blowout
Clippers in Los Angeles 130- loss to the Clippers. “Or a
88 on Saturday night. lot more, until you know
“I Dont wanna be here,” they’re just fatigued.”
point guard Eric Bledsoe The Suns came into this
tweeted Sunday, just as season with only four losses
the news of Watson’s fir- by 40 or more points in fran-
ing surfaced in an ESPN chise history. They’ve had
report. The tweet by Bled- two in the first three games
soe, a former Clipper, was of this season. Phoenix has
followed by one from the not made the playoffs in
Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan seven years, the longest
saying “Come back home drought in the franchise’s
In this Oct. 21, 2017, photo, Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson watches action during the sec- bro.” 49-year history.
ond half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles. Bledsoe has been ru- The 59-year-old Triano, the
Associated Press mored in possible trades for only Canadian-born head
By BOB BAUM named interim coach. went 24-58. months. coach in NBA history, was
AP Sports Writer Watson was promoted The 38-year-old Watson Watson’s dismissal is the 87-142 with Toronto from
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoe- from assistant to interim played collegiately at first NBA coaching change 2008-2011. He was an as-
nix Suns have fired coach coach of the Suns after Jeff UCLA and in the NBA for in well over a year. Hor- sistant at Portland before
Earl Watson just three Hornacek was fired Feb. 1, 10 seasons. He often spoke nacek’s hiring by the New coming to Phoenix last
games in to the NBA sea- 2016. The interim tag was of his long talks with John York Knicks, which was fi- year.
son. removed on April 19 of that Wooden, emphasized to- nalized in June 2016, had Watson was the 17th Suns
The Suns announced the year. getherness and a family been the most recent coach in the franchise’s
firing Sunday night after With an extremely young atmosphere to nurture the change — and the irony history.
hours of meetings at the team, the Suns struggled young squad but wins were there is that Watson got This was the first NBA sea-
team’s headquarters. under Watson. He com- hard to come by. the job in Phoenix with 33 son where every coach
Assistant coach Jay Triano, piled a 33-85 record. Wat- And owner Robert Sarver games left in the 2015-16 who started one year had
a former head coach of son’s only full season was apparently didn’t like what season, after the Suns fired the same job to begin the
the Toronto Raptors, was 2016-17, when the team he saw. Phoenix is 0-3 and Hornacek. next.q
Wiggins banks in 3-pointer at buzzer,

T-Wolves top Thunder

By The Associated Press up the court and got free victory of the season.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — with help from a crushing The Pelicans led by 22
Andrew Wiggins banked pick by Karl-Anthony Towns points in the second quar-
in a 3-pointer from a few before pulling up for the ter and were still up by
steps inside halfcourt as winner. double figures heading
time expired to give the Wiggins scored 27 points into the final period, but
Minnesota Timberwolves and Towns had 27 points the Lakers made a charge
a 115-113 victory over the and 12 rebounds for Min- to take the lead despite a
Oklahoma City Thunder on nesota. poor shooting night from
Sunday night. Russell Westbrook scored rookie Lonzo Ball.
Oklahoma City’s Carmelo 15 of his 31 points in the Reserve Jordan Clarkson
Anthony hit a 3-pointer with fourth quarter for the Thun- had 24 points for the Lak-
5.1 seconds left to give the der, who were coming off ers, but Ball shot just 3 for
Thunder the lead before a loss at Utah on Saturday 13 for eight points. He did
the Timberwolves inbound- night. Anthony scored 23 have 13 assists and eight
ed to Wiggins, who rushed points, and Paul George rebounds.
Minnesota Timberwolves had 14 points on 6-for-20 NETS 116, HAWKS 104
guard Andrew Wiggins (22) shooting. Steven Adams NEW YORK (AP) — Allen
shoots the game winning had 17 points and 13 re- Crabbe scored 20 points
shot between Oklahoma City bounds for the Thunder. to help Brooklyn beat At-
Thunder center Steven Adams PELICANS 119, LAKERS 112 lanta.
(12) and guard Alex Abrines LOS ANGELES (AP) — An- DeMarre Carroll added
(8) in the fourth quarter of 17 points and Caris LeVert
an NBA basketball game in thony Davis scored 27
Oklahoma City, Sunday, Oct. points, DeMarcus Cousins and D’Angelo Russell each
22, 2017. Minnesota won 115- had 20 and New Orleans had 16 points. The Nets
113. withstood a furious rally to improved to 2-1 with their
Associated Press beat Los Angeles for its first second straight victory.q