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sports Diasabra 10 aPriL 2021

George scores 33 points, Clippers snap Suns’ winning streak

(AP) — When Paul fore coming back with an
George and Kawhi Leon- 8-2 run to tie it. It led 83-
ard are both healthy, 81 at the end of the third
they are one of the most quarter before opening the
difficult duos to stop in fourth with a 10-2 run to
the NBA. The Los An- seize control. The Clippers’
geles Clippers superstars largest lead was 16 points
showed that again Thurs- late in the fourth.
day night. “This is what I play the game
for. I enjoy the aggressive-
George scored 33 points and ness,” Leonard said.
Leonard added 27 in the Rajon Rondo, acquired
Clippers’ 113-103 victory from Atlanta near the dead-
over the Phoenix Suns in a line, added 15 points for
physical matchup between the Clippers, who are 5-2
two of the top teams in the during a season-long, nine-
Western Conference. game homestand.
The game carried a playoff Phoenix didn’t have enough
intensity, but the officials down the stretch. Devin
tried to reign things back Booker led the way with 24
in during the second half. points, and Mikal Bridges
There were three technical had 20.
fouls, two flagrant fouls and The Suns made 27 of their
a pair of ejections in the final first 40 shots, but were 9 of
24 minutes. 31 after their hot start.
“We competed and fought. Conference, but are now but fell 2 1/2 games behind do the chirping, but I stayed “To go to overtime on
It was chippy, but that is go- within two games of Phoe- the Jazz after they beat Port- in my zone,” George said. Wednesday against Utah
ing to happen and I’m OK nix for second. Even more land. “Tonight was a fun matchup and then play the Clippers is
with it,” Clippers coach Ty- important, LA is assured of George was 7 of 9 from and we appreciate the chal- not the best scenario for any
ronn Lue said. “We brought taking the season series from 3-point range in 30 minutes lenge.” team. We weren’t lethargic,
the physicality in the second the Suns, which would give in his eighth 30-point game Leonard scored 19 points in we just didn’t have the legs,”
half after they did that in it a key tiebreaker if both of the season. The Clippers the second half to help the Phoenix coach Monty Wil-
the second quarter. We an- teams would tie at the end made 18 3-pointers, which Clippers end the Suns’ win- liams said. “Those are the
swered the challenge.” of the regular season. is the 12th time this season ning streak at seven. kind of games and emotions
The Clippers (35-18) are 4 Phoenix (36-15) was com- they have made 18 or more Los Angeles trailed 67-61 you have to deal with. We
1/2 games behind Utah for ing off a big overtime win in a game. with eight minutes remain- were tired, especially in the
the top spot in the Western against Utah on Wednesday, “We focused on us. They can ing in the third quarter be- second half.”

Angels win 7-5 in home opener for Florida-based Blue Jays

(AP) — The nomadic To- consecutive seasons. The Four trucks with additional the same temperature in Buf- losses. That skid was tied for
ronto Blue Jays came up Blue Jays played in Toronto lighting were brought in for falo. the third longest in major
just short in their latest in 2019 and last year moved this year’s regular-season In a sign of the times, a num- league history.
home opener location. home games to the ballpark games. Toronto’s first three ber of Toronto players were Los Angeles star Mike Trout
of their Triple-A team in homestands at least will be vaccinated before the game. went 3 for 5 and had the first
David Fletcher had a two- Buffalo, New York, after the played in Dunedin, through Montoyo got his second shot regular-season hit at the ball-
run single in the 11th in- Canadian government barred mid-May. and said he felt tired. park, a first-inning double,
ning, and the Los Angeles them due to coronavirus “It’s actually pretty good,” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and and also homered. He also
Angels beat Toronto 7-5 on travel restrictions. Maddon said. Cavan Biggio homered for had a potential go-ahead hit
Thursday night in the first TD Ballpark, also the home One reason the Blue Jays the Blue Jays, who won their off Julian Merryweather with
regular-season game played of Toronto’s low Class-A opted to stay in Florida was home opener in Buffalo last two on and two outs in the
at the Blue Jays’ spring train- minor league club, last year the weather, which was an season 5-4 in 10 innings over ninth taken away on a diving
ing ballpark, which Toronto completed a renovation that ideal 80 degrees at first pitch Miami to end a streak of eight catch by center fielder Randal
manager Charlie Montoyo cost more than $102 million. — surprisingly, it was around consecutive home opening Grichuk.
said felt like home.
“The Blue Jays (organiza- Guerrero connected for a
tion) did an outstanding job,” 404-foot, two-run homer to
Montoyo said. center off Griffin Canning
Fletcher’s hit to center came during a three-run first. Big-
on the first pitch from Rafael gio’s s solo shot and a run-
Dolis, who replaced Ryan scoring single by Guerrero in
Borucki (1-1) with runners the sixth gave Toronto a 5-4
on second and third and two lead..
outs. Trout put the Angels up 4-3
“He hit it hard enough, yet on a long solo drive to left off
soft enough,” Angels manag- Ross Stripling in the fifth that
er Joe Maddon said. “That’s went 444 feet. Shohei Ohtani
what he does. He’s a winner.” pulled the Angels even at
Junior Guerra (2-0) worked 5-all on a seventh-inning
a scoreless 10th before Raisel RBI single.
Iglesias struck out the side for Ohtani had been expected to
his second save. pitch this weekend, Maddon
Toronto became the first said after the game the start
team in major league history will be pushed back due to a
to play home openers in three blister on the righty’s throw-
different cities over three ing hand.