Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Monday 26 March 2018
James scores 37, Cavs beat Nets 121-114 for 5th straight win

By BRIAN MAHONEY Associate head coach Lar-
AP Basketball Writer ry Drew, running the team
NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron in Tyronn Lue's place, was
James powered into the asked to make an MVP
lane for his latest assault on case for James.
the rim and a former team- "You just look at the stat
mate made an ultimately sheet," Drew said, "and
useless attempt to stop him. it's just not about points,
"I should have just gotten it's what he's doing on the
out of the way," Joe Harris boards, it's what he's do-
said. ing from an assists stand-
Might as well. There's no point. He's just a force. He's
way right now to defend a force and I mean he has
James even by staying in put up MVP numbers with-
front of him — or in Harris' out a doubt."
case, beneath him. Kevin Love added 20 points
James had 37 points, 10 and 15 rebounds for the
rebounds and eight assists, Cavaliers, who came in av-
and the Cleveland Cava- eraging 122.5 points during
liers beat the Brooklyn Nets the streak and just about
121-114 on Sunday for their reached that even with a
fifth straight victory. slow start. Jordan Clark-
James kept up his latest son had 18 points, George
sensational stretch by go- Hill scored 17 and Rodney
ing 14 for 19 from the floor, Hood finished with 16.
highlighted by the soar- Harris scored a career-high
ing slam over Harris. He 30 points for the Nets, who
reached 2,000 points in a lost their third straight. Just
season for the 10th time, as they did Friday in Toron-
joining Karl Malone and Mi- Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert (22) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) to, the Nets hung in against
chael Jordan as the only as James goes up for a layup during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 25, one of the East's best but
2018, in New York.
players in NBA history to do (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) didn't have enough to pull
that. it out.q

Giannis returns, Bucks hold on for 106-103 win over Spurs

By GENARO C. ARMAS the third. for the Spurs, Gasol had 22
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis This was exactly how Bucks on 10-of-15 shooting and
Antetokounmpo returned coach Joe Prunty wanted grabbed 13 rebounds.
from an ankle injury to his team to finish against Trailing by 12 points after
score 25 points, and the a perennial playoff con- the first quarter, the Spurs
Milwaukee Bucks held on tender before departing held the Bucks to 1-of-10
in the final few minutes af- on a four-game road trip. shooting from beyond the
ter building a double-digit Milwaukee is trying to move 3-point arc during the pe-
lead in the fourth quarter up from the eighth and fi- riod and tied the game at
for a 106-103 win on Sun- nal playoff spot in the East 47-all at halftime.
day over the San Antonio with nine games left in the TIP INS:
Spurs. The Spurs trailed by regular season. Spurs: Coach Gregg Popo-
15 points with 8 minutes left Antetokounmpo looked vich praised Prunty for his
before rallying to get within fine after missing a game meticulousness. Prunty got
three with 35 seconds left because of a sprained right his start in the NBA as a
on Pau Gasol's putback. ankle, dunking the ball just video coordinator for the
Eric Bledsoe missed a a couple minutes after the Spurs, spending nine sea-
3-pointer on the other end opening tip. sons in San Antonio and
for the Bucks. San Antonio The All-Star forward re- eventually being promoted
rushed down court to get ceived a lot of help. Ball to assistant coach. “He was
one last shot off, but Mil- movement was crisp for a real work horse, some-
waukee's Khris Middleton stretches, and the Bucks body who understood
blocked Dejounte Murray's played aggressively in the what I wanted and how to
3-point attempt from the pivotal third thanks in large find it,” Popovich said.
right wing with 3.7 seconds part to Bledsoe's quickness. Bucks: F Jabari Parker re-
left. The loss snapped the It was the second straight turned to the bench after
Spurs' six-game winning game the Spurs allowed 41 starting one game for the
streak. The Bucks built just points in a quarter, tying a injured Antetokounmpo.
enough of a cushion in the season high given up to the He finished with eight points
third quarter, when they Utah Jazz on Friday night. in 18 minutes. ... The Bucks
shot 64 percent (16 of 25) Antetokounmpo added outscored the Spurs 27-15
and outhustled the Spurs Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo gets a slam 10 rebounds to pick up in the first quarter, a rare
defensively for loose balls dunk against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of an NBA his 37th double-double of good start for a team that
basketball game Sunday, March 25, 2018, in Milwaukee.
and deflections. Bledsoe (AP Photo/Darren Hauck) the season. LaMarcus Al- has not played well to open
scored 11 of his 23 points in dridge scored 34 points games in recent weeks.q