Page 19 - aruba-today-20170504
P. 19

A19
                                                                                                       SPORTS Thursday 4 May 2017

            Thomas scores 53, Celtics

            beat Wizards 129-119 in OT



            JIMMY GOLEN                  scored 55 in 2003, and just
             AP Sports Writer            one shy of John Havlicek’s
            BOSTON  (AP)  —  It  was  his  franchise  postseason  re-
            sister’s birthday. She would  cord of 54.
            have been 23.                “It’s nice to be in Celtics his-
            Isaiah  Thomas  spent  four  tory with all the great play-
            or five hours in the dentist’s  ers,” Thomas said.
            chair having work done on  “But until you win a cham-
            the tooth that was knocked  pionship, you can’t consid-
            out in Game 1, a day after  er  yourself  a  great  player.
            he was in oral surgery for six  That’s what it’s all about.”
            hours having it repositioned  John Wall scored 40 points
            in  his  mouth.  His  mouth  with 13 assists for Washing-
            was swollen, and he could  ton, which will host Games
            barely  talk.  Still,  he  never  3  and  4  on  Thursday  and
            considered  not  playing  Sunday.
            Tuesday night.               “Two  teams  played  their
            “The  least  I  can  do  is  go  hearts out. Two great play-
            out there and play for her,”  ers  played  well,”  Wizards
            Thomas  said  after  scoring  coach Scott Brooks said. “
            53  points  —  the  second-  Asked if he had ever been
            highest total in Celtics play-  in  a  one-on-one  scoring
            off history — to lead Boston  battle like that against an-
            to  a  129-119  overtime  vic-  other  point  guard,  Wall
            tory  over  the  Washington  shook his head: “Nah,” he
            Wizards.                     said. “Nope.
            “I  knew  once  game-time   Nope. Nope.”
            came, my guys would get  Thomas attended his sister’s
            me going, get me the en-     funeral on Saturday and re-
            ergy  to  go  out  and  win  a  turned to Boston early Sun-
            game,” Thomas said, duck-    day  morning  —  just  hours   Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards center
                                                                      Marcin Gortat, left, during the first quarter of a second-round NBA playoff series basketball game
            ing  his  face  into  his  hands  before  the  Celtics  won   in Boston, Tuesday, May 2, 2017.
            as  he  mentioned  his  sister,  123-111 and the diminutive
            Chyna,  who  died  in  a  car  point  guard  lost  a  tooth.
            crash  on  the  eve  of  the  Team  doctors  jammed  it   50. Pretty impressive.”      of  work  and  top-seeded  game playoff swat total to
            playoffs.  “There  was  no  back in, but Thomas spent     Al Horford scored 15 points  Golden  State  warmed  up  19.
            way I was sitting out.”      large parts of the next two   with  12  rebounds  for  Bos-  in  a  hurry  after  a  week-  Kevin  Durant  added  17
            Fiddling with his new mouth  days in oral surgery.        ton, and Avery Bradley and  long  layoff  between  play-  points  on  an  uncharacter-
            guard    throughout    the  “What else is there to say?”   Jae  Crowder  scored  14  off games, beating Utah in  istically cold shooting night
            game,  Thomas  scored  20  Celtics coach Brad Stevens     apiece. Marcin Gortat had  the opener of the Western  at  7  for  17  and  had  five
            points  in  the  fourth  quar-  asked.                    14 points and 10 rebounds  Conference semifinals.         rebounds  and  five  assists.
            ter and nine in overtime to  “There  was  a  point  today   and Markieff Morris scored  Draymond  Green  scored  He  missed  the  middle  two
            help the Celtics take a 2-0  where  he  was  not  feeling   16 for the Wizards, but both  Golden  State’s  first  six  games  against  Portland
            lead  in  the  best-of-seven  good  at  all.  He’s  had  a   fouled out in overtime.   points  of  the  fourth  quar-  because  of  a  strained  left
            Eastern  Conference  semi-   tough  day  and  I  thought   WARRIORS 106, JAZZ 94       ter  and  wound  up  with  17  calf  then  returned  for  20
            finals.  The  53  points  were  he was going to really have   OAKLAND,  California  (AP)  points,  eight  rebounds,  six  minutes  in  Game  4.  Zaza
            the most in an NBA playoff  to gut this one out. Not only   —  Stephen  Curry  scored  assists and two more blocks  Pachulia  scored  10  points
            game  since  Allen  Iverson  guts it out, he ends up with   22  points  in  three  quarters  to bring his remarkable five-  in 14 minutes.q


               U.S. men’s basketball will start road to gold with D-Leaguers



              BRIAN MAHONEY               would return for that tour-  Tooley said in a statement.  reigning   Olympic   and  athlete  representative  to
               AP Basketball Writer       nament and the following  Under  a  new  competition  World Cup champions, will  be announced.
              The  U.S.  men’s  basket-   summer  for  the  Olympics,  schedule  introduced  this  lean  on  players  from  the  Nations will be drawn into
              ball  team  will  let  minor  assuming  the  U.S.  makes  year  by  FIBA,  the  World  NBA  D-League,  which  will  four-team groups and play
              leaguers take the first steps  it  to  Tokyo.  But  a  team  of  Cup will serve as the quali-  be renamed the NBA Ga-  home-and-away   games
              on the road to gold.        lesser-known  players  will  fying  tournament  for  the  torade  League  beginning  within their zone.
              The     Americans     an-   have to get the Americans  2020 Olympics.                next  season.  USA  Basket-  The first-round competition
              nounced  a  six-member  most of the way there.            Teams  must  navigate  a  ball  men’s  national  team  window dates are Nov. 20-
              selection committee Tues-   “This  will  be  an  excellent  new  qualifying  format  to  director Sean Ford will chair  28, Feb. 19-27 and June 25-
              day that will choose play-  opportunity  for  NBA  D-   reach  the  32-team  World  the  committee,  which  will  July 3, 2018.
              ers,  mostly  from  the  NBA  League  players  to  show-  Cup in China,              include NBA D-League ex-      The  second-round  dates
              Development  League,  to  case  their  talent  and  ex-  but  because  some  of  the  ecutives  Trajan  Langdon,  are set for Aug. 30-Sept. 8,
              play in games to qualify for  perience  meaningful  and  qualifiers  will  be  played  Adam  Simon  and  Tony  2018; Nov. 26-Dec. 4, 2018;
              the  2019  Basketball  World  important   international  during  the  NBA  season,  Bollier;  Houston  Rockets  and Feb. 18-26, 2019.
              Cup.                        competition  while  repre-  NBA  players  will  not  be  executive  vice  president  The Americans would likely
              Coach  Gregg  Popovich  senting the United States,”  available.                      of  basketball  operations  stage their home games in
              and  a  team  of  NBA  stars  USA  Basketball  CEO  Jim  So  the  Americans,  the  Gersson  Rosas;  and  one  NBA D-League arenas.q
   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24