Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Friday 12 april 2019
Pistons top Knicks

115-89, clinch final

playoff spot in East

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Isaiah Hicks each had 11.
Kennard scored 27 points, TRAIL BLAZERS 136, KINGS
Reggie Jackson had 21 131
and Andre Drummond PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) —
added 20 points and 18 Rookie Anfernee Simons
rebounds as the Detroit Pis- scored a career-high 37
tons locked up the Eastern points in his first start of the
Conference's final playoff season and Portland se-
spot with a 115-89 victory cured the No. 3 seed in the
over the New York Knicks Western Conference using
on Wednesday night. just six players in a win over
The Pistons will face the top- Sacramento.
seeded Milwaukee Bucks in The Blazers have won 14
the opening round. of 17 games en route to Detroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway (9) goes to the basket past New York Knicks guard John
Jackson scored 14 points their sixth straight trip to the Jenkins (30) and forward Luke Kornet (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednes-
and Drummond had 10 playoffs. Portland will open day, April 10, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
points and seven rebounds the postseason against the Associated Press
in the first quarter as the Pis- Oklahoma City Thunder,
tons never trailed and led who finished in sixth. injury. MILWAUKEE (AP) — Rus- double list with 138. Schrod-
by as many as 16 points. Marvin Bagley III had 20 The Clippers' losing streak sell Westbrook got his 34th er had 32 points, and Grant
Neither Jackson nor Drum- points to lead the Kings, had already dropped triple-double of the season added a career-best 28.
mond played in the fourth who lost their 11th straight them from the sixth seed to and Oklahoma City beat The Bucks had already
quarter. game in Portland. No. 8 in the playoffs, where Milwaukee to lock up the clinched the No. 1 seed in
Wayne Ellington added 12 CLIPPERS 143, JAZZ 137, OT they'll open against the de- sixth seed in the Western the Eastern Conference
points for the Pistons, who LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mon- fending champion Golden Conference playoffs. and rested star Giannis An-
hadn't made the playoffs trezl Harrell scored 24 points State Warriors. Oklahoma City played tetokounmpo and some
since the 2015-16 season, to lead seven players in Grayson Allen led Utah with without injured Paul other key players.
the last time they finished double figures and the Clip- a career-high 40 points. The George, but Westbrook, Khris Middleton scored 21
over .500 (44-38). Before, pers beat Utah in overtime, rookie made 13 of 14 free Jerami Grant and Dennis points in 17 minutes. Tim
Detroit hadn't made the snapping a three-game throws and five 3-point- Schroder led a hot-shooting Frazier scored a career-
postseason since 2008-09. skid to close the regular ers, but was limited to four effort from 3-point range. high 29 points and D.J. Wil-
John Jenkins led the Knicks season. points in overtime. Westbrook had 15 points, son added a career-high
with 16 points, and Kadeem Ivica Zubac added 22 The Jazz earned the fifth 17 assists and 11 rebounds. 18 while grabbing 17 re-
Allen added 13. Henry El- points and 11 rebounds seed and they'll play No. 4 He moved into a tie with bounds. Rookie Bonzie Col-
lenson scored 12 points, and Patrick Beverley had Houston in the first round. Magic Johnson for second son started and scored 21
and Mitchell Robinson and 14 points in his return from THUNDER 127, BUCKS 116 place on the career triple- points.q

SACRAMENTO KINGS in the race and we were in his entire career, Vlade is
Continued from Page 17 the race," Divac said. "Un- someone who has always
Divac said he had been fortunately, we fell short." made those around him
contemplating the deci- Divac made the move of- better, both on and off the
sion to change coaches ficial just hours after he was court. I look forward to our
for a while and ultimately given an extension through bright future ahead."
made it after the team the 2022-23 season by own- Joerger was the ninth
stumbled to the finish with er Vivek Ranadivé. Divac coach since Adelman was
a 9-16 record after the All- took over as GM before the fired in 2006 with none able
Star break. The poor stretch 2015-16 season and helped to post a winning record
run left Sacramento with a bring in some of the key or a playoff berth. In fact,
39-43 record, nine games pieces that have led to the since moving to Sacra-
out of a playoff spot after improvement this year, in- mento before the 1985-86
being tied for the eighth cluding guards Buddy Hield season, the only winning
spot in the West heading and De'Aaron Fox and big seasons for the Kings came
into the final game before men Marvin Bagley III, Wil- in Adelman's eight seasons
the break. lie Cauley-Stein and Harry at the helm highlighted by
The Kings had their most Giles. a trip to the Western Con-
wins since having a 44-38 Divac also made a trade ference final in 2002.
record in coach Rick Adel- this season to acquire for- Divac is now counting on
man's final season in 2005- ward Harrison Barnes from coach No. 10 being the In this April 7, 2019, file photo, Sacramento Kings head coach
06. That ended a run of Dallas in hopes of making a one that can get the team David Joerger, right, reacts to a call as referee Leroy Richardson
runs down court during the second half of an NBA basketball
eight straight playoff berths playoff push but the team back to the level it had game, in Sacramento, Calif.
and Sacramento hasn't faltered down the stretch. under Adelman, when the Associated Press
been back to the postsea- "Vlade has been vital to Kings were a contender for
son since for the NBA's lon- what we are building here several years and played ing to be a playoff team We have to believe in them
gest active drought. and I am so pleased to an entertaining brand of and down the road a con- and give them a chance
"After the All-Star break, I announce his extension," basketball. "The next level tender," Divac said. "I think to take advantage of their
felt very confident we'd be Ranadivé said. "Throughout is to be a team that is go- our kids are very talented. work and talent."q