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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 20 OctOber 2018

Blazers spoil James’ debut with

128-119 win over the Lakers

By The Associated Press to Allen throughout the aversion to jumpers.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — night. He found the look he want-
LeBron James opened On the court, the focus was ed 3 minutes into the sec-
with two thunderous dunks all on James. His monster ond quarter. Fultz dribbled
and had 26 points and 12 dunks to start stunned the to the foul line and hit an
rebounds in his first game Moda Center crowd while uncontested pull-up jump-
with the Los Angeles Lakers, Nike co-founder Phil Knight er, the ball rattling around
but the Portland Trail Blazers looked on from courtside the rim four times before it
prevailed 128-119 Thursday seats. plopped through the net
night in the season opener 76ERS 127, BULLS 108 for two points. Fans erupt-
for both teams. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben ed in cheers as they gave
Damian Lillard had 28 Simmons had a triple-dou- him a standing ovation and
points and Nik Stauskas ble with 13 points, 13 re- chanted “Fultz! Fultz! Fultz!”
came off the bench to bounds and 11 assists and Fultz was 1 of 6 in 15 minutes
score 24 for Portland, which Joel Embiid had 30 points in the first half and didn’t
won its 18th straight home and 12 rebounds in Phila- play again until late in the
opener to extend an NBA delphia’s victory over Chi- third and the Sixers leading
record. cago. by 88-68.
It was the Blazers’ 16th Zach LaVine led the Bulls HEAT 113, WIZARDS 112
straight victory over the with 30 points in their sea- WASHINGTON (AP) — Kelly
Lakers. son opener. Olynyk’s putback of Dwy-
The opening festivities were The curious case of ane Wade’s missed jumper
tempered by the death this Markelle Fultz continued produced the go-ahead
week of Trail Blazers own- when one of the more scru- basket with 0.2 seconds Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks against the
er Paul Allen. A “Rip City” tinized players in the NBA left, lifting Miami past Wash- Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA basketball
baseball cap rested in Al- managed to steal the spot- ington. game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018.
len’s courtside seat with a light from his more accom- Josh Richardson led Miami Associated Press
single rose. plished teammate with sim- with 28 points, Rodney Mc- standby John Wall, who Wall missed a 26-foot pull-
The enigmatic co-founder ple jumpers. Gruder added 20, and the delivered 26 points and up jumper, giving Miami a
of Microsoft died Monday Fultz had open looks early Heat hit consecutive 3s late nine assists. He and fellow chance.
in Seattle from complica- and 76ers fans exhorted in the fourth quarter. All-Star guard Bradley Beal, Wade’s shot with about
tions of non-Hodgkin’s lym- him to “Shoot! Shoot!” With Washington center who scored 20 points, ac- 3 seconds left was off the
phoma. He was 65. There each time he touched the Dwight Howard sidelined counted for Washington’s mark, and Olynyk grabbed
was moment of silence be- ball as the second-year by a sore backside, the last eight points. the rebound and his layup
fore the game and tributes guard tries to overcome his Wizards were led by old But with a 112-111 lead, won it.q

Crowd of 50,000-plus will watch Minnesota’s last home game

By DAVE CAMPBELL Next spring, the Loons will ery major professional sport
AP Sports Writer move from the University represented as well as the
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After of Minnesota’s football sta- home of a Big Ten university
almost two full years as a dium to St. Paul to play in that is the only power-con-
Major League Soccer fran- under-construction Allianz ference school in the state,
chise, Minnesota United FC Field. The farewell to their the Twin Cities area has a
has been an unquestion- temporary home will in- lot of competition for ticket-
ably successful draw in a clude post-match fireworks buyers. The core of Loons
crowded sports market. and a ceremonial lighting fans were already passion-
The Loons have more than of the new, 19,400-capac- ate in place, though, when
50,000 tickets sold and dis- ity venue across the river. the club played in the NASL
tributed for their final home Concessions will include $2 until the MLS granted the
game of the season to hot dogs and $1 popcorn as expansion bid for 2017.
prove it. a throwback to 1976, when Now with three recognized
When Minnesota hosts a Los a crowd of 49,572 watched supporters groups, the in-
Angeles team that needs a the Minnesota Kicks play terest in the squad has only
win Sunday to stay in con- a North American Soccer grown.
tention the Western Con- League game at Metro- “I would love to think that
ference playoffs, superstar politan Stadium in Bloom- we’re going to beat the
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the ington. That’s the previous L.A. Galaxy and we’ll have
Galaxy will be the target of In this Sept. 22, 2018 file photo, Minnesota United defender attendance record for a 50,000 people signing
Michael Boxall (15) celebrates after scoring a goal against
more than twice the usual the Portland Timbers in the first half of an MLS soccer match in Minnesota soccer team, ‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis af-
jeers from the crowd at TCF Minneapolis. though an international terward,” Minnesota Unit-
Bank Stadium. The Loons Associated Press friendly between AC Milan ed chief executive officer
have averaged about those nights that before it it’s going to be an unfor- and Chelsea drew a crowd Chris Wright said. “Who’d
22,000 fans per game, the actually happens you can’t gettable evening, and we of 64,101 to U.S. Bank Stadi- have thought that was pos-
seventh-most in the 23- imagine how it’s going to will do everything we can um, the first ticketed event sible in the state of Minne-
team MLS . be,” Minnesota defender to make it unforgettable for at the home of the NFL’s sota? Not only is it possible,
“It’s going to be one of Michael Boxall said. “I think the 50K that show up.” Minnesota Vikings. With ev- it’s relevant.”q