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SPORTS Saturday 4 February 2017

Spurs overcome slow start, pull away from Sixers

The Associated Press making 11 of 13 free throws, the Washington Wizards to
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — SAN for the Clippers. their sixth straight win.q
ANTONIO (AP) — Gregg They have lost nine in a row It marks Washington’s first
Popovich tied the NBA re- to their Bay Area oppo- six-game winning streak
cord for the most career nents, the franchise’s lon- since Dec. 8-19, 2014. The
wins with a single franchise, gest active skid against a Wizards have also won 16
earning his 1,127th in the single team. straight at home — the
San Antonio Spurs’ 102-86 The rematch wasn’t the second-longest run in fran-
victory over the Philadel- debacle that occurred last chise history.
phia 76ers on Thursday weekend when the Clip- Jordan Clarkson led Los
night. pers lost by 46 points at Angeles with 20 points.
Popovich matched Jer- Golden State. Washington had a 14-point
ry Sloan of Utah for the But they still never led and lead, 86-72 with 2:37 to
league mark as San An- trailed by 21. The Clippers play in the third quarter,
tonio had 15 steals and got beat in every catego- but the Lakers, who have
forced 23 turnovers, both ry despite Griffin’s hard- lost nine of 11, tied it at
season highs, in winning charging effort. The War- 91 with 9:10 to play. Wall,
its 12th straight at home riors were dominant in the who scored 16 points in
over Philadelphia and 11th paint, on second-chance San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich watches play the fourth quarter, includ-
straight overall against the points and fastbreak points. during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the ing the Wizards’ final eight,
76ers. Golden State has won 11 of Philadelphia 76ers, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, in San Antonio. sealed the win with a steal
Kawhi Leonard scored 19 its last 12. Associated Press with 1:18 to play. He con-
points and Dewayne Ded- HAWKS 113, ROCKETS 108 light, scattered boos. and had 11 assists, Bradley verted a jumper with 1:06
mon had 13 points and 10 HOUSTON (AP) — Dwight WIZARDS 116, LAKERS 108 Beal added 23 points and left, another with 38 sec-
rebounds for his second Howard scored 24 points WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Marcin Gortat tied his sea- onds remaining and add-
double-double for the and grabbed 23 rebounds John Wall scored 33 points son high with 21 to lead ed four late free throws.q
Spurs. in his first game back in
The frontcourts for both Houston since signing with Rockets
teams were depleted, with Atlanta in the offseason,
San Antonio missing LaMar- leading the Hawks past the Continued from page 17
cus Aldridge and Pau Ga- Rockets.
sol, and Philadelphia with- Tim Hardaway Jr. had 33 A 7-foot-6 center from
out Joel Embiid, Nerlens points for Atlanta, includ- Shanghai, Yao was the top
Noel and Robert Coving- ing a driving dunk with less overall draft pick in 2002
ton. Aldridge and Embiid than a minute remaining and was an eight-time All-
were both late scratches that gave Atlanta a three- Star, playing nine seasons
with minor knee ailments. point lead. in Houston before retiring
The 76ers’ frontcourt got The Hawks trailed by as in 2011 because of mount-
25 points and 10 rebounds many as 20 points and en- ing issues with injuries. He
from Ersan Ilyasova, and tered the fourth quarter averaged 19.0 points, 9.2
Dario Saric added 14 down 13 before Howard rebounds and 1.9 blocks a
points. led a late comeback. game and was inducted
WARRIORS 133, CLIPPERS James Harden had 41 into the Basketball Hall of
120 points, eight assists and Fame in September.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ste- eight rebounds, but the “It was really sad for me Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, left, talks to retired
phen Curry scored 29 Rockets struggled to make that his career was cut so Houston Rockets center Yao Ming during a news conference
points despite making just shots down the stretch. short because I think if he before an NBA basketball game between the Rockets and
three 3-pointers, Kevin Du- Clint Capela had 22 points had been able to stay on, Chicago Bulls, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, in Houston.
rant added 26 points and and nine rebounds. we would have been able Associated Press
10 assists, and the Golden Howard, who spent the last to win a couple of cham-
State Warriors defeated three seasons in Houston, pionships,” Rockets owner Yao will become the sixth Drexler (No. 22), Moses
the Los Angeles Clippers for received a mostly warm Les Alexander said. “He’s a Rocket to have his num- Malone (No. 24), Calvin
their fifth straight victory. welcome by the Toyota great human being and a ber retired, joining Hakeem Murphy (No. 23) and Rudy
Blake Griffin had 31 points, Center crowd, with some great basketball player.” Olajuwon (No. 34), Clyde Tomjanovich (No. 45). q