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SPORTS Thursday 27 december 2018

NBA Capsules
LeBron gets hurt in

Lakers’ rout of Warriors

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The geles also ended a seven-
Los Angeles Lakers lost LeB- game skid overall in the ri-
ron James in the third quar- valry with its first win in the
ter to a strained left groin series since March 6, 2016.
then went out and beat the CELTICS 121, 76ERS 114, OT
two-time defending cham- BOSTON (AP) — Kyrie Irving
pions without him Tuesday hit back-to-back 3-pointers
night, getting King James’ in overtime for six of his 40
17 points, 13 rebounds and points and the Celtics ral-
five assists before the injury lied to a win over the 76ers.
in a surprising 127-101 rout Irving, who forced the OT
of the Golden State War- on a jump shot with 20 sec-
riors. James grabbed at his onds left in the fourth, also
left groin area with 7:51 left pulled down 10 rebounds
in the third after slipping for the Celtics, who trailed
under the Warriors’ basket 113-108 with 3:33 left in the
while trying for a loose ball. extra period before rally-
He tried to stretch it out, ing behind Irving down the
awkwardly walked toward stretch.
the Lakers bench trying to Ben Simmons’ two free
loosen up before leaving throws with 2:15 left to put
on his own though gingerly the Sixers up 114-112, but
out the tunnel for the locker Philadelphia didn’t score
room. Stephen Curry made again.
consecutive 3s shortly after Irving’s 3-pointer with 3:01
James exited, and the War- left gave Boston its first lead
riors got within 78-76 at the of overtime at 115-114,
2:48 mark of the third — but then after a miss by Phila-
Kyle Kuzma and the persis- delphia, Irving hit another
tent Lakers stayed at it every 3-pointer with 1:28 left and
possession. Curry wound up Boston fans leaped to their
with 15 points but the home feet and cheered louder
fans had seen enough well than they had all night.
before the final buzzer and Jayson Tatum and Marcus
headed out for the rest of Morris scored 23 apiece for
Christmas. Boston and Terry Rozier had
Kuzma contributed 19 10 points.
points with a pretty base- ROCKETS 113, THUNDER 109 Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, rear, dunks on Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) during
line 3 late, Ivica Zubac had HOUSTON (AP) — James the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018, in Salt Lake City.
18 points and 11 rebounds Harden scored 41 points Associated Press
and Rajon Rondo 15 points and the Rockets beat the player has done that since City within 4 before Hard- throws to get the Thunder
and 10 assists off the bench Thunder for their seventh Russell Westbrook had en missed a 3. Westbrook within 2 with 43.6 seconds
as the Lakers snapped an win in the last eight games. eight consecutive 30-point missed a shot for the Thun- left. Harden then drove
11-game losing streak on Harden has scored 30 games in November 2016. der, but George stole the past George and into the
the Warriors’ home floor points or more in a career- A 3-pointer by Paul George ball from Harden and was lane for a layup to make it
since a 118-115 overtime high seven games in a row, with less than two min- fouled by him. 112-108 with 20.4 seconds
win Dec. 22, 2012. Los An- marking the first time a utes left got Oklahoma George made both free left.q

James’ MRI shows groin strain,

Lakers say he’s day to day

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — days, and the Lakers said 156 consecutive games,
LeBron James got good he won’t travel with them going back to the start
news Wednesday on his in- for their game Thursday in of the 2017 playoffs with
jured groin. Sacramento. Cleveland. His last extend-
But his games-played From there, he will be listed ed absence due to injury
streak will end anyway. as day-to-day. was an eight-game stint to
An MRI exam showed that “Dodged a bullet,” James deal with back and knee
the four-time NBA MVP tweeted. aches midway through the
merely strained his left groin Thursday will mark the first 2014-15 season.
in the Los Angeles Lakers’ time James has sat since James is averaging 27.3
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court victory at Golden State the final game of the 2016- points, 8.3 rebounds and
after straining his groin during the second half of the team’s NBA
basketball game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Warriors on Christmas night. 17 regular season, which 7.1 assists this season, his
Dec. 25, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. James will likely be dealing he took off for rest. 16th in the NBA and first
Associated Press with soreness for several James had appeared in with the Lakers.q