Cavs ride huge first half to crushing win over Warriors and perfect 10-0

Cavs ride huge first half to crushing win over Warriors and perfect 10-0
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland drives past Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green in the second half of an NBA basketball game Fridayin Cleveland. (AP)
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Updated 09 November 2024
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Cavs ride huge first half to crushing win over Warriors and perfect 10-0

Cavs ride huge first half to crushing win over Warriors and perfect 10-0
  • Atkinson: Ten-0 is a magic number
  • In Boston, Jayson Tatum scored 33 points to lead the Celtics in a 107-102 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets

LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their perfect start to the NBA season in sensational style on Friday, seizing a 41-point halftime lead on the way to a 136-117 rout of the Golden State Warriors.

The Cavs improved to 10-0, ending the Warriors’ five-game winning streak and handing them their first road defeat of the season.

The damage was done early, the Cavs’ 83 first-half points tying a franchise record for most scored in any half and their 41-point halftime lead the biggest in team history.

Against the Warriors’ second-ranked defense, the Cavs posted their fifth game of the young season with at least 130 points.

That ties a team record for the most 130-plus point games for an entire season.

“Ten-0 is a magic number,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We’re playing really good basketball and I’m just really pleased where the group is.

“I was worried about tonight — they’re 7-1 and rolling and they’re coming in here, they’re champions and they’re going to try and knock our block off.”

Darius Garland scored 27 points, Evan Mobley added 23 and Ty Jerome chipped in 20 off the bench as six Cavs players scored in double figures against a Warriors defense that came in ranked second in the league.

Meanwhile, they kept the potentially explosive Warriors offense in check, opening the game on a 20-2 scoring run.

“The way we came out tonight — that surprised me, how ready we were, how hungry we were,” Atkinson said.

Andrew Wiggins with nine points and Stephen Curry with seven were the only Warriors starters to score before the break.

Golden State were able to adjust after the break, out-scoring the Cavs 41-29 in the third quarter.

“First half, can’t play much better than that,” Atkinson said. “But second half, way we came out, they scored 13 points in the first three minutes. It was a little frustrating.”

The Warriors, however, were in too deep a hole.

Jonathan Kuminga led Golden State with 21 points off the bench, Curry finished with 12 on five-of-10 shooting, making just one from three-point range.

“We’ve got to execute better,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Thirteen turnovers in the first half — we were completely disorganized.”

In Boston, Jayson Tatum scored 33 points to lead the Celtics in a 107-102 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who led by as many as 14 in the first half and didn’t surrender the lead until the fourth quarter.

In Detroit, Cade Cunningham drove for the go-ahead basket with 8.5 seconds left to play in the Pistons’ 122-121 victory over Atlanta, then sealed the victory with a block on a driving Onyeka Okongwu.

Cunningham finished with a triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists with a steal and the game-saving block.

Jusuf Nurkic’s free throw with eight-tenths of a second remaining lifted the Phoenix Suns to a 114-113 victory over the Mavericks in Dallas.

Kevin Durant scored 26 points and Nurkic added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who notched a seventh straight victory to improve to 8-1.

“It’s been fun,” Durant said of the Suns start. “(It has) definitely been nerve-wracking with the tight games we’ve been in, but I think that’s great for our team to understand what it’s like in crunch time.”

Luka Doncic scored 30 points and Kyrie Irving added 29 for Dallas, who have now lost twice this season to Phoenix.

In New York, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points for the Knicks, who led by as many as 30 in a 116-94 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, who trailed all the way.


Local stars in the mix after first round of Saudi International

Local stars in the mix after first round of Saudi International
Updated 37 sec ago
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Local stars in the mix after first round of Saudi International

Local stars in the mix after first round of Saudi International
  • Khalid Attieh hit a sensational 4-under 67 to sit just three shots off the lead set by Chinese Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun

RIYADH:  Saudi Arabia’s local golfing talent put on a strong showing as the season-ending PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers got underway at Riyadh Golf Club on Wednesday.

Khalid Attieh, who recently turned professional, celebrated his new status with a sensational four-under 67 made up of five birdies and one bogey, leaving him just three shots off the lead set by Chinese Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand.

His compatriot, Saud Al-Sharif, finished a shot further behind after five birdies and two bogeys for his 68.

Attieh was delighted to put on such a good show on home turf. He said: “It was a good round. Hit the ball pretty good, putted good as well. The course is playing great. They have done a great job in setting it up such in a short time with all the events coming up.

“Greens are rolling really nicely. If you hit your lines here, you are definitely going to make some putts. Looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully keep it going. This is my home course, so I know how the greens are a little bit.”

The International Series is committed to developing the game, offering promising players a chance to play with some of the biggest names in the world. Attieh took full advantage earlier this season, making history by becoming the first Saudi amateur to make the cut in a pro tournament at International Series Oman. He followed that up by making the Black Mountain Championship in Thailand and the BNI Indonesian Masters.

He was understandably delighted to put on a good first-round display as a pro in front of home fans. He said: “It’s great to have them out here. You don’t get a lot of weeks where you have got home support. It has been a long journey traveling around Asia. With the home support, I think it’s very helpful and acts as a motivation for me.”

Reflecting on the learning curve that Saudi players are experiencing this week, he added: “It’s a great opportunity for us. Some great players here, so I am learning a lot. Just watching yesterday a few guys chip, you learn so much. And even playing with all the players today, they have a lot more experience, so it is nice to see how they compose themselves on and off the golf course. I thank Golf Saudi and the Federation for supporting us through this journey.”

Al-Sharif has not yet made a cut all season, and he was delighted with his first round in Riyadh — an excellent display on a very special day.

He said: “It was a good day today. I had the pleasure and the privilege to be playing with two awesome players, Brendan Steele and Scott Vincent. So I enjoyed my day. Obviously turning 25 today, it is my birthday too, so that’s icing on the cake.

“It is a bonus to play well. Feels nice obviously to play well on the home course. Looking forward to keeping the form up.”

Al-Sharif said he was delighted with the home support that turned out to cheer on the five home hopes and some of the best players in world golf.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “Obviously, that is our main objective here with the players, to get more people into golf. It is awesome to see — it’s awesome to see those teammates get the chance to play in events like this.”

Promising Moroccan amateur Adam Bresnu, who made the weekend last time out at International Series Qatar, continued his fine form with a five-under round of 66. Bresnu recently won the Pan Arab Golf Championship at Al-Zorah Golf & Yacht Club in Ajman. 


Heat embarrass Lakers, Hawks end Bucks’ winning streak

Heat embarrass Lakers, Hawks end Bucks’ winning streak
Updated 05 December 2024
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Heat embarrass Lakers, Hawks end Bucks’ winning streak

Heat embarrass Lakers, Hawks end Bucks’ winning streak
  • Herro scored 21 of his 31 points in the third quarter and finished with nine of the Heat’s franchise record-equalling 24 three-pointers
  • Boston Celtics shrugged off the absence of superstar Jayson Tatum, leading by as many as 20 points in a 130-120 victory over the Detroit Pistons

LOS ANGELES: Miami guard Tyler Herro starred as the Heat humbled LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 134-93 on Wednesday, leaving the Lakers looking for answers after their biggest defeat of the NBA season.

Herro scored 21 of his 31 points in the third quarter and finished with nine of the Heat’s franchise record-equalling 24 three-pointers.

Jimmy Butler added 17 points and Bam Adebayo had 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, who set a franchise record with 42 assists as they kept their offense firing against the lethargic Lakers.

The Heat were already up by 17 at halftime, but Herro erupted in the third quarter, draining seven three-pointers to match the Heat record for most in a period.

“This past road trip, we let two slip, and it was the energy ... it was just our energy was off,” Adebayo said. “We came into this game with great energy, and you see what happened.”

The Lakers, coming off a 29-point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, looked listless on both ends of the floor.

“I’m embarrassed, we’re all embarrassed,” Lakers first-year coach JJ Redick said. “It’s not a game where we had the right fight, the right professionalism.

“There has to be some ownership,” he added. “I own this, but there’s going to have to be some ownership on the court.”

There were encouraging signs for James, who came in mired in a shooting slump and scored a team-high 29 points on efficient 12 of 18 shooting.

The league’s all-time leading scorer also ended his streak of four straight games without a three-pointer, making one of his four attempts from beyond the arc.

That trey was the 2,451st of his career, passing Kyle Korver for seventh on the league’s all-time list.

That will be little consolation now that the Lakers have lost six of their last eight games.

A frustrated James said it wasn’t a matter of the game plan.

“If you don’t want to come to compete ... that’s other issues,” he said. “It’s definitely embarrassing for sure.”

On Friday the Lakers face the Atlanta Hawks, who snapped the Bucks’ seven-game winning streak with a 119-104 victory in Milwaukee.

Jalen Johnson scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Atlanta and De’Andre Hunter added 20 points off the bench as the Hawks notched their fifth straight victory.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and teammate Damian Lillard added 21, but Milwaukee couldn’t build on an early 10-point advantage.

The Hawks took the lead late in the first quarter and never trailed again.

The NBA champion Boston Celtics shrugged off the absence of superstar Jayson Tatum, leading by as many as 20 points in a 130-120 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

With Tatum and Jrue Holiday sidelined with knee injuries, Jaylen Brown stepped up and led the Celtics with 28 points and nine assists.

Brown scored 23 points in the first half to put Boston on the road to victory, and the Celtics weathered a late Pistons surge to complete the wire-to-wire victory.

Kristaps Porzingis, still getting back to top form after returning in November from ankle surgery, scored 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots for Boston.

Cade Cunningham had a near triple-double of 27 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists and Tobias Harris added another 27 points for Detroit.

The Orlando Magic bounced back from a blowout loss to the New York Knicks with a 106-102 victory over the injury-depleted 76ers in Philadelphia.

The Sixers, with Paul George and star center Joel Embiid both sidelined, cut a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to one with 22.3 seconds remaining, but the Magic closed it out with free throws from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.


Pakistan eye whitewash against Zimbabwe in third T20I today

Pakistan eye whitewash against Zimbabwe in third T20I today
Updated 05 December 2024
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Pakistan eye whitewash against Zimbabwe in third T20I today

Pakistan eye whitewash against Zimbabwe in third T20I today
  • Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets on Tuesday to register 10-wicket victory in second T20I
  • Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem returned figures of 5-3, the best by a Pakistani bowler in T20I format

ISLAMABAD: After securing a commanding victory over Zimbabwe in the second T20I this week, Pakistan will face Zimbabwe in the third T20I of the series at Bulawayo as it eyes completing a 3-0 whitewash over the hosts. 

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets on Tuesday as spinner Sufiyan Muqeem registered the best figures by a Pakistan bowler in T20I, returning figures of 5-3. 

Set to chase a paltry 58, Pakistan chased the target with 14.3 overs to spare, marking the biggest win by balls remaining between two Full Members in men’s T20I cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced its playing Xi for the third T20I against Zimbabwe. 

“Pakistan playing XI for 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe,” the PCB wrote on social media platform X. 

The playing XI features openers Omair Bin Yousuf and Sahibzada Farhan as well as middle-order batters Usman Khan, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Tayyab Tahir, Qasim Akram, Arafat Minhas and all-rounders Jahandad Khan and Abbas Afridi. 

Pakistan have featured Mohammad Hasnain and Sufyan Muqeem as featured bowlers. The match has been scheduled for 4:30 p.m. today.


Leipzig down Frankfurt to reach German Cup quarters, Cologne strike late

Leipzig down Frankfurt to reach German Cup quarters, Cologne strike late
Updated 05 December 2024
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Leipzig down Frankfurt to reach German Cup quarters, Cologne strike late

Leipzig down Frankfurt to reach German Cup quarters, Cologne strike late
  • Lois Openda scored a brace as RB Leipzig roared back into form with a 3-0 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup last 16 on Wednesday

BERLIN: Lois Openda scored a brace as RB Leipzig roared back into form with a 3-0 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup last 16 on Wednesday, while Cologne found a winner in the 121st minute to advance.
Leipzig and their coach Marco Rose came into the game under pressure, after five losses and a draw during a winless November, against a Frankfurt side sitting second in the league.
The hosts, however, started with a flurry and had two goals ruled out for offside before Benjamin Sesko broke through after 31 minutes.
The Slovenian striker collected an Antonio Nusa pass on the turn and bewitched the Frankfurt defense with some clever footwork before tapping home.
Nusa was the provider again to double Leipzig’s lead four minutes after half-time, sliding the ball into the path of Openda, who hammered home.
Nusa, still just 19, collected his third assist of the game nine minutes later, again finding Openda who rifled in from long range.
After the goal, Openda ran straight to Rose on the sideline, leading his teammates who piled on and embraced the coach.
“Today we wanted to do something, we wanted to fight together as a team — and we did that tonight,” Openda told Sky.
“We wanted to win today and show we are all strong together, with the coach, the fans and the players — that we are one family.”
Speaking with Sky, Leipzig and Germany wing-back Benjamin Henrichs praised his coach.
“It’s not an easy time for him and for us as well, but it all came out (when we scored). The win was very, very important,” the 27-year-old said.
German Cup winners in 2022 and 2023, Leipzig have made the final in four of the past seven seasons.
The loss breaks a run of seven straight wins for Frankfurt and is their first loss since mid-October.
Earlier, a 121st-minute Dejan Ljubicic penalty took Cologne to a 2-1 win over 10-man Hertha Berlin.
Hertha took the lead early when Ibrahim Maza converted a penalty after Derry Scherhant was felled in the box.
Berlin’s hopes took a hit soon after when Deyovaisio Zeefuik was red carded for a headbutt in the 25th minute.
The visitors equalized five minutes later when Florian Niederlechner scored an own goal from a Cologne corner.
With scores locked at 1-1, the match went to extra time.
Ljubicic missed a sitter inches from goal on the 100th-minute mark but made good on his error, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, with penalties looming, to book Cologne’s place in the last eight.
2015 winners Wolfsburg beat Hoffenheim 3-0 at home thanks to three goals in 22 second-half minutes.
Scoreless at half-time, Denis Vavro and Jonas Wind scored within four minutes of each other midway through the second half, before Yannick Gerhardt added a third to seal the game in the dying stages.
The win continues Wolfsburg’s improvement under former Southampton and RB Leipzig manager Ralph Hasenhuettl, with the Wolves now unbeaten in seven games.
Augsburg beat second-division Karlsruhe 5-4 on penalties away after visiting midfielder Ruben Vargas scored in the 123rd minute to level the scores at 2-2.
Bayer Leverkusen, who eliminated 20-time winners Bayern Munich on Tuesday, have already booked their spot in the quarter-finals along with Stuttgart, Werder Bremen and Arminia Bielefeld, who are the sole third-division side in the final eight.


Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes as Ferrari vie for constructors’ title

Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes as Ferrari vie for constructors’ title
Updated 05 December 2024
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Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes as Ferrari vie for constructors’ title

Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes as Ferrari vie for constructors’ title
  • Sunday’s floodlit Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit will mark the end of an era as the seven-time champion ends a remarkable 12-year spell with the ‘silver arrows’ and a 26-year association with the Mercedes brand
  • Ferrari offered Hamilton a contract that runs until 2026, which Mercedes were not prepared to do, giving him a continued platform not only to bid for an unprecedented eighth title, but also to promote diversity and inclusion

ABU DHABI: Lewis Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes, the team that carried him to six world titles, this weekend as his future outfit Ferrari, seek to snatch a first constructors’ crown in 16 years from McLaren, his first F1 home.

For all concerned, Sunday’s floodlit Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit will mark the end of an era as the seven-time champion ends a remarkable 12-year spell with the ‘silver arrows’ and a 26-year association with the Mercedes brand.

He will then move on to Ferrari where, Italy hopes, he can rediscover the mojo that made him the sport’s most successful driver with seven titles and 105 wins before hitting a trough of frustration in the current ‘ground effect’ era.

This has seen Red Bull return to dominate with Max Verstappen winning four consecutive drivers’ titles even if this season saw them decline, a fall that sees McLaren hanging on to a 21-point lead on Ferrari entering the decisive season-ending race.

McLaren have not won the teams’ title since 1998 while Ferrari ‘s last success came in 2008 since when the championship has been dominated by Mercedes and Red Bull. A change is long overdue.

Despite his travails in recent weeks, notably in Brazil and Qatar, Hamilton will leave Mercedes feeling conflicting emotions.

“It is a celebration of everything we have achieved,” said team boss Toto Wolff of the anticipated finale.

“We will honor an unparalleled story in Abu Dhabi and then visit Kuala Lumpur, Stuttgart and both Brixworth and Brackley... Lewis will always be part of our family.”

He added that before Hamilton’s final visits to the team’s various centers, the “entire team wants to add on more highlight to the reel.

“Nothing is going to take away 12 incredible years. That’s the memory, not a season of races that were particularly bad.”

Ferrari offered Hamilton a contract that runs until 2026, which Mercedes were not prepared to do, giving him a continued platform not only to bid for an unprecedented eighth title, but also to promote diversity and inclusion.

For Hamilton, a Ferrari title success on Sunday could be a perfect prelude to his move and help erase his recent tantrums and comments about ending races and the season early.

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur declared he is not at all worried by Hamilton claiming he has lost his speed.

“Not at all,” he said. “Have a look at the 50 laps he did in Vegas. Starting P10, finishing on the gearbox of Russell. No, I’m not worried.”

Hamilton, who will be 40 in January, remains determined to “rise again” and make his mark.

“I’m still standing,” he said. “It’s not how you fall, it’s how you get back up.”

Carlos Sainz, whose seat he is set to take, will also be seeking a happy exit as he and Charles Leclerc bid to overturn McLaren’s lead before he leaves for Williams.

“Twenty-one points requires a perfect weekend from Ferrari and a bad weekend from McLaren,” he said.

“We’re going to give it our best shot. I think if we nail a good weekend, we could still make it happen. Nothing to lose.”

On form, at a circuit likely to favor them, McLaren start as favorites but, after winning in Qatar, Verstappen will seek a 10th win this year with his usual vim as Red Bull say goodbye to sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who is moving to Sauber/Audi.

The Dutchman may also carry prickly motivation from his Qatar fallout with Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell, a daunting spectre for his rivals.

His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez may also be in his last race with the team after a hapless run while Alpine welcome Jack Doohan for his debut as replacement for Esteban Ocon.