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After trading stars, Nets lean on returning Dinwiddie to beat Bulls
The Nets pull through their first game minus Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as Spencer Dinwiddie stars in his return to Brooklyn.....»»
NBA Roundup: Nets hold on to edge Celtics and regain first place in East
Joe Harris scored a team high 20 points as the short-handed Brooklyn Nets withstood Jayson Tatum’s 38-point performance with a 109-104 victory on Friday in New York. Kyrie Irving flirted with a triple double, finishing with 15 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds but it wasn’t his best shooting game as the Nets had to […] The post NBA Roundup: Nets hold on to edge Celtics and regain first place in East appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nets to return with more talent for Vaughn or another coach
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — The Brooklyn Nets went down meekly in the playoffs, their decimated roster no competition for the reigning NBA champions. The Nets won’t be overmatched by anyone next season, assuming Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are healthy. The question going into the offseason is who will lead them. Jacque Vaughn finished […] The post Nets to return with more talent for Vaughn or another coach appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Antetokounmpo, Bucks hold off Celtics in restart opener
By The Associated Press LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo converted a tiebreaking three-point play with 1:28 left on an overturned call that kept him in the game and helped the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 119-112 on Friday night. Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the Bucks’ first game in the restart. Milwaukee improved the NBA’s best record to 54-12 and moved within a victory of clinching the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the second straight year. Boston overcame a poor start to tie it at 107. Antetokounmpo was then called for a charging foul, appearing to negate his basket and giving him a sixth foul. The call was changed to a blocking foul on Boston’s Marcus Smart after review, and Antetokounmpo made the free throw to make it 110-107. Khris Middleton then knocked down a 3-pointer for a six-point advantage. Middleton added 18 points for the Bucks, who played without Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton while they work on their conditioning after testing positive for the coronavirus. Marvin Williams sat out with a strained left groin. Smart scored 23 points for the Celtics and Jaylen Brown had 22, but star forward Jayson Tatum had a nightmarish restart. He had five points on 2-for-18 shooting — though he actually only made one basket. Kemba Walker scored 16 points but played just 19 minutes as the Celtics look to keep the All-Star guard healthy after he’s been battling a sore knee. TRAIL BLAZERS 140, GRIZZLIES 135, OT CJ McCollum scored 33 points, teaming with Damian Lillard for 11 of Portland’s 16 in overtime, and the Trail Blazers pulled out a desperately needed victory to resume their season by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 140-135 on Friday. Lillard finished with 29 points and nine assists to help the Trail Blazers boost their hopes for a seventh consecutive playoff appearance. Carmelo Anthony added 21 points as Portland moved within 2 1/2 games of the Grizzlies for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. McCollum started fast, scoring 19 points in the first half, and finished strong with two crucial 3-pointers in overtime. The first one to open the extra period gave Portland the lead for good, and he added six assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 33 points and rookie Ja Morant added 22 points and 11 assists for Memphis. Memphis rallied from a 13-point, third-quarter deficit to take an 11-point lead, then gave it away almost as quickly. When the Grizzlies recovered to take a 112-103 lead with 6:01 left in regulation, it appeared the Grizzlies might pad their lead in the standings. Instead, Anthony’s 3 with 37.5 seconds left tied it at 124 and Morant fell on a last-second fast break, sending the game to overtime. MAGIC 128, NETS 118 Evan Fournier scored 24 points, Nikola Vucevic had 22 and Orlando picked up where it left off before the NBA season was suspended, beating Brooklyn. Playing as the designated road team not far from their arena, the Magic looked right at home at Disney — whose name they wear as their jersey patch. They extended their winning streak to four and moved back ahead of the Nets into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn also won its last three before the stoppage, but the decimated team that returned is a shell of the one that beat the Lakers in Los Angeles in its final game. The Nets are missing Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan and Taurean Prince after they tested positive for the coronavirus. They are already playing without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who had season-ending surgery. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 24 points for the Nets. SPURS 129, KINGS 120 DeMar DeRozan scored 17 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to help San Antonio beat Sacramento. Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and assistant Becky Hammon stood for the national anthem while the remainder of the coaches and players for both teams knelt. DeRozan shot 10 of 13 and had 10 assists, and the Spurs shot 53.3% from the field. Derrick White matched a career high with 26 points in San Antonio’s first game of the restart. The Spurs needed to find offense because LaMarcus Aldridge, the team’s No. 2 scorer, had shoulder surgery in April and will not play in the restart. De’Aaron Fox scored a career-high 39 points for the Kings. SUNS 125, WIZARDS 112 Devin Booker scored 27 points, Deandre Ayton added 24 points and 12 rebounds and Phoenix beat Washington. Booker made all nine of his free throws and the Suns hit 30 of 32 from the line. They shot 52% from the field, with Ayton hitting two of three 3-pointers and going 11 of 14 overall. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points and Jerome Robinson added 20 for the Wizards on coach Scott Brooks’ 55th birthday......»»
NBA Restart Team Overview: Brooklyn Nets
RECORD: 30-34, seventh place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of eighth-place Orlando and six games ahead of ninth-place Washington. OVERVIEW: The Nets are in current playoff position even though Kevin Durant has missed the season and Kyrie Irving has played only 20 games. NBA G League veteran Spencer Dinwiddie has helped replace Irving, averaging career highs of 20.6 points and 6.8 assists. Caris LeVert’s early-season two-month absence was another hurdle for Brooklyn. LeVert found his groove, though, averaging 24.1 points in his last 16 games, including a 51-point effort against Boston on March 3. NUMBER TO KNOW: Brooklyn is eighth in the NBA in defensive rating, which would be its highest ranking in a season since 2005-06. ABSENCES: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Michael Beasley, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Wilson Chandler, Taurean Prince ADDITIONS: Jamal Crawford, Lance Thomas, Donta Hall SEEDING GAMES: Orlando Magic (8/1) Washington Wizards (8/3) Milwaukee Bucks (8/5) Boston Celtics (8/6) Sacramento Kings (8/8) LA Clippers (8/10) Orlando Magic (8/12) Portland Trail Blazers (8/14).....»»
NBA restart
BASKETBALL Hall of Famer Charles Barkley disagrees with the plan of Kyrie Irving, the outspoken but injured guard of the Brooklyn Nets, and Dwight Howard, a valuable center reserve for the championship-contending Los Angeles Lakers, not to return to complete the 2019-20 NBA season. “It will be a catastrophic mistake for NBA players not to […] The post NBA restart appeared first on Bandera......»»
Irving against Orlando plan as NBA players eye return
New York, United States—Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving was among NBA players on a conference call who raised doubts about resuming the season as planned in a Florida quarantine, according to multiple reports......»»
Players divided on NBA return, rue health, social justice concerns
The more vocal voice of the opposition is Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery......»»
Tatum, Celtics migisi sa Nets
Tatum, Celtics migisi sa Nets.....»»
Jimmy Butler returns from 7-game absence, guides Heat past Nets in overtime thriller
Jimmy Butler scored 31 points in a successful return from a sprained toe and hit the go-ahead free throws with.....»»
Mavericks star Kyrie Irving out indefinitely
There’s still no timetable on Kyrie Irving’s return as the Mavericks star suffers from a foot injury.....»»
MIF good money
The Maharlika Investment Fund is not expected to earn an annualized return of 10 percent as its critics have demanded. Even the most successful sovereign wealth funds do not have such high yearly income. An 8.6 percent yield as estimated by House members would already be a high target but University of the Philippines economists said the MIF must reap at least 10 percent to compensate for the foregone opportunities that resulted from diverting public funds for social welfare spending. Economic managers explained that the amount invested in MIF is a mere fraction of the funds that the government institutions own. LandBank has P1.3 trillion in investible funds compared to the P50 billion injected into MIF. That’s just roughly three percent of the total LandBank funds. DBP has P850 billion of investible funds and will only utilize P25 billion for MIF. After going through refinement at the Senate, the bicameral approval of the final version ensures that the bill will come nearer to the “perfect” version that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wanted. Thus, the MIF safety nets against the funds’ misuse are guaranteed to be there. The layers of auditing are MIF’s strongest shield against irregularities. It will have internal and external auditors aside from the annual Commission on Audit checks. An essential part of the fund is the capital that is expected to grow as the interest of investors picks up. The amount of capitalization determines the size of projects that the MIF can invest in. Sovereign wealth funds that are considered successful based on various metrics such as size, investment returns, and strategic objectives include the Government Pension Fund of Norway, also known as the Norwegian Oil Fund. This is the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund with assets under management of over $1.3 trillion. It was established in 1990 to invest the government’s revenue from oil and gas production. The fund has achieved impressive returns over the years, with an annualized return of 6.1 percent since its inception. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is another example of a successful fund in the world, with estimated assets under management of around $700 billion. It was founded in 1976 to invest in the oil revenues of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Nearer in the region is the China Investment Corporation with assets under management of over $1 trillion. It was established in 2007 to manage a portion of China’s foreign exchange reserves and to diversify its investments. The fund has achieved impressive returns over the years, with an annualized return of 6.6 percent since its inception. Other successful wealth pools include the Kuwait Investment Authority, the Qatar Investment Authority, and the Singaporean sovereign wealth funds GIC and Temasek. Even the argument that the Philippines does not have surplus income is not a valid argument against the MIF. Countries with no current account surplus such as Indonesia, India, and Vietnam, have established their so-called sovereign wealth funds to strengthen and support their priority development projects. The government of Indonesia has contributed $2 billion to set up Indonesia Investment Authority and it also transferred assets worth $3 billion. Even as Indonesia operates on a deficit, the government also provided $2 billion as capitalization for INA. Copying the Indonesia model, the Philippines hopes to use the MIF to beef up revenues. The post MIF good money appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia volcano draws thousands for ritual sacrifice
Thousands of Hindu worshippers scaled an active Indonesian volcano on Monday to toss livestock, food and other offerings into its smoking crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony. Swarming the thin rim around the basin of Mount Bromo, devotees heaved goats, chickens and vegetables slung across their backs up to the dusty peak as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival. Every year Tengger tribe members from surrounding highlands gather at the top of the volcano -- famed for its stunning sunrise views -- in hope of pleasing their gods and bringing luck to the Tenggerese, an Indigenous group in eastern Java. Slamet, a 40-year-old farmer who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, brought a baby cow as an offering. "We have a lot of cows back home and this one can be considered excess, so we are bringing it here... to return it back to God," he told AFP. "This is also an act of gratitude to God for giving us prosperity... We return it back to God so we can come back here next year." The calf had a lucky escape as it was handed to a villager after Slamet's prayers instead of being sacrificed to the volcanic cauldron. Some villagers who do not belong to the Tengger tribe took to the crater's steep slopes equipped with nets in an attempt to intercept offerings thrown into the abyss and avoid them going to waste. Farmer Joko Priyanto brought some of his own produce in the form of cabbages and carrots to lob down into the smoky void. "I hope I will receive a reward from the almighty God," the 36-year-old said. 'Better income' Monday's ritual was the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that authorities had allowed tourists to the site after the festival was limited to worshippers last year. The event has its roots in 15th-century folklore from the Majapahit kingdom, a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empire that stretched across Southeast Asia. Legend has it that Princess Roro Anteng and her husband, unable to bear children after years of marriage, begged the gods for help. Their prayers were answered when they were promised 25 children, as long as they agreed to sacrifice their youngest child by throwing him into Mount Bromo. Their son is said to have willingly jumped into the volcano to guarantee the prosperity of the Tengger people. For shopkeeper Rohim, who travelled from a nearby Javan city on Monday to launch potatoes, leeks and cash into the lava, it was a chance to pray for good luck. He said his fortunes had improved following previous visits. "Business has been better than before, hence my coming here," the 32-year-old said. "I'm hoping my business can improve so next year I can come back." The post Indonesia volcano draws thousands for ritual sacrifice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Timberwolves hold off Nuggets to stay alive, Warriors edge Kings
Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, including a three-point dagger with 11.5 seconds left, as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in overtime Sunday to stay alive in the NBA playoffs. Western Conference top seeds Denver, led by 43 points from reigning two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, closed regulation on a 12-0 run to force overtime. But they were out-scored 18-12 in the extra session at the Target Center in Minneapolis as the Timberwolves pulled within 3-1 in the series. Minnesota still face a daunting task -- no NBA team has come back from 3-0 down to win a best-of-seven series. "See you in Denver, we're going back," said Edwards, whose 16 third-quarter points keyed a Timberwolves charge that carried them to a 12-point lead midway through the fourth. Mike Conley added 19 points for Minnesota. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 17 points with 11 rebounds and Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 15 rebounds as the Timberwolves withstood another big night from Jokic. The Serbian star matched his playoff scoring high and added 11 rebounds and six assists. The teams swapped the lead four times in overtime, but Nuggets coach Michael Malone said too many defensive lapses in the extra session doomed his team. "You hold them to 16 points in the fourth quarter, then (they have) 18 in five minutes," Malone said. "That's the hardest thing to stomach about this game is that when the game was on the line, we were unwilling and unable to get the necessary stops." 'Sloppy' Curry It was the second Western Conference thriller of the day, after the Golden State Warriors held off a ferocious fourth-quarter fightback from the Sacramento Kings to secure a 126-125 victory that leveled their series at two games apiece. Harrison Barnes almost snatched victory for Sacramento at the buzzer, but his long-range effort bounced off the rim to leave the NBA champions celebrating. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 32 points -- and breathed a sigh of relief after two uncharacteristic blunders in a frenetic finale at the Chase Center. Curry missed a wide-open three-pointer with his team-leading 126-121 with less than a minute remaining. He then erroneously called a timeout when the Warriors had none left, earning a technical foul and allowing Sacramento's Malik Monk to make it a four-point game with a free throw. De'Aaron Fox's three-pointer pulled Sacramento within 126-125 and Curry missed another floater to give the Kings a final chance. "It was kind of sloppy not knowing how many timeouts we had left, and a couple of dagger shots didn't go in -- but we did what we needed to do defensively in those last 10 seconds," a relieved Curry said. Klay Thompson added 26 points and Jordan Poole had 22. Draymond Green, back from suspension, scored 12 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists off the bench to help the Warriors withstand a 38-point performance from Fox. Knicks, Celtics close in In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics moved within a victory of advancing, the Knicks beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-93 and the Celtics downing Atlanta 129-121 to each take 3-1 series leads. Jalen Brunson drained five three-pointers on the way to 29 points for the Knicks, who again electrified Madison Square Garden. With just one win from three more games the Knicks can advance past the first round for the first time since 2013. Darius Garland led Cleveland with 23 points but Donovan Mitchell scored just 11 -- only two in the second half. The Cavs will try to extend the series when they host game five on Wednesday. The Celtics can wrap up their series at home on Tuesday after bouncing back from a disappointing game-three defeat with a convincing victory in Atlanta. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 31 points apiece for the Celtics, each delivering a dunk in the final minute as the Celtics thwarted the Hawks' final rally bid. Hawks star Trae Young finished with a game-high 35 points and handed out 14 assists. But Boston stepped up their defensive intensity and had an answer for every Atlanta run, never trailing after the first quarter. Brown got off to a slow start, making just one of his first seven shots. Then he got rid of the protective mask he's worn since suffering a facial fracture in February and made 11 of 15. "Maybe it was all in my head," Brown said. "I took it off and started to turn things around a little bit." The post Timberwolves hold off Nuggets to stay alive, Warriors edge Kings appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo ruled out of Game 3 against Miami
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out of the third game of the Bucks' NBA playoff series against the Miami Heat on Saturday an hour before tip-off. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player will miss a second straight game with a lower back contusion, suffering in a bad fall in the opening game of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series. Head coach Mike Budenholzer had indicated Friday that Antetokounmpo might be ready to take the floor, but said in his pre-game remarks to reporters that it's not clear when he will return. "We'll continue to monitor him throughout the day (Sunday) and the next day," Budenholzer said. "It's not always a linear thing. He's not in a position where he can play, so we're going to continue to monitor and work with him and hope for the best." Without Antetokounmpo the Bucks won game two of the series to go into Saturday's game in Miami level at 1-1. Antetokounmpo is just one of the high-profile players with injury concerns in the first round of the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers were without another MVP candidate in star center Joel Embiid Saturday but still beat Brooklyn 96-88 to complete their sweep of the Nets. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in their 112-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns and Memphis's star point guard Ja Morant was questionable for the Grizzlies' game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. The post Bucks’ Antetokounmpo ruled out of Game 3 against Miami appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
RHJ builds PBA legacy
Former Brooklyn Nets standout Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was sunning himself on Boracay Island when he got a call from TNT Tropang Giga asking if he was willing to suit up in the Governors’ Cup. The precious tip that TNT got was from a friend of team manager and head coach Jojo Lastimosa, who was on the lookout for someone who can replace Jalen Hudson. While he was not a bad choice for the squad, Hudson was more of a scorer and the team needed someone who could also excel on defense, compete in the rebounding department and get his teammates involved. For all his talent, Hollis-Jefferson was not able to show what’s made of when he got signed by Jeonju KCC Egis in the Korean league. Then, TNT came calling and he found himself wearing a Tropang Giga jersey and immediately made a lot of heads turn with his brand of play. He did not lose a game in the elimination round and only tasted his first defeat against Meralco in the best-of-five semifinals series. Still, he managed to lead TNT past the Bolts and set up an unlikely last dance with the back-to-back champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Against the Gin Kings, the Tropang Giga were the betting underdogs since they were up against a team that won the tournament four times in the last five editions. Standing on Hollis-Jefferson’s way was Justin Brownlee, who had never lost a championship series six times. But Hollis-Jeffersonqas simply of a different breed. Standing a shade below 6-foot-6, he, however, boasts of a wingspan of a 7-foot-2 player and a skill set of a wily guard. In Game 4, Hollis-Jefferson banged in 36 points, grabbed ten boards and five feeds en route to a 116-104 win, numbers that only solidified the league’s selection of the 28-year-old product of the Arizona Wildcats assembly line as Best Import. The import’s numbers were impressive enough, but even more impressive was the way he facilitated the game and made his teammates more involved as TNT hit a finals record 21 three-point shots to level the series to 2-2. In Game 5, Brownlee had a bout with food poisoning and was unable to finish the game for the Gin Kings. But all series long, Hollis-Jefferson, a Muslim, was also somewhat handicapped as well as he didn’t have food and water intake from sunrise to sunset in observance of Ramadan. The import, however, found the resolve to survive and in Game 5 and 6, he was able to take care of business while leading the Tropang Giga to the championship, their first ever title in the Governors’ Cup. No doubt, Hollis-Jefferson will be high on TNT’s priority list but this recent triumph could serve as his ticket to his return to the NBA. But if ever Hollis-Jefferson would go on and stay in the PBA, he would definitely become the Tropang Giga’s resident reinforcement, similar to what Brownlee is with Ginebra and Sean Chambers with Alaska back in the days. Won’t be surprised if he ends up playing in a tournament where the ceiling is 6-foot-10 owing to his tremendous skills. If K.J. McDaniels stood his ground against bigger rivals in the past, I don’t see no reason why Hollis-Jefferson won’t do the same thing given his NBA lineage. The post RHJ builds PBA legacy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves, Knicks dominate Cavs
The Denver Nuggets, fueled by a Nikola Jokic triple-double, beat Minnesota 120-111 on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold on their NBA Western Conference playoff series as the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks notched big home wins. The Knicks had Madison Square Garden rocking with a dominant 99-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers that put New York up 2-1. The Hawks clawed back to 2-1 after dropping the first two games against the Celtics in Boston with a 130-122 triumph. Atlanta crucially avoided falling into a 3-0 hole -- a deficit no NBA team has ever recovered from to win a best-of-seven series. And that's exactly where Western Conference top seeds Denver have the Timberwolves after two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic's seventh career playoff triple-double. Jokic scored 20 points with 11 rebounds and 12 assists, and when he was limited by foul trouble in the third quarter his teammates kept the pressure on. Michael Porter Jr scored 25 points to lead six Nuggets players in double figures and Denver's reserves out-scored the Timberwolves bench 29-10. They kept the Timberwolves at bay despite a sparkling 36 points from Anthony Edwards, whose three-pointer early in the third pulled Minnesota within three points. They were down by five with less than five minutes remaining, but couldn't break through. Jokic, who led the league with 29 triple-doubles in the regular season, said he knows they'll be even more determined on Sunday to prevent a sweep on their home floor. "We know they're going to go even more aggressive in two days," Jokic said. "So we just need to keep our composure and we know what to expect." In New York, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and RJ Barrett added 19 for the Knicks, who rebounded from a humbling game two defeat in Cleveland. The Knicks' suffocating defense contributed to a dismal night for Cleveland's Darius Garland, who missed 17 of his 21 shot attempts on the way to 10 points. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 to lead the Cavs, who became the first team this season to be held under 80 points in an NBA game. To top it off, Garland -- who scored 32 points in the Cavs' win on Tuesday -- needed treatment on his left ankle in the second half after stepping on a courtside photographer's foot. The game was the first playoff contest at Madison Square Garden in two years and the "chaos" that New York native and Cavs star Mitchell predicted materialized. Both teams made sloppy starts in the raucous atmosphere, but the Knicks steadied to take a 13-point halftime lead that they pushed to as many as 27. "This was great," said Brunson, but he warned that the Cavs would punch back in game four on Sunday. "You want to carry it over, but at the same time we've got to be focused, we've got to be ready to go." In Atlanta, Trae Young scored 32 points and Dejounte Murray added 25 as the hot-shooting Hawks clawed back into their series against the Celtics. Young shook off two sub-par performances with a stellar display, connecting on 12 of 22 shots from the field with six rebounds and nine assists. "Our whole team was making plays all night and it was up to me to go make the right one," Young said. "It's not only to score, sometimes it's to get everybody involved." He also produced a pair of blocks as the Hawks out-hustled the second-seeded Celtics -- who fell to Golden State in the NBA Finals last year. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Boston. Marcus Smart added 24 and Jaylen Brown had 15 for the Celtics, who drained 21 three-pointers but were out-rebounded 48-29. Smart said there was no secret to the Hawks' advantage on the boards, which led to their 23-9 edge in second-chance points. "It's just a matter of will," Smart said, "and they wanted it more tonight." Tatum still had a chance to tie it with 58.1 seconds left but his three-point attempt bounced off the rim and the Hawks pulled away. "I've got to play better," said a dejected Tatum, who said he made too many untimely turnovers and poor decisions. "This one tonight is on me." Atlanta will try to level the series when they host game four on Sunday. The post Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves, Knicks dominate Cavs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kings shame Warriors
WASHINGTON (AFP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 38 points and Malik Monk added 32 off the bench in leading the Sacramento Kings to a 126-123 victory over Golden State for their first National Basketball Association playoff triumph in 17 years. The Kings, who had not reached the post-season since 2006, seized a 1-0 lead over the defending champions in a Western Conference best-of-seven first round series that continues in Sacramento on Monday. In Eastern Conference playoff series openers on Saturday, the New York Knicks edged host Cleveland 101-97, Boston routed Atlanta 112-99 and Philadelphia beat Brooklyn 121-101. Fox made 13-of-27 shots in his playoff debut, 4-of-8 from 3-point range, and 8-of-12 free throws then after the victory pushed the button to send the Kings’ laser light — symbolic of a Kings victory — from the outside of the arena. Monk sank 8-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-4 from 3-point range plus all 14 of his free throws. He made two late free throws to create the final margin and Stephen Curry missed a final 3-point shot for the Warriors to force overtime. Reserve Trey Lyles added 16 points and NBA rebounds leader Domantas Sabonis had 12 points and 16 rebounds for Sacramento. “Our bench came in and they did a hell of a job tonight, especially Malik and Trey. They ignited us,” Fox said. “We knew we had to go out and be physical — try not to foul because this is probably the best free throw shooting team in the league — and get it done on the defensive end and we got some key stops.” Fox caught fire in the second half and Sacramento used a late 7-0 run for a 119-114 lead that put the hosts ahead to stay. “In the second half, I got into a rhythm, my teammates continued to hit me in my spot and I just did what they want me to do,” Fox said. Curry led Golden State with 30 points while Klay Thompson added 21. At Cleveland, Jalen Brunson scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to lead New York’s victory while the Cavaliers were led by 38 points from Donovan Mitchell. A late Brunson miss was rebounded by New York’s Julius Randle, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and that set up two clinching Knicks free throws by Quentin Grimes. “They just kept fighting,” Brunson said. “We kept our composure. Made plays down the stretch, made a couple of huge stops. We just kept fighting, kept sticking together and stayed poised.” NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid had 26 points while NBA assists champion James Harden added 23 points and 13 assists in the Sixers’ romp. The host Sixers, who led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, sank a club playoff record 21 3-pointers in 43 attempts. “(That) was a good win for us,” Harden said. “We’ll be watching film. Game two is going to be the toughest game of the series for us. We’ll be ready to go.” Cameroonian star Embiid went 7-of-15 from the floor and 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Harden hit 7-of-13 from 3-point range and helped eight Sixers in all make 3-pointers. “Just finding ways to impact the game possession by possession,” said Harden, a former Nets backcourt star. “It’s the playoffs. Things don’t go the way you want as much as you want them to. You’ve got to keep pushing, keep fighting, and I’m happy we got a win.” Philadelphia made a club one-half playoff record of 13 3-pointers on the way to a 67-58 halftime edge. Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges scored a game-high 30 points, but only seven in the second half. The Celtics ripped visiting Atlanta 112-99 behind 29 points and 12 rebounds from Jaylen Brown and 25 points and 11 rebounds from Jayson Tatum. Brown played with a wrapping on cut fingers and a protective mask he has had for two months due to a facial fracture. “Got to come out and be ready to go,” he said. “My team depends on me. My city depends on me. I don’t make no excuses. I come out and play ball.” The post Kings shame Warriors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Embiid, Harden spark 76ers over Nets in NBA playoff opener
Joel Embiid scored 26 points and James Harden added 23 to lead the Philadelphia 76ers over the Brooklyn Nets 121-101 in an NBA first-round playoff series opener on Saturday. The host Sixers, who led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, sank a club playoff record 21 3-pointers in 43 attempts to seize a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven opening series, which continues Monday in Philadelphia. "(That) was a good win for us," Harden said. "We'll be watching film. Game two is going to be the toughest game of the series for us. We'll be ready to go." Also winning an East series opener were the Boston Celtics, who ripped Atlanta 112-99. Embiid, the NBA season-scoring leader with 33.1 points a game, was often double-teamed defensively by the Nets but effectively brought teammates into scoring positions. The Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m) went 7-of-15 from the floor but was 11-of-11 from the freethrow line and contributed five rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and a steal. NBA season assists leader Harden, who hit 7-of-13 from 3-point range, made 13 assists. He became the first player in 76ers history with 20 points, 10 assists and five 3-pointers in one contest. He also helped eight Sixers in all to make 3-pointers. "Just finding ways to impact the game possession by possession," said Harden, a former Nets backcourt star. "It's the playoffs. Things don't go the way you want as much as you want them to. You've got to keep pushing, keeping fighting, and I'm happy we got a win." In the times the Nets stifled Embiid, Harden picked them apart with inside moves, skilled shotmaking and precision passing. "I've been doing it for a very, very long time at the highest level so it's pretty easy," Harden said. "As long as I get into the paint and create good shots, I'm doing my job. Most of the time my teammates are making the shots." Philadelphia made a club one-half playoff record of 13 3-pointers on the way to a 67-58 halftime edge. While excited at the triumph, Harden tried to keep a perspective on the first step in a two-month playoff chase for the championship. "Stay even keel," he said. "There are going to be some good moments, some low moments. You win a game. You lose a game. Stay even keel and look at the bigger picture." Brooklyn's Mikal Bridges scored a game-high 30 points, but only seven in the second half. At Boston, Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics over Atlanta. He played with a wrapping on cut fingers and a protective mask he has had for two months due to a facial fracture. "Got to come out and be ready to go," he said. "My team depends on me. My city depends on me. I don't make no excuses. I come out and play ball." Jayson Tatum added 25 points and 11 rebounds while Derrick White contributed 24 points for Boston, which used a 20-3 second-quarter run to seize a 74-44 half-time lead. Atlanta, led by Dejounte Murray's 24 points, rallied in the second half but could not mount a sustained threat. "Starts on defense," Brown said. "Coming out and being locked in defensively. That's a good young team. We've got to give them respect and come out and play them tight and stay aggressive." Brown wants to avoid second-half fades after building big leads. "That's the journey for us, to stay and keep that mentality locked in throughout the playoffs, 48 minutes throughout the game," he said. "Tonight we waned a little bit but we will pick it up as the playoffs go on." Saturday's other Eastern Conference first-round series opener finds New York at Cleveland while the Western Conference opener sends defending champion Golden State to Sacramento, where the host Kings make their first playoff appearance since 2006. The post Embiid, Harden spark 76ers over Nets in NBA playoff opener appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nets down Magic, clinch 6th place in East
Despite losing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this year, the Nets surpass last season's win total to nail their fifth straight playoff berth.....»»