Suns clobber LeBron-less Lakers; 76ers edge Knicks
Los Angeles---The Los Angeles Lakers got a hard look at life without injured superstar LeBron James on Sunday in a 111-94 NBA loss to the Phoenix Suns......»»
Stags, Sea Lions clobber rivals
San Sebastian and Olivarez College demolished their rivals Wednesday and bolstered their semis bids in the PG Flex Linoleum-UCBL Invitational Tournament at the SGS Gym in Quezon City......»»
Tatum comes through as Celtics hold off 76ers to level series
Jayson Tatum scored 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Boston Celtics held off the Philadelphia 76ers 95-86 on Thursday to force a decisive game seven in their NBA playoff series. The star Boston forward was enduring a dismal shooting night, making just one of 13 attempts from the floor through the first three quarters before erupting with four three-pointers in the final period as the Celtics thwarted Philadelphia's rally bid and leveled their Eastern Conference semifinal three games apiece. They'll host game seven on Sunday, trying to deny the Sixers a first trip to the conference finals since 2001. James Harden epitomized the 76ers' offensive struggles. He scored 13 points on four-of-13 shooting while newly minted NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid scored 26 points with 10 rebounds. Tatum, who averaged 30.1 points per game in the regular season, said he never lost confidence even as he struggled. "It's a long game," Tatum told broadcaster ESPN. "Thankfully I've got some great teammates that held it down." Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 22 points. Jaylen Brown added 17 and Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 off the bench. Even amid Tatum's troubles, the Celtics raced to a 15-3 lead, Smart and Brogdon carrying the early load before the Sixers began to find their feet. Philadelphia cut the deficit to three points before the Celtics pulled away again, pushing their advantage to 16 points twice in the second period. But the Sixers clawed back, taking advantage of 17 Celtics turnovers and finally taking the lead on two free throws from Harden that put them up 64-62 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Philadelphia led 73-71 going into the final frame and was up by two when Tatum made his first three-pointer of the game to put Boston ahead. Tatum then drilled a step-back three-pointer over Tyrese Maxey. Another pair from beyond the arc pushed the Celtics' lead to 11 points with 37.6 seconds remaining. "All that mattered was we won this game," said Tatum, who also had seven rebounds, six assists, a steal, and two blocked shots. "It's game seven, it doesn't get any better than that." Later Thursday, the banged-up Phoenix Suns tried to fend off elimination when they hosted Western Conference top seeds Denver in game six of their series. Phoenix was again without veteran point guard Chris Paul, who missed games three four, and five after suffering a groin injury in game two. Center Deandre Ayton was ruled out with a rib injury that has reportedly affected his breathing while All-Star guard Devin Booker went into the contest nursing an ankle injury. The Nuggets, who routed the Suns on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in the series behind a 29-point triple-double from Nikola Jokic, listed ailing Jamal Murray as questionable. The post Tatum comes through as Celtics hold off 76ers to level series appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gilas women clobber Singaporeans to stay undefeated
Back-to-back champion Gilas Pilipinas women scored another blowout win, trashing Singapore in a one-sided 94-63 affair to stay unbeaten in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games......»»
Sixers complete sweep of Nets
NEW YORK (AFP) — The Philadelphia 76ers shook off the absence of Joel Embiid to sweep Brooklyn out of the National Basketball Association playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns closed in on a second-round berth and the Los Angeles Lakers made a statement against Memphis. The Sixers romped into the next round of the playoffs with a dominant 96-88 victory over the Nets that completed their 4-0 triumph in the best-of-seven series. Philadelphia trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers’ win was all the more impressive given the absence of Most Valuable Player candidate Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday’s 102-97 game three win. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De’Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter surge. Harris said the Sixers were determined to use Embiid’s absence as a motivator. “He’s the MVP. And when we heard he wasn’t playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we’ve got to get a win without the big fellow,” Harris told broadcaster TNT. In the West, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the Lakers let their play answer the trash-talking of Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks, exploding out of the gate on the way to a playoff record-tying 35-9 first-quarter lead. They led by as many as 29 in the second quarter as they rolled to a 111-101 victory. “It’s important for us to play well,” James said. “We wanted to play better than we did in game two and I think we did that. But we still have room for improvement.” Davis bounced back from a dismal showing in the Lakers’ game two defeat to score 31 points and grab 17 rebounds. He also had two steals and three blocked shots, while James added 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The post Sixers complete sweep of Nets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth by beating the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. Elsewhere in the East, the Miami Heat thrashed the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 to edge ahead of the top seeds 2-1 in their best-of-seven series. In Brooklyn, the Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter surge. Harris said the Sixers were determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fellow," Harris told the TNT television network. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. "Getting swept is trash," a dejected Claxton said. "It's not a good feeling." Suns on the brink In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix beat the Clippers 112-100 for a 3-1 series lead. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display. In Miami, the Heat took full advantage of the absence of Milwaukee's two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, leading by double digits much of the night. Jimmy Butler scored 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting before departing late in the third quarter after taking a hard fall. After visiting the locker room he returned to the bench but with the game in hand did not go back on the floor. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points and fellow reserve Kyle Lowry added 15 as the Heat bench delivered 59 points. "We just came out here and played with some intensity," Lowry said. The Heat will try to level the series on Monday, but Lowry said he knows they'll face a tough task. "Every game is a different game," he said. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the team would continue to "monitor" Antetokounmpo, who suffered a back contusion in game one, missed game two and was a late scratch on Saturday. In the late game the Memphis Grizzlies welcomed star guard Ja Morant back after a hand injury as they visited the Los Angeles Lakers with their series knotted 1-1. The post Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. The Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. With Embiid out, Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter rally. Harris said the Sixers had been determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fella," Harris told the TNT television network after the win. "For us to come out here and get this victory, it feels great for the whole group. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix take a 3-1 series lead over the Clippers with a 112-100 victory. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles in the best-of-seven series. It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. In their absence, Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display but ultimately it was not enough as the greater depth of the Suns' line-up proved too much. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said after the win. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." In later playoff games on Saturday, the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Miami looking for a win on the road over the Heat with the best-of-seven series finely balanced at 1-1. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out game two after suffering a back injury in game one, was listed as questionable for Milwaukee. In the late game, the Memphis Grizzlies travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers with their series knotted at one game apiece. The post Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed 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......»»
Sixers take 3-0 lead over Nets; Warriors win
The Philadelphia 76ers pushed the Brooklyn Nets to the brink of elimination on Thursday as the Golden State Warriors clawed back in their NBA playoff series against Sacramento with a 114-97 rout of the Kings......»»
Wild win carries 76ers to 3-0 lead over Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers beat Brooklyn 102-97 on Thursday in a rugged clash that featured two ejections and a controversial kick from Joel Embiid and moved the Sixers one win away from a sweep of their NBA first-round playoff series. The 76ers, down by five with 2:15 remaining at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, surged home to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series, the Nets well aware that no NBA team has come back from 3-0 down to win a series. Embiid, Philadelphia's MVP candidate, scored just 14 points but pulled down 10 rebounds and produced a crucial block with eight seconds remaining and Philadelphia up by two. Plenty of pundits will argue he should have been out of the game by then, but Embiid wasn't ejected when he aimed a kick from the floor at Nic Claxton's groin as the Nets player stepped over him in the first quarter. Sixers star James Harden was tossed late in the third quarter after piling his shoulder into Royce O'Neale's body on a drive to the basket. And Brooklyn's Claxton was ejected early in the fourth when he picked up a second technical foul for taunting Embiid. "We stayed together," Embiid said of the key to the hard-fought victory. "We kept playing through everything that was going on." Tyrese Maxey keyed the late surge, scoring 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter. His step-back three-pointer with 44.7 seconds left gave the Sixers a 99-96 lead. Spencer Dinwiddie cut the deficit by one with a free throw and looked headed for a game-tying layup when Embiid soared up to reject the shot and the Sixers held on. Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 26 points and Dinwiddie added 20, but Brooklyn are in danger of being swept for the second straight season. Embiid, who went to the locker room briefly in the first quarter and could be seen limping later in the game said that despite their commanding lead the Sixers need to be better in Saturday's game four. "Tonight was probably our worst night," he said. "I wasn't good at all, so I'm going to be better." In other games Thursday, the defending champion Golden State Warriors tried to claw out of a 2-0 hole when they hosted the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors were without star Draymond Green, who was suspended one game after stamping on Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis in game two. The Los Angeles Clippers were without injured Kawhi Leonard as they hosted the Phoenix Suns in game three of their Western Conference series. The teams split the first two games in Phoenix. The post Wild win carries 76ers to 3-0 lead over Nets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Maxey stars as Sixers take 2-0 lead over Nets
Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 96-84 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series on Monday. With Brooklyn double-teaming Sixers star Joel Embiid throughout, it was left to Maxey to do the damage for Philadelphia with a shooting clinic that leaves Doc Rivers' team two wins away from a series victory. Maxey's 33-point haul from 13-of-23 shooting included six from three-point range as Brooklyn finally succumbed after making a bright start that saw them lead by 10 points in the second quarter. But Brooklyn were left ruing their inability to make the most of their first-half dominance against a sluggish-looking Sixers, who nevertheless restricted the Nets to just a five-point advantage as the teams went in for half-time at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia's adjustments paid dividends in the third and fourth quarters, with the Sixers outscoring Brooklyn 24-14 in the third before wrapping up victory in the fourth. "They did a few different things defensively tonight, but we were prepared," said Maxey, paying tribute to Embiid's decisive contribution despite being closely marked throughout by Brooklyn. "At half-time we figured out what we were going to do. But hats off to Joel -– to be so dominant when you're trapped every single play, and you still make the right basketball play –- that's big-time." Embiid finished with 20 points and 19 rebounds while laying on seven assists as Maxey and Tobias Harris (20 points) shouldered the offensive responsibilities. "He trusts in me, and he trusts in Tobias to make the big shots tonight and that's what we did," Maxey said of Embiid's selfless performance. Cameron Johnson led the Brooklyn scoring with 28 points while Mikal Bridges finished with 21 and Spencer Dinwiddie 12. Game three in the series takes place in Brooklyn on Thursday. The post Maxey stars as Sixers take 2-0 lead over Nets 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......»»
Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Embiid NBA MVP finalists
Back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is on track for a third straight MVP award, an accolade that was last achieved by the great Larry Bird (1984-1986). He is joined as MVP finalist by another two-time MVP winner Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. Jokic finished the regular season as the only player to have averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists on a 60 percent shooting clip throughout the year. The Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is also making a strong case for the MVP award that could land him among the league’s elite – joining Bird, Moses Malone, and Magic Johnson. But Embiid gets to have the inside track, too, for the Michael Jordan Trophy, having an explosive run late in the season. The post Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Embiid NBA MVP finalists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Filipinas clobber Tajikistan XI
The Philippines walloped host Tajikistan, 8-0, to stay atop Group E and move closer to the second round of the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament Saturday in Hisor......»»
No MVP clash: Jokic feasts in Nuggets win as Embiid sits for Sixers
2-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has his way in the Denver Nuggets' tight win over a Philadelphia 76ers' side that opted to sit out MVP candidate Joel Embiid.....»»
Doncic, Irving finally click
Luka Doncic scored 42 points and Kyrie Irving added 40 as the Dallas Mavericks thwarted the Philadelphia 76ers’ late comeback bid Thursday in a wild 133-126 NBA victory......»»
Lillard wins NBA three-point title; Unheralded McClung is dunk king
SALT LAKE CITY (AFP) — Portland’s Damian Lillard won the Three-Point Contest and unheralded Mac McClung captured the Slam Dunk Contest crown on Saturday, Feb. 18, at NBA All-Star Game weekend festivities. Mac McClung of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest as part of ........»»
LeBron hits 38,000 barrier
Joel Embiid scored 35 points with 11 rebounds, James Harden added 24 points with 13 assists and the Philadelphia 76ers made it consecutive wins to open a five-game road trip by earning a 113-112 victory Sunday over the Los Angeles Lakers......»»
Powell to return for Bay Area?
Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Myles Powell may be reactivated to return to the Bay Area Dragons lineup for the game against Rain or Shine in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo tomorrow......»»
Cebuano Sepak Takraw Club teams clobber foes in SMS-Boystown tourney
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano Sepak Takraw Club and the City of Naga Sepak Takraw Clubs cruised into the quarterfinals on the first day of the Chooks-to-Go SMS-Boystown Sepak Takraw Open Invitational Tournament at the Sisters of Mary School (SMS) Boystown in Minglanilla town, south Cebu. This as, two Cebuano Sepak Takraw Club teams and […] The post Cebuano Sepak Takraw Club teams clobber foes in SMS-Boystown tourney appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Harden, Embiid tapos na kapaan
MAY paglalagyan ang ibang teams sa Eastern Conference kung full force ang Philadelphia 76ers sa susunod na season. The post Harden, Embiid tapos na kapaan first appeared on Abante......»»