NBA MVP Embiid hits 51 to power 76ers over Timberwolves

NBA MVP Embiid hits 51 to power 76ers over Timberwolves
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers reaches for a rebound past Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter of an NBA game at the Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 20, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
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Updated 21 December 2023
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NBA MVP Embiid hits 51 to power 76ers over Timberwolves

NBA MVP Embiid hits 51 to power 76ers over Timberwolves
  • The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player sparked the Sixers (19-8) to their seventh victory in eight games and snapped the four-game win streak of the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves, who slipped to 20-6
  • The Boston Celtics took over the NBA’s best record, improving to 21-6 with a 144-119 victory at Sacramento to snap the Kings’ four-game win streak

WASHINGTON: Joel Embiid scored a season-high 51 points and grabbed 12 rebounds Wednesday to accomplish feats unseen for more than a half-century as the Philadelphia 76ers beat NBA-best Minnesota 127-113.

The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player sparked the Sixers (19-8) to their seventh victory in eight games and snapped the four-game win streak of the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves, who slipped to 20-6.

Embiid became the first NBA player with 12 consecutive games of 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972.

He also became the first 76er since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 with three consecutive games of 40 or more points and 10 or more rebounds.

“He does it every night so consistently,” 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey said of Embiid. “We expect it of him and he goes out there and performs every single night.”

Embiid, the NBA’s top scorer at 34.4 points per game, said the triumph avenged a loss at Minnesota last month when he was unable to play due to a hip injury.

“That’s one of the best teams in the league and the best in the West,” Embiid said. “We felt like we had to get them back and I’m glad everybody just showed up.

“To start the third quarter, we had some rough patches, but we stuck together and we kept pushing and we got the win.”

The 29-year-old Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m) lifted the Sixers to their biggest lead in the final minutes.

Embiid scored 20 points in the first half, 19 more in the third quarter and completed the seventh 50-point performance of his career — and second of the season — on a jumper with 1:46 remaining.

Embiid made 17-of-25 shots from the floor and 17-of-18 free throws while adding three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in humbling the NBA’s top defensive team and its big men, Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Maxey added 35 points for the 76ers, forming a deadly duo with Embiid and taking up the scoring slack when the MVP was resting.

“All-Star starter,” Embiid said of Maxey. “He has been doing that all season. Just give him the ball and he has been carrying us every single fourth quarter. You see what happens when he’s impressive.”

“He believes in me,” Maxey said. “I go out there and try to put in the work and help him as much as I possibly can.”

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 27 points while Towns had 23 points and 13 rebounds.

The Boston Celtics took over the NBA’s best record, improving to 21-6 with a 144-119 victory at Sacramento to snap the Kings’ four-game win streak.

The Celtics, without top scorer and rebounder Jayson Tatum due to a left ankle sprain, were led by 28 points each by Jaylen Brown and Derrick White while De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 29.

The Los Angeles Clippers stretched their win streak to nine games with a 120-111 victory at Dallas as Kawhi Leonard had 30 points and 10 rebounds and James Harden added 17 points and 11 assists.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 31 points and added 15 rebounds and six assists as reigning champion Denver won 113-104 at Toronto.

DeMar DeRozan had 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to spark Chicago over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 124-108.

LeBron James had 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who had 19 points and 14 rebounds from Anthony Davis.

Julius Randle scored 26 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 23 to lead the New York Knicks over Brooklyn 121-102 while reserve Sam Merrill’s 27 points led host Cleveland over Utah 124-116.

Trae Young’s 30 points and 14 assists led Atlanta’s 134-127 victory at Houston while Tyler Herro had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to spark Miami’s 115-106 victory at Orlando.

Buddy Hield scored 25 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 19 points and 13 assists in Indiana’s 144-113 home win over Charlotte.


Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets

Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets
Updated 1 min 12 sec ago
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Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets

Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets
  • Collin Sexton scored 23 points and Lauri Markkanen added 20 as the Utah Jazz held off San Antonio 111-110
  • Chicago Bulls produced a balanced offensive performance to take down the Hawks 125-113

LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Cavaliers staged a sensational second-half comeback to preserve their perfect start to the season with a 105-100 defeat of the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

A superb defensive performance from Evan Mobley and 22 points from Donovan Mitchell laid the foundations for an unlikely victory that saw Cleveland improve to 11-0.

Mobley led the Cleveland scoring with 23 points, but it was his work at the other end of the court which proved decisive.

The 23-year-old power forward pulled down 13 defensive rebounds and made four steals and a block as Cleveland dug themselves out of a 14-point hole in the third quarter to snatch victory.

The Cavaliers outscored Brooklyn 35-18 in the final period, but only edged into the lead after two Garland free throws put them 97-96 ahead with just over two minutes remaining.

Cleveland held onto that slender advantage for the remainder of the game, with Mobley bringing loud roars of approval after an emphatic block of a Cameron Johnson layup in the closing seconds that was emblematic of his display.

Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson admitted his team had been below-par for long periods, but praised their resilience in grinding out a win.

“We weren’t great, but it’s a sign of a really good team that they can pull something like that out when you’re not playing your best,” Atkinson said afterward. “That was a heck of a comeback.”

Atkinson added that preserving the team’s unbeaten start to the season was also a key motivator to his players.

“Normally you know after 11 games, you’re not thinking about a streak,” Atkinson said. “But tonight you’re thinking ‘I don’t want it to end this way.’

“When you’re out there it’s in the back of your mind, and you’re thinking ‘we got to keep this thing going’.”

Johnson led Brooklyn’s scoring with 23 points, while Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder both finished with 22 points apiece.

In other games on Saturday, Collin Sexton scored 23 points and Lauri Markkanen added 20 as the Utah Jazz held off San Antonio 111-110 for their second win of the NBA season.

Victor Wembanyama, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year, scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds with seven blocked shots as well, but the 20-year-old French star was whistled for a costly offensive foul in the final seconds.

Jordan Clarkson added 16 points off the bench for the Jazz, who rose to 2-7 but remain last in the Western Conference.

Stephon Castle contributed 23 points for the Spurs and Devin Vassell added 21 off the bench for San Antonio, which fell to 4-6.

Keldon Johnson’s 3-pointer lifted San Antonio within a point with 31 seconds remaining but Clarkson answered with two free throws to pull Utah ahead 107-104.

“Wemby” was whistled for an offensive foul while making a screen on the next Spurs possession, a call that held up on a video review, and Clarkson added two free throws.

Julian Champagnie answered with a corner 3-pointer for the Spurs with five seconds remaining but Sexton sank two final Jazz free throws and Vassell’s 3-pointer at the buzzer for San Antonio was too little and too late.

In Atlanta, meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls produced a balanced offensive performance to take down the Hawks 125-113.

No fewer than eight Chicago players finished in double figures, with Ayo Dosunmo leading with 19 off the bench and Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Coby White all bagging 18 points each.


Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider

Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider
Updated 3 min 54 sec ago
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Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider

Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider
  • Australia rest Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith for today’s match
  • After losing first ODI in Melbourne, Pakistan bounced back strongly in second one at Adelaide to level series 1-1

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to field first against Australia on Sunday as the South Asian country eyes a much-awaited ODI series victory against the world champions today.
Pakistan lost the three-match series opener on Nov. 4 against Australia in a close contest before coming back strongly on Friday to demolish the hosts in Adelaide by nine wickets.
Australia have rested veteran cricketers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith for Sunday’s third ODI ahead of Australia’s Test series against India beginning later this month.
“Our team for the series decider” unchanged playing XI,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote on social media platform Instagram.
Pakistani pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah struck early to deal Australia quick blows, removing the hosts’ opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and Aaron Hardie in the first 10 overs of the match.
Pakistan last won an ODI series against Australia in Australia in 2002. Their win against the Australian cricket team on Friday made it the first time since 2017 that the green shirts had beaten the opposition in an ODI at their backyard.
PLAYING XI:
Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Aaron Hardie, 4 Josh Inglis (capt, wk), 5 Cooper Connolly, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Spencer Johnson, 11 Lance Morris
Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Hasnain


Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round

Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round
Updated 52 min 28 sec ago
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Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round

Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round
  • Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but the MLS Cup favorites and their eight-times Ballon d’Or winner are out

FORT LAUDERDALE, United States: Lionel Messi’s goal of winning the MLS Cup title came to an abrupt end on Saturday with his Inter Miami suffering a shock first-round elimination from the playoffs after a 3-2 home defeat to Atlanta United.
Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but after losing twice in the best-of-three series, the MLS Cup favorites and their eight-times Ballon d’Or winner are out.
All the accolades Miami received for their regular season ‘Supporters’ Shield’ triumph count for little after an Atlanta team which finished ninth in the Eastern Conference pulled off a stunning upset.
Inter took the lead in the 17th minute when Messi was denied by a diving save from Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan but Matias Rojas followed in to slot home the loose ball.
Just two minutes later though the visitors levelled when a deflected pass from Dax McCarty fell to Jamal Thiare who confidently fired home with a sweet strike.
Miami were stunned when moments later Thiare struck again — the 37-year-old McCarty lifted the ball forward to Russian Aleksei Miranchuk who slipped the ball inside to the Senegalese striker who blasted home to make it 2-1.
Diego Gomez thought he had brought Miami level in the 23rd minute but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The 40-year-old former USA and Aston Villa keeper Guzan was in inspired form as he frustrated Miami’s search for an equalizer.
It was Messi who finally broke through in the 65th minute, meeting a Marcelo Weigandt cross from the right with a thundering header.
Miami pushed forward in search of the winner but instead they were caught out once again with Pedro Amador’s cross from the left headed home at the back post by Polish midfielder Bartosz Slisz.
Atlanta will now face Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals with New York Red Bulls and New York City clashing in the other conference semi.


Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari

Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari
Updated 10 November 2024
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Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari

Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari
  • Weah’s father, former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, was watching from the stands
  • Parma came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at last-placed Venezia with goals from Emanuele Valeri and Ange-Yoan Bonny

ROME: Timothy Weah’s first-half goal for Juventus in a 2-0 derby win over Torino on Saturday marked the US international’s third goal in four Serie A matches.

Weah, who also scored recently against Inter Milan and Parma, was in the right spot to redirect in a rebound of a shot from Andrea Cambiaso.

Weah’s father, former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, was watching from the stands. Timothy Weah had another potential goal waved off for a handball.

Kenan Yildiz sealed it for Juventus with a crouching header late in the second half.

Juventus moved up to third, level on points with second-placed Inter Milan, who host league leaders Napoli on Sunday.

Leao scores 2 in AC Milan draw

Rafael Leao took advantage of his spot in AC Milan’s lineup after surprisingly being benched lately, scoring twice and helping to set up a third in a 3-3 draw at Cagliari.

Still, Milan struggled at relegation-threatened Cagliari just four days after a win at Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The pre-game attention was on 16-year-old Francesco Camarda getting the nod at center forward following an injury to Alvaro Morata, but it was Leao who made the biggest impact.

Nadir Zortea put Cagliari ahead in the second minute before Leao struck back with a brace before halftime.

First, Leao scored with a lob following an excellent setup from Tijjani Reijnders. Then the Portugal winger took a throughball from Youssouf Fofana and dribbled around the goalkeeper for his second.

Gabriele Zappa equalized for Cagliari shortly after the break and Milan went ahead again with a goal from Tammy Abraham, who had just come on for Camarda.

On a play that began with Leao inside Milan’s half, Abraham redirected in a rebound following a shot from Christian Pulisic.

Zappa then completed a brace, too, with a spectacular volley.

Milan remained seventh.

Parma win matchup of promoted clubs

Parma came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at last-placed Venezia with goals from Emanuele Valeri and Ange-Yoan Bonny. Hans Nicolussi Caviglia put Venezia ahead five minutes into the matchup of promoted clubs.

Parma hadn’t won since beating Milan in August.

Lecce fire Gotti

Relegation-threatened Lecce fired Luca Gotti following a 1-1 draw with Empoli on Friday. The southern club did not immediately name a new coach.

It’s the second coaching change in Serie A after Daniele De Rossi was replaced by Ivan Juric at Roma.
 


Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen

Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen
Updated 10 November 2024
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Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen

Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen
  • The 20-year-old American came from 2-0 and 5-3 down in the final set and was two points from defeat at one stage
  • Gauff beat the world’s top two players — Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek — on her run to the final at the season-ending event in Riyadh

RIYADH: Coco Gauff won the WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the final on Saturday.
The 20-year-old American came from 2-0 and 5-3 down in the final set and was two points from defeat at one stage.
Yet she took the set to a tiebreaker and won the first six points. Zheng threatened a comeback but Gauff took the victory off her third match point with a forehand winner as she came into the net.
She is the first American to win the Finals since Serena Williams in 2014, and received $4.8 million in prize money.
Gauff beat the world’s top two players — Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek — on her run to the final at the season-ending event in Riyadh.
Zheng was looking to complete a season in which she reached a grand slam final for the first time at the Australian Open and delivered China’s first Olympic tennis singles gold medal.
But Gauff edged the three-hour final which included 26 break points. Gauff also won their only previous meeting, in the Rome quarterfinals on clay in May.
Gauff beat Sabalenka at age 19 in last year’s US Open final to win her only major in singles to date. She teamed with Katerina Siniakova to win the French Open doubles this year.
In the WTA doubles final, Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand beat Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the United States 7-5, 6-3. They are the first players from Canada and New Zealand to win the doubles title.