East roll to record 211-186 win over West in NBA All-Star Game

East roll to record 211-186 win over West in NBA All-Star Game
Eastern Conference guard Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks holds up the MVP trophy after winning the 73rd NBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday. (Reuters)
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Updated 19 February 2024
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East roll to record 211-186 win over West in NBA All-Star Game

East roll to record 211-186 win over West in NBA All-Star Game
  • East captain Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2021 All-Star Game MVP who had 23 points, knew his Bucks teammate Lillard was set for a big night

WASHINGTON: Damian Lillard scored 39 points to lead a record scoring performance by the Eastern Conference in a 211-186 rout of the Western Conference in Sunday’s 73rd NBA All-Star Game.

Boston’s Jaylen Brown added 36 points off the bench and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton had 32 to help spark the East past the old All-Star Game one-team record of 196 set by the West in 2016.

“Once we came out in the third and we made a lot of shots, it was like what’s the record,” Lillard said. “We found out and we went after it.”

Milwaukee guard Lillard, who sank a pair of half-court shots, made a game-high 11 3-pointers off 23 attempts and went 14-of-26 overall to earn the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

“It’s an honor,” the eight-time NBA All-Star said. “I’ve been here a few times so to be able to have this kind of accomplishment is special.”

East captain Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2021 All-Star Game MVP who had 23 points, knew his Bucks teammate Lillard was set for a big night.

“I knew he was going for it,” said Antetokounmpo. “When he has that twitch in his eye, when he’s locked in, you’ve got to pass him the ball and just get out of his way.”

It was a night of spectacular slam dunks, astounding passes and amazing shotmaking by elite players from around the world in a relaxed atmosphere, delighting a sellout crowd at Indianapolis.

“Everybody played hard. We had fun,” Antetokounmpo said. “The ball was moving. We made a lot of threes. We scored a lot of points. I’m happy.”

Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns came off the West bench to score a game-high 50 points, 31 of them in the fourth quarter, while Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 in a losing cause.

The 397 combined points shattered the old mark by 23. The East shot 83 of 146 (56.8 percent) from the floor and made a record 42 3-pointers, six over the old mark by Team LeBron in 2019, in 97 attempts (43.3 percent).

Lillard hit a jaw-dropping mid-court shot with 6:54 remaining in the third quarter and the East closed the period on a 16-4 run to seize a 160-136 advantage entering the fourth.

Haliburton, who made 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts and shot 11-of-15 overall, sank a 3-pointer to lift the East to the milestone 200 points with 87 seconds to play.

A 13-0 East run brought a 70-51 lead early in the second quarter on the way to a 104-89 half-time edge.

The East took a 53-47 lead after the first quarter as Haliburton scored 15 points on five 3-pointers in a 92-second span, putting the East ahead 20-14.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, was selected to a record 20th All-Star appearance at age 39.

But he was hampered by a left ankle injury and scored only eight points in 14 minutes and did not play in the second half.

Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and New York’s Julius Randle were out for the East with injuries, replaced by Atlanta’s Trae Young and Toronto’s Scottie Barnes.


Paul Waring shoots 61 in Abu Dhabi to set 36-hole record on European tour with 19-under par

Paul Waring shoots 61 in Abu Dhabi to set 36-hole record on European tour with 19-under par
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Paul Waring shoots 61 in Abu Dhabi to set 36-hole record on European tour with 19-under par

Paul Waring shoots 61 in Abu Dhabi to set 36-hole record on European tour with 19-under par
Waring, who opened with a 64 on Thursday, made nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round at Yas Links
Rory McIlroy made a triple bogey on No. 17 in his second successive 67

ABU DHABI: Paul Waring hit the shot of his life to complete a career-low 11-under 61 in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday and establish a five-stroke lead heading into the weekend of the European tour’s first playoff event.
The No. 229-ranked Englishman hit a draw with a 3-wood from about 260 yards to inside 4 feet at No. 18 and tapped in the birdie putt to move to 19-under par for the tournament.
The European tour confirmed to The Associated Press that it is the lowest 36-hole score to par in the tour’s history.
Waring, who opened with a 64 on Thursday, made nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round at Yas Links and set a course record.
First-round leader Tommy Fleetwood of England (68), Johannes Veerman of the United States (67) and Danish players Niklas Norgaard (65) and Thorbjorn Olesen (67) were tied for second place on 14 under.
Rory McIlroy made a triple bogey on No. 17 in his second successive 67 and was nine strokes off the lead.
McIlroy can clinch a sixth Race to Dubai title with a win this week.

Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool

Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool
Updated 08 November 2024
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Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool

Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool
  • Slot appeared to have a tough ask to follow Jurgen Klopp
  • The Dutch coach has won 14 and drawn one of his 16 matches in charge

Liverpool: Arne Slot said he is not shocked by a stunning start to life in charge of Liverpool as the Reds have stormed to the top of the Premier League and Champions League.
The Dutch coach has won 14 and drawn one of his 16 matches in charge in all competitions as the holders have also progressed to the League Cup quarter-finals.
Slot appeared to have a tough ask to follow Jurgen Klopp.
But he has built on the solid foundations left by the German after Liverpool finished third in the Premier League behind Manchester City and Arsenal last season.
“Surprise isn’t the right word I’d use because I knew the quality of our team. But quality is one thing, to be consistent is a second thing,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference ahead of hosting Aston Villa on Saturday.
“From the moment I started working with them I saw how much energy they put in on a daily basis and that is I think the reason you can be consistent.”
Liverpool were inspired by the power of the Anfield crowd to come from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 last weekend to move two points ahead of City at the top of the Premier League.
A similar atmosphere helped blow Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen away 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Slot is keen to keep his players’ feet on the ground but is happy for the fans to get excited about the possibility of just a second league title in 35 years.
“If the end result of them being excited is to bring the atmosphere of the second half against Brighton and the whole game against Leverkusen, I am hoping they will keep being excited because that atmosphere helped us a lot,” added the former Feyenoord boss.
Diogo Jota remains sidelined but should return after November’s international break.


Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar
Updated 08 November 2024
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Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar
  • Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title for 3rd time
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif promises to set up world-class facilities for sportsmen

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Pakistani cueist Muhammad Asif for winning the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championship in Qatar for the third time, Pakistani state-run media reported on Thursday.
Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title in a thrilling final on Nov. 6. He outclassed Ali 5-3: 70-25, 7-87(84), 82(56)-8, 106(106)-08, 82-12, 43-91(58), 0-118 and 93(80)-4.
“Asif made the entire nation proud by winning the international championship for the third time,” PM Sharif was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster. “The talented youth of Pakistan are highlighting the country’s name in the fields of sports.”
The IBSF, founded in 1971, is the governing body for billiards and snooker worldwide. It represents 85 member countries and is recognized by the World Confederation of Billiard Sports and the International Olympic Committee.
Asif, 42, first won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2012 and went on to win it again in 2019. His victory ties him with India’s Pankaj Advani who has also won the World Snooker Championship thrice.
The Pakistan prime minister said Asif’s family and coach also deserved recognition, adding that providing quality facilities to Pakistani players was top priority of his government.
“The government is making all possible efforts to provide international standard facilities to the players,” he added.
 


Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona
Updated 08 November 2024
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Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

BARCELONA: Raphinha knew he would have a hard time getting off Barcelona’s bench with the soccer world enthralled by teen phenom Lamine Yamal and the club eyeing to sign another hot prospect in the attack.

Instead of pouting, he evolved.

While the entire Barcelona team improved under new coach Hansi Flick, no player has made such a leap forward this season as Raphinha.

His 12 goals and team-leading 10 assists across all competitions are a big part of why Barcelona is playing its best soccer since the exit of Lionel Messi more than three years ago.

But if one player looked to be on the out when the season started, it was the Brazil forward.

Raphinha seemed destined to become a second-choice right-side winger after 17-year-old Yamal helped Spain win the European Championship in dazzling style. To make matters worse, the club was heavily linked to a possible transfer bid to pry Spain left-side winger Nico Williams away from Athletic Bilbao.

That move never materialized for Williams, but Raphinha was still left with either playing in a new position or being a backup to Yamal.

And when Flick gave him the chance to have a new role, he made the most of it.


England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over
Updated 08 November 2024
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England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

LONDON: Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall were called up to the England squad for the first time on Thursday as interim coach Lee Carsley made his final selection before Thomas Tuchel takes charge.

Tuchel does not start until January after being hired to lead the national team’s bid to win the 2026 World Cup.

Carsley will oversee England’s final Nations League games against Greece and Ireland and has continued to look toward a new generation of players, having already handed debuts to Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke since taking over on a temporary basis from Gareth Southgate in August.

Carsley said had not discussed his selection with Tuchel.

“He hasn’t had any influence on the squad selection. I’ve spoken to him by text, but it’s literally congratulations,” he said. “I think he’s highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing.

“We’ve been left to it, like we always have.”

England plays Greece in Athens on Nov. 14 and Ireland at Wembley on Nov. 17.

Carsley will resume his role as England Under-21 coach after those games.