Tatum stars as Celtics end Cavaliers unbeaten start with a 120-117 victory in NBA Cup

Tatum stars as Celtics end Cavaliers unbeaten start with a 120-117 victory in NBA Cup
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics shoots against Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup at TD Garden on Nov. 19, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.(AFP)
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Updated 20 November 2024
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Tatum stars as Celtics end Cavaliers unbeaten start with a 120-117 victory in NBA Cup

Tatum stars as Celtics end Cavaliers unbeaten start with a 120-117 victory in NBA Cup
  • Tatum admitted that ending Cleveland’s unbeaten record, which has left them sitting on top of the Eastern Conference, had motivated the Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets defeated the Charlotte Hornets 116-115

LOS ANGELES: Jayson Tatum scored 33 points as the Boston Celtics ended the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 15-game unbeaten start to the season with a hard-fought 120-117 victory in the NBA Cup on Tuesday.

The Celtics unleashed a barrage of 22 three-pointers to overwhelm Cleveland, who clawed their way back to within two points of the lead late in the game after trailing by 21 early in the second half.

But despite the Cleveland fightback, reigning NBA champions Boston held their nerve and kept the scoreboard ticking over to close out a deserved win.

Tatum’s 33 points included six three-pointers while the Boston star added 12 rebounds and seven assists in an all-round Celtics effort that saw six players finish in double figures.

Tatum said Boston’s championship pedigree had helped the Celtics over the line as Cleveland threatened late in the game.

“We’ve played a lot of basketball, we’ve played in the biggest games,” Tatum said. “NBA is a bunch of talented teams — guys are gonna make plays, they’re gonna make shots.

“I say it all the time — how you respond shows your growth and how special your team is.”

Tatum admitted that ending Cleveland’s unbeaten record, which has left them sitting on top of the Eastern Conference, had motivated the Celtics.

“They came in 15-0 feeling like they were the best team; we felt like we were the best team — it’s all competition. We were ready to play today,” Tatum said.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said his team had been caught off-guard by Boston’s superior intensity.

“The they had playoff force and physicality — we had regular season force and physicality,” Atkinson said. “That’s why we were down by whatever we were down. Second half we turned it up, but it was kind of too late. We’re just going to have to put it in the bank and make adjustments.”

Boston were quickly into their stride, rattling in five early three-pointers to sprint into an 18-8 in the opening minutes of the first quarter.

Cleveland rallied to reduce the deficit to 26-20 at the end of the first quarter, but the Celtics kept up the pressure in the second.

Tatum drained a superb three-pointer in the final seconds of the first half to give Boston a commanding 65-48 lead at the break.

The Celtics stretched into a 21-point lead early in the second half, but the Cavaliers clicked into gear and came roaring back to close the gap to two points at 88-86.

Tatum though had the last word, nailing an imperious three-pointer to give Boston a five-point lead heading into the final quarter.

A nip-and-tuck final period saw Cleveland repeatedly close to two points but Boston pulled clear in the final minutes to seal victory.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland’s scoring with 35 points while Evan Mobley added 22 with 11 rebounds and six assists.

In other early games on Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Charlotte Hornets 116-115 thanks to a 34-point display from Cameron Johnson.


‘Complete overhaul’: what went wrong for Pakistan in Champions Trophy

‘Complete overhaul’: what went wrong for Pakistan in Champions Trophy
Updated 25 February 2025
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‘Complete overhaul’: what went wrong for Pakistan in Champions Trophy

‘Complete overhaul’: what went wrong for Pakistan in Champions Trophy
  • Pakistan was plagued with injuries to destructive openers Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub 
  • Cricket analysts say Pakistan played cautious and outdated cricket in tournament 

KARACHI: Title-holders and hosts Pakistan crashed out in the group phase of the Champions Trophy after losing to New Zealand and arch-rivals India.
They still have a match to play, against Bangladesh on Thursday, but their tournament is over — a disappointing end to their first hosting of a major international cricket event in three decades.
AFP Sport looks at where it all went wrong for Mohammad Rizwan’s men in the 50-over tournament:

- Uncertain build-up -
Rizwan was appointed white-ball skipper in October last year and led Pakistan to an impressive 2-1 ODI win over world champions Australia — their first series victory in 22 years in the country.
They also won in Zimbabwe and inflicted on South Africa their first home whitewash, with a 3-0 scoreline.
But fast-rising opener Saim Ayub injured his ankle during a subsequent Test in South Africa.
Pakistan delayed the announcement of their Champions Trophy squad until the deadline to wait on Ayub’s fitness but the left-hander failed to recover.
To add to the home team’s woes, fellow opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the rest of the tournament after the first match — a 60-run defeat to New Zealand — with a muscle injury.
Pakistan’s much-vaunted pace attack of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf — rested from the Test series to keep them fresh — looked rusty and failed to control the death overs.

- Poor squad selection -
Pakistan selectors resisted calls from former players and pundits to include a second spinner in the 15-man squad and instead chose only one in Abrar Ahmed.
They relied on part-time spinners Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah, who have managed just one wicket between them in two matches.
Pakistan also erred by not selecting a regular opener and took the risky step of promoting out-of-form Babar Azam to partner Zaman.
When Zaman was ruled out they brought in Imam-ul-Haq as a replacement. He made just 10 as Pakistan were crushed by title favorites India by six wickets.
In a surprise move they included in the squad all-rounders Khushdil and Faheem Ashraf on the basis of their performances in Bangladesh’s Twenty20 league.
Ashraf had not played an ODI for two years and Khushdil for three.
Former Pakistan captain and television pundit Rashid Latif called it a “political selection,” blaming outside influence

- Old-style cricket -
Former Pakistan captain and popular all-rounder Shahid Afridi accused Pakistan of playing outdated cricket.
“In 2025 Pakistan was playing the cricket style of the 1980s and 1990s while other teams had progressed well to adopt an aggressive and modern style,” he told AFP.
“The ailment of playing too many dot balls also hurt our game.”
Pakistan played 152 dot balls against India in scoring 241 in 49.4 overs, including a record 28 balls with no scores in the first six overs.
Their total of 260 in 47.2 overs in the defeat to New Zealand had 162 dot balls.
“The mindset of Pakistan players does not match with modern-day cricket,” said Afridi.
“We need a complete overhaul of the system so that we can produce players with an aggressive mindset.”


Rachin Ravindra ton powers New Zealand into semis, hosts Pakistan out

Rachin Ravindra ton powers New Zealand into semis, hosts Pakistan out
Updated 24 February 2025
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Rachin Ravindra ton powers New Zealand into semis, hosts Pakistan out

Rachin Ravindra ton powers New Zealand into semis, hosts Pakistan out
  • Pakistan, who won the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, lost to New Zealand and then India

RAWALPINDI: Rachin Ravindra struck a superb 112 to lead New Zealand into the Champions Trophy semifinals with a five-wicket win over Bangladesh and in turn dump hosts Pakistan out of the semifinal race.
The result in Rawalpindi also ensured India’s semifinal berth in the 50-over tournament as Bangladesh became the other team from Group A to be knocked out.
Both New Zealand and India have two wins from two matches and will now meet in Dubai on Sunday to decide team one and two from the group.
Pakistan, who won the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, lost to New Zealand and then India in the first International Cricket Council (ICC) event they are hosting since the 1996 ODI World Cup.
India refused to tour Pakistan due to political reasons and instead are playing all their matches in Dubai, which will host the final if the Asian giants go the distance.
New Zealand have been the team to beat in this group after they humbled Pakistan by 60 runs in the tournament opener.
Coming in as firm favorites in their second match, New Zealand elected to field first and spinner Michael Bracewell returned career-best ODI figures of 4-36 to restrict Bangladesh to 236-9.
Chasing 237 for victory, New Zealand slipped to 15-2 and 72-3 before Ravindra and fellow left-hander Tom Latham, who made 55, added 129 for the fourth wicket.
Both were dismissed before the end but New Zealand still achieved the target with 23 balls to spare.
The Black Caps had a disastrous start when pace bowler Tasking Ahmed bowled first-match centurion Will Young for a duck.
Bangladesh’s new pace sensation Nahid Rana took down Kane Williamson caught behind for five with a delivery bowled at 148.8 kph (92.4 mph).
Ravindra, who returned to the team after recovering from a nasty blow to his forehead in a recent tri-series match against Pakistan, joined Devon Conway to rebuild the innings.
Conway hit back with a flurry of boundaries and made 30 before Bangladesh checked the surge and Mustafizur Rahman hurried one on to the left-hander who chopped on to his stumps.
Ravindra stood firm and with fellow left-hander Latham, another centurion in the opener against Pakistan, waded his way through the chase and after reaching his fifty bossed the bowlers.
He raised his fourth ODI ton with a single off Rana and raised his bat to soak up the applause.
Ravindra finally fell, caught at long-on off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, and wicketkeeper-batsman Latham’s run out added some late drama. But Glenn Phillips, 21 not out, and Bracewell, who hit the winning boundary, sealed the chase.
Player of the match Bracewell set up victory with key strikes that started with his second delivery to dismiss Tanzid Hasan out for 24 and end a strong start by Bangladesh.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto made 77 and Jaker Ali 45 in an attempt to put up a competitive total but Bracewell kept getting wickets.
He was ably supported by the New Zealand quicks with rookie Will O’Rourke returning with two wickets.


Hady Habib eyeing top 100 after historic Australian Open run

Hady Habib eyeing top 100 after historic Australian Open run
Updated 24 February 2025
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Hady Habib eyeing top 100 after historic Australian Open run

Hady Habib eyeing top 100 after historic Australian Open run
  • Lebanese trailblazer grateful for ‘huge learning experience’ in Doha and Dubai
  • 26-year-old has moved up the rankings from 320 to 166 in the world in the span of two months

DUBAI: Life has been a whirlwind for Lebanese tennis player Hady Habib these past few months, but you would not know that by speaking to him, given his calm and collected demeanor.

The 26-year-old moved up the rankings from 320 to 166 in the world in the span of two months, and in the process made history as the first Lebanese in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles main draw match, at the Australian Open a few weeks ago.

When he reached the second round in Melbourne, he received an unexpected phone call from the president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun.

“I was actually at the gym. This was after I won my first round, and I get a call from this random number. They didn’t really tell me who was going to talk to you. Some guy from the presidential palace was like, ‘I have someone to talk to you,’ and then this guy congratulated me,” Habib told Arab News this week at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

“He said ‘congrats’. I’m like, ‘sorry, who am I speaking to?’ He’s like, ‘this is the president.’

“I'm like, oh my God. I just had to pause for a moment just to let that sink in. I was like, thank you so much. It means a lot. It was really special to have him congratulate me, being the president of Lebanon. He’s also new as well. So I also congratulated him for being newly elected. It was a very cool moment.”

After Australia, Habib spent just two days at home with his family before travelling to Dubai for a one-week training block. He then went to Cairo to compete in the Davis Cup for Lebanon against Peru before accepting wildcards into the main draws of the ATP 500 tournaments in Doha and Dubai.

Competing at a Grand Slam and at these ATP events in the Middle East has allowed Habib to venture into new territory, sharing draws and locker rooms with the best tennis players on the planet. It has exposed him to a level of tennis he has been striving to reach, and to tournaments he had been dreaming of taking part in.

“It still feels new. I just need to let it sink in,” the Texas-born Lebanese said.

“It feels like you’ve been watching these tournaments growing up, and just seeing these guys play, and to be able to play in the same draw as them, like Novak (Djokovic) and all the players, it’s just a lot to sink in.

“I’m just really happy to be able to experience this level of tennis and to be around all these great players. Hopefully, I’ll get to that level. I'm working towards it.”

Habib lost his opening matches in Doha and Dubai, but considers this Middle East swing “a huge learning experience.”

His coach, Patricio Heras, has been encouraging him to keep things simple and stick to the fundamentals, even in the face of all these new challenges.

“I think that we need to be very open-minded to learning,” Heras told Arab News on Sunday.

“Not to focus on the things we don’t have yet, but on the things we can take from every match, from the players. All these players are new for us, so is being in these tournaments. We have to focus on learning and focusing on what they do good and try to imitate them, rather than think, ‘no, I don’t have this. No, no, let’s focus on the good things and be open-minded.”

The top tier of professional tennis can sometimes feel like an exclusive club that is difficult to break into.

Getting invited to compete in the ATP events in Doha and Dubai has given Habib a sneak peek into what he hopes will soon be his life on tour.

“Honestly, I feel like I’m the new guy here. I don’t really have any friends at this level. Everyone probably has their own circle and cult, so it’s difficult in a way because I’m trying to set up practices, and everyone’s already set,” Habib said.

“I end up hitting (with) my coach most of the time, but it’s a bit of a transition to get used to the new environment, the new players, and trying to get yourself in there in a way, trying to practice with them and stuff like that. It’s a learning experience. I’m trying to do the best I can to learn and try to eventually play these events as much as possible.”

Between winning a Challenger title in the very last week of tournaments in 2024, and his run to the Australian Open second round, as a qualifier, at the start of 2025, things have escalated quickly for Habib, who finds himself in search of new goals, now that his previous targets have been reached.

“One of my goals is to be in the top 100. Of course, that’s every tennis player’s dream, is to be able to be in that ranking, to play the main draw of the slams and get in all these big tournaments, but that’s my goal for now, to be in the top 100,” Habib said.

Heras has total belief in his charge’s potential, and says Habib’s professionalism is what sets him apart.

“He takes care of himself in a very professional way. He does the things he needs to do. He’s a very calm guy,” the Argentinian coach said.

“Sometimes it’s hard for him to explain what he’s going through and I think that sometimes it’s not good because he’s not expressing himself with me or with someone else. And he tries to manage everything by himself and it’s so tough to hold everything in. In some way he’s managing it and I think that is a really good part because it makes him a mature person.”

Heras added: “I think that, tennis-wise, he doesn’t have a ceiling. It’s everything in his mind and let’s see how far he can go. But I think that, tennis-wise, he has all the chances to be top 100, and even top 50, I would say. Not only because I trust him and I have confidence but because I can see from his practices, from the matches he’s playing during the tournaments. It’s really exciting.”


Pakistan crash out of Champions Trophy after New Zealand beat Bangladesh

Pakistan crash out of Champions Trophy after New Zealand beat Bangladesh
Updated 24 February 2025
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Pakistan crash out of Champions Trophy after New Zealand beat Bangladesh

Pakistan crash out of Champions Trophy after New Zealand beat Bangladesh
  • Pakistan lost to New Zealand and then India in the first ICC event they are hosting in three decades
  • New Zealand’s victory against Bangladesh also advances India to the semifinals of the tournament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan were crashed out of the Champions Trophy after New Zealand defeated Bangladesh in their group stage encounter in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Bangladesh’s middle order capitulated against the off-spin of Michael Bracewell, who took 4-26 in 10 overs. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 77 to lead Bangladesh to 236-9.

Rachin Ravindra, who took a blow on the forehead in a game 16 days ago and missed the last three one-day internationals, recovered to strike 112 off 105 balls and carry New Zealand to 240-5 in 46.1 overs.

The victory eliminated tournament hosts and defending champions, Pakistan, and Bangladesh from contention, while it also advanced India to the semifinals. Pakistan have been under fire since losing their group-stage match to India on Sunday.

“I don’t say this lightly. I didn’t see an effort [by Pakistan]. I didn’t see the, you know, the wanting to be out there and putting themselves in the fire line, you know, I didn’t see that,” former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq said in an Arab News-hosted Instagram live after Sunday’s match.

“And it’s been too long now, you know, it’s been, it’s been far too long.”

Both New Zealand and India have two wins from two matches and will now meet in Dubai on Sunday to decide team one and two from the group.

Pakistan, who won the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, lost their opening match to New Zealand in the first International Cricket Council (ICC) event they are hosting since the 1996 ODI World Cup.

Pakistan were also knocked out in the group stage at the last two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups and suffered the same fate at last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after losing to co-hosts USA.

Angry and dejected Pakistan fans have also demanded the country’s cricket stars be held accountable for the national squad’s lackluster performance in the tournament, which led to a crushing defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals.

“We’re always praying for Pakistan’s success, but prayers alone aren’t enough,” Iqra Tahir, a cricket fan in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, told Reuters. “We need to focus on improving our performance. It’s time for us to take responsibility and work on our game.”


Carey says Australia excited by rare South Africa challenge in Rawalpindi

Carey says Australia excited by rare South Africa challenge in Rawalpindi
Updated 24 February 2025
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Carey says Australia excited by rare South Africa challenge in Rawalpindi

Carey says Australia excited by rare South Africa challenge in Rawalpindi
  • Australia chased down 352, the highest target in tournament history, against England in Lahore on Saturday
  • Carey made a brilliant 69 alongside man-of-the-match Josh Inglis, who scored his maiden one-day century

RAWALPINDI: Alex Carey said Australia are excited by the challenge posed by a formidable South Africa when they meet in the Champions Trophy for the first time in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Australia, winners in 2006 and 2009, chased down 352, the highest target in tournament history, against England in Lahore in a Group B game on Saturday.
Carey made a brilliant 69 alongside man-of-the-match Josh Inglis, who scored his maiden one-day international hundred, to seal a five-wicket win.
South Africa overwhelmed Afghanistan by 107 runs in a clinical performance in Karachi.
“I think South Africa are playing really well in one-day cricket and look like they’ve got a great balance across their 11 players,” the 33-year-old Carey said on Monday.
“So, another exciting opportunity for us coming off the back of a great game against England, play with a lot of freedom, take the game on.”
Australia and South Africa have never met in the Champions Trophy, and the Proteas hold a clear advantage after winning nine of their past 12 ODIs against them.
Australia are also missing world-renowned pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
“Look, it’s an inexperienced bowling attack, there’s no hiding away from that. In and around that we’ve got some experience with our leg-spinner Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell,” Carey said.
The pace trio of Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis went for 171 runs for three wickets between them in 27 overs as England scored 351-8 in their 50 overs.
However, Carey backed a strong Australian batting line-up that includes Travis Head.
“We’ve got Steve Smith who’s a fantastic captain,” Carey said. “I think if we are to bat first throughout the tournament, I’ll back our boys to defend.”
“Travis will try to smack them at the top with Matthew Short. You’ve got Smith and Marnus (Labuschagne) through the middle and then hopefully set it up for Maxwell to go big at the end.
“We know they’re a great team... but I feel like our confidence is high and we’re really excited for tomorrow,” he said.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, with hosts Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and New Zealand in Group A.