SPORTS
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011
NBA Roundup
Bulls silence Boston’s big guns Bulls trample Celtics in home race CHICAGO: The Chicago Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 97-81 on Thursday to open a four-game lead at the top of the Eastern Conference and move to within one victory of clinching home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs. Chicago (58-20), winners of 17 of their last 19 games, closed out the third quarter with an 11-4 run to pull away from the Celtics (54-24). “This meant a lot because you’re going against a team you could see in the playoffs,” Bulls guard Derrick Rose told reporters after scoring a game-high 30 points. “You don’t want those teams to have confidence. We were aggressive. That’s the way it’s going to be. We’re a tough team. We grind wins out.” The Bulls allowed the Celtics just four field goals in the fourth quarter and, with just four games remaining, Chicago look like genuine title contenders. “I just thought they were far more physical, tougher, more prepared, which is on me,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “I thought Thibs (Chicao coach Tom Thibodeau) did a better job. “I thought (Carlos) Boozer did a better job, I thought Derrick Rose did a better job. I just thought overall they just competed far better than us tonight.” MVP candidate Rose added eight assists for the Bulls and Luol Deng scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half. The Celtics were led by Paul Pierce with 15 points while Kevin Garnett scored 10 and Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen were limited Trail Blazers 98, Jazz 87 In Salt Lake City, Gerald Wallace scored 29 points and Nicolas Batum added 21 to lead Portland over sinking Utah. Wallace scored 20 points in the second half as the Blazers wore down the injury-depleted Jazz, who had only nine healthy players. The loss assured Utah of its second losing season in 28 years. Wesley Matthews scored 18 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 12 for the Blazers, who moved into sole possession of the sixth playoff spot in the Western Conference, a half game ahead of New Orleans. Devin Harris, who returned after missing five games with a strained hamstring, led the Jazz with 26 points. — Agencies
NBA results/standings NBA results and standings on Thursday: Chicago 97, Boston 81; Portland 98, Utah 87. Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L X-Boston 54 24 X-NY Knicks 40 38 X-Philadelphia 40 39 New Jersey 24 54 Toronto 21 57 Central Division X-Chicago 58 20 X-Indiana 36 43 Milwaukee 32 46 Detroit 27 51 Cleveland 17 61 Southeast Division X-Miami 54 24 X-Orlando 50 29 X-Atlanta 44 34 Charlotte 32 46 Washington 21 57 Western Conference Northwest Division X-Oklahoma City 52 26 X-Denver 48 30 X-Portland 46 33 Utah 37 42 Minnesota 17 62 Pacific Division X-LA Lakers 55 23 Phoenix 38 40 Golden State 35 44 LA Clippers 31 48 Sacramento 23 55 Southwest Division X-San Antonio 60 19 X-Dallas 53 25 X-New Orleans 45 33 Memphis 44 34 Houston 41 38 X - clinched playoff spot
PCT .692 .513 .506 .308 .269
GB 14 14.5 30 33
.744 .456 .410 .346 .218
22.5 26 31 41
.692 .633 .564 .410 .269
4.5 10 22 33
.667 .615 .582 .468 .215
4 6.5 15.5 35.5
.705 .487 .443 .392 .295
17 20.5 24.5 32
.759 .679 .577 .564 .519
6.5 14.5 15.5 19
CHICAGO: Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose (right) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics’ Glen Davis (left) and Nenad Krstic during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Chicago. — AP
KOTC shooting tourney ends in style By Abdellatif Sharaa
Mohammad Al-Ghurba
KUWAIT: The Kuwait Oil Tankers Company (KOTC) shooting Tournament comes to a close with the final rounds of men’s and shooting school students’ trap, double trap, skeet and archery events being held today. Kuwait Shooting Sport Club Assistant Secretary, Mohammad Al-Ghurba said preliminary results of the tournament are outstanding by both men and women. He said the juniors showed talent and that some have a good chance of joining the national team. He added that this is a good indication that the sport of shooting in Kuwait has a significant number of talented individuals that are expected to have a good chance at competing well in the future. The closing ceremony will be held at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting complex at 4:30 pm. A large turnout is expected as shooters, both men and women, from the club, National Guard and various police associations participated in the tournament. Deputy Chairman of the Board and Deputy Managing Director for Administrative Affairs and Projects at KOTC, Sheikh Ali Humoud Al-Sabah, will represent the company during the closing ceremony. President of Kuwait and the Asian Shooting Sport Association and Vice President of the ISSF, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah along with several board members will attend the event.
Kuwaiti runner in world’s toughest marathons KUWAIT: Kuwaiti runner, Yousef Faisal Al-Qenae successfully managed to complete part four of the world’s toughest marathon; the six-day Marathon Des Sables. The competition, held annually in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, features the participation of more than 850 athletes from all over the world. Al-Qenae passed part four, which is 82 kilometers long, and has qualified to compete in the 42 kilometer part five of the race. Following the successful completion of part five, athletes will then run the final eight kilometers of the world’s longest and most onerous marathon, of which participating and completing just one part is an accomplishment for any runner. By the end of part four, Al-Qenae will have run a total distance of 191 kilometers in 58 hours, an unprecedented achievement by any Kuwaiti runner. Al-Qenae’s father, journalist and Chairman of the Board of the Kuwait Journalist Association Faisal Al-Qenae, commented on the event and expressed his pride at his son’s achievement. He said that his son was sponsored by the Ali Abdul Wahab Company and the Chairman of the Kuwait Olympic Committee Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah. He added that if his son makes it through to the final part of the race he will have run a total of 251 kilometers in the harshest of weather and environmental conditions.