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saturDaY 03•12•2016
SPORTS
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Rockets halt Warriors' streak, Cavaiers lose
Los angeLes, December 2 (aFP): James Harden's triple-double lifted the Houston Rockets to a 132-127 double-overtime triumph over Golden State on Thursday that snapped the Warriors' 12-game NBA winning streak. Harden drained a threepointer and converted a brace of free throws and Eric Gordon added a short jump shot as the Rockets finally separated themselves in the second overtime period of a game that included 14 lead changes, almost as many ties and plenty of early-season drama. "Big-time win on the road," said Harden, who finished with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, his fourth triple-double of the season. Ryan Anderson matched Harden's teamhigh point total and Gordon added 23 off the bench for the Rockets. Kevin Durant scored 39 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for the Warriors, who hadn't lost since November 4. Stephen Curry scored 28 points for the Warriors, but the NBA Most Valuable Player fouled out in the second extra period. "We had our moments," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Especially in the first overtime we had a cushion -- I think we were up four. We kind of let it slip away at that point. They played a great game. I thought they deserved to win -- they outplayed us."
Inter-Mill Tug of War tourney held DimaPur, December 2 (mexn): The 1st Inter-Mill Tug of war under the aegis Tenyiphe -1 Village Youth Organisation (TYO) was held on December 1 at Tenyiphe -1 Village Local Ground, Chumukedima, Dimapur. The tournament was organised for the workers of Mills under Tenyiphe-1 jurisdiction to create unity and mutual understanding amongst them, a press release from the TYO informed. The final match was played between IDEP WoodWork and Vilo Noodles with the former emerging as champions. IDEP Woodwork walked away with a cash price of Rs.5000 and citation. Altogether 11 teams from Tenyiphe Jurisdiction participated in the tournament.
Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives to the basket against Warriors center JaVale McGee (1) during the first quarter. (Photo: Kyle Terada,USA TODAY Sports)
- Clippers rout Cavs It wasn't even close in Cleveland, where the Los Angeles Clippers humbled the reigning champion Cavaliers 113-94 to snap a
three-game skid. Defeats at Detroit, Indiana and Brooklyn had the Clippers reeling, but on Thursday they looked more like the team that started
the season 14-2. The Clippers handed out a season-high 33 assists, 11 of them by Blake Griffin. They held the Cava-
liers to 40.6 percent shooting, with Cavs superstar LeBron James making five of his 14 shots. They limited Cleveland to just nine three-pointers, the Cavs' first game in 16 this season with fewer than 10 from beyond the arc. Up by eight at halftime, the Clippers out-scored the Cavaliers 27-15 in the third quarter to seize control of the contest. "Defensively, we were just locked in," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "The reason was we respected them. They're the Cleveland Cavaliers. And, they get your respect. They get your attention." But the Cavaliers never really fired. "It was a weird game," James said. "Especially in that first half, the second quarter the whistle was blowing so much we couldn't get in a rhythm. The game just kind of unravelled, we got in foul trouble ... they just broke our rhythm." Things were a lot more tense in Memphis, where the Grizzlies rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Orlando Magic 95-94. Marc Gasol scored the game-winning points at the free-throw line with 12.2 seconds remaining, finishing with a team-high 25 points and five blocked shots. In Salt Lake City, Goran Dragic scored 27 points and James Johnson chipped in 24 off the bench to help the Miami Heat escape with a 111-110 victory
Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, left, restrains Clippers coach Doc Rivers after Rivers challenged a referee's call in the first overtime of the team's NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, in New York. The Nets defeated the Clippers 127-122 in double overtime. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
neW YorK, December 2 (aP): Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Thursday for verbally abusing a game official and failing to leaving the court in a timely manner after his ejection. The incident happened with 18.6 remaining in the first overtime of the Clippers' 127-122 double-over-
time loss at Brooklyn on Tuesday night. Rivers was given a technical foul for crossing over midcourt, then another and ejected. The Clippers trailed by two late in the first OT and fouled Sean Kilpatrick in the backcourt after he received the inbounds pass. Rivers appeared to think Kilpatrick swung his
elbows and should have been called for the foul, and walked nearly to the Nets' bench to say something to referee Lauren Holtkamp. Rivers said they weren't even arguing, and that Holtkamp had agreed with what Rivers said. But referee Ken Mauer, who was standing on the Clippers' side of the court, called what Rivers said was an ''awful'' tech.
over the Jazz. Wayne Ellington contributed 17 points off the bench for Miami, who weathered a late Jazz comeback bid to earn their third straight road victory. G o rd o n Hay w a rd scored a season-high 32
points -- his second straight game with at least 30 -- and Joe Johnson added 18 to pace the Jazz. Utah boast a solid defense, but they couldn't keep the determined Heat from scoring 64 points in the paint.
"We've been getting in the paint a lot this season," guard Wayne Ellington said. "That's one of our strong suits is getting in the paint. We've (also) been getting it done from the outside, which opens up the paint even more for us."
Blatter appeal verdict to be announced Monday City plan to prove a point Lausanne, December 2 (aP): The verdict in former FIFA President Sepp Blatter's appeal against a six-year ban for unethical conduct will be announced on Monday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Friday it will publish the ruling at 3 p.m. Swiss time (1400 GMT). Blatter has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in authorizing a $2 million payment to Michel Platini in 2011. They claimed it was uncontracted salary for France great Platini advising Blatter from 1999 to 2002. FIFA's ethics committee ruled the payment was a conflict of interest in 2011 - just as a FIFA presidential election campaign was starting - and banned both for eight years last December. FIFA's appeal committee cut the bans to six years. Platini, who gave evidence for Blatter at a 14hour hearing in August, previously had his ban cut
Sepp Blatter (AP Photo/File)
to four years at CAS. Though a different three-member panel judged Blatter's case, it would typically be obliged to respect the precedent of the Platini case which was based on much of the same evidence. Swiss federal prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Blatter in September 2015 when details of the ''disloyal payment'' to Platini emerged. Both men were questioned at FIFA headquar-
ters by Swiss investigators who waited for them outside an executive committee meeting. The case ended thenFIFA vice president Platini's chance to replace Blatter as president, and also forced him out of UEFA. Whatever the verdict on Monday, Blatter faces another FIFA ethics investigation over alleged bribery and self-dealing in his contract, plus the employment deals of his former secretary general Jerome
Valcke and finance director Markus Kattner. FIFA has fired both officials. FIFA ethics investigators said in September the latest case involved an alleged ''coordinated effort by three former top officials of FIFA to enrich themselves.'' Blatter received a 12 million Swiss franc ($12 million) bonus after the successful 2014 World Cup in Brazil and would have been due another 12 million Swiss francs for completing his 2015-19 presidential term, the contracts revealed. Blatter announced his intention in June 2015 to leave FIFA, days after American and Swiss federal investigations of alleged corruption were revealed. He was suspended from duty in October 2015, and his 40-year employment by FIFA formally ended in February when Platini's former right-hand man at UEFA, Gianni Infantino, was elected president.
Barca desperate to break Madrid's unbeaten streak
maDriD, December 2 (aFP): Barcelona are the more desperate side as Real Madrid visit Catalonia on Saturday for the first El Clasico of the season boasting a six-point lead at the top of La Liga. Madrid have won 15 more points in all in La Liga under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane since the sides last met in April and are riding a 31-game unbeaten run in all competitions. "On Saturday we have more to play for than Madrid, they can lose, we can't," said Barcelona defender Gerard Pique. Barca are off to their worst league start in nine seasons. However, coach Luis Enrique believes much of the media criticism of his side has been overblown, citing the institutional crisis that Barca overcame in the January his debut season in 2015 to win the treble. "We remain favourites for all the titles, but it is evident we have to improve," said Enrique. "We lack consistency, but don't exaggerate. In my first season you (the media) exaggerated and we ended
Clippers coach fined $15,000
In this image released by FC Barcelona on Friday, club superstars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar warm up during a training session ahead of the El Classico.
up winning the treble." The biggest match in club football is expected to capture an audience of 650 million people worldwide, according to figures released by La Liga. "I am not going to say it is just another game, it is a very important match, it has a special meaning....a special taste," Real president Florentino Perez told AFP. "No one hides that is has a worldwide impact, it is seen by millions of people across the world, like the World cup final." Yet, the composed Zidane refused to accept
that a first Liga title in five years would be Madrid's to lose should they bag victory at the Camp Nou. "I am not thinking about the consequences," he said after giving a goalscoring debut to his son Enzo in Madrid's 6-1 Copa del Rey thrashing of Cultural Leonesa on Wednesday. "We are thinking about preparing well for the game, and, whatever happens, it will not be decisive." - Iniesta back Both sides are blighted by injury concerns. Madrid will be without Gareth Bale with the
Welshman now set to miss up to four months after an ankle operation, whilst Toni Kroos is also sidelined by a broken foot. Tough tackling midfielder Casemiro made his first appearance in two months in midweek and could come into contention to partner the Croatian duo of Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic. Cristiano Ronaldo has shot to the top of La Liga's goalscoring charts once more with five in his last two league outings and looks set to be partnered by Karim Benzema and Lucas
Vazquez in Bale's absence. Barca are sweating on the fitness of Jordi Alba and Pique, who both struggled through the 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad described as a "miracle" by Enrique given the state of Barca's display. However, the champions will be hugely boosted by the return of captain Andres Iniesta, whilst the front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar are all fit to start. The clash between the top two offers Sevilla and Atletico Madrid the chance to make up ground in the title race. Sevilla sit behind Barca only on goal difference in third and can close on Real when they visit winless Granada on Saturday lunchtime. Atletico have bounced back from their Madrid derby humbling at the hands of Real two weeks ago with three wins and 11 goals without conceding since. However, they will need to end a seven-game unbeaten streak in the league by Espanyol to keep that run going at the Vicente Calderon.
in Chelsea showdown
LonDon, December 2 (aFP): Manchester City will aim to prove their hectic schedule won't stop them winning the Premier League when leaders Chelsea visit Eastlands for a enthralling showdown on Saturday. City are one point behind Chelsea heading into the first meeting this season between two teams who have quickly emerged as leading title contenders under their new managers. While City featuring in a title battle only five months into Pep Guardiola's reign is hardly a surprise given the club's financial muscle and their Spanish manager's impeccable CV, Chelsea's presence at the top of the table is more unexpected. The Blues were in turmoil last season after Jose Mourinho was sacked, but former Italy and Juventus coach Antonio Conte has teased out renewed focus and passion from a squad of fragile egos and the results have been impressive. Three points in Manchester would take Chelsea to eight consecutive league victories for the first time since 2010, but City have lost just one of their last 15 league games and have a point to prove about the rivals' differing schedules. While third placed City have had the pressure of trying to qualify from a tough Champions League group, Chelsea have enjoyed the luxury of extra rest due to their failure to quality for European competition. "We'll have played eight more games -- terrible
games -- in the Champions League than Chelsea and Liverpool and we are there," Guardiola said. "That's why the first part of the season is so satisfying. To still be with Liverpool and Chelsea when they don't play in Europe is good for us." However, Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois played down the title implications of the result on Saturday. While beating City would be a morale boost, Courtois says it is just as important for Chelsea to show their ruthless streak in the following fixtures against West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Stoke. "Now we are going to Man City to try and get another result, and then after it the next away games are at Sunderland and Crystal Palace, and it is games like those that decide if you are going to be champions or not," Courtois said. "You can win big matches even if you're not having a good season, because it is a big match or a derby, but it is the smaller matches against difficult adversaries that you will see if you are going to be champions or not." - Good moment A draw at Eastlands would give second placed Liverpool the chance to go top if they win at Bournemouth on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp's side are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches and the German said: "It's a good moment, but it's difficult too because there's a lot of work to do and a lot of
games to play. "We go now to Bournemouth, a small stadium, but very intense with a good team." Arsene Wenger is confident fourth placed Arsenal will get back on track after their surprise League Cup exit when they face West Ham. Wenger's side were beaten 2-0 at home by Southampton in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, while West Ham also crashed out of the competition with a 4-1 thrashing at Manchester United. Looking for a quick recovery, Wenger is confident Arsenal will banish the memory of the Cup disappointment, which ended their 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions. "I don't think I can moan about the momentum in the Premier League," he said. "I knew that in the League Cup that could happen, but it was more disappointing to lose the game than the run we have. We want to keep the run in the Premier League going now." Manchester United travel to Everton aiming to maintain the momentum of their midweek victory. Mourinho's team are 11 points behind Chelsea after winning just one of their last seven league games, but United midfielder Michael Carrick hasn't given up hope of a successful season. "You can't beat that buzz of winning a big game," Carrick said. "That is what keeps you going, having success and winning trophies."