Suns rout Thunder, Durant injured

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 44 points, Terrence Ross added 24 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 132-101 last night after losing Kevin Durant to an ankle injury during pregame warmups.

Phoenix has won four straight games, but that was almost an afterthought following Durant’s injury.

The game was supposed to be the home debut with his new team. A 13-time All-Star, Durant was added in a blockbuster trade deadline deal with Brooklyn and the Footprint Center was buzzing in anticipation.

But he rolled his left ankle while driving to the basket as he prepared to play.

The 6-foot-10 forward immediately hopped up and was walking, but several minutes later, the Suns confirmed that he would miss the game.

With Durant out, Suns fans had to settle for a scoring show by Booker, who had 30 points during the first half.

The three-time All-Star shot 17 of 23 — making 6 of 10 3-pointers — from the field and received a standing ovation in the fourth quarter when he checked out of the game for the last time.

Ross also was 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Chris Paul has 18 points and nine assists. He made 4 of 5 3-pointers. Oklahoma City played without All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because of “abdominal strain injury management.” The Thunder were overmatched without him and the Suns pulled away in the second half.

Lindy Waters III led the Thunder with 23 points.

Durant has played three games with the Suns — all on the road and all wins — but this was supposed to be his first game at home in front of a sold out crowd. He averaged 26.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three games. His next chance to play at home will be Saturday against the Kings.

Phoenix added Durant and T.J. Warren at the trade deadline, sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and other draft compensation to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Suns pushed to a 34-21 lead after one quarter and had a 60-52 advantage at halftime.

Booker shot 11 of 15 from the field in the first half while Waters had scored 21 for the Thunder.

CELTICS 115, TRAIL BLAZERS 93

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and made six 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics beat the Portland Trail Blazers 115-93 last night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Tatum had his 36th game this season with 30 or more points to help the Celtics avoid their first four-game losing streak.

Derrick White added 21 points and five assists. Al Horford finished with 17 points, six rebounds and assists.

Damian Lillard had 27 points and eight assists for Portland.

PELICANS 113, MAVERICKS 106

NEW ORLEANS (AP)

— CJ McCollum scored 13 of his 32 points in the final four minutes and New Orleans held off Dallas.

Dallas star guard Luka Doncic left in the third because of a strained left thigh after scoring 15 points. The Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram left late in the second quarter with a sprained right ankle after scoring 12 points.

Kyrie Irving had 27 points for Dallas.

HAWKS 122, WIZARDS 120

WASHINGTON (AP)

— De’Andre Hunter’s three-point play with 1:07 remaining put Atlanta ahead to stay, and the Hawks held off Washington despite a career-high 43 points by Kristaps Porzingis.

The teams will finish the two-game set in Washington on Friday night.

Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points and 10 assists.

Kyle Kuzma had 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards.

CAVALIERS 104,

HEAT 100

MIAMI (AP) — Darius Garland scored 25 points, Donovan Mitchell added 18 and Cleveland assured itself of a second consecutive winning season with a victory over Miami.

The Cavaliers (42-26) are two wins away from matching last season’s win total, with 14 games left.

Jimmy Butler had 28 points for Miami.

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Patrice Adderley, the sales and operations manager for Lowe’s Wholesale Drug Agency, said as a company celebrating 70 years of existence, they know what the country is going through with its 50th celebrations and so they are delighted to be a partner of the 50th games as well.

“We represent so many consumer goods and services and that’s why we are here. We’re here to give back to our country,” she said.

“We’re very elated for this opportunity to share in this grand athleticism in terms of sponsoring our youth.”

And Rian A. Sands, the brand manager for both Clorox and Nutriment, said there’s no better way to service the country by investing in the youth of the nation with the two brands they will be distributing during the games.

She noted that in partnering with the LOC, they will get a chance to provide the Clorox beach to all of the patrons at the games and at the same time give them some energy boost through four different flavours of the Nutrament drink.

“To our young athletes who were chosen to represent this grand Bahama land, do know that we stand by you, we will be cheering you on and we will be there to support you every step of the way,” said Sands.

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— When Pau Gasol joined the Los Angeles Lakers just over 15 years ago, the Spanish 7-footer banished his ego, redoubled his work ethic and immediately turned this team into contenders who eventually became champions. Gasol and Kobe Bryant did it all together, and their numbers now hang side by side in the Lakers’ arena.

The Lakers retired Gasol’s No. 16 jersey Tuesday night, honouring the genteel big man who spent the best seasons of his 18-year NBA career with Bryant in Los Angeles. The Lakers reached three straight NBA Finals after Gasol’s arrival in February 2008, winning championships in 2009 and 2010.

“I think I’ve done as good as I could to really embrace it and savour it, but tonight really exceeds any dream or expectation that I’ve had,” Gasol said before the game while wearing one championship ring on each hand. “It means so much, and obviously with Kobe up there, it just adds something meaningful and powerful and sad and happy and painful and joyful. It’s a lot of things.”

Gasol’s banner was unveiled during a halftime ceremony that began with Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, introducing a video in which an excited Kobe said he was looking forward to the day when Gasol gave a speech at centre court during his jersey retirement. Gasol choked up while watching the video and standing in that exact spot, wiping tears from his eyes before he spoke to the crowd.

“I’m just overwhelmed to see the faces here, all of you,” Gasol said. “It’s been my honour to wear this jersey, to play for this franchise and to help this team. ... I would have never in a million years believed a day like this could come. It just tells you to never say never. Just push yourself every day to be the best that you can be.”

Gasol’s versatile game complemented Bryant’s scoring prowess perfectly when Gasol decided to be a supporting player to a fellow superstar, and the two also formed a deep off-court friendship that endured to Bryant’s death in 2020.

Gasol thanked Vanessa Bryant during his speech: “Love you, sister. I’m proud to be your brother, and proud to be an uncle to your girls.”