A Chris Paul layup with 8.8 seconds left gave the Los Angeles Clippers a 100-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, keeping the Clippers in position for home-court advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Paul scored 31 points and got past Thunder defensive specialist Thabo Sefolosha for the critical basket, squeezing the ball onto the rim to put the Clippers ahead.
The Thunder’s Kevin Durant missed a 3-point attempt that could have won it, hitting the back rim on a shot from the left wing.
Photo: Reuters
Durant led Oklahoma City with 22 points.
LAKERS 98, SPURS 84
In San Antonio, Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 30 rebounds — the most boards in an NBA game this season — as Los Angeles recorded a surprisingly comfortable win over San Antonio.
Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) scored 26 points for the Lakers, who made light of missing Kobe Bryant for a third straight game and handed the Western Conference’s second-place team one of their most embarrassing losses.
Bynum’s dominating night surpassed the previous NBA season-high of 25 rebounds.
Danny Green led the Spurs with 22 points.
CELTICS 88, HAWKS 86, OT
In Boston, Paul Pierce overcame a miserable shooting game with a key jumper in overtime that gave Celtic victory over Atlanta.
Rajon Rondo finished with a triple-double with 20 assists, 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 21 points.
GRIZZLIES 104, SUNS 93
In Memphis, Rudy Gay scored a season-high 32 points as Memphis won their fourth straight game with a victory over Phoenix.
Memphis outscored the Suns 17-6 after the game was tied with 6:27 seconds left. Dante Cunningham had six of his 10 points during that run.
Marcin Gortat had 19 points for Phoenix on 9 of 12 from the floor.
JAZZ 103, ROCKETS 91
In Houston, Gordan Hayward scored a season-high 29 points as Utah boosted their fading playoff hopes with a victory over Houston.
Paul Millsap added 21 points for the Jazz, who held the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings coming into the game.
The Jazz shot 51 percent (40 of 78) and led by as many as 18, taking advantage of Houston’s 36 percent shooting from the field.
In Wednesday’s other games it was:
‧ Knicks 111, Bucks 107
‧ Nuggets 113, Timberwolves
107
‧ Pacers 104, Cavaliers 98, OT
‧ 76ers 93, Raptors 75
‧ Trail Blazers 118, Warriors110
‧ Hornets 105, Kings 96
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
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Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care