LOS ANGELES: Brandon Ingram scored 26 points, Lonzo Ball added 18 and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 93-81 Thursday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Larry Nance Jr. had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who blew an early 19-point lead before running away in the fourth quarter. Ball contributed 10 rebounds and six assists as Los Angeles snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Spurs at Staples Center since April 2013, the last time the Lakers made the playoffs.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half for the Spurs, who committed 21 turnovers while playing without injured starters Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green.
Bryn Forbes scored 18 points and Dejounte Murray added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Ingram had an aggressive offensive game, and Ball hit four 3-pointers as the Lakers (14-27) hit the halfway point of what’s looking like their fifth consecutive non-playoff season.
That would extend the longest postseason drought in franchise history for the 16-time NBA champions, but the Lakers’ young roster has showed signs of life with three wins after a nine-game losing streak.
Leonard missed his third straight game with a left shoulder strain, and Parker sat after spraining his right ankle in Sacramento on Monday. Green missed his fifth consecutive game with a groin strain.
Veteran Rudy Gay also sat out his seventh straight game with right heel bursitis, leaving the Spurs short-handed in the last stop on a three-game trip down the West Coast.
The Lakers made an early 25-3 run on the way to a 37-18 lead. Ball hit three 3-pointers and didn’t miss a shot in the first half.
Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich didn’t mince words when asked about the recent criticism of Lakers coach Luke Walton from Lithuanian basketball power broker LaVar Ball: “I think the first thing to look at is the substance and gravitas of the source that speaks, and just stopping at that point would tell you that you don’t need to listen or go any further. It’s just another fan in the peanut gallery with an opinion, which is meaningless.”
Popovich also revealed that Aldridge requested a trade last summer after a rough season. The coach talked the star big man out of his feelings after a few dinners and meetings. “I was very candid with him,” Popovich said. “I told him, ‘I’d be happy to trade you. You get me a talent like Kevin Durant, and I’ll drive you to the airport. I’ll pack your bags. And I will drive you there, get you on the plane and get you seated.’ He laughed, (and) I said, ‘But short of that, I’m your best buddy, because you’re here for another year, and you ain’t going nowhere. Because we’re not going to get for you talent-wise what we would want, so let’s figure this thing out.’ And we did.”
Ingram sends Lakers past Spurs to 3rd straight win
Ingram sends Lakers past Spurs to 3rd straight win
Mbappe confirms he will leave PSG at end of season
- Mbappe’s arrival in the capital as a teenager in 2017 came after he had helped Monaco win the league title
PARIS: Kylian Mbappe confirmed on Friday that he will leave French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, with Real Madrid widely expected to be his next destination.
The announcement brings an end to a prolific association with his hometown team, which began when he signed from Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth 180 million euros ($194 million).
“I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks,” Mbappe, 25, said in a video posted on social media.
“I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.”
PSG have already secured the Ligue 1 title, their 10th in the last 12 seasons, and the Qatar-owned club will pick up the trophy after Sunday’s game against Toulouse, which will be their last of the campaign on home turf.
Luis Enrique’s side were eliminated from the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals on Tuesday when a 1-0 loss in the second leg at home sealed a surprise 2-0 aggregate defeat.
It means Mbappe will be denied the send-off he had hoped for in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1 and will end his seven-year spell at PSG without ever having won Europe’s elite club competition.
Mbappe informed PSG privately in February of his intention to depart when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.
The 2018 World Cup winner had never confirmed publicly he was leaving, though, far less said where he will be going next, but it appears certain that he is bound for Real Madrid.
Spanish media have claimed for several months that Mbappe has signed an agreement which would see him join the Liga champions in July once his PSG deal runs out.
“It’s a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honor to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world,” said Mbappe.
“It allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history, some of the greatest champions,” he added.
“It’s hard and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that... but I think I needed this, a new challenge, after seven years.”
Mbappe’s arrival in the capital as a teenager in 2017 came after he had helped Monaco win the league title.
After initially joining PSG on loan, his transfer fee became — and still is — the second largest in football history.
It came just weeks after PSG paid a world-record 222 million euros to sign Neymar from Barcelona.
PSG have dominated French football since their 2011 Qatari takeover, but despite also adding Lionel Messi to their line-up for two seasons, European success has remained tantalisingly out of reach for a club that has spent billions on some of the world’s best players.
The closest they came was the 2020 Champions League final defeat by Bayern Munich, when PSG academy graduate Kingsley Coman scored the winning goal against his former club.
The defeat to Dortmund this week ruled out the prospect of Mbappe facing his likely future employers, 14-time European champions Real Madrid, in this year’s final.
Mbappe did not find the net in that tie but has scored 43 goals in all competitions this season, with 26 of those coming in Ligue 1.
He will still hope to add to his club-record tally of 255 goals for PSG and win another medal in the French Cup final on May 25 — Mbappe has so far won six Ligue 1 titles, three French Cups and the now defunct League Cup twice in his seven years at his hometown team.
After Sunday’s game, PSG will complete their league campaign with away matches at Nice and at relegation-threatened Metz, before Mbappe wraps up his career with the club in that Cup final in Lille.
Mbappe was frozen out at the start of the campaign with the club putting pressure on him to sign a new deal or agree to be sold rather than simply run down the last year of his contract.
His relationship with PSG boss Luis Enrique has also come under the spotlight since he told the Qatar-owned club of his plans to leave earlier this year.
Now the worst-kept secret is out and Mbappe’s departure follows that of Messi and Neymar at the end of last season, which left PSG in a period of transition, but the loss of the France captain is an even greater blow.
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan centuries send Gujarat to vital win over Chennai in IPL
- Captain Gill, left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, made 104 off 55 balls
AHMEDABAD: Centuries by Shubman Gill and opening partner Sai Sudharsan spearheaded Gujarat Titans to a 35-run win over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Captain Gill, left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, made 104 off 55 balls and left-hander Sudharsan was equal to the task in raising his maiden IPL hundred with a splendid 103 off 51 balls.
Their total of 231-3 was briefly challenged while Daryl Mitchell (63) and Moeen Ali (56) were batting, but Chennai fell short at 196-8.
Medium-pacer Mohit Sharma dismissed both half-century-makers in his 3-31.
Chennai’s loss tightened up the race to the playoffs. Chennai remained in the fourth and last playoff spot while Gujarat was just outside but needs to win its last two matches by big margins to drastically improve its net run rate.
Chennai sorely missed its frontline injured pacer Matheesha Pathirana and departed Mustafizur Rahman as Gill and Sudharsan paced the Gujarat innings.
Except for Shardul Thakur, who conceded only 25 runs, the other Chennai bowlers couldn’t stem the flow. Fast bowler Simarjeet Singh, in his second game of the season, was smashed for 60 off his four overs and Ravindra Jadeja was taken out of the attack after conceding 29 off his two overs of left-arm spin.
Both Gujarat openers reached their centuries off 50 balls and raised the joint-highest first wicket stand of 210 runs in IPL history. Chennai recovered briefly in the death overs and conceded just one boundary in the last three overs.
Tushar Deshpande dismissed both century-makers in the 18th over. Sudharsan, who hit seven sixes and five fours, holed out at extra cover and Gill was deceived by a slower ball and holed out at deep midwicket after hitting six sixes and nine fours.
Chennai slumped to 10-3. David Miller ran out Rachin Ravindra in the first over, Sandeep Warrier dismissed Ajinkya Rahane, and Gaikward went for a duck after a splended catch by Rashid Khan on the boundary.
Mitchell and Ali shared a 109-run stand for the third wicket but they were bagged by Sharma in his first two overs and Chennai couldn’t recover.
China dominates table tennis doubles at Saudi Smash
- Chinese players continued to show their pedigree in Jeddah
JEDDAH: Chinese table tennis players maintained their domination of the Saudi Smash event in Jeddah by sweeping the men’s and women’s doubles titles on Friday.
In the men’s doubles, Wang Chuqin and Ma Long were victorious as they defeated the Japanese pair of Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka (11-6, 11-5, 11-9).
In the women’s doubles final, Wang Manyu and Chen Meng went back to back as a winning doubles combination on the WTT Grand Smash stage by closing out a marvelous 3-0 victory over Jeon Jihee and Shin Yubin on the penultimate day at Saudi Smash 2024 (11-6, 11-6, 12-10).
Singapore Smash 2024 champions Wang and Chen traveled to Jeddah as the pair to beat, carrying the biggest possible targets on their backs as the No.1 seeds, but came through the challenging playing field unscathed.
“We don’t always get to play together, but winning the title at an important event like this Smash helps us to build confidence and chemistry,” Chen said.
It was an extra special victory for Wang as it meant she picked up her fourth consecutive women’s doubles title at a WTT Grand Smash event — an extraordinary run in the discipline.
“Today we performed well. We also had clear and smooth preparation, and execution of our techniques and tactics. I’m very happy about this win with Chen Meng,” she said.
Saudi’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi storms into the lead of Tabuk Toyota Rally
- Al-Mogheera and Al-Tuwaijri top motorcycle and quad standings after stage one
TABUK: Saudi pilot Yazeed Al-Rajhi and German co-driver Timo Gottschalk took a commanding 4 minute and 21 second lead in the Tabuk Toyota Rally on Friday.
The Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux crew led the opening 245 km selective section, a scenic and demanding route through the Zaita desert, from start to finish.
“No issues, no problems, all is good,” said Al-Rajhi afterwards.
The pair’s team-mates, Dania Akeel and Stephane Duple, also had a strong run that left the two Ultimate P class cars at the top of the leader board.
“It was spectacular and a lot of fun, amazing views and a really nice race,” Akeel said.
“The first 85 km were open and fast and the remainder were more technical between the rocks and the mountains and canyons. We took care to pass without any surprises. I love this car a lot and I feel more confident every kilometer.”
Saleh Al-Saif was the best of the rest with Qatari co-driver Nasser Al-Kuwari. The Saudi moved into a comfortable category lead over fourth-placed Can-Am driver Abdullah Al-Haydan.
“The stage is different to last year. A lot of new terrain and tracks. It was a little bit tricky and rocky and we had a puncture at the beginning,” Al-Saif said.
“About 10 km before the end, we had another puncture and decided not to change it. My aim is to be second in the championship.”
MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi claimed the stage win in the motorcycle category on his Husqvarna with a time of 3 hours, 7 minutes and 42 seconds.
But the Emirati still trails local rider Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera by 1 minute 50 seconds in the overall standings after the Saudi won the Prologue stage.
“Today, it was a very long stage and quite busy. I am really happy. I picked the strategy to start 10th and I knew if everything went right, I would win,” Al-Balooshi said.
“I didn’t expect to catch everybody at 60km. Then I led to the finish. That’s why I’m here to improve my navigation. I am really happy with that overall and I am happy to be able to compete in the championship.
“I have won in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman but I don’t have a Saudi title. This would make my list complete. I did win something in KSA in 2009 but it would be special to win this title.”
Hamdan Al-Ali and Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti were classified third and fourth, with Ahmed Al-Jaber rounding out the top five.
Hyo-Joo Kim’s dazzling finish gives South Korean star Seoul lead
- World No.12 leads Aramco team Series-Korea after hole out eagle from 60 yards on penultimate hole
- Team Gustavsson (-13) lead the way with a three-stroke lead at New Korea Country Club
SEOUL: The Hyo-Joo Kim fan club was treated to a clinic at the New Korea Country Club, as an eagle-birdie finish catapulted the world No. 12 to the top of the leaderboard at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF–Korea.
The 2014 Evian Championship winner was trailed by her devoted fans across the undulating landscape of New Korea Country Club, with the climax coming on the last two holes. A remarkable 60-yard eagle on the eighth hole, followed by a birdie on nine, propelled her to a four-under-par score, secured top spot at the close of play.
With the course proving tough for the field, Hyo-Joo Kim was able to use her knowledge of the course to her advantage, taking sole lead into the second day of the tournament, in her Aramco Team Series presented by PIF debut.
“I wish they had played the music a bit louder, but it was quite enjoyable,” said the leader of her debut. “Also, it was the first time playing with four people in a match. I’m working on the things that I wanted to improve this year and I feel like it’s getting better and better.”
Colombian Mariajo Uribe posted an impressive early score, with an opening round of three-under-par keeping her hot on the heels of Hyo-Joo Kim.
Uribe, who won her first LET event in Australia in March, is looking to make the most of her final year on tour before retiring after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“It’s a tough course, so it’s good to be taking advantage of those opportunities, and we’re happy to be close to the (top of the) leaderboard,” said Uribe.
“This is my last year traveling the world, so I’m taking advantage of it. My sister-in-law came with me, so we’ve been buying a lot of Korean skincare products and just going around eating my favorite foods, like Korean barbecue.”
On the team side of the event, Team Gustavsson stormed into an early lead, with a score of 13-under-par placing them atop the leaderboard at the close of play. Made up of Johanna Gustavsson, Laura Beveridge, Gemma Clews and amateur Jaeho Shin, the team sit in pole position to claim the team trophy on Saturday.
“I hit a lot of fairways,” said captain Gustavsson, who finished the day one-under-par. “I drove it very well, putted OK, but missed a few chances, so hopefully tomorrow there’s a chance to be even better.”
World No. 8 Charley Hull finished the day even par, after an up-and-down day recording four birdies and four bogeys, while LPGA star Danielle Kang struggled, recording a score of eight-over-par, with two double-bogeys on the front nine an unfortunate start.
It was a tough day of golf for the most part, with high scores on the leaderboard demonstrating the challenge that New Korea County Club will pose this weekend.
Indeed, only 14 players finished the day on even par or lower. However, forecast rain for day two could improve scores, helping slow the action around the greens, and offering more birdie opportunities.
