DALLAS: Hassan Whiteside had 25 points and 14 rebounds as the Miami Heat completed another season series sweep of the Dallas Mavericks with a 95-88 victory Monday night.
The Heat never trailed after Goran Dragic had a steal that led to Tyler Johnson’s tiebreaking 3-pointer to make it 38-35 just under 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Their lead went to double-digits again after Whiteside had consecutive baskets midway through the third quarter.
Harrison Barnes had 20 points and Wesley Matthews 19 for the Mavericks (16-35), who have dropped four games in a row and seven of eight overall.
This is the 14th time in their 30 seasons that the Heat, who beat Dallas 113-101 at home on Dec. 22, have swept the regular-season series. These teams twice met in the NBA Finals, with Miami getting its first championship in 2006 and the Mavs winning their only title in 2011.
Miami (29-21) led 51-41 when Josh Richardson hit a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left in the first half. But the Mavs trimmed that in half when rookie Dennis Smith Jr. made a defended buzzer-beating 3-pointer from about 27 feet to make it 51-46. James Johnson had a hand up in front of Smiths’ face with Whiteside coming from the side.
Richardson had 14 points for the Heat, while Gragic had 13 and Kelly Olynyk 12.
Smith scored 14 for Dallas, and Nowitzki 10.
Miami Heat complete another season series over Dallas Mavericks with 95-88 win
Miami Heat complete another season series over Dallas Mavericks with 95-88 win
Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout
- It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh
COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.
Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.
Pakistan’s victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.
India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group’s final game later Wednesday.
The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.
Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.
After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.
Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.
‘Complete performance’
Skipper Salman Agha praised a clinical show.
“It is a complete performance,” said a relieved Agha.
“We batted well and Farhan anchored the innings. He has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred.
“With the ball we were lethal.”
Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus admitted Pakistan’s spin bowlers were too hot to handle.
“It (spin) is a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways like they do,” said Erasmus.
“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on.”
Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.
It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.
Shadab Khan, promoted to No. 5 with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.
Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).
Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.
Farhan’s ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.
He followed Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada’s Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.
