CLEVELAND, US: Defending champion Golden State, powered by 43 points from Kevin Durant, moved to the brink of a third NBA title in four seasons Wednesday by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102.
The Warriors seized a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals and by winning game four Friday can complete the first championship series sweep since Cleveland was blanked by San Antonio in 2007.
No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, but the Cavaliers made the best comeback in NBA Finals history in 2016 from 3-1 down to swipe a title from Golden State.
Durant added 12 rebounds and seven assists to his career-high playoff scoring total, but it was not until his 3-pointer with 49 seconds remaining to give the Warriors a 106-100 lead that Cleveland’s fate was sealed.
“That was amazing what he did out there,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Some of those shots, I don’t think anybody in the world but him could have made those shots.”
Durant’s last basket was eerily like a 3-pointer he made late in game three last year against the Cavs that clinched a Golden State victory.
It was another dagger in the title hopes of Cleveland star LeBron James, who had 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists while Kevin Love added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers had been 8-1 at home in the playoffs with eight wins in a row since losing their first-round opener to Indiana.
But the Warriors improved to 10-2 against the Cavaliers since Durant joined Golden State before last season.
James landed badly going for a rebound early in the second quarter and limped on his right ankle, but the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player kept playing and helped keep the Cavaliers in contention in the second half.
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, returned to Golden State’s lineup after being sidelined by a left leg bone bruise. He suffered a bruised right leg in the second quarter but returned in the fourth quarter.
Durant scored nine points in a 15-8 run to close the second quarter that pulled Golden State within 58-52 at half-time after trailing by as many as 13 points.
JaVale McGee scored six points and Durant added five in a 15-3 Golden State run early in the third quarter that produced the Warriors’ first lead and saw it grow to a team-best 69-64.
The Cavaliers, sparked by reserve Rodney Hood, closed to 83-81 entering the fourth quarter and battled the Warriors into the final seconds.
Stephen Curry, who missed 13 of his first 14 shots, conncted on a layup and 3-pointer back-to-back to give Golden State the lead for good.
Curry had 11 points while McGee, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Jordan Ball all had 10 for the Warriors.
Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert tweeted an image of the half-time box score noting the fact the Cavs didn’t attempt a free throw in the first half, deleting it shortly after.
Durant had 24 points and eight rebounds in the first half while the Warriors’ other four starters made a combined 5-of-20 from the floor for only 13 first-half points and Cleveland enjoyed a 28-16 first-half rebounding edge.
Cleveland opened the game with a 16-4 run but the Warriors closed the first quarter with a 16-7 spurt to pull within 29-28 entering the second quarter.
Durant had 11 points in the run and grabbed all seven Golden State rebounds in the opening quarter.
The Cavs began the second quarter with an 21-9 run, James scoring eight points and Love netting the final eight for Cleveland to produce their biggest lead at 50-37.
Durant scores 43 to lead Warriors to brink of NBA title
Durant scores 43 to lead Warriors to brink of NBA title
- The Warriors seized a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals and by winning game four Friday can complete the first championship series sweep.
- No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, but the Cavaliers made the best comeback in NBA Finals history in 2016 from 3-1 down to swipe a title from Golden State.
Celtics rout Knicks in Game 5, send series back to New York
Derrick White scored a game-high 34 points and the Boston Celtics extended their season by beating the visiting New York Knicks 127-102 on Wednesday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, and Game 6 will be played Friday in New York.
White shot 7-for-13 from 3-point territory and made 9 of his 11 free-throw attempts. Boston sank 22 of its 49 shots from behind the 3-point arc and outscored New York 68-43 in the second half.
The Celtics received 26 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists from Jaylen Brown. Luke Kornet added 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots, and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make five 3-pointers and score 17 points.
It was Boston’s second playoff game without Jayson Tatum, who had surgery Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Tatum didn’t play in Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series against Orlando, and the Celtics won that game 109-100.
Josh Hart scored a team-high 24 points for New York, which shot 29-of-81 from the field . Jalen Brunson collected 22 points and six assists, but he fouled out with 7:19 to play. Brunson was called for his fifth foul with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.
The Knicks received 19 points and eight rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis was limited to one point in 12 minutes and didn’t play in the second half.
New York led 32-30 after one quarter and the game was tied 59-59 at halftime. An 11-0 run capped by a Pritchard 3-pointer put the Celtics up 81-68 with 7:10 left in the third, and Boston had a 91-76 advantage entering the fourth.
The Celtics led by as many as 28 in the final 12 minutes.
It was Boston’s first victory at home in the series.
Real Madrid rallies to beat Mallorca 2-1 and delay Barcelona’s title celebrations
MADRID: It was a matter of pride for Real Madrid.
There is little hope of winning the Spanish league. But the last thing it wanted to do was hand Barcelona the title in advance.
And it needed a goal deep into stoppage time to achieve its objective Wednesday.
Jacobo Ramón scored five minutes into injury time and Madrid rallied to beat Mallorca 2-1 and delay Barcelona’s title celebrations.
Madrid needed the victory to keep Barcelona from clinching its 28th league title in advance. The Catalan club remains four points ahead and can still lift the trophy with a win at city rival Espanyol on Thursday.
Mallorca took the lead on Wednesday with a goal by Martin Valjent in the 11th minute and stayed ahead until Kylian Mbappé beat a couple of defenders to equalize in the 68th.
Ramón netted the go-ahead go from inside the area five minutes into injury time to keep Barcelona from winning the title.
Mbappé is still in the race to be the league’s leading scorer and reached 28 goals, three more than Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski. Mbappé had a hat trick in Madrid’s loss to Barcelona on Sunday, when the Catalan club virtually secured the title by coming from behind to win 4-3 in the last “clasico” of the season.
Madrid has little chance of defending its league title. It must win its final two games and hope Barcelona fails to take two points from its three remaining matches.
“When we wear this shield we always must fight until the end,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. “Even though there is still a big gap, we will keep fighting until it’s mathematically impossible.”
Madrid lost all four matches against Barcelona this season, being outscored 16-7. It was the first time Barcelona won every “clasico” in a season that had at least three matches between the rivals.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti received a mostly indifferent reaction from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday after taking over the Brazil job.
Ancelotti was announced as Brazil’s new coach on Monday, and some Madrid fans criticized the coach for negotiating with the five-time champions with the La Liga season still underway.
There were no significant jeers or cheers when Ancelotti’s name was announced by the loudspeakers at the Bernabeu before the match, with most fans applauding and saying his name along with the announcer, following the tradition at the stadium.
Madrid had not released any reaction or statement about its coach since Brazil’s announcement, and there were no farewell or congratulatory messages for Ancelotti, either, ahead of Wednesday’s match.
“There was nothing different,” Ancelotti said. “Every time I sit on the bench at the Bernabeu, it’s something special.”
During the match, part of the crowd chanted Ancelotti’s name.
The 65-year-old Italian is leaving after four mostly successful years in his second stint with Madrid, which won both the Champions League and the Spanish league last season. The club only won the UEFA Super Cup this season.
Ancelotti also coached the club from 2013-2015. He helped Madrid win three Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups, two Spanish leagues, two Copa del Reys, three UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.
Madrid still has one last game at the Bernabeu, against Real Sociedad in the final round.
Ancelotti said he wasn’t giving up on the league title just yet.
“In soccer anything can happen,” he said
Former Madrid player Xabi Alonso is widely expected to take over the coaching job after confirming he is leaving Bayer Leverkusen, but the Spanish club was yet to make any announcements about Ancelotti’s successor.
Madrid, still without a few regular starters because of injuries, struggled early against Mallorca but created several scoring chances throughout the match. It finished with nearly 40 attempts on goal.
Relegation fight
In a tight fight against relegation, Leganes moved closer to demotion after a 3-0 loss at fifth-place Villarreal. The club owned by former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow stayed in 18th place, four points from Alaves, the first team currently safe.
Alaves opened the gap to Leganes — which was one of the teams promoted last season — by beating Valencia 1-0 at home. Valencia was in 11th place.
FIA cuts controversial F1 driver swearing fines
- Importantly the new guidelines given to race stewards now differentiates between swearing in “controlled” or “uncontrolled” circumstances.
- This will give drivers more latitude for turning the air blue in the heat of the moment, for example on the team radio during races.
PARIS: Formula One’s governing body on Wednesday reduced the controversial penalties dished out to drivers for swearing after a backlash from the grid.
Ahead of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the FIA has removed the risk of a race ban and cut the “base maximum penalty from EUR10,000 ($11,180) to EUR5,000.”
Importantly the new guidelines given to race stewards now differentiates between swearing in “controlled” or “uncontrolled” circumstances.
This will give drivers more latitude for turning the air blue in the heat of the moment, for example on the team radio during races.
“Controlled environments include settings such as press conferences, while uncontrolled environments refer to spontaneous comments made by drivers or teams when on track or during a rally stage,” a statement from the FIA explained.
It went on to describe the development as “major improvements” to appendix B of the sporting code.
The previous policy had come in for intense criticism from the likes of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who was sanctioned for swearing at a press conference in Singapore.
The drivers will have a chance to give their reaction to the toned-down swearing policy at Imola on Thursday at the traditional pre-race round of press conferences.
The relaxation in the rules came after an open letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, up for re-election later this year, from the drivers who asked the FIA to treat them “like adults.”
In February, Williams driver Carlos Sainz questioned the FIA’s hard-line approach to the subject.
Sainz said while it was reasonable to expect drivers to avoid swearing while speaking in a public setting such as a news conference, it was a different matter while they were on the track.
“What we say on the (car) radio, I don’t agree with what is happening,” said the Spaniard.
“I think you cannot be too tough on these kinds of things because you cannot understand the pressure and adrenaline and the way we feel in the car when we open the radio.
“And I feel for F1 it is good to have those moments because you see the real driver.”
Kevin Durant wins NBA’s Magic Johnson Award
- The Professional Basketball Writers Association gives the award annually
- Durant also won the award in the 2010-11 season, his fourth in the league
OKLAHOMA, USA: Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is the winner of the 2024-25 Magic Johnson Award.
The Professional Basketball Writers Association gives the award annually to the NBA player who excels on the court and displays “cooperation and grace in dealing with the media and fans.”
Durant also won the award in the 2010-11 season, his fourth in the league, with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He becomes the fourth two-time honoree, joining Stephen Curry (2016, 2024), Damian Lillard (2017, 2020) and Shane Battier (2007, 2013).
“We’re really pleased to honor KD again,” association president Howard Beck said.
“Kevin has long been one of the NBA’s most thoughtful and accessible stars. He always makes time for reporters, whether for on-the-record interviews or just informal chit-chat, and he never shies away from any topic. He’s as eager to dive into the minutiae of a single play as he is to discuss broader issues facing the league.
“His passion for the game always comes through. Our members were also really appreciative of Kevin’s public advocacy for reopening locker rooms after the pandemic, recognizing how critical that access is for building trust and rapport between players and journalists,” added Beck.
Durant, 36, was named to his 15th All-Star team in the 2024-25 season. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers finished second in the balloting, with Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors the other finalists.
The award has been given annually since 2001.
Lewandowski back for Barca at Espanyol with LaLiga title in sight
- The Polish striker missed Barca’s last three league games
- The 36-year-old has scored 25 goals in 31 league games
BARCELONA: Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski is set to return to action in Thursday’s LaLiga clash at Espanyol, manager Hansi Flick said, as his side prepare to wrap up the title this week.
A victory in their city derby against Espanyol would clinch the championship for the Catalans. Barcelona, now seven points clear at the top with 82 points, could win the title as early as Wednesday if Real Madrid fail to win at Mallorca.
The Polish striker missed Barca’s last three league games and was also absent from their 3-2 Copa del Rey final win over Real Madrid on April 27 due to a muscle injury.
The 36-year-old has scored 25 goals in 31 league games, two behind Kylian Mbappe in the LaLiga Golden Boot race, with both having played the same number of matches.
“Lewandowski is doing good and of course he is ready to play,” Flick told reporters on Wednesday.
Lewandowski featured for only 30 minutes in their Champions League semifinal second leg defeat by Inter Milan last week and missed their 4-3 home win against Real Madrid on Sunday.
After their last Clasico win, Barcelona have defeated Real in all four encounters this season across all competitions, and Flick hailed his team’s performance as a source of immense pride.
“We played 24 minutes with no contact from Real in our half, so it has something to do with the pressing, it has something to do with the right structure we had,” he said.
“How we started to press them when they had the ball was unbelievable. When I heard this stat I thought it’s really great... we can be very proud of that. I’m happy for the fans, for the club, because I know that’s very important for them.”
Asked about Real manager Carlo Ancelotti joining the Brazil national team at the end of the season, Flick, who coached Germany from 2021 to 2023, said: “I think he (Ancelotti) did a fantastic job in Madrid. He’s a gentleman and one of the best and most successful coaches in the world.
“I wish him all the best for his new job. I think he will find a great team there, and he can follow success there.”
