LOS ANGELES: The top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz were left on the brink of elimination from the NBA playoffs on Wednesday as the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers notched against-the-odds victories on the road.
In Philadelphia, Trae Young scored 39 points as Atlanta overturned a 26-point second-half deficit to lead the Hawks to a 109-106 defeat of the Sixers in their Eastern Conference semifinal clash.
The Clippers — rocked by an injury to star Kawhi Leonard earlier Wednesday — then toppled the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City by 119-111 to seize a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference series.
The results left the Sixers and Jazz one defeat away from elimination as they prepare to travel to Atlanta and Los Angeles for their respective game sixes.
Encouraged by a raucous home crowd, the Sixers appeared to be poised to claim a 3-2 advantage against the Hawks as they raced into a big lead in the second half.
But a magnificent Atlanta offensive performance led by Young saw the Hawks steadily chip away at the deficit.
Young nailed a floater to cut the Sixers’ lead to 104-102 before drawing a foul to earn three free throws which he promptly drained to give the Hawks their first lead of the game at 105-104 with 1:26 remaining.
Danilo Gallinari’s fadeaway put Atlanta 107-104 ahead and the Sixers’ fate was sealed when Joel Embiid missed two late free throws that could have put Philadelphia back within striking distance.
The Hawks can clinch a series victory in front of their home fans on Friday when game six heads back to Georgia.
“We just kept fighting,” Young said afterwards. “We have confidence in each other. We’re a great group, good to be around.
“We all love you to each other’s company and it shows on the court and we never stopped believing until the final buzzer.”That belief has left the fifth-seeded Hawks now on the brink of a place in the Eastern Conference finals, a remarkable turnaround for a team that axed head coach Lloyd Pierce on March 1.
Philadelphia, who piled on 38 points in the first quarter alone, were led by Embiid with 37 points while Seth Curry had 36 points. No other Philadelphia player made double figures.
“We struggled down the stretch,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said.
“We scored 19 points, and gave up 40. It’s on us, it’s on all of us, it’s on me. We have to figure out how to get back up — which we will — and bring this series back here for a game seven.”
In Salt Lake City, Paul George was the hero as the Clippers stunned the Jazz to move within one win of the Western Conference finals.
The Clippers’ day began with news that Kawhi Leonard faces missing the remainder of the series — and possibly the postseason — after suffering a knee injury in game four.
But George responded with a masterful 37-point display which included 16 rebounds and five assists. Marcus Morris added 25 points while Reggie Jackson chipped in with 21.
“This was the biggest game of the postseason, especially being down our best player,” George said afterwards.
“We knew coming into this, we had to play together, we had to step up. We did a great job playing collectively.”
George praised his teammates for soaking up an early barrage from Utah, who opened up a 10-point lead in the second quarter.
“We didn’t overreact,” George said. “They came out hot. Good thing about it was we were able to weather the storm.”
The series now returns to Los Angeles on Friday, where a win for the Clippers will see Utah eliminated.
“We just got to go into it with the mindset that we don’t want to come back to Utah,” George said.
Bojan Bogdanovic led Utah’s scorers with 32 points, while Donovan Mitchell was held to 21, making just four from 14 attempts from three-point range.
Top-seeded Sixers, Jazz on brink after Hawks, Clippers win
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Top-seeded Sixers, Jazz on brink after Hawks, Clippers win
- Atlanta Hawks overturn 26-point second-half deficit but not enough to beat the Sixers in their Eastern Conference semifinal clash
- Despite Kawhi Leonard's injury, Clippers toppled Utah Jazz 119-111 to seize a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference series
Riyad Mahrez asks to be left out of Algeria squad for friendlies against Bolivia, South Africa
- Coach Vladimir Petkovic confirmed player’s decision as Al-Ahli captain assess international future
Riyadh: Al-Ahli captain Riyad Mahrez has been left out of the Algerian national team squad announced by Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic ahead of the upcoming friendlies against Bolivia and South Africa on March 22 and 26, Arriyadiyah reported.
Petkovic confirmed that Mahrez was the one who asked not to be summoned to the mini tournament taking place in Algeria, the player explaining that he was currently assessing his international future after the recent exit in the first round of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast.
Mahrez’s career with the national team has witnessed success and disappointment since he was given his debut by Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic in 2014.
He played against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but Algeria failed to qualify for Russia 2018.
After the arrival of Djamel Belmadi as national team coach, Mahrez led Algeria to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations title, scoring three decisive goals, including a last-minute winner in the semi-final against Nigeria. The Desert Warriors went on to claim the title by beating Senegal 2-1 in the final.
During his career with the national team, Mahrez has scored 31 goals and made 40 assists in 93 official matches.
Despite his brilliance between 2018 and 2021, the national team declined significantly after that, exiting the group stage twice in the Africa Cup of Nations, in 2021 and 2023, and also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
Australia scraps Afghanistan T20s, citing worsening women’s rights
- Cricket has surged in popularity in Afghanistan in recent years but women are effectively barred from the game
- It is third time since 2021 that Australia has refused to play Afghanistan outside of international tournaments
Australia on Tuesday scrapped a T20 men’s cricket series against Afghanistan later this year, saying the situation for women in the Taliban-ruled country was deteriorating.
Cricket Australia said it had received advice “that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan are getting worse” and so had postponed the three-match series scheduled in August at a neutral venue.
Cricket has surged in popularity inside Afghanistan in recent years, fueled by triumphs over bigger nations on the international stage.
But under the Taliban’s brand of Islamic rule, women are effectively barred from the game.
Australia’s cricket governing body said its stance continued a “strong commitment to supporting participation by women and girls in cricket around the world.”
It is the third time since 2021 that Australia has refused to play Afghanistan outside of international tournaments.
Cricket Australia canceled a one-off Test in 2021, months after the Taliban swept back into power.
“If recent media reports that women’s cricket will not be supported in Afghanistan are substantiated, Cricket Australia would have no alternative but to not host Afghanistan,” officials said at the time.
In 2023, Australia pulled out of a three-match one-day international series in the UAE, with the Afghanistan Cricket Board in Kabul describing the decision as “pathetic.”
Afghanistan’s best known cricketer, leg-spinner Rashid Khan, threatened to boycott Australia’s Big Bash League as a result.
Before the return of the Taliban, Afghanistan’s cricket board was slowly making progress growing the game among women — even contracting a small number of semi-professional players in 2020.
Most of those players would eventually flee to Australia.
The Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, renaming it the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and installing an interim government they said would rule according to sharia.
Teenage girls have been banned from attending most secondary schools and women from universities.
In November 2022 women were prohibited from entering parks, funfairs, gyms and public baths.
Women are also barred from traveling without a male relative and have been told they must cover up, with a veil or burqa, when outside.
The two countries last played at the 50-over World Cup in India last year when Australia won by three wickets en route to lifting the trophy.
Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans in last-ball thriller to clinch third PSL title
- All-rounder Imad Wasim returns figures of 5/23 to guide Islamabad to victory over Multan by 2 wickets
- United skipper Shadab Khan bags Player of the Tournament award for scoring 305 runs, taking 14 wickets
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad United became the most successful Pakistan Super League franchise on Monday night after clinching their third PSL title, edging out former champions Multan Sultans by two wickets in a last-ball thriller.
The Sultans, batting first, finished at 159/9 from their 20 overs. Skipper Muhammad Rizwan’s side were restricted to the total by clinical allrounder Imad Wasim, who returned figures of 5/23. United skipper Shadab Khan pitched in with figures of 3/32 and spectacular fielding at regular intervals to ensure the Sultans did not post a huge total.
From the Sultans, Usman Khan top-scored with 57 runs from 40 balls while Iftikhar Ahmed remained unbeaten on 32 runs from 20 balls. United chased the target on the final ball of the innings, with Hunain Shah hitting a boundary off the last ball to send the stadium into a frenzy.
“We did it! Champions once again! Huge praise to our boys for holding their nerves in a nail-biter of a finale,” United wrote on social media platform X.
United got off to a solid start in their chase with opener Martin Guptill scoring 50 runs from 32 balls. Colin Munro and Salman Ali Agha scored 17 and 10 runs, respectively, while Khan managed to make only four before he was bowled by Ahmed.
Azam Khan scored 30 runs from 22 before Wasim and Shah held their nerves to ensure the United win off the last ball. For the Sultans, Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 2/19 while Khushdil Shah ended up with 2/21. David Willey, Mohammad Ali and Usama Mir took a single wicket each.
“Believed in staying calm at the crease, focused on tapping and running,” Shah said at the end of the match. “Imad Wasim advised to keep it easy and just make contact. Beyond words right now, just overwhelmed with happiness.”
Wasim bagged the Player of the Match award for his fifer while Khan was given the Player of the Tournament award for scoring 305 runs and taking 14 wickets. The Karachi Kings’ batter Muhammad Irfan Khan was named Emerging Player of the Tournament for scoring 171 runs while Peshawar Zalmi’s Saim Ayub bagged the All-Rounder of the Tournament award for scoring 345 runs and taking eight wickets.
The Sultans’ spinner Mir bagged the Bowler of the Tournament award for his 24 wickets while their batter Usman Khan won the Batter of the Tournament award for scoring 430 runs.
Former champions Peshawar Zalmi won the Spirit of Cricket Award.
Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans in last-ball thriller to clinch third PSL title
- All-rounder Imad Wasim returns figures of 5/23 to guide Islamabad to victory over Multan by two wickets
- United skipper Shadab Khan bags Player of the Tournament award for scoring 305 runs, taking 14 wickets
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad United became the most successful Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise on Monday night after clinching their third PSL title, edging out former champions Multan Sultans by two wickets in a last-ball nail-biting thriller.
The Sultans, batting first, finished at 159/9 from their 20 overs. Skipper Muhammad Rizwan’s side were restricted to the total by clinical all-rounder Imad Wasim, who returned figures of 5/23.
United skipper Shadab Khan pitched in with figures of 3/32 and spectacular fielding at regular intervals to ensure the Sultans did not post a huge total on the scoreboard.
From the Sultans, Usman Khan top-scored with 57 runs from 40 balls while Iftikhar Ahmed remained unbeaten on 32 runs from 20 balls.
United chased the target on the final ball of the innings, with Hunain Shah hitting a boundary off the last ball to send the entire stadium into a frenzy.
“We did it! Champions once again! Huge praise to our boys for holding their nerves in a nail-biter of a finale,” United wrote on social media platform X.
United got off to a solid start in their chase with opener Martin Guptill scoring 50 runs from 32 balls.
Colin Munro and Salman Ali Agha scored 17 and 10 runs, respectively, while Khan managed to make only 4 before he was bowled by Ahmed.
Azam Khan scored 30 runs from 22 before Wasim and Shah held their nerves to ensure United won the trophy off the last ball.
For the Sultans, Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 2/19 while Khushdil Shah ended up with 2/21.
David Willey, Mohammad Ali and Mir took a single wicket each.
“Believed in staying calm at the crease, focused on tapping and running,” Shah said at the end of the match.
“Imad Wasim advised to keep it easy and just make contact. Beyond words right now, just overwhelmed with happiness.”
Wasim bagged the Player of the Match award for his fifer while Khan was given the Player of the Tournament award for scoring 305 runs and taking 14 wickets.
Karachi Kings batter Muhammad Irfan Khan was named Emerging Player of the Tournament for scoring 171 runs while Peshawar Zalmi’s Saim Ayub bagged the All-Rounder of the Tournament award for scoring 345 runs and taking eight wickets.
Sultans spinner Usama Mir bagged the Bowler of the Tournament award for his 24 wickets while Sultans batter Usman Khan won the Batter of the Tournament award for scoring 430 runs.
Former champions Peshawar Zalmi won the Spirit of Cricket Award.
How Turki Alalshikh turned Saudi Arabia into the boxing capital of the world
- British newspaper highlights role of the Saudi Royal Court advisor behind attractions such as ‘Ring of Fire’ and ‘Battle of the Baddest’
LONDON: Saudi Arabia is yet again making headlines in sports and entertainment, and the newest association the kingdom is enjoying is with world-class boxing. Just recently, the London-based Daily Mail’s sports editor Oli Gabb highlighted the topic in a lengthy and detailed piece he wrote on the topic.
The profile highlighted the efforts and achievements led by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), under the leadership of its’ chairman, Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh, who successfully delivered a series of boxing and sporting events. The matches and fights were all part of a mega six month festival, known as the ‘Riyadh Season 2023’.
“Whether you are a fan of the growing boxing scene in Saudi Arabia or not, the investment from the Middle East has forever changed the face of this sport,” Gabb wrote. He added that there is one person behind all of what has been happening on that front.
“Behind the most powerful fights like ‘Battle of the Baddest,’ ‘Day of Reckoning,’ and ‘Ring of Fire’ is Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh,” he wrote
“ He didn’t stop there; he made boxing a force to be reckoned with through promotional shows that emulate Hollywood productions, huge winning bonuses for boxers, and a significant role in overseeing major events in the Kingdom,” Gabb adding that Saudi Arabia managed to achieve what many others failed to due to egos and negotiations getting in the way.
Through his efforts and personal touch, Alalshikh is credited with bringing together stars like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Francis Ngannou to Saudi Arabia.
“Athletes in the field of boxing have every reason to be proud of the work done by Alalshikh. Boxing is often criticized due to the presence of numerous intermediaries that hinder negotiations. However, when Alalshikh gets involved, matches are quickly settled,” said the article.
As an example, the report said that prior to Alalshikh involvement in boxing, rival promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren ‘did not speak to each other’. But now, they are now seen side by side as organizers and even planning matchups between their fighters.
Hearn and Warren were brought in to work together when each of them participated in the Riyadh Season Joshua vs. Ngannou fight. Alalshikh found a quick way to improve relations between them—through a face-off between their top fighters. He proposed the idea of a “5 vs 5” card that would bring together five fighters from Hearn’s Matchroom team and five fighters from Warren’s Queensberry team to settle the debate about who has the better team.
Prior to Alalshikh involvement in boxing, rival promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren ‘did not speak to each other’. But now, they are now seen side by side
In a joint press conference featuring all three of them, Alalshikh jokingly remarked, “I don’t like peace between them,” and wrote a comment saying, “The ultimate showdown in Riyadh! Matchroom vs. Queensberry, the giants in the boxing world, finally clash in an exciting 5 vs. 5 battle. After years of promoting their own fighters, it’s time for these giants to face off. Prepare yourselves, people of Riyadh, for a night of epic confrontations.”
Additionally, the inaugural season of the Riyadh Season tennis championship took place in December, featuring top players such as Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, who emerged as the winner.
The report also highlighted Alalshikh’s organization of the first-ever professional snooker tournament in Saudi Arabia, the World Snooker Masters Championship, which took place earlier this month and renowned player Ronnie O’Sullivan emerge as the winner.
The tournament included the introduction of the Golden Ball and a prize of $500,000. And as no one achieved the required century break to claim the Golden Ball, Alalshikh announced after the final that he would double the prize fund for the Golden Ball in the following year and offered Ronnie the opportunity to open his own snooker academy in Saudi Arabia.
While the report also discusses Alalshikh’s success in bringing events organised by UFC, and WWE before it, to the kingdom, he says the Royal Court advisor’s biggest prominence has been in boxing. This is only due to the high-quality events he organized and the high-level fighters he attracted, but also because of the quality of promotion. The teaser for the “Day of Reckoning” event, which depicted Joshua and Wilder as zombies in a video clip, wowed the audience. The same level of quality was observed in the promotion of Joshua’s “Knockout Chaos” match against Ngannou, where they were portrayed as video game characters.
The report argued that: “A lot of effort and investment have been made in the events of the Riyadh Season, led by Turki Alalshikh, and this demonstrates the seriousness of his approach in making Saudi Arabia the boxing capital of the world. With numerous major matches held in Saudi Arabia, the Saudis have provided significant financial support and shown seriousness and credibility in their dealings. So why wouldn’t boxers prefer to come here?”
The report concluded by saying, “While the debate continues over whether Saudi Arabia is good for boxing, the argument against it diminishes as long as the person leading the campaign delivers the desired results.”