BENGALURU: Skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru hammer Gujarat Titans by four wickets for their third successive IPL win on Saturday.
Chasing a modest 148 for victory, Du Plessis, who hit 64, and Kohli, who made 42, laid the foundations with a stand of 92 in 35 balls as the target was achieved with 6.2 overs to spare at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Du Plessis’ departure triggered a collapse as Gujarat hit back with wickets from Joshua Little and Noor Ahmad to have the opposition in trouble at 117-6 when Kohli was dismissed.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who hit 21, and Swapnil Singh, who made 15, made sure there was no more drama as they steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 35.
“It was important we didn’t look at the scoreboard when we went out to bat and try and play the way we play,” said Du Plessis.
“It was a bit nerve-wracking, another wicket, another wicket. Probably not the best but you’re trying to be positive, get your net run-rate up.”
Bowlers set up victory after pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj removed the openers including skipper Shubman Gill early and Gujarat lost regular wickets to be bowled out for 147 in 19.3 overs.
Siraj returned figures of 2-29 to be named man of the match but the pace bowler said he nearly missed the game after being “sick since last night.”
It was Bengaluru’s fourth win and third on the bounce in 11 matches as they jumped from the bottom of the table to seventh and keep their slim play-off hopes alive.
Gujarat’s hopes are also hanging by a thread as they slumped to their seventh loss in 11 matches.
“Very important to start from zero in our next match and move on from this game,” Gill said. “Learn from mistakes and not repeat them. All about winning from here on.”
Kohli, who reclaimed the top batting spot with 542 runs, came out roaring as he hit Mohit Sharma for two sixes in the opening over of the chase and Du Plessis soon joined in and moved ahead to raise his fifty in 18 balls.
The South African veteran smashed 10 fours and three sixes in his 23-ball blitz before being dismissed by Ireland left-arm quick Little.
Little took two more wickets including Glenn Maxwell for four as Bengaluru slipped to 107-4.
Little sent back Cameron Green and then Noor’s left-arm wrist spin silenced the home crowd when he had Kohli caught behind, but the hosts had the last laugh when Singh hit the winning six.
Earlier put into bat, Gujarat went three down for 19 inside six over before big-hitter Shahrukh Khan, who top-scored with 37, stood strong in a 61-run stand with David Miller, who hit 30 off 20 balls.
Left-handed Rahul Tewatia hit a 21-ball 35 and put on another key stand with Rashid Khan to add respect to the total.
Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli help Bengaluru stay in IPL play-off race
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Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli help Bengaluru stay in IPL play-off race
Luka Doncic, LeBron James lead Lakers past 76ers in return to lineup
- Doncic posted a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists
- Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren scored 25 points each as Oklahoma City tied a franchise record with their 15th straight win over Utah in Salt Lake City
NEW YORK: Luka Doncic and LeBron James combined for 60 points in their return to the lineup as the Los Angeles Lakers topped the host Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 on Sunday night.
Both missed the first two games of this road trip, Doncic due to the birth of his second daughter and James with back and foot injuries. James scored five straight points after Philadelphia tied the game at 105 with 1:29 left to create separation.
Doncic posted a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. He only shot 9-of-24 from the field, but James was an efficient 12-of-17 for 29 points, while adding seven rebounds and six assists.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Joel Embiid added 16 points for the Sixers but shot just 4-of-21 from the floor.
Thunder 131 Jazz 101
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren scored 25 points each as Oklahoma City tied a franchise record with their 15th straight win over Utah in Salt Lake City.
Despite being without reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time this season along with two other starters, the Thunder dominated from the start. Oklahoma City shot 58 percent from the field and was 21 of 42 from beyond the arc.
Kyle Filipowski led the Jazz with 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting with 10 rebounds. Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks scored 20 points each off the bench.
Knicks 106 Magic 100
Jalen Brunson scored eight points during a decisive run to open the second half for New York, which earned a 106-100 win over Orlando after the visitors lost forward Franz Wagner to a lower leg injury.
Brunson finished with 30 points and nine assists and Josh Hart (17 points, 12 rebounds) posted a double-double for the Knicks, who overcame the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns (left calf) to close out a perfect three-game homestand and improve to 13-1 at home.
Anthony Black (14 points, 11 rebounds) recorded a double-double off the bench for the Magic, who lost for only the fourth time in 14 games. Jalen Suggs scored 17 points while Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane had 16 apiece.
Celtics 121 Raptors 113
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Derrick White added 27 and visiting Boston held off Toronto for their fifth straight win.
Payton Pritchard scored 15 points for the Celtics, who have won 10 of 12. Neemias Queta had 11 points and 11 rebounds while Anfernee Simons scored 12.
Brandon Ingram scored 30 for the Raptors, who have dropped three straight. Scottie Barnes added 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, helping erase a 23-point deficit early in the second half before Boston used a late surge to come out on top.
Nuggets 115 Hornets 106
Jamal Murray had a huge opening stretch en route to 34 points and Nikola Jokic joined the production with 28 points and 11 assists as Denver defeated host Charlotte.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 14 points and Peyton Watson added 10 as the Nuggets improved to 11-2 in road games. They’ve won 10 straight away from home, aided by shooting 51.8 percent from the field against Charlotte.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 24 points, Brandon Miller posted 17, KJ Simpson poured in 16 and Kon Knueppel chipped in with 14. Liam McNeeley contributed 13 off the bench for the Hornets, who have lost three of their last four games.
Grizzlies 119 Trail Blazers 96
Santi Aldama came off the bench to score 22 points and Kentavious Caldwell- Pope and Jaylen Wells added 16 apiece to lead Memphis to a victory over visiting Portland.
The Grizzlies won for the fifth time in six games and recorded back-to-back home wins for the first time this season. Aldama and Caldwell-Pope were part of the Memphis bench that produced 69 points, along with Jock Landale (15 points, eight rebounds) and Cam Spencer (12 points, six assists). Starter Zach Edey had 12 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Portland was held to fewer than 100 points for only the second time this season. The Trail Blazers, who lost for the fifth time in six games, were led by Jerami Grant with 21 points and seven rebounds. Deni Avdija added 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Warriors 123 Bulls 91
Visiting Golden State sank 22 threes — their second most of the season — and never trailed in a 123-91 slamming of Chicago.
The Warriors played without Steph Curry (quad), Draymond Green (foot) and Al Horford (sciatica), but looked smooth from the start. Seven Warriors made threes as the visitors finished 22-of-47 (46.8 percent) from behind the arc. Brandin Podziemski came off the bench, sank five threes and finished with a game-high 21 points. Quinten Post had five threes and 19 points. Jimmy Butler had two 3-pointers and also had 19.
Josh Giddey led the Bulls with 18 points and five assists, and Matas Buzelis tallied 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
