Despite being without Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, host Inter Miami dueled FC Cincinnati to a scoreless draw on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Messi and Alba were both suspended on Friday for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week.
Still, Miami (12-4-6, 42 points) barely found a way to secure a valuable point in its chase of Supporter’s Shield leader Philadelphia (15-5-5, 50 points) 10 days after losing 3-0 in the first meeting between the clubs.
Cincinnati nearly scored the game-winning goal in the second minute of second- half stoppage time when Miles Robinson appeared to sneak a shot past Miami keeper Rocco Rios Novo. But Robinson was called for a foul on Inter Miami’s Noah Allen. The call was upheld even after video-assisted review.
With Messi out, Inter Miami leaned more on Luis Suarez and Tadeo Allende up front. With Alba out, and Miami also missing Maxi Falcon due to yellow card accumulation, it started Benja Cremaschi at the left back position.
Miami did not approach the game tentatively, however, as it put together two great scoring chances in the first 15 minutes of the match.
Fafa Picault, who started with Messi out, nearly scored on a header in the 11th minute. Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano, who came with his second clean sheet against Inter Miami and third in a row overall.
Rocco Rios Novo started for Inter Miami in goal for the injured Oscar Ustari and recorded his clean sheet and the club’s first since another scoreless draw against Al Ahly on June 14 in the first match of the FIFA Club World Cup. It was Miami’s first shutout in an MLS game since beating Columbus 1-0 on April 19.
Cincinnati superstar Evander, who scored twice in the first game against Inter Miami, was held scoreless. But Evander had a great chance early in the second half but missed the goal on a close-range shot.
Miami outshot Cincinnati 13-8. But Cincinnati outshot Miami 4-3 on shots on target.
Short-handed Inter Miami secure draw against FC Cincinnati
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Short-handed Inter Miami secure draw against FC Cincinnati
- Messi and Alba were both suspended on Friday for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week
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.
