Sports — International

NBA: Warriors focus on crown, not historic unbeaten run

by Jim Slater Agence France Presse ClEVELAND, United States (AFP) — A year after making history but falling one game short of an NBA title, the Golden State Warriors are focused on capturing the crown, not a possible unbeaten playoff run. The Warriors remained perfect in the 2017 post-season by sweeping the first two games of the NBA Finals at home and enter game three Wednesday at Cleveland on a record 14-0 playoff win streak — […]

NBA: No changes in starters or tempo as Cavaliers seek win

by Jim Slater Agence France Presse CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — They won’t change the starting lineup or slow the tempo, but the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers are counting on a momentum-changing victory in Wednesday’s third game of the NBA Finals. Trailing Golden State 2-0 in the best-of-seven championship series, the Cavs come home after two lopsided road losses hoping for a repeat of last year, when a game-three win set the stage for the greatest […]

NBA: Cavaliers seek answers as Warriors eye perfect title run

by Jim Slater Agence France Presse CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers desperately seek a way to beat the Golden State Warriors, but they are running out of time to prove their NBA Finals rivals aren’t invincible. The Warriors, on an NBA record 14-game playoff win streak, lead 2-0 in the best-of-seven championship series entering Wednesday’s third game at Cleveland. No team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win […]

NBA: Warriors big man Pachulia hopes to cap career with title

by Jim Slater Agence France Presse CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia plays a key inside role for the NBA’s winningest team, but they still can’t find a cap that fits him. The 33-year-old man-mountain from Tbilisi is trying to become the first player from the nation of Georgia to win an NBA crown as the Warriors play defending champion Cleveland in the NBA Finals, which shifted scene Monday for games […]

Football: Gulf crisis could hit Qatar 2022

by David Harding Agence France-Presse DOHA, Qatar – The diplomatic crisis sweeping the Gulf could invigorate a campaign by critics of Qatar to strip Doha of the 2022 World Cup, experts said Monday. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen were among those to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on the grounds that Doha supported extremist groups “that aim to destabilize the region.” One of the areas that could feel the impact […]

NBA: Durant, Curry lead Warriors to rout of Cavs, 2-0 series lead

OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Stephen Curry added 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Golden State Warriors ripped Cleveland 132-113 in Sunday’s historic second game of the NBA Finals. The Warriors, who welcomed back coach Steve Kerr after he missed 11 games with health issues after 2015 back surgery, stretched their playoff win streak to an NBA-record 14 games by dominating the […]

NBA: Kerr returns to coach Warriors after missing 11 games

OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he would return to guiding the squad in Sunday’s second game of the NBA Finals against defending champion Cleveland after missing the past 11 games. Less than two hours before the scheduled tip-off, Kerr said he felt healthy enough to return to the sidelines after suffering nausea and migraines from complications following 2015 back surgery. Kerr, last year’s NBA Coach of the Year […]

Gilas Pilipinas to face old rival China in first phase of FIBA Asia tournament

The Philippines is set to face an old rival in the first phase of the FIBA Asia tournament this year, but the national team has high hopes they will be able to sustain their excellent performance in the SEABA tournament, which they won undefeated. Gilas Pilipinas is slated to face China’s seven-footers in the first round, after the Philippine national team was designated in Group B of the tournament to be held in Lebanon. The […]

NBA: Warriors humble Cavaliers then warn best yet to come

by Jim SLATER Agence France Presse OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — It wasn’t bad enough the Golden State Warriors overwhelmed defending champion Cleveland in winning Thursday’s NBA Finals opener 113-91. The worse news for the Cavaliers and star playmaker LeBron James was that it wasn’t even the best effort for an undefeated squad whose 13-0 playoff win streak matches the longest in NBA playoff history. “We could be a lot better than we were tonight, […]

NBA: Durant, Curry lead Warriors over Cavs in Finals opener

by Jim SLATER Agence France Presse OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant scored 38 points and Stephen Curry added 28 as the Golden State Warriors defeated defending champion Cleveland 113-91 in Thursday’s NBA Finals opener, matching the league’s longest playoff win streak. Pushing their record unbeaten playoff start to 13-0, the Warriors seized a 1-0 edge in the best-of-seven championship series, which continues Sunday in Oakland before shifting to Cleveland for games three and four. […]

NBA: Chasing greatness unites friendly foes Durant, James

by Jim SLATER Agence France Presse OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — Cleveland playmaker LeBron James and Golden State star Kevin Durant have been chasing greatness as friendly rivals throughout their NBA careers, but now they are on a collision course. Defending champion Cleveland meets Golden State for an unprecedented third consecutive NBA Finals game starting Thursday, with James seeking his fourth crown in his seventh consecutive finals appearance and eighth overall, and Durant still yearning […]

NBA: Can Love conquer all for Cleveland in NBA Finals?

by Jim Slater Agence France Presse OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — Confident and assertive, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has found his scoring touch just when the defending NBA champions need it most — in an NBA Finals rematch with Golden State. Cleveland superstars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving will go head-to-head against Golden State’s Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in much-anticipated head-to-head matchups in the best-of-seven showdown that starts Thursday. But Love figures to […]