Suns blowout Kings
PHOENIX — Coach Monty Williams wanted Jevon Carter to slow down. The backup point guard didn’t pay attention.
Two unexpected 3-pointers later, the Phoenix Suns had the spark they needed to blow past the Sacramento Kings for a 124-95 win in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night.
“Jevon just doesn’t listen to me, that’s pretty much it,” Williams said with a grin. “He just goes nuts, hits shots and defensively he gets all over people. He has selective hearing. I was trying to scream to him to slow down, but he’s a pitbull. That’s what I love about him.”
While the reserves stepped up, the starters played well, too.
Devin Booker had 22 points and 10 assists, and
PHX: 1-0 overall SAC: 0-1 overall
Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 points. Veteran guard Ricky Rubio had 11 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and four steals in his first game after signing a three-year deal worth $51 million.
It was an encouraging night for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010 and finished with a dismal 19-63 record last season.
“We have a lot of potential, but it’s just one game,”
HOUSTON — Stephen Strasburg’s time had come.
Famously held out of the postseason seven years ago, Strasburg delivered on the biggest stage of all Wednesday night.
The right-hander outdueled fellow ace Justin Verlander, overcoming a shaky start to give the Washington Nationals a 12-3 win over the Houston Astros and a commanding 2-0 lead in the World Series.
Kurt Suzuki hit a tiebreaking homer in what became a messy six-run seventh inning, and the Nationals headed back home to Washington for the next two games — three if needed.
Adam Eaton paraded around the bases pointing to the Houston crowd after a late home run as the Nationals won their eighth in a row. They’ve won 18 of 20 overall dating back to the regular season, with the last two over AL Cy Young Award favorites Gerrit Cole and Verlander.
Game 3 is Friday night when Aníbal Sánchez opposes Houston’s Zack Greinke in the first World Series game in the nation’s capital since 1933.
The 31-year-old Strasburg had waited years for this chance. Back in 2012, he was about two years removed from Tommy John surgery when Nationals brass decided protecting his elbow was more important than pitching him in the playoffs, so he was shut down late in a season full of promise.
Making his Series debut, Strasburg allowed a two-run homer to Alex Bregman in the first before throwing five shutout innings to improve to 4-0 this postseason. He allowed seven hits and struck out seven.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez was asked what’s allowed Strasburg to be so good this postseason.
“One, he has the confidence to do it and two, he’s become a premier pitcher, a big-game pitcher,” Martinez said. “He doesn’t get rattled.”
Verlander, so good in the regular season, fell to 0-5 in six World Series starts. He gave up seven hits and four runs, and was lifted after walking a batter following Suzuki’s home run.
Verlander led the majors with 21 wins this season and struck out a career-high 300 to reach 3,000 in his career. He has a World Series ring,