Interim Windies manager Coley stays positive, seeks Lara help Tatum shines as Celtics sizzle in Nets’ rout, Trail Blazers win
BARBADOS: New interim West Indies coach Andre Coley feels there are enough recent positives to draw on despite the team’s humbling first-round exit at last year’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.
That was followed by a 2-0 test series loss against Australia that included a 419-run drubbing in the second test.
Before those setbacks, West Indies won at home against England and Bangladesh and Coley is focused more on that ahead of a twotest series in Zimbabwe starting on Saturday.
“Australia is now in the past,” Coley said in Bulawayo. “As a team, there have been many positive results over the past 18 months and we want to focus on achieving much of the same in the year to come.
“We are looking forward to playing a brand of cricket that will position us to achieve this outcome.”
West Indies will be expected to deliver a series win in Zimbabwe, with the hosts gearing up for their first test in 18 months.
While West Indies wants to win again, Zimbabwe has achieved its first objective of just playing test cricket again ater that long gap. Geting matches and series is a regular challenge for the southern Africans.
Zimbabwe has enjoyed some sort of recent revival, though, following the return of former captain Dave Houghton to take up the role of head coach again. Houghton’s presence has led to a more positive outlook for Zimbabwe, which won a T20 series and drew a one-day series against Ireland last month and has managed to atract former England bater Gary Ballance back to his country of birth.
Ballance made his international debut for Zimbabwe against Ireland and is set to make his test debut against West Indies having switched allegiance from England back to Zimbabwe, where he was a youth international before moving to Britain.
“Gary Ballance is an experienced cricketer,” Zimbabwe director of cricket and former captain Hamilton Masakadza told The Associated Press.
“His inclusion in the side is invaluable. He has gelled very seamlessly in the side. He is sort of the right player we needed in the side. We look forward to him doing big things for Zimbabwe.”
nBOSTON: Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and had nine rebounds and the Boston Celtics rolled to a 139-96 win over the short-handed Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Damian Lillard had 42 points and 10 assists, Anfernee Simons added 26 points and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-112 on Wednesday night.
Jerami Grant had 18 points in the first half, before leaving because of concussion symptoms. Portland outscored Memphis 38-22 in the fourth quarter to win for the fourth time in five games.
Jaylen Brown added 26 points as both of Boston’s stars knocked down seven 3-pointers in a game the Celtics never trailed and led by as many as 49 points. Boston dominated on both ends of the floor, shooting 60% through three quarters on the way to its largest victory of the season. The Nba-leading Celtics have won all three meetings with the Nets this season. Tatum began the night second in the NBA while averaging 37.5 minutes per game. He played just over 29 on Wednesday and was able to sit most of the fourth quarter. Coach Joe Mazzulla said it was nice to get him some rest, but isn’t concerned about the load he has carried so far.
Tatum credits team trainer Nick Sang and the conversations they had since last season for helping him maintain his body this season.
Kyrie Irving scored 20 points and Cam Thomas added 19 for Brooklyn, which struggled throughout while shooting 41%, including 9 of 39 beyond the arc. The Nets dropped to 4-7 since Kevin Durant sprained his right knee on Jan. 8.
Brooklyn had managed to keep pace with Boston in the standings without Durant and through recent injuries to Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) and T.J. Warren (left shin contusion), who both sat for the third straight game.
The Celtics had their entire rotation available except for Marcus Smart, sidelined for the fith straight game as he recovers from his sprained right ankle. Boston took advantage, racing to a 33-7 advantage as the Nets started just 2 of 14 from the field.
Irving missed four of his first five shots as Boston’s crowd booed whenever he touched the basketball, mirroring the treatment he received during his most recent visits to TD Garden.
Tatum finished the quarter with 18 points, single-handedly outscoring the Nets as Boston took a 46-16 edge into the second quarter.
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