Wolves blow 34-point lead, still top Hawks
No takers for Serie A scudetto amid Juve woes
MINNESOTA: The Minnesota Timberwolves held on to end the Atlanta Hawks’ sevengame winning streak and, in the process, they stopped a stretch of futility that went back 13 years. Guard Andrew Wiggins scored 33 points, including eight down the stretch, and the Timberwolves won 117-107 despite letting a 34-point lead temporarily slip away. “Those last minutes, Andrew was unbelievable,” Minnesota interim coach Sam Mitchell said. “We tried to get the ball in his hands, and he was feeling it. ... He was amazing.” The Hawks (7-2) took a 107-106 lead on a basket by forward Paul Millsap, but Wiggins converted a three-point play with three minutes left, and the Timberwolves (4-2) pulled back away from there. The Timberwolves had lost 12 straight in Atlanta since recording a 103-93 victory on Nov. 20, 2002. Forward Kevin Garnett, in his 21st season, played in that game, but more than a few of his present Minnesota team mates were in elementary school at the time. It looked as if the Timberwolves’ inexperience might prove costly. Minnesota led 81-47 before the Hawks closed the third quarter on a 37-12 run behind 14 points by guard Jeff Teague to pull within 93-84 going into the fourth. Atlanta then kept up the comeback.
“We got frazzled,” Mitchell said. Wiggins, though, pulled the Timberwolves through as they improved to 4-0 on the road. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year sank 15 of 22 shots and got support from rookie center KarlAnthony Towns, who finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. “We stayed confident,” Towns said. “We just had to weather the storm.” Wiggins scored 31 points in an overtime victory at Chicago on Saturday, and he wouldn’t be denied with the game on the line again. “He was a superstar who wanted to end the game on his terms,” Towns said when asked about Wiggins. “That’s what I saw.”“He made plays after we were able to get up a point,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He did a little bit of everything.”
The Hawks, who scored 19 points off 10 Minnesota turnovers in the third-quarter rally, shot 72 percent in the third, with Teague going 6-for-8 and Millsap making all four of his shots. “They were shooting the ball so well that I knew it was going to be tough to come all the way back,” Teague said. “But we made it a dogfight.” Teague finished with 24 points and a game-high nine assists. Millsap added 22 points.
For the game, Minnesota shot 57.5 percent and Atlanta hit 51.2 percent from the floor. The Wolves compiled a 40-27 rebounding advantage. The Timberwolves shot 63.8 percent and beat the Hawks 22-11 on the boards while building a 72-42 halftime lead. “They came out playing very aggressively, and we came out without a lot of energy,” said Hawks guard Kyle Korver, who was held to five points. “We’re a team that has to play with a lot of energy, and we finally responded in the second half.”
Asked what the difference was, Korver had a simple answer. “You just get mad once you’re embarrassed,” he said.
Bulls 111, 76ers 88
Forward Nikola Mirotic scored 20 points and grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls beat Philadelphia 111-88, extending the 76ers’ losing streak to 17 games. Forward Doug McDermott scored 18 points and center Pau Gasol added 16 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots for the Bulls, who were without Joakim Noah because of a sore left knee. Rookie center Jahlil Okafor finished with 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for the Sixers, who were without Nerlens Noel because of injuries to both wrists. Philadelphia, 0-7 this season, also lost their final 10 games of the 2014-15 season. Their last victory came on March 25 against Denver.
Pacers 97, Magic 84
Forward Paul George scored 27 points while guard George Hill added 23, as the Indiana Pacers dominated the final 6-1/2 minutes in a 97-84 victory over the Orlando Magic. The Pacers trailed 81-78, but during the final 6:28, they outscored the Magic 19-3.
Nuggets 108, Trail Blazers 104
J.J. Hickson had 19 points and 13 rebounds against his former team and the Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 108104. Rookie guard Emmanuel Mudiay finished with 18 points, including two free throws with 18.3 seconds left, to hold off the Trail Blazers for Denver’s first home win of the season. Kenneth Faried also scored 17 points for the Nuggets.
Spurs 106, Kings 88
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points and Patty Mills came off the bench to score seven of his nine points during a key run to start the fourth quarter as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 106-88 at Sleep Train Arena on Monday. Mills hit two layups and a 3-pointer to help San Antonio open the final period with an 23-12 blitz that made the difference. The Spurs twice pulled away after Sacramento rallied from double-digit deficits.
Warriors 109, Pistons 95
Leandro Barbosa and Harrison Barnes combined for 12 points in an 18-6 run to start the fourth quarter, and the Golden State Warriors wore down the Detroit Pistons 109-95 Monday night for their eighth consecutive win. The Warriors, the NBA’s last remaining unbeaten team for the second year in a row, moved within one of their franchise record for consecutive season-opening wins, set in 1960-61 while the club was playing in Philadelphia.
Clippers 94, Grizzlies 92
Blake Griffin scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 94-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. Guard J.J. Redick had 16 points as the Clippers (5-2) ended a two-game skid. Point guard Chris Paul returned after missing Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets with a sore right groin, and he scored 14 points. Center DeAndre Jordan had 13 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. — Agencies MILAN: The battle for Serie A supremacy is the closest in years but Juventus sitting nine points off the pace is not enough for the Turin giants’ potential successors.
After 12 games, only five point separate the top five teams, four of whom can harbour serious scudetto ambitions following Juve’s disastrous start to their title defence. But like poker players knowing they could be on a winning hand, none are giving much away.
Roberto Mancini, who won seven trophies including three consecutive league titles in his previous spell with Inter Milan, was dismissive after seeing his side pull level with leaders Fiorentina after a 1-0 win at Torino on Sunday. Fiorentina are playing some great football but Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa claims he just wants other teams to recognise the team’s “quality”. Roma now have no excuses as they go in search of a first league trophy since 2001, but two years of being humbled by Juventus has seen coach Rudi Garcia swap a tone of defiance for one of cautious optimism. As for Napoli? Try mentioning the word ‘ scudetto’ around Maurizio Sarri and you’ll be reminded they haven’t won the title since Diego Maradona led them to the second of their two titles in 1990.
Treble winners in 2010, when Jose Mourinho led them to the league, Cup and Champions League titles, Inter are finally back in the hunt after years in the domestic wilderness.
Quality
Inter are the only team in the top five not involved in Europe this season, but that added bonus means little for Mancini. “I would say the others (title challengers) have a slight advantage because they’ve been playing together for longer,” said Mancini. “This squad has only really been together since August. We’re trying to create a quality squad that includes younger players that can develop down the line.”
Although Italian football’s 1990 heydays are long gone, this season could help rekindle a forgotten love for watchers of ‘calcio’. Fiorentina haven’t been champions since winning a second league crown in 1969, when they finished ahead of a Cagliari side steered by Italy legend Luigi ‘Gigi’ Riva.
But under Sousa, Fiorentina are flying, with Nikola Kalinic (7) and Josip Ilicic (4) hitting 11 of the team’s 24 league goals so far. Sousa is among a select few players to have won back-toback Champions League titles, triumphing in 1996 with Juventus then a year later with Borussia Dortmund.
But when it comes to Fiorentina’s title chances, he is modest: “We want to challenge every side in the league, but the best prize we can have at the end of the season is for our rivals to recognise our quality.” Roma, who have hit a leagueleading 27 goals in 12 games, sit one point behind Fiorentina and Inter after Sunday’s 2-0 derby win over Lazio, but Garcia admits it’s no longer a two-horse race.
“Inter and Napoli are both very strong this year, but you can’t forget about Juventus, either,” he said. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri admits his side now have to go “step by step” to revive their title hopes. If Napoli end their 25-year-wait for the league title, it would be the story of the season.
Naples-born Sarri failed to make the grade in top level football and became a banker, but regularly swapped his shirt and tie after office hours for the tracksuit that has since become his trademark to coach. He worked his way up the ladder, led Empoli into Serie A last season and made such a good impression he hit the jackpot by replacing Rafael Benitez when he left Napoli. —AFP