Durant no fan of NBA officiating reports

LOS ANGELES -Kevin Durant is no fan of the NBA's lategame officiating reports, even when they confirm his impression of referee errors.

The league's most recent "Last Two Minutes" officiating report said that Durant was fouled on the final play of his Golden State Warriors' onepoint loss to the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Christmas Day.

No foul was called when the Cavs' Richard Jefferson's foot made contact with Durant, who ended up sprawled on the floor unable to connect on a potential game-winning shot.

But at team training on Tuesday, Durant chastised the NBA for throwing the refs "under the bus" with the after-the-fact reports that can't affect the result of a gam e.

"Just move on," Durant said. "Don't throw the refs under the bus like that. Now the next game, that group of refs, whoever it is, they're going to come out ... try to get everything right and perfect without just going out there relaxing and trying to make the right call."

Durant joined the chorus of players who have suggested ditching the reports, which were designed by the league in a bid for transparency on officiating.

The report on Sunday's game also said that Cavs superstar LeBron James should have been assessed a technical foul for hanging on the basket rim after a massive dunk.

But Durant, and Golden State coach Steve Kerr, said the Warriors' inability to close out the game after holding a 14point lead in the fourth quarter couldn't be laid at the refs' door.

"What about the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter?" Durant said of the reports. "They should get rid of them. Refs don't deserve that.

"They're trying their hardest to get the play right, then you look at the play in slo-mo and say it's wrong."

© 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse

(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports w ebsi t e. ) Four years after flooring Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez still can't stop gloating.

Marquez acknowledged he had grown tired of what he claimed was "robbery" committed by Pacquiao's camp in their first three bouts.

That's why he called his knockout win over Pacquiao on December 8, 2012 "divine justice."

Marquez reflected on his battles with Pacquiao, the first three of which the Mexican said could've gone his way.

Marquez and Pacquiao fought to a much-disputed draw in 2004, before Pacquiao walked away with wins in 2008 (split decision) and 2011 (majority decision).

Marquez had the last laugh in 2012 by dropping Pacquiao with a vicious counter straight that knocked the lights out of the Filipino champion in the sixth round.

"I can only say that it was divine justice. Everyone saw the previous fights, and in the end I won in the most clear and forceful way,” Marquez said in a report posted on BoxingScene.com.

Pacquiao demanded a fifth fight, but Marquez said "it was no longer required."

Marquez said he would have granted Pacquiao another bout if the outcome in 2012 had not been as decisive as their previous bouts.

But upon seeing Pacquiao face down on the canvass, he had no doubt that his nemesis had been thoroughly beaten.

"If the fourth (fight) had been just as controversial as the previous ones, I would have personally signed on for the fifth, because I would not have felt good about myself," Pacquiao said.

"But there was no doubt (about the ending). When I saw Manny lying on the canvas, I said, 'Now try to steal it from me if you can.' "

Pacquiao has had a more than decent run after that loss. He pocketed the richest purse of his career when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May 2015, then recaptured the world welterweight championship in November.

Marquez, meanwhile, has been inactive for 3and-a-half years. He had been negotiating to fight Miguel Cotto, but nothing concrete has come out of the talks.