Clippers continue to sizzle with win in Valley of the Sun
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was still stewing a little in the postgame press conference late Wednesday night, replaying in his head how the team’s offense got a little stagnant during the final eight minutes against Phoenix.
The good news for the Clippers is the first 40 minutes were so good it didn’t really matter.
Paul George scored 33 points, Kawhi Leonard added 30 and the Clippers extended their winning streak to four straight by beating the Suns 131-122. The Clips have won 13 of 15 heading into tonight’s game at New Orleans, while Phoenix had its four-game winning streak snapped.
George shot 8 of 14 from the field, going 5 of 10 from 3-point range. James Harden had 22 points and 11 assists.
The Clippers shot 55% from the field and 53% from 3-point range — efficient numbers all around. Harden said he expects that will be the norm as he continues to adapt to his new team after being traded from Philadelphia on Oct. 31.
“We still haven’t figured it out, because different teams guard us differently,” Harden said. “Once we’ve seen ever defense, which probably won’t be until the end of the year, we’ll figure out how to attack.”
The Clippers appear to be a quick study with an 18-5 record after starting the season 3-7.
The Clippers led by as many as 23 in the second half before the Suns made a late run.
Norman Powell responded with a 3 that helped the Clippers regain control. He scored 13 points off the bench.
“It’s just making the right pass and making the right play — that’s what we’ve got to be good at,” Lue said. “We want teams to double team us with all the shooting we have, but we just didn’t handle it the right way.”
• Fresh off their first win after setting a NBA record for futility, the Detroit Pistons lost to the Utah Jazz 154-148 in overtime late on Wednesday. It is the 30th loss in 31 games for the Pistons, who have lost 17 in a row on the road.
Homestand struggles continue for Ducks
Auston Matthews scored 2:12 into overtime and Toronto rallied for a 2-1 overtime win over the Ducks after taking 57 shots on goal late Wednesday night in Anaheim.
Frank Vatrano had the lone goal for the Ducks, who lost their third-consecutive game and fell to 1-5-0 on a season-high eight game homestand. Lukas Dostal had a career-high 55 saves.
Martin Jones made 27 saves for the Maple Leafs in his second standout performance in two nights after earning the shutout over the Kings on Tuesday.
John Tavares’ goal with just under six minutes remaining in regulation sent the game into the extra period. Matthews won it with his 30th of the season.
• Sweden will play the United States for gold on home ice at the world junior hockey championship after both won semifinals on Thursday in Gothenburg.
The United States battled back from an early two-goal deficit to down Finland 3-2 and book a spot in Friday’s final of the under-20 event. Jimmy Snuggerud and Will Smith scored for the Americans and Cutter Gauthier bagged a late power-play goal as the U.S. remained the tournament’s only undefeated team.
Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored on a power play in the third period before adding an insurance goal as Sweden defeated the Czech Republic 5-2.
Alabama players eye NFL draft, portal
Alabama linebacker Chris Braswell joined fellow linebacker Dallas Turner and offensive tackle JC Latham in announcing plans to leave the Crimson Tide for the NFL.
Braswell finished second on the team with eight sacks, behind Turner. Latham, a two-year starter at right tackle, was a firstteam All-Southeastern Conference pick this season as a junior and earned second-team Associated Press All-America honors.
Also, starting center Seth McLaughlin has entered the transfer portal.
• Eleven days after Jerry Kill stepped down after two seasons at New Mexico State, former UNLV coach Tony Sanchez was introduced as the program’s 36th head coach. Sanchez, 49, was UNLV’s head coach from 2015-19 and had a 2040 record.
Padres land South Korean reliever
South Korean reliever Woo-Suk Go and the San Diego Padres agreed to a $4.5 million, two-year contract that includes a 2026 mutual option plus bonus and escalator provisions that could make the deal worth $9.4 million over three seasons if he closes regularly.
The right-hander was 3-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 15 saves in 44 appearances last year for the Korean Baseball Organization champion LG Twins. Go and new Padres teammate Ha-Seong Kim were both on South Korea’s World Baseball Classic roster last year, but Go did not make an appearance.
General manager A.J. Preller said the team will determine during spring training whether Go or recently signed Yuki Matsui will replace Josh Hader as closer.
• Atlanta reworked the contract for newcomer Chris Sale, announcing a new $38 million, two-year deal with the left-handed pitcher acquired last weekend from Boston.
ESPN acquires NCAA championship rights
The NCAA and ESPN announced a $920 million, eight-year agreement that will give the network exclusive rights to 40 championships, including the Division I women’s basketball tournament, an event growing in popularity that the association has been accused of undervaluing in the past.
NCAA President Charlie Baker told The Associated Press the deal has an average annual value of $115 million, an increase of more than 300% per year on what the previous 14year deal with ESPN was paying. The deal covers 21 women’s and 19 men’s sports, adding tennis, track and field, men’s gymnastics, the women’s Division II and III volleyball and basketball championships and the men’s DII and DIII basketball championships.