MIAMI: OG Anunoby drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer as the Toronto Raptors resuscitated their NBA title defense Thursday with a 104-103 victory over the Boston Celtics.
Kyle Lowry, tasked with inbounding the ball with half a second on the clock and the Raptors down 103-101, lofted a perfect arcing pass over Boston’s towering Tacko Fall to Anunoby on the opposite sideline.
Anunoby set his feet and fired, and the Raptors narrowed the deficit in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series to 2-1.
“I expected to make it. I don’t shoot trying to miss ... I wasn’t surprised,” said Anunoby, who was mobbed by his teammates.
The Raptors avoided an 0-3 hole — from which no NBA team has come back to win a post-season series.
“The pass was nothing. OG made the shot,” said Lowry, who led the Raptors with 31 points, six rebounds and eight assists. “All the credit goes to the shot, man. That’s a tough shot. Give OG that credit.”
Fred VanVleet scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half and Pascal Siakam scored 14 of his 16 after the interval and Anunoby contributed 12 points for the Raptors, who battled back from a 57-47 halftime deficit.
“We scrapped and clawed and fought,” said Lowry. “We never quit.
In a fourth quarter that saw seven lead changes — neither team leading by more than four points — Boston looked set to take a stranglehold on the series when center Daniel Theis, fed by Kemba Walker’s savvy pass through traffic, slammed home a dunk for a 103-101 lead with 0.5 seconds on the clock.
During the ensuing timeout, Boston brought in Fall, who tops out at 2.26m, to defend the inbounds play, but he couldn’t hold back the 2019 champions.
“Much credit to those guys. That was a hell of a shot,” said Boston’s Walker, who led the Celtics with 29 points.
Jaylen Brown added 19 with 12 rebounds and Jayson Tatum chipped in 15, but Boston have a series on their hands now.
Game four is Saturday.
“One game at a time,” Lowry said of the Raptors’ mindset as they look to level the series in the NBA’s COVID-19 quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida. “Great emotional moment right there (but) that’s over. Now we have to focus on the next game.”
In the late game, Kawhi Leonard had 29 points as the Los Angeles Clippers got off to a roaring start in their Western Conference semifinal by crushing the Denver Nuggets 120-97.
Leonard shot 12-of-16 from the floor and made all four of his free throws while Paul George had 19 points and Marcus Morris finished with 18 for the second seeded Clippers who lead the series 1-0.
Leonard wasted no time putting his stamp on the Nuggets series just as he did in a 4-2 first-round win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Coming into Thursday’s game, Leonard was averaging 32.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game. Los Angeles outscored Denver 38-20 in the second quarter. Leonard scored 19 first-half points.
NBA champion Raptors keep title hopes alive with Anunoby buzzer-beater against Celtics
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NBA champion Raptors keep title hopes alive with Anunoby buzzer-beater against Celtics
- Raptors avoid a 0-3 hole, from which no NBA team has come back to win a post-season series
Brighton draws 0-0 with Brentford in lackluster Premier League encounter
- The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees
LONDON: Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run in the Premier League to six games on Friday.
It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count.
Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance.
Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury.
One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago.
The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees.
Arsenal moves up to second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Ipswich
LONDON: Arsenal moved up to second place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home win against Ipswich on Friday.
Mikel Arteta’s side is six points behind leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand.
Second-bottom Ipswich had won two of its last three away games but was up against it from the start at the Emirates.
The visitors did not have one touch in the Gunners’ box during the first 45 minutes and, although Ipswich showed signs of life after the break, it was Arsenal which continued to dominate the game, marshaled by Declan Rice in midfield.
Kai Havertz got the only goal midway through the first half when he knocked in a cross from Leandro Trossard.
Havertz, Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus all had chances but none of them could add to Arsenal’s tally.
“It’s so tough, every team is tough to break down,” Havertz said. “They fight for each other and at the end we’re very proud for the win.”
Arsenal is a point above third-place Chelsea and two points clear of season surprise team Nottingham Forest in fourth.
Seagulls and Bees share the points on south coast
Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run to six league games.
It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count.
Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance.
Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury.
One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago.
The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees.
Ex-Turkiye boss Terim named Al-Shabab coach
- Terim won the 2000 UEFA Cup with Galatasary
RIYADH: Former Turkiye and Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim was appointed Al-Shabab boss on Friday.
Terim, who won the 2000 UEFA Cup with the Turkish outfit, replaces Victor Pereira in charge of the sixth place team in the Saudi Pro League.
The 71-year-old’s last job was with Greece’s Panathinaikos, but he left at the end of last season.
In Saudi Arabia, Terim will overlook a squad including Belgium winger Yannick Carrasco and Italy midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura.
Terim is set to work under Al-Shabab’s director of football, former Juventus and Czech Republic midfielder Pavel Nedved.
“Having been a player with Juventus for years, he’s also done a lot as a director of football,” Terim told reporters at Istanbul airport before flying to start his new job.
“I’m very happy to be with him, I think he was a great footballer, a great name and an important symbol,” the former AC Milan and Fiorentina boss added.
Hosts Kuwait held by Qatar, Oman and UAE play out draw in Arabian Gulf Cup
- 101st-minute equalizer rescued point for Qatar
- Oman progress, UAE crash out
LONDON: Group A of the Arabian Gulf Cup came to its conclusion on Friday, with hosts Kuwait and Oman both securing the points they needed to progress to the semifinals.
Kuwait thought they had beaten their Gulf rivals with a goal from Mohammad Daham in the 74th minute of the match at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.
But a 101st-minute equalizer from Mohammed Muntari deep into stoppage time rescued some pride for the Qataris, who crashed out of the tournament by failing to win.
In the day’s other match, Oman faced the UAE in another crucial encounter.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, which secured Oman’s advancement to the next stage and brought the UAE’s campaign to an end.
Al-Ahli Dubai midfielder Yahya Al-Ghassani had given the Emiratis a half-time lead, but they were pegged back by an Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri equalizer 11 minutes from the end.
The group stages of the Arabian Gulf Cup conclude on Saturday with the final matches in Group B.
Saudi Arabia need a victory against Iraq to guarantee a semifinal spot, while already-qualified Bahrain will look to make it three wins from three when they play Yemen.
Argentine FA opens new Middle East office in Dubai
- Body will now boast permanent base in region, office planned for Saudi Arabia
DUBAI: The Argentine Football Association has expanded its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a new office located in the UAE, and the current world champions are also expected to soon boast a similar presence in Saudi Arabia.
Leandro Petersen, the association’s chief commercial and marketing officer, and Pablo Diaz, head of its international relations, were in attendance at the office’s opening in Dubai.
Located at prime locations, the new offices will enable the Argentine FA to build strategic partnerships and elevate its profile both locally and regionally.
Petersen said: “The opening of a Middle East office is a huge moment for us as we look to establish a permanent presence in the region, giving us a platform to strengthen ties and enhance our current offerings.
“Naturally, having become world champions in Qatar, the Middle East is a region which means so much to not only the Argentinian Football Association, but the entire country, and we are delighted to have a base from where we can build important long-term relationships with both fans and businesses.
“This region is undoubtedly now one of the key global markets, and for us to be positioned in Dubai will open up many opportunities as we expand our presence on a global level.”
It was announced earlier this year that the Argentine FA had partnered with DUNE | 23, a leading UAE-based marketing and communications agency focused on the sport and entertainment sector.
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Friday at the new DUNE | 23 offices in Dubai. The event was attended by managing partners Lloyd McMillan and Jamie Hosie, who joined Argentine FA representatives to mark the occasion.
Hosie said: “We are proud to partner with the Argentinian Football Association to strengthen its presence across the region.
“Together, we aim to create dynamic events, produce engaging digital content, and unlock new commercial opportunities to ensure the Argentinian FA remains at the forefront of football in the Middle East.”
