Tag: sports betting

Luka Doncic triple-double not enough for Mavericks

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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) heads to the locker room after a 105-98 loss to the Boston Celtics following Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

BOSTON — Luka Doncic is piling up injuries and points in these NBA Finals.

But for the second straight game, he didn’t get enough support from his Mavericks teammates. This time on a night when the Boston Celtics did everything possible to give Dallas a chance to steal a game on the road.

Doncic connected on 12 of 21 shots and finished with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, marking his 10th career playoff triple double and the first Finals triple-double in Mavericks’ history.

But his teammates went a combined 26 of 59 from the field on a night in which Boston went just 10 of 30 from the 3-point line, and All-Star Jayson Tatum shot 6 of 22 from the field as Boston won Game 2 105-98.

It all added up to a two-game deficit for the Mavericks as the best-of-seven series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics hold off Mavericks for 2-0 lead

“Every game we lose is a missed opportunity for us,” Doncic said when asked if felt the Mavs missed a chance to take advantage of an off night by the Celtics. “At the end the day, we have to make shots to win the game.”

It was the first Game 2 loss of these playoffs for Dallas, which had won three straight — all on the road. The Mavs now face the daunting task of having to beat a Boston team that has lost just twice this postseason in four out of five games. The Celtics are 6-0 on the road this postseason.

Dallas struggled from both the 3-point line (6 of 26) and the free throw line (16 of 24). Doncic was 4 of 8 from the foul line and had eight of his team’s 15 turnovers.

“The small things, you know, we have to do the small things, and that’s part of the game,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Those are points that we left on the board, and we didn’t shoot free throws well tonight, and we have to be better.”

Doncic started Game 2 after being listed as probable Sunday morning with a sprained right knee and left ankle before being downgraded to questionable by the afternoon after a bruised chest was added to his list of ailments.

READ: NBA Finals: Mavericks plan to get Celtics to fight among themselves

He was cleared to play after going through his pregame warmup routine. Doncic believes he sustained the chest injury taking a charge in Game 1. During pregame introductions Doncic wore an ice wrap across the side of his chest and knee.

“I always want to play,” Doncic said. “So all day we did a lot of things to get ready for the game.”

It didn’t seem to bother him at the outset, as he scored six of Mavericks’ first 11 points and Dallas sprinted out to a 13-6 lead in the first quarter.

But his mobility did seem to be lacking on occasion. It showed later in the opening period when Jaylen Brown pushed the ball up the court on a fast break and crossed Doncic over before gliding past him for a two-handed dunk.

It didn’t slow Doncic down on the offensive end, where he continued to chalk up points and have a verbal back-and-forth with a Celtics fan seated courtside after making consecutive shots.

What may be most troubling for Dallas’ hopes the rest of the series is the play of Kyrie Irving.

After finishing with just 12 points in Game 1 — the second-fewest of his Finals’ career — Irving improved with 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting, with six assists and two turnovers. But 10 of his points came in the first half, again leaving Doncic on an island down the stretch.

“My teammates look for me to convert a lot of shots and lessen the burden, not only on Luka but the entire team,” Irving said. “It’s on all of us, man. I’m pretty sure if you hear what everybody has to say, they’ll say they have to do something better.”

More Mavericks players were more involved than in Game 1, with all five Mavericks starters reaching double figures. It was a small consolation to Doncic.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to make some more shots,” he said. “I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game. So I’ve got to do way better in those two categories.”

PH baseball eyes bigger prize

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Returning to the international stage last year with a flourish, the Philippines brought home the Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA) East Asia Men’s Baseball Cup and looks to do so again with higher stakes on the table.

The Filipinos ruled the 2023 version of the tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, and a repeat act in Clark, Pampanga, from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 will galvanize their participation in the Asian championships, which offers a possible route to the world championships.

“If there’s a tournament where we want to compete in, this certainly is the one,’’ said Philippine Amateur Baseball Association president Chito Loyzaga in hosting the continental qualifier.

The two best countries in the seven-nation meet will advance to the 2025 BFA Asian Baseball Championships where world No. 1 Japan awaits them along with South Korea, Chinese Taipei and China.

Beside the Philippines, national squads from Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Cambodia are vying for those spots.

“We have the advantage. Besides playing on our field, we ranked better against these countries,’’ said Loyzaga.

“But we shouldn’t be too confident, we know that these nations are building up for the tournament, especially Hong Kong and Thailand,’’ he added.

Two more teams from the west Asian region will join the eight-country continental championships, after which the medalists progress to the U-23 Baseball World Cup 2026.“The group where we will land in the Asian championships is critical. If you ask me, I prefer us to be grouped with China, which will give us a chance,’’ said Loyzaga. INQ

Winning rebound battle key for Meralco in PBA Finals

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Meralco Bolts forward Cliff Hodge during Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against the San Miguel Beermen.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Meralco has been doing almost everything right in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals so far.

The Bolts on Sunday regained the upper hand in their best-of-seven series with the San Miguel Beermen after a pulsating win in Game 3 and while it was Chris Newsome’s late 3-pointer that propelled them to victory, winning the rebounding battle was another reason why they’re halfway there to a breakthrough championship.

“It’s definitely a focus of interest for us. We know that if we can dominate the rebounding, we’ll have a great shot at winning the game,” explained Hodge after Meralco’s 93-89 squeaker over San Miguel.

READ: PBA Finals: Chris Newsome, Meralco deliver own dagger in Game 3

“All the bigs have to guard June Mar (Fajardo) and try to slow him down. I mean he’s the best, the GOAT of the PBA and it’s a hard job for them to slow him down and they gotta box him out so I’m just trying to get as many rebounds as I can.”

Hodge came up big for the Bolts anew, notching a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, six of which on the offensive end.

Raymond Almazan also held it down for Meralco in the shaded area, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the final minute.

READ: PBA Finals: Rest vital for SMB heading into Game 4, says CJ Perez

With Hodge and Almazan making their presence felt, the Bolts out-rebounded the Beermen, 57-50, which had been the case for the first three games of the finals.

Meralco had 22 offensive rebounds overall that led to 22 second-chance points.

Hodge, though, is fully aware that the battle is still far from over.

“We’ll definitely watch the viewing. I honestly don’t think we played that great of a game. [We] had a lot of mistakes defensively.”

“[We’ll] just clean up our game plan and clean up all our mistakes and focus on the next game. That’s about it.”

Alas Pilipinas girls off to 2-0 start in Thailand tournament

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Alas Pilipinas girls during a game against Malaysia in Thailand.–Photo from SMM Volleyball

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas girls overcame Malaysia, eking out a 25-20, 27-29, 25-22, 25-18 win to stay unbeaten in the 22nd Princess Cup Southeast Asian Under-18 Women’s Volleyball Championship on Sunday at Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium in Thailand.

The Philippines leaned on Kimberly Rubin and Lianne Penuliar, who stepped up when it mattered most to stave off the tough challenge by the Malaysians.

The young Nationals couldn’t sustain their first set win as their effort to save four set points in the second frame wasn’t enough to stop Malaysia from tying the game at 1-1.

READ: Alas Pilipinas girls rip Singapore to open Thailand U18 tilt

Alas was quick to get its act together in the third, taking a 17-10 spread but the Malaysians never wavered as they tied the game at 21.

Rubin and Penuliar restored the order for the Filipinos for a 23-21 breather followed by two consecutive errors from both squads to reach set point, 24-22.

Penuliar delivered the set-clinching attack to take a 2-1 advantage.

The Philippines pulled away from a precarious 17-15 lead in the fourth, scoring eight of the last 11 points capped by Penuliar’s game-winning hit.

Alas earned an early 2-0 lead in the six-team competition, where the top two squads of the single round-robin will clash in a winner-take-all final on June 13.

READ: Alas Pilipinas girls set for two U18 tournaments

The Philippines takes on host Thailand on Monday at 5:30 p.m. (Manila time).

The Thais, who were eyeing their second win against Australia as of posting time, dominated Indonesia on Saturday with a 25-19, 25-16, 25-23 win.

National girls’ volleyball team coach Taka Minowa won his first two games, following a 25-14, 25-6, 25-12 demolition of Singapore on Saturday.

The Japanese coach and Alas girls will also compete in the Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship from June 16 to 23 also in Thailand.

Malaysia fell to a 0-2 record, losing its first match to Australia, 25-12, 25-18, 25-21.

Celtics stars united as Kidd comment stirs debate

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Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, left, and Jayson Tatum jump before Game 1 of the basketball team’s NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

The Boston Celtics, coming off an authoritative game one victory over Dallas in the NBA Finals, aren’t about to let Mavericks coach Jason Kidd get in their heads going into Game 2.

In comments widely interpreted as a bid to sow discord in the Celtics ranks, Kidd twice told reporters on Saturday that Jaylen Brown is Boston’s “best” player — but Brown and star teammate Jayson Tatum didn’t bite.

“No reaction,” Tatum said as the teams spoke to reporters ahead of Sunday’s game two in Boston. “This is a team sport, right. We understand that.

“We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have JB on our team and we can say that for a lot of guys.

“We have all played a part in getting to where we’re at, and we understand that people try to drive a wedge between us. I guess it’s a smart thing to do or try to do.

READ: NBA Finals: Mavericks plan to get Celtics to fight among themselves

“We’ve been in this position for many of years of guys trying to divide us and say that one of us should be traded or one is better than the other. So it’s not our first time at the rodeo.”

Brown led Boston’s scoring with 22 points and was dominant on the defensive end in Thursday’s 107-89 victory.

“Jaylen is their best player,” Kidd said when asked about the difficulty of containing him. “Just looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka (Doncic) full court. He got to the free throw line. He did everything, and that’s what your best player does. Just understanding he plays both sides, defense and offense, at a high rate. And he’s been doing that the whole playoffs.”

Brown and Tatum are familiar with the question of which is the team’s top star — long a favorite topic of media debate.

As always, Brown said, the Celtics are tuning it out, even though this time it comes from a coach whose three trips to the NBA Finals as a player included a championship run with Dallas in 2011.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics formula leaves Mavericks searching for solution

“We’ve been just extremely focused on what our roles and our jobs are,” Brown said.

“We have all had to sacrifice. Jason (Kidd) has had to do that at the highest of levels, right, and I respect him and tip his cap for it.

“Right now, at this point, it’s whatever it takes to win and we can’t let any outside interpretations try to get in between us.”

Instead, Brown said, the Celtics are focused on finding more ways to unsettle the Mavericks’ star duo of Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

“We’ve got to be ready because they are really good after a loss,” Brown said.

That is just what Kidd is counting on.

“I think there’s no panic with this group,” Kidd said. “We didn’t play well in game one … but it’s a series and we don’t just look to capitalize on just one game.

“We believe that we can respond in game two.”

PLDT runs it back with Russian import Elena Samoilenko

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FILE–PLDT import Elena Samoilenko. –PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT brings back Russian import Elena Samoilenko ahead of the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, which opens in July.

The High Speed Hitters on Friday announced that Samoilenko is playing for their team for the second time after an impressive PVL stint in the last foreign player-laden tournament two years ago.

“We just loved Lena Samoilenko’s quiet intensity so much that we had to bring her back for another tour of duty with the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the upcoming 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference,” wrote PLDT. “Same power, same height, but with more volleyball experience. We’re in! Welcome back, Lena! Let’s do this.”

READ: PVL: Kath Arado, PLDT stay motivated despite early All-Filipino exit

The 6-foot-4 outside hitter soared high in her first PVL stint in 2022, emerging as the top scorer with 213 points in eight games.

Despite the effort of the Russian spiker, PLDT missed the semifinals of the Reinforced Conference with a 3-5 record.

Samoilenko, fresh from a stint with Turan Turkistan club in Kazakhstan, is bolstering a new-look High Speed Hitters under coach Rald Ricafort, the successor of George Pascua and champion coach of Petro Gazz in the last Reinforced Conference.

READ: PVL: PLDT, led by Savi Davison, show promise for next conference

Samoilenko will be teaming up with Filipino-Canadian Savi Davison and newcomers Kianna Dy, who is expected to return to action from injury this conference, Majoy Baron, and Kim Fajardo as well as mainstays Kath Arado and Mika Reyes.

PLDT is raring to end a three-conference semis drought after falling short in the All-Filipino Conference with an 8-3 record in fifth place.

The top four of Reinforced will also qualify in the PVL Invitational Conference in September with two foreign guest teams.

Celtics’ formula leaves Mavericks searching for solution

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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, celebrates with center Al Horford, center, as the Celtics lead the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Basketball Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON — When the Boston Celtics make a ton of 3-pointers, forget it. They’re probably not going to lose.

That was surely something the Dallas Mavericks understood before Game 1 of the NBA Finals — and if they, or anyone else, somehow were unaware of that fact, it was on full display in the opener.

The Celtics made 16 3s, outscoring the Mavericks by 27 points from long range, in their 107-89 victory Thursday night. Both teams have an off day Friday and are scheduled to resume practice Saturday. Game 2 is Sunday night in Boston.

“We’ve got to be better,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Nerves or not being in this situation, we can’t use that as an excuse. It’s just basketball, and we’ve got to be better at the game of basketball on Sunday.”

And it’ll start with doing a better job on 3s — either making more, giving up fewer, or both. Consider these trends for the Celtics this season:

READ: Porzingis returns, Celtics open NBA Finals with big win over Mavericks

— When making 16 or more 3s, Boston is 51-6. When making 15 or under, the Celtics are 26-14. That’s still a very good mark, but at least opponents have a realistic chance of winning when that happens.

— When the Celtics make more 3s than their opponent, they’re 61-5. When they don’t, they’re 16-15, basically a coin-flip to see who wins.

— When the Celtics make at least four more 3s than their opponent, they’re 49-3.

— When factoring in both the regular season and the playoffs, not only has Boston made more 3s than anyone else (1,572 so far this season, 24 away from matching the league’s total-season mark the Celtics set last year), but the Celtics also have a better percentage this season than any other club. They’re at .3852 for the season now, a whisker ahead of Oklahoma City’s .3851.

“I think they are the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA, so sometimes (it’s) really hard to take those away,” Mavericks guard Luka Doncic said. “Especially when they have five guys out and they can all shoot. Obviously, we’ve got to make more.”

READ: Porzingis a big problem in NBA Finals for Mavericks team that cast him off

And it was a team effort for the Celtics in Game 1. That has to be what makes it doubly scary for Dallas — because just about everyone in Boston’s rotation was part of the prowess from deep.

Jayson Tatum and Derrick White each made three 3s, while five other Celtics each made two. It was only the seventh time in NBA playoff history that seven teammates made at least two 3s in a game; it was the second such instance for Boston in this year’s playoffs, and the first time it ever happened in an NBA Finals.

“They are going to make some 3s at times, but we want to make them tough,” Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving said. “When they are at home, they shoot incredibly well.”

Boston led by 29 in the first half, then Dallas got the margin down to eight in the third quarter. It looked manageable — that is, until the Celtics started making 3s again. Tatum hit a 3, pushing the lead to 16. Al Horford hit another, and the lead was 19. Jaylen Brown hit another; lead up to 22.

Crisis averted. Collapse warning lifted. The game wasn’t in doubt again.

“When they cut it to eight, that’s when the game started,” Brown said. “I liked how our team responded. We stayed composed. Offensively, we got to our spacing and was able to push that lead back out and make some plays on offense.”

Made some plays on defense, too. A lot of them, actually. That was a theme all night for Boston; Dallas didn’t reach 25 points in any quarter of Game 1.

Dallas had five assists through three quarters — the fewest by any team in the first 36 minutes of any game in the last three seasons. The Mavericks aren’t exactly a high-assist team; they had the 19th-most in the regular season, but five through 36 minutes is almost impossible considering Doncic and Irving are on the team.

But that’s how good Boston’s defense was. It took away fast-break points (Dallas finished with only six), and one of the reasons why the final margin wasn’t even larger is because the Mavericks managed 16 second-chance points.

Translation: Nothing came easily for Dallas.

“Everyone was really locked in on the defensive end,” Horford said. “The things that we needed to do, we just wanted to be very solid throughout.”

The Mavericks finished Game 1 with nine assists, five fewer than their lowest in any other game this season. Doncic has 27 games so far this season alone where he’s had a triple-double of points, rebounds and assists — but Dallas’ entire team didn’t manage such a triple-double in Game 1.

“Just great individual defense,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Everybody has to take on the challenge of guarding those guys. They’re an amazing team and they put a ton of pressure on you with their ability to score. Everyone is going to take their matchup personal, have personal pride in individual defense.”

It has been Boston’s formula all season — 3s on one end, stops on the other. And in Game 1, it worked like a charm.

Celtics pay tribute to Bill Walton before Game 1

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A display honoring basketball great Bill Walton appears on a screen before Game 1 of basketball’s NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON  — Bill Walton only spent one full season with the Boston Celtics. His impact was unforgettable.

The franchise paid tribute to the sixth man on its 1986 championship team before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. Walton’s family was in the crowd for a pregame moment of silence that was interrupted by a fan yelling, “We love you, Bill!”

Commissioner Adam Silver called Walton a friend whose evident love for basketball game helped spread the game around the world, including on a 2004 trip to the Great Wall of China.

READ: Bill Walton, Hall of Fame player, dies of cancer at 71

“I can’t think of a better ambassador for the NBA than Bill. He enjoyed talking to every single person,” Silver said before the game. “It’s a sad moment in the league.”

The Celtics nodded to Walton’s Deadheadedness by coming out in black shooting shirts that said “Walton” with a tie-dye background; team staff wore pins with a similar design. The players’ jerseys had a black band with Walton’s name on the shoulder.

“Bill was a champion at every level and the embodiment of unselfish team play,” the public address announcer said, while both the Celtics and Mavericks players applauded. “He derived great joy from basketball and music, and deeply cherished his moments with teammates and friends. We are proud to call him one of the greatest Celtics who ever lived.”

Walton, who died on May 27 at the age of 71, was a three-time national player of the year at UCLA, leading the Bruins to the NCAA championship in 1972 and ’73 during a record 88-game winning streak. He was the runner-up for NBA MVP in 1977, when the Trail Blazers won the NBA title, and won the award the next year.

He also played four seasons for the Clippers – and missed three others with foot injuries – before arriving in Boston in 1986, giving the Celtics enough to push them past the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals for the franchise’s unprecedented 16th championship.

He was limited to 10 games the following season by foot injuries and retired before going on to a successful second career as a broadcaster — and Grateful Dead follower. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Jericho Cruz says fan involved his family in trash talk

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SCHEDULE: PBA Philippine Cup Finals San Miguel vs Meralco

San Miguel Beermen's Jericho Cruz in Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts.

San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz in Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Jericho Cruz found himself in a screaming match with a fan in the middle of San Miguel’s Game 2 win over Meralco in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals at Araneta Coliseum on Friday.

At around the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Cruz figured in a physical contact play with the Bolts’ Chris Newsome which saw the former drop to the floor.

On his way up to his feet, he was seen pointing at a fan while having a conversation with a referee.

HIGHLIGHTS: PBA Finals Game 2 San Miguel vs Meralco

What triggered Cruz was being on the receiving end of derogatory remarks from a fan, who was allegedly hurling insults about his family.

“As a player, it’s okay for me to be cursed at, but he included my family with the way he said it,” said Cruz after their 95-94 win over Meralco.

“For me, it’s okay to be cursed at by fans. This is our job. It’s okay with me, it’s nothing personal as long as they don’t involve my parents, mother, kids or wife. That’s different. If it’s just [about]  me, no problem. I can take the heat.”

The Araneta security personnel were swift to act, with the fan getting escorted out of the building after a timeout was called by San Miguel.

READ: PBA: Love him or hate him, Jericho Cruz is all about winning

“I’m happy that they [security] responded right away… Just don’t involve my parents or my kid, it’s okay with me. ‘Di ko [sana] isusumbong ‘yon (I wasn’t going to bother with it),” said Cruz, who finished with seven points and two rebounds.

It was not the first time in recent history that a player figured in an altercation with a fan due to family members being included in trash talk.

Last year in the Governors’ Cup Finals between TNT and Ginebra, Tropang Giga big man Poy Erram turned irate when a fan hurled insults at his mother during Game 3 of the series.

As for Cruz, he said he had quickly moved on from the altercation and is focused on the next task as the Beermen try to get ahead in the PBA Finals series for the first time on Sunday.

CJ Perez turns frustrations into 34-point explosion

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SCHEDULE: PBA Philippine Cup Finals San Miguel vs Meralco

San Miguel Beermen's CJ Perez during Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts.

San Miguel Beermen’s CJ Perez during Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Forget the past and focus on the present. That was the central game plan for CJ Perez in San Miguel’s Game 2 win over Meralco in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

In the Beermen’s 95-94 victory over the Bolts at Araneta Coliseum on Friday, Perez let his frustrations from Game 1 go to focus on an all-important second game in the best-of-seven series.

“I told myself that I won’t mind it [last game] because it was my mistake also. If they reviewed the tape in Game 1, I think it was my fault. I got fouls pretty early,” said Perez in Filipino.

HIGHLIGHTS: PBA Finals Game 2 San Miguel vs Meralco

“I just addressed it in Game 2.”

In the opener of the PBA Finals series, Perez figured in several complaints with game officials for his early foul trouble.

This time, the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup Best Player of the Game certainly locked in and brought the series back to square one with both teams tied at one win apiece.

San Miguel Beermen's CJ Perez during Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts.

San Miguel Beermen’s CJ Perez during Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Perez exploded with a game-high 34 points with five assists, five steals and four rebounds to match, including crucial shots down the line of a neck-and-neck game.

“CJ’s always been like that for the past two to three seasons. When we needed baskets, we weren’t hesitant to go to him or Marcio,” explained coach Jorge Gallent.

“We’re not hesitant to let him shoot the ball, especially coming in crunch time,” added the veteran tactician.

Perez and the Beermen look to take the one-up on Game 3 of the series happening this Sunday, still emanating live at the Big Dome.