Bradley Beal delivered his best game with his new team in his first encounter with his old one.
Beal poured in a season-high 43 points to lead the visiting Phoenix Suns to a 140-112 blowout of the Washington Wizards on Sunday in the three-time All-Star's return to the arena he called home for 11 seasons.
The veteran guard was facing the rebuilding Wizards for the first time since being traded by Washington to the Suns in June. Beal missed the Suns' win over the Wizards in Phoenix in December due to a sprained ankle.
Beal was selected by the Wizards with the third overall pick in the 2012 draft and ranks second in franchise history in points and third in games played.
The 30-year-old had 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the first quarter to help stake Phoenix to an early 42-28 lead, then added 12 more in the second as the Suns opened up a commanding 79-58 advantage at half-time.
Phoenix's lead never got to under 19 points in the second half as it coasted to its 10th win in 13 games. The Suns also received 18 points each from Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic, who added 13 rebounds and eight assists.
Deni Avdija had 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting to lead Washington, which lost its third straight game to drop to 9-40 on the season.
Jazz beat Bucks behind dominant fourth quarter
Lauri Markkanen led a balanced Utah attack with 21 points and the Jazz dominated the fourth quarter to rally for a 123-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Utah trailed by 16 points late in the third quarter before outscoring Milwaukee by a whopping 40-13 margin in the fourth to halt a three-game losing streak and drop the Bucks to 1-3 since head coach Doc Rivers took over the team last week.
Playing for the second time in as many nights, Milwaukee ran out of gas in the final period as it missed 13 of 17 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter. The Jazz, meanwhile, shot 60 per cent over the final 12 minutes.
Keyonte George had 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and was one of seven Utah players to score in double figures. The rookie added 10 rebounds, while John Collins also posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Down 95-83 after three quarters, the Jazz began the fourth on a 21-7 run to take a 104-102 lead on Markkanen's 3-pointer with 6:26 left. They put the game away soon afterward with an 18-3 flurry that staked Utah to a 122-108 advantage with under two minutes to go. George had eight points during that spurt.
The Bucks lost despite a 33-point, 13-assist effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo and a 27-point performance from Bobby Portis.
Clippers stay hot by extending Heat's woes
Kawhi Leonard had 25 points and 11 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away late to hand the still-slumping Miami Heat a 103-95 loss.
James Harden scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 assists as the red-hot Clippers won for the eighth time in nine games. Los Angeles is an NBA-best 25-5 since Dec. 1.
After breaking out of a seven-game losing streak by winning their previous two games, the Heat struggled to an 8-for-30 shooting effort from 3-point range on a night they were without one of their best outside shooters in Tyler Herro, who was scratched due to a headache.
The Clippers, meanwhile, went 16 of 39 (41 per cent) from beyond the arc with Harden leading the way by hitting five of his nine 3-point tries.
Despite its shooting woes, Miami held a 72-71 edge with nine minutes left before the Clippers took control. Los Angeles broke open the game with a 20-6 run, capped by back-to-back Harden 3-pointers, to take a 91-78 lead with five minutes remaining.
The Heat fought back and got to within 99-95 on Jimmy Butler's 3-point play with 13.3 seconds left, but Paul George and Leonard each made two free throws in the closing stages to end any comeback hopes.
Butler had 21 points and Terry Rozier scored 17 for Miami, which also received 14 points and 13 rebounds from Bam Adebayo.
Clippers forward Leonard out indefinitely
Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said before Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Leonard missed Los Angeles’ final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in his right knee and then sat out the series opener before returning to action.
However, he's clearly not at full strength after combining for 24 points in Games 2 and 3.
A three-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Leonard played in 68 games during the regular season – his most since 2016-17 - and averaged a team-high 23.7 points to go along with 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.63 steals per contest.
Dallas leads the series 2-1, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.
GK One gives Community Basketball League a financial boost
The GraceKennedy Financial Group (GKFG) has announced that GK One is the official title sponsor of the GK One Howard McCatty Community Basketball League for the 2024 season. The partnership builds upon GKFG's ongoing commitment to supporting local communities and promoting youth development through sports, following another successful staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Track & Field Championships (Champs) last month.
"GK recognizes the importance of investing in initiatives that empower and inspire our youth," said Rickardo Ebanks, Chief Digital Officer, GKFG. "GK One is thrilled to be a part of the Community Basketball League 2024 Season and contribute to the continued success of the competition."
The Howard McCatty Community Basketball League has been a cornerstone for young Jamaican athletes providing opportunities for growth, mentorship, and teamwork. With a rich history of nurturing talent and fostering a love for the game, the league serves as a vital platform for aspiring players to showcase and develop their skills on a path to the National Basketball league.
GK One is GraceKennedy’s all-in-one app which offers a suite of GKFG services, allowing users to receive Western Union remittances to their mobile wallet, make bill payments, apply for a First Global Bank Visa Credit Card, and purchase insurance, anytime and anywhere. The app’s companion prepaid Visa debit card also allows customers to pay for goods and services wherever Visa is accepted.
Through the sponsorship, GK One will support the league's mission of promoting sportsmanship, leadership, and academic achievement among participants. The partnership will enable the league to deliver over 100 games throughout the season, provide resources for coaching and player development, and expand its reach within the community.
"We are grateful for the generous support of GK One," expressed Calvin Martin, Vice President and League organizer. "Their commitment to our league will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our players, helping us to further our impact and grow the game of basketball in Kingston and St Catherine. I encourage other corporate entities to follow the lead of GK One and invest in our communities – especially through sports.”
Beyond financial support, GK One will also engage with participating communities by hosting youth basketball clinics, fan engagement events, and supporting mentorship programmes led by the league. Players and fans will also benefit from access to financial services offered by GKFG.
GK One and the Howard McCatty Community Basketball League look forward to a successful 2024 season and partnership focused on empowering young athletes, fostering community connections, and inspiring the next generation of basketball stars.
Bucks star Lillard to miss Game 4 against the Pacers with Achilles injury
Already without two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks won’t have Damian Lillard in the lineup for Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Lillard played nearly 45 minutes in Milwaukee's 121-118 overtime loss in Game 3 on Friday but was ineffective down the stretch after aggravating a lingering Achilles issue.
The defeat was the second straight in the series for the third-seeded Bucks after defeating No. 6 seed Indiana in Game 1.
Antetokounmpo has not played since straining his left calf on April 9 and remains out Sunday, meaning Milwaukee will be without its two leading scorers as it tries to avoid a 3-1 deficit in the series.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points this season with Lillard adding 24.3 per game. But with Antetokounmpo sidelined, Lillard averaged 32.3 points in the first three contests against the Pacers to pace Milwaukee.
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
