Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/798666
ByBrianMahoney TheAssociatedPress ThemarathonthatistheNBA regular season is headed toward its final sprint. With less than a month re- maining until the final night of the season on April 12, the races for MVP and Rookie of the Year are wide open, and there is seem- ingly no clear-cut favorite to win the championship. Much was already settled by this time last season. Stephen Curry had long since wrapped up what became the first unani- mous MVP award in NBA history, and Karl-Anthony Towns had left Kristaps Porzingis behind in the Rookie of the Year chase. There's far more intrigue now in a season that began with what seemed a forgone conclusion, that Golden State and Cleveland would meet in the NBA Finals for the third straight year. And this time, the MVP race could be headed toward a nar- row finish among the likes of James Harden, Russell West- brook, Kawhi Leonard and LeB- ron James. Joel Embiid's season- ending injury has put the rookie race up for grabs, with Philadel- phia teammate Dario Saric and Milwaukee's Malcolm Brogdon perhaps emerging as the best of the leftover candidates — unless voters believe Embiid did enough to win in just 31 games. Golden State was headed to- ward an eventual NBA record for NBA REGULARSEASON ENTERS FINAL MONTH Unlike last year, important races le undecided DAVIDJ.PHILLIP–THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, le , and Houston Rockets' James Harden hug a er their game on Sunday in Houston. The Rockets won 117-112. JIM MONE – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, front right, works between Minnesota Timberwolves' Nemanja Bjelica, le , of Serbia, and Gorgui Dieng, of Senegal, during the second half on March 10in Minneapolis. By Eddie Pells The Associated Press Here's one thing millions of Americans can agree on: March Madness is fun, especially when there's a little money on the line. So fun, in fact, that more peo- ple will fill out NCAA Tourna- ment brackets this week than voted for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in last year's presidential election. Combining all those $10 and $20 entry fees that go along with most of the 70 million-plus of- fice pools being filled out as we speak, Americans will put in the neighborhood of $2 billion at stake when the tournament kicks off later this week. But though the brackets and the money spent on them have driven the tournament's popu- larity upward — the 2015 tour- nament was the most-viewed in more than two decades, while last year's took a hit because the Final Four was televised exclu- sively on cable — the NCAA it- self does not condone gambling or filling out brackets for any- thing more than fun. Adding to the outlandishness of it all — CBS, which combines with Turner Sports to pay more than $1 billion a year to televise every game of the tournament through 2032, runs one of the country's biggest bracket con- tests, offering players a chance to form their own private pools (for fun, of course) or to com- pete for prizes, including a trip to the 2018 Final Four (no pur- chase necessary). The NCAA also runs a bracket contest on its own website. But in a statement on gambling , it reminds players that while en- tering a bracket contest that NCAA TOURNAMENT Madness: No wagering please, but fill bracket By Steven Wine The Associated Press MIAMI Andrew Miller said yes to taking part in the World Baseball Classic when many other top U.S. pitchers said no, including Clay- ton Kershaw, Noah Syndergaard and Justin Verlander. As a reward for showing up, Miller gave up two home runs in an inning for the first time since 2011. That fueled a comeback by the Dominican Republic, which rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the U.S. team, delighting a raucous sellout crowd. An hour after his dismal WBC debut, Miller said he didn't regret deciding to participate. "I want to pitch in this atmo- sphere," the Indians' All-Star closer said. "I want to get better at pitching in games like this. I want to play on teams like this. I want to play against lineups like that. At this point in my career, this is the fun stuff you get a chance to take part in. "Honestly, I never would have thought a couple of years ago I would have had an opportunity to make a roster like this. It's a spe- cial thing you get to participate in. I wish I had performed better, and I hope I get some chances to atone for it." He will. The Americans bounced back from their deflat- ing loss Saturday to the defend- ing champion Dominicans, and both teams advanced to the sec- ond round in San Diego beginning Tuesday. Team USA, a perennial World Baseball Classic underachiever, believes this year will be differ- ent. The Americans have never reached the finals, much less won the tournament, and participa- tion has been only so-so because of tepid support by major league teams fearful of injuries to play- ers unaccustomed to going all-out in March. But this year's roster might be the Americans' best yet, even without many top pitchers. Start- ers Danny Duffy, Chris Archer and Marcus Stroman combined for 12 2/3 scoreless innings as Team USA went 2-1 in round one. Brandon Crawford and Christian Yelich had five hits each, and Nolan Are- nado and Buster Posey homered. The Dominicans, meanwhile, went 3-0 and are 11-0 in the past two WBCs. Their comeback win WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC Team USA advances to second round MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Warriors' Andre Iguodala blocks a shot from Brooklyn Nets' Sean Kilpatrick during a game in Oakland. By Anthony Slater Bay Area News Group OAKLAND For the first time since his racially charged, controversial postgame comments in Minneap- olis late Friday night, Andre Iguo- dala spoke with gathered report- ers at the team's Monday after- noon practice in Oakland. Iguodala didn't backtrack, but expressed regret at the timing of the comments and who they were perceived to be directed toward. Iguodala said the n-word three times and then, when asked about Steve Kerr's decision to rest him and others in San Antonio the next night, Iguodala said "I just do what master say." There was an immediate backlash. He was fined $10,000 by the NBA on Mon- day. "It probably was the wrong time to express myself," Iguo- dala said minutes before the fine was announced. "We all have our own opinions. We all have our own feelings. I feel like we're entitled to them. We just try to pick and choose the time to do it and who you share it with. Be- cause some may not understand where you're coming from, which is to be expected. I feel like it's the wrong time because it puts my team in the situation and my coaching staff in that situation. I have a great relationship with Steve Kerr. And he knows that. He spoke to you guys about it. But Steve in his words still may not be … someone still may not believe him. But he and I are in a great place. We don't even have to speak about it because in no way shape or form was I talking about him." Kerr has twice been questioned about it since Friday. He said he discussed the situation with Iguo- dala, wanted to keep that conver- sation private but didn't take ex- ception to what was said. "He wasn't talking about me," Kerr said. "I wasn't the slightest bit offended. As I mentioned the other night, he has a very cryp- tic sense of humor. The only thing I'd say, there's certain humorous WARRIORS Iguodalasemi-apologizes LYNNE SLADKY – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. pitcher Andrew Miller stands in the dugout a er being relieved during the eighth inning in their World Baseball Classic against the Dominican Republic on Saturday in Miami. The Dominican Republic won 7-5, but the U.S. ultimately advanced. WARRIORS PAGE 2 NBA PAGE 2 USA PAGE 2 BRACKET PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Tuesday, March 14, 2017 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1