Suarez Hat-Trick Secures Title for Barca

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Luis Suarez bagged a third hat-trick in five games as defending champions Barcelona won 3-0 at Granada to clinch their 24th La Liga title on Saturday.

The Uruguayan converted Jordi Alba’s low pass in the 22nd minute to give Luis Enrique’s side the lead. He then headed in Dani Alves’ cross in the 38th before tapping Neymar’s pass into an empty net in the 86th.

Suarez finished the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 40 goals, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s grip on the honour since 2009.

Barca ended with 91 points, one ahead of Real Madrid who won 2-0 at Deportivo La Coruna.

Ronaldo scored twice for Real before being substituted at halftime, finishing the campaign with 35 goals.

Gerard Pique came close to giving Barca an early lead when his header was tipped away by goalkeeper Andres Fernandez who also saved well from Messi.

Fernandez was powerless to stop Suarez’s opener, however, the Uruguayan tapping the ball home at the far post.

The second goal was delightful. Javier Mascherano launched a long diagonal pass towards the byline and Alves raced to meet it before hooking a cross for Suarez to nod in from close range.

Suarez nearly laid on a third for Neymar but the Brazilian was denied by Fernandez.

Neymar then generously played in Suarez to complete his hat-trick before the end.

“This title tastes great after so much hard work throughout the year and suffering right until the end,” said Barca captain Andres Iniesta.

“The league is the tournament that tests your consistency throughout the year and it’s the one we want to win every year.”

Real got off to an ideal start at Deportivo when Gareth Bale manoeuvred his way past a defender on the left and cut the ball back to Karim Benzema who squared it for Ronaldo to score in the seventh minute.

The Portugal striker’s second in the 25th minute had an element of good fortune, his header from a corner bouncing off Deportivo’s Pedro Mosquera on its way into the net.

Ronaldo also hit the post and the crossbar before being replaced by James Rodriguez although there was no suggestion he had an injury two weeks before the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

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Toronto Suffer Miami Heat - Game 6

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Goran Dragic scored a postseason career-high 30 points, Dwyane Wade added 22 and the Heat rode a small lineup to a 103-91 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, tying their Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-3.

“Last year at this time we were all on vacation,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “So often in this business people tend to want to search for the easy route. There’s usually not an easy way in a seven-game series, certainly not with a second and third seed going against each other. This is the path … and now we’ve pushed it to a Game 7.”

It comes Sunday in Toronto. The winner will head to Cleveland for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night. Both the Heat and the Raptors won a Game 7 in the first round.

Kyle Lowry scored 36 points for Toronto, on 12-for-27 shooting. DeMar DeRozan added 23 for the Raptors, but their teammates combined to shoot 14 of 34 from the floor and manage 32 points.

“We came here to try to win the game,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “We didn’t come here with a seven-game series in mind. It’s been a great series, they’re a championship-caliber team, well-coached team, but we came in here to try to win the game. We didn’t come in here wanting a Game 7.”

Joe Johnson had 13 points, Justise Winslow added 12, and Josh McRoberts scored 10 for the Heat. But now they need a win on the road, or else the season ends Sunday.

“We played all year to get 56 wins and be the No 2 seed in the East and get home court in this type of situation,” Lowry said. “It’s going to be fun. Game 7, two versus three, get an opportunity to play on one of the biggest stages there is.”

Dragic shot 12 of 21, Wade blocked a game-high three shots and the Heat – despite some serious size deficiencies with injured starting center Hassan Whiteside still out – only lost the rebounding battle 43-41.

“I knew this guy to my left was going to have an amazing performance tonight,” Wade said, sitting alongside Dragic postgame. “You could tell he was on the brink of one.”

Neither team divulged its starting lineup until warmups were under way. The Heat had reason for subterfuge, after choosing a super-small starting five of Dragic, Wade, Johnson, Luol Dengand Winslow.

The Heat used eight players – the tallest being McRoberts, at 6-foot-10. The average height of the others was just under 6-6.

“They made a great adjustment,” DeRozan said. “Give them credit.”

Deng jumped center and Winslow got his first playoff start, three games after sitting out Game 3 entirely. The Heat like using the term “positionless basketball” and Winslow epitomized it early -- in a 60-second span, the rookie guarded Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (“that’s what we lift weights for,” Winslow quipped afterward), brought the ball up like a point guard and made a corner 3.

“Justise did an amazing job,” Dragic said.

Whiteside, watching from the locker room, was thrilled.

“The guys played really well,” said Whiteside, who will fly with the Heat to Toronto but said he will not play Sunday. “Goran got in the paint a lot and made it tough on their guys and D-Wade did D-Wade stuff.”

Dragic scored 14 in the second quarter, helping Miami take a 53-44 lead at the half. The lead got to 13 in the third, Dragic again coming up big with a three-point play followed by a jumper. And when Toronto got within six early in the fourth, Dragic and Wade scored the next six points to keep Miami in control.

“I didn’t want to go home to Europe,” Dragic said. “Still want to be here.”

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Saracens Crowned Champions

INPHO

Saracens finally have their name etched onto the European Rugby Champions Cup after Owen Farrell booted them to a 21-6 triumph over Racing 92 in Lyon.

Mark McCall's men controlled possession and territory to land seven penalties to Racing's three, in the first Champions Cup final without a try for 10 years. Nigel Owens' final whistle was a landmark moment for Saracens, who were beaten in the 2014 final by RC Toulon.

But they finally got their hands on the trophy at a rain sodden Grand Stade de Lyon against a Parisian side, whose hopes faded when Dan Carter limped off injured two minutes into the second-half.

Farrell landed seven penalties from seven attempts to earn a deserved victory that sees Saracens become the first side to win all nine games in a Champions Cup campaign.

Maxime Machinaud missed an early opportunity to put the French side ahead after the first scrum-penalty. But Saracens secured a set-piece chance of their own five minutes later after Owen Farrell's deft chip through had the Racing defence scrambling. And the England outside-half made no mistake from close range to put Sarries 3-0 ahead.

The heavens opened and the rain pelted down moments later, but both sides maintained their attacking intentions. Racing forced their way into Saracens territory to force the English side into submission at a scrum, and Johan Goosen landed a long-range kick to level the scores after 17 minutes.

But McCall's men began to flex their muscles in the second quarter. Farrell missed a drop-goal but atoned for his error with a penalty to retake a slim three-point advantage. His chip through moments later almost setup a Chris Ashton try, but referee Nigel Owens brought it back for an earlier offence, which Farrell punished with another penalty.

Goosen split the uprights with another penalty to keep Racing in-touch, but Farrell matched his effort to give Saracens a 12-6 half-time lead.

Sarries came out of the changing rooms and immediately looked to assert a territorial advantage. They turned Racing over five metres out from their own line, before Dimitri Szarzewsk came in from the side to concede a penalty. And Farrell maintained his 100 percent record off the tee to stretch the advantage to 15-6.

But Racing would not let this final pass them by, and turned up the tempo after 60 minutes. Saracens held-off a bludgeoning assault, but conceded a close range penalty, which Goosen converted to make it a six-point game.

And Farrell made sure it Saracens name would be on the trophy with his sixth successful three-pointer after 75 minutes, before wrapping it up a minute from time.

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Racing 92 v Saracens - Preview

Owen Farrell says Saracens' preparation for Saturday's European Champions Cup final in Lyon has been "spot on".

Saracens were beaten 23-6 by a Jonny Wilkinson-inspired Toulon team in their last European final two years ago.

But the Aviva Premiership title holders face Racing 92 hoping to become the first team in history to win all nine games in a European campaign.

"We have done our preparation now, and we've just got to relax," said England fly-half Farrell.

"Since two years ago when we played in that last final, we've grown a lot as a team."

Wasps were the last English European title holders in 2007, while they also achieved a domestic and European double three years earlier, which are both feats that Saracens could match during the next fortnight.

"It is not about what's happened for the rest of this year, or what's after Saturday. It is about Saturday," added Farrell, one of eight remaining players who started the 2014 loss.

The 24-year-old is likely to line up opposite New Zealand international Dan Carter, but says the final will not be about "fly-half versus fly-half".

"There is no doubt he is a brilliant player," Farrell added. "I am sure that any fly-half would look up to him. It's about the collective effort from both teams, and who comes out on top there."

All Black great Carter is aiming to cap a "special 12 months" by adding the Champions Cup to October's World Cup victory.

Carter spearheaded New Zealand's march to back-to-back Webb Ellis trophies, and the 34-year-old says this season has been one of the best of his illustrious career.

"It's right up there," he said. "It's been a pretty special 12-14 months with certain things that I have achieved."

The international world-record points scorer added: "I'm just lucky to be a part of a couple of pretty special teams, obviously with the All Blacks and what they achieved, and now to be involved in another very special team in Racing.

"So I just find myself pretty lucky to play alongside some great players and in some great teams."

Carter says playing in a European final was one of his motivations for moving to France, and believes the magnitude of the game rivals any other he has played in.

"It's obviously the pinnacle of European rugby, and a big part of the reason why I wanted to come here and play," he said.

"To reach this stage is a highly proud moment for me, and more importantly this team.

"But we haven't won anything yet and we are up against a very good Saracens side. We've done well to get here but the hard work starts now."

Racing 92

B Dulin; J Rokocoko, J Goosen, A Dumoulin, J Imhoff; D Carter, M Machenaud; E Ben Arous, D Szarzewski (capt), B Tameifuna, L Charteris, F Van der Merwe, W Lauret, B Le Roux, C Masoe.

Replacements: V Lacombe, K Vartanov, L Ducalon, M Carizza, A Claassen, M Phillips, R Tales, H Chavancy.

Saracens

A Goode; C Ashton, D Taylor, B Barritt (capt), C Wyles; O Farrell, R Wigglesworth; M Vunipola, S Brits, P du Plessis, M Itoje, G Kruis, M Rhodes, W Fraser, B Vunipola.

Replacements: J George, R Barrington, J Figallo, J Hamilton, J Wray, B Spencer, C Hodgson, M Bosch.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland) and Leighton Hodges (Wales).

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Dan is the BBC SPOTY Man

BBC Sport

Dan Carter has been named BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year for 2015.

Carter beat Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic, Katie Ledecky, Jordan Spieth and Serena Williams to the award that was decided by public vote for the first time.

The Racing 92 fly-half was crowned World Rugby player of the year after helping New Zealand retain the World Cup in October.

"I'm thrilled to have been voted BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year by the UK public," Carter said.

"It's been an incredible year for me on British soil and the support has been phenomenal.

"It was an incredibly competitive shortlist and I'm honoured to have been recognised alongside these great sportsmen and women from around the world."

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