wxy1123's blog: "lele"

SAN ANTONIO -- In the span of three days, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs as many times as they had in the last three years. John Skelton Jersey . And now the Western Conference finals are suddenly up for grabs. What once seemed like the continuation of one of the most dominant runs in NBA history has turned into a genuine toss-up of a series after the Thunder stopped San Antonios perfect stretch with two convincing victories in half a week. Game 5 is Monday night in San Antonio. Oklahoma City needs at least one road win to advance, and Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Sunday theres no time like the present. "We have a great opportunity in Game 5," Brooks said. Seldom have the Thunder been able to say that when they faced the Spurs. Since James Harden joined Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2009, the Thunder had been 2-8 against San Antonio heading into this series. Now they return to Texas with a chance to hand the Spurs three straight losses for the first time all season. "Weve just got to go down there with the mindset that were going to play hard every possession, play together like weve been playing these last few games, and well see what happens," said Durant, who is averaging 29 points this series after scoring 36 in Game 4 on Saturday. "Weve just got to keep believing, man. Well be fine." Spurs players didnt meet with reporters Sunday. Coach Gregg Popovich, back at Spurs headquarters trying to solve his teams first skid since April 9-11, said their attitude hasnt changed from when they were winning 20 straight games. Also not likely to change much are the defensive looks the Spurs threw at the Thunder in a 109-103 loss on Saturday. Thats because, as far as Popovich is concerned, there is little to plan for when three typically unheralded offensive players shoot a combined 22 of 25 for 49 points. Thats what Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison did in Game 4, giving the Thunder a rare dose of balance on a team that leaned on its Big Three for nearly 70 per cent of its scoring before this series. Ibaka was especially unstoppable, going 11 for 11 and finishing just one basket shy of the most perfect-shooting playoff game in NBA history. "Maybe theyll do it again, but I dont think so," Popovich said. "Well play the same defence, and if they dont shoot as well it wont be because of our defence. Itll be because they dont do as well." Then theres Durant. Popovich called him "arguably the best player on the planet" on Sunday after the three-time NBA scoring champion turned in the most magnificent playoff game of his career, scoring 18 in the fourth quarter in the breakout game the Thunder were waiting for this series. Among those tasked with the increasingly impossible task of slowing down Durant was Spurs forward Stephen Jackson, who said "it was kind of too late" to stop the 23-year-old superstar by the time he got rolling. As far as Oklahoma Citys big men emerging as new scoring threats, Jackson said most of their looks are ones the Spurs will take their chances on. Popovich also wouldnt commit Sunday to using DeJuan Blair more back home after finally taking his longtime starting centre off the end of the bench Saturday. Blair, whose mobility and relentlessness has historically given the Thunder fits, played his most meaningful 10 minutes of the playoffs since the opening round against Utah. Popovich said Blair "did a good job" but his role in Game 5 would depend on how things are unfolding. Its not the first time a streaking Spurs team has gone from being toasted to the brink of trouble. In 2004, the Spurs went up 2-0 on the Lakers in the West semis and extended a winning streak to 17 games before dropping the next four. The Thunder are 7-0 at home in the playoffs and 3-3 on the road. Oklahoma City held first place in the West for nearly the entire season before being overtaken by the Spurs in the final weeks, thereby losing home-court advantage. Having tied up the series at home, Brooks said Sunday there are no new regrets about the top seed slipping away. "Its always nice to have it," Brooks said. "I said a month and a half ago, I dont think we blew the No. 1. I think San Antonio, they won just about every game." Theyre not anymore.   Jay Feely Jersey . -- Danny Mwanga and Jack Jewsbury each scored, Portland tightened its sagging defence and the Timbers knocked off the league-leading San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 on Tuesday night. Andre Roberts Jersey . After nailing all four of his field-goal attempts and adding three punt singles in Montreals 36-26 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Whyte explained how important it was that the Als (3-3) stayed ahead of the Blue Bombers (1-5) in the CFL East. http://www.fanstorecardinals.com/larry-fitzgerald-jerseys . The Atlanta Braves star third baseman quickly realized there was no need for concern. Jones came off the disabled list and began his final season in the majors with a single and a two-run homer to help the Braves get their first win of the season, 6-4 over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night. Patrick Peterson Jersey . An offensive outburst by the Arizona Diamondbacks left the rookie pitcher in even better shape. Miley tossed six innings for his 16th win, Chris Johnson homered among his three hits and drove in three runs, and the Diamondbacks beat the slumping Rockies 15-5 on Friday night. LaRod Stephens-Howling Jersey . Prince Fielder, Nyjer Morgan and the Brewers were a boisterous bunch last year on their way to winning the NL Central.Bloomington, IN (Sports Network) - Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson each had 21 points, as the eighth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers snuck past the Indiana Hoosiers, 78-75, in a Big Ten clash at Assembly Hall. Johnson and Hummel also had nine and seven rebounds, respectively, for the Boilermakers (19-3, 7-3 Big Ten), who have ripped off five straight wins since a three-game skid. ETwaun Moore donated 14 points and five rebounds for Purdue, which won in Bloomington for the first time since February 9, 1999 after eight straight losses there. Verdell Jones III ended with 22 points and six boards for the Hoosiers (9-12, 3-6), who have dropped three in a row since a two- game winning streak. Tom Pritchard chipped in 13 points and five rebounds, while Devan Dumes tallied 11 points off the bench in defeat. Final Score: (10) Duke 86, (21) Georgia Tech 67 Durham, NC (Sports Network) - Kyle Singler drained four straight treys at one point en route to a 30-point scoring onslaught, as No. 10 Duke rolled to an 86-67 victory over 21st-ranked Georgia Tech at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The heat was turned up in Durhams close confines, and the Duke shooters were equally as hot, draining 12-of-18 from beyond the arc. Singler made 8-of-10 threes, Jon Scheyer added 21 points with seven rebounds and Nolan Smith chipped in 14 points for the Blue Devils (18-4, 6-2), who rebounded from a lopsided loss at Georgetown over the weekend. No Yellow Jacket starter reached double figures, as Zachery Peacock led the way with 11 points and Glen Rice, Jr. addedd 10. Chris Wells Jersey. Talented frontline scorers Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors attempted only nine shots combined. Georgia Tech (16-6, 4-4) saw its brief two-game winning streak come to an end. Final Score: (14) Tennessee 59, LSU 54 Baton Rouge, LA (Sports Network) - Wayne Chism poured in 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, as the 14th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers held off the LSU Tigers, 59-54, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson each added eight points for the Volunteers (17-4, 5-2 SEC), who have won two in a row since a two-game skid. Prince also pulled down six rebounds for the victors. Bo Spencer ended with 25 points for the Tigers (9-13, 0-8), who have dropped eight straight for the first time since December 29, 2007 - January 26, 2008. Tasmin Mitchell chipped in 13 points and 17 boards in defeat. Final Score: (23) Butler 63, Detroit 58 Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Gordon Hayward led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, as 23rd-ranked Butler held on for a 63-58 win over Detroit in a Horizon League matchup at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Matt Howard ended with 11 points and six boards, while Ronald Nored finished with nine points and five assists for Butler (19-4, 12-0 Horizon), which has won 11 straight games -- last losing December 22nd in a 67-57 setback to UAB Chase Simon had a team-best 15 points and Thomas Kennedy donated 12 points for Detroit (14-9, 7-5), which had won two straight coming off a 76-73 win over Illinois-Chicago on Saturday.   ' ' '