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    • December 17, 2018 9:26 AM IST
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      Thunder and San Antonio Spurs

      OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder guard Derek Fisher has played more playoff games than anyone in history. Ito Smith Jersey . He says the Western Conference finals between the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, filled with major strategy shifts and home blowouts, has produced one of the wildest series hes been involved in. San Antonio leads 3-2 and can close out it out Saturday in Oklahoma City. "Theres no script for this," Fisher said. "You can try to set expectations, and everybody can sit around and try and predict whats going to happen and which team is going to come out on top, and its just impossible. Thats what makes sports sports, and why people are so excited about either being there or watching it, because you never know whats going to happen." San Antonios Gregg Popovich and Oklahoma Citys Scott Brooks have one-upped each other with shrewd moves during the series, and the scoreboard has tipped dramatically with each change. Oklahoma City came up with the first major lineup changes in Game 3. Defensive wiz Serge Ibaka returned to Oklahoma Citys starting lineup after suffering what was thought to be a season-ending left calf strain and Reggie Jackson moved into the starting lineup to help the Thunder win Game 3, 107-96, and Game 4, 105-92. In Game 5 in San Antonio, the Spurs decision to go with perimeter-shooting post players alongside Tim Duncan helped the teams floor spacing, and the Spurs rolled to a 117-89 win. Matt Bonner got his first start of the season, and his presence helped Duncan get off to a fast start. Boris Diaw started the second half and scored seven points in the third quarter to help the Spurs take a 20-point lead at the end of the period. Popovichs move forced Ibaka, the leagues leading shot blocker during the regular season, away from the basket, and the Spurs perimeter players had an easier time getting to the hoop. "The adjustments that the coaches made were very efficient tonight," Diaw said after the game. "We tried to space the floor a little more. We came back to the way we were aggressive in the first two games. Going from good to great. Thats what Pop has asked all year, thats what weve been doing all year." When Brooks was asked if he might start Ibaka at centre to prevent the Spurs from pulling him away from the basket, Brooks ruled nothing out. "Anythings possible," he said. "We just have to, whoever we put out there, we just have to play better." Thunder forward Kevin Durant said lineup changes, though important, are secondary to effort. He said Oklahoma City did not play with enough intensity in Game 5. "Schemes and Xs and Os, it all goes out the door," he said. "Weve just got to play harder. They did last game, so weve got to match up." Brooks said the key for Oklahoma City is defence. San Antonio has shot at least 50 per cent from the field in all three of its wins. If the Thunder dont get stops, they cant get into their dangerous fast break attack. "We know their plays, they know our plays, and we just have to be able to execute with maximum effort to give ourselves a chance to get a stop," Brooks said. "Thats what it comes down to." The lineup changes have coincided with venue changes. The home teams have won every game in the series by at least nine points, and by an average of 20.4 per game. Popovich was at a loss to explain why the series has played out this way. "It seems like the home team each time looks to have the greater passion or physicality," he said. "Thats hard to measure because both teams want to win just as bad as the other." Durant said the effort must be there Saturday night or the trend of home blowouts -- and Oklahoma Citys season -- will end. "We know that its a situation where we lose, we go home, and nobody wants to do that, so we just leave it all out there and whatever happens we live with," Durant said. "Most of the time when we play extremely hard, play well, play together, we come out on top." Desmond Trufant Jersey . The win puts Arsenal four points clear of Everton in fourth place with two games to play in the Premier League, a position which would qualify the club for Europes top competition for the 17th straight year. Duke Riley Jersey . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up.NORTON, Mass. -- A good start and a great finish was enough for Sergio Garcia to take the lead Saturday in the Deutsche Bank Championship. For Phil Mickelson, just finishing in the same spot he started was a victory. On another day of soft conditions and plenty of birdies on the TPC Boston, Garcia opened with five birdies in seven holes, and then made an 18-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole for a 7-under 64 and a one-shot lead over Roberto Castro and Henrik Stenson, the Swede who is popping up on every leaderboard. Garcia was at 13-under 129, and it held up as the lead when no one could catch him on a cloudy afternoon with some light rain. Tiger Woods, in the 1-2-3 grouping with Mickelson and Adam Scott, made a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 67 and was six shots. Mickelson, however, managed to steal the show with a 71. Lefty went on the wildest ride at the TPC Boston, completely losing his swing during one stretch when he at times appeared closer to hitting Rhode Island than hitting a fairway. He went into the hazard to the left of the ninth fairway and into another one right of the 10th fairway. Only a tree kept his tee shot on the par-3 11th hole from disappearing into the woods. He hit into the gallery to the left and into the gallery on the right on consecutive holes. He found the water on the par-3 16th. And he still managed an even-par 71 by closing with back-to-back birdies, leaving him five shots behind and in a great frame of mind for the final 36 holes. "I was playing terrible and I shot even par," Mickelson said. "I fought hard. Throughout the course of my career, it happens where you kind of lose it for a little bit. I fought hard in the interim and was able to find it there in the end, giving me confidence heading into the weekend. But more than that, it kept me within striking distance. "I could have easily shot myself out of the tournament, knocking them in the hazard I dont know how many times," he said. "If I go on and play the way I believe I am going to this weekend, I am going to look back on those nine holes as the key to the entire tournament." Stenson often refers to tournaments as three-and-a-half days of a marathon just to get to the back nine for a chance to win. If thats the case, this is starting to feel like a marathon with a 4-minute mile pace. The cut was at 1-under 141, ending the season for some players who have no chance of beiing in the top 70 in the FedEx Cup to advance to the third playoff event. Matt Schaub Jersey. . Woods was among 29 players still within six shots of the lead at the halfway point. Woods didnt feel as though he got much out of his round, and a radio reporter suggested he might be capable of something better than 65 if he puts it all together. "Theres going to have to be to get back into this thing," Woods said. "Theres so many guys up there that are 9-under par or better. Theres a ton of guys up there. Its going to take a couple of low rounds." Stenson had eight birdies and a clean card in his round of 63. Castrol was 7 under for his round at the turn and had to settle for a 65 after a rough patch in the middle of his back nine. Matt Kuchar and PGA champion Jason Dufner each had 66 and were three shots behind. Justin Rose had a 63 and was another shot back, along with Jordan Spieth, who had a 66. Garcia is not a regular at the second FedEx Cup playoff event. He prefers to take this week off to rest, but he couldnt guarantee that he would be among the top 70 in the standings after the Deutsche Bank Championship who advance to the third event So far, it looks like a good move. "Unfortunately, I didnt play well enough and it was touch-and-go if I was going to make the BMW without playing here," said Garcia, who is at No. 55. "Sixteen guys could easily pass me if they played well. So we decided to come here and make a little bit of an extra effort of playing five weeks in a row, which I dont usually enjoy very much." Garcia looked as if he would be much higher in the FedEx Cup standings earlier this year, when he had top 10s in a World Golf Championship, the Masters and The Players Championship. But his year took a bad turn off the course. During a two-week spat with Woods that began at The Players Championship, Garcia jokingly said during a Q-and-A at an awards dinner in London that he would invite Woods over during for dinner during the U.S. Open and serve fried chicken. He apologized the next day, though he was clearly rattled. Garcia hasnt finished in the top 20 since. "Everything has been kind of a little difficult, but its good," Garcia said. "Its been a good learning experience. So I think that you always have to try to take the positives out of all those things and learn from your mistakes. And hopefully, (they) make you a better player, a better person." Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys CheapAuthentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '

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