Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Panic Mode - Thunder Holds Off Clippers To Win 108 - Sports - 104

LOS ANGELES (AP) With Oklahoma City trying to hold off yet another marquee team, took impose - inside huddle. He urged their Thunder teammates to hold their particular composure, fixed window screens along with play defense.

They listened and also made apart a late rally by the particular Los Angeles Clippers in order to acquire 108-104 upon Sunday in the matchup involving Western Conference contenders.

''It had been a fantastic route gain for people around a playoff-type atmosphere,'' mentioned Westbrook, which acquired 29 things along with twelve assists. ''We would an excellent employment of maintaining their own group out of your game.''

Kevin Durant applyed throughout thirty five details and Serge Ibaka had 16 because Oklahoma City finished a three-game road skid, bouncing again a lot less than 48 hours following burning off during Denver. They in addition completed a months sweep of the Clippers, who will be seeking your Thunder plus NBA-best San Antonio while in the West.

''We wasn't inside a panic and anxiety mode,'' Westbrook said. ''We simply wanted to win.''

Chris Paul have scored 26 points as well as Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford added in 20 factors apiece to the Clippers, whose four-game earning ability finished inside their lastly decline to the Thunder this specific season. Paul produced just about all nine associated with his or her free of charge throws to assist his crew go 19 for 22 from the line.

''We emerged up short, and it seemed similar to every time something happened, many of us just simply could not conquer the particular hump,'' Paul said. ''They received the appropriate calls when they essential them, although they will played out a excellent game.''

The referees had been hectic to get high of the particular day, considering the Clippers necessary twenty six fouls to be able to the actual Thunder's 22 inside a actual game of which presented two bottle technicals with Caron Butler and Kendrick Perkins regarding their verbal exchange and Ibaka's flagrant-1 foul on Griffin.

''It's often gonna be a tough, chippy video game when we engage in these individuals since we are together really bodily coaches and teams having natural bigs, consequently there's lots of pushing along with all which decrease low,'' Griffin said. ''I speculate it's hard to be able to officiate in addition to know points to call along with what exactly not really to, nevertheless they did actually recognize today learn about call.''

The Clippers have three online players within strong problem around your second half: Griffin, Butler, Lamar Odom and also Matt Barnes . Griffin fouled available with 59 seconds left. They went in search of with regard to 24 through 3-point variety along with had 21 years of age turnovers, such as 16 in the initial 50 percent - their particular the majority of inside a one half this kind of season.

''That's embarrassing. That's crazy. That's not wish us,'' Paul said. ''In the best half, they will only have an excellent job of mucking that lane up. Every moment I emerged affordable court, I saw a wall. They essentially stuck my home straight into baseball screens. In the second half, we brought L.O. within and we attended small, which often popped the actual court up. And if we exposed this court up, many of us could easily get into your lane as well as help make represents along with hearth up shots.''

Los Angeles came around looking this Thunder by just a half-game to get second in the West, although played from powering close to the entire game. The Clippers trimmed a 19-point debts that will 82-73 at the end from the third. Odom hit a 3-pointer as well as Paul done your three-point play to offer them this momentum and acquire your masses back again in to the game.

''There's no these kinds of idea seeing that moral victories to help us,'' Griffin said. ''We've already been around this situation before, but many of us never desire to placed themselves in this situation. We've reached always be far better from place to finish off to help conquer your group similar to this.''

The Clippers outscored the Thunder 12-5 in order to open the fourth. Paul have five points, like a generating layup and also a floater from the lane above Durant. Griffin then feasted Crawford while in the correct corner for any 3-pointer this quit the actual Clippers trailing 91-90.

The Thunder responded together with six direct points, although Los Angeles rallied again. Barnes click back-to-back 3-pointers on a problem rebounds to receive the particular Clippers within three. Ibaka chopped Griffin within the correct stylish just before Barnes' following three or more travelled in, with Griffin collapsing for the judge along with Ibaka receiving this flagrant.

''It's basketball, man,'' Griffin said. ''Sometimes a person receive items a bit very far, but I weren't provoking (Ibaka) or anything just like that.''

Said Thunder trainer Scott Brooks: ''It has been a new scrum and also both were battling for position.''

A video clip look at established the decision along with Griffin travelled into the line, missing the initial and also making your second. The Clippers maintained person as well as Crawford hit a 3-pointer to give them their particular earliest head belonging to the game during 100-99 using 1:30 to play.

''He shared with us to keep playing,'' Durant said of Westbrook. ''Everyone inside huddle was calm. We had a challenging stretch but it appeared to be about how exactly most of us bounced back.''

The Thunder scored nine belonging to the last tough luck points.

Brooks credited Westbrook regarding instilling relax in the late going.

''His leadership is actually getting better calendar year by simply year and it also should be,'' he or she said. ''Tonight was a common case of exactly what he's done. He's a strong mental guy, nevertheless he / she maintains everything together.''

The Thunder climbed to its first double-digit guide within the minute throughout a 12-2 operate that achieved it 53-37. Durant and Thabo Sefolosha hit back-to-back 3-pointers en route to a new 54-41 lead in the break.

''We were being shifting the basketball and also carrying out a fine job with concluding this paint up,'' Durant said. ''We taken away these big-time plays.''

Besides that turnovers, the particular Clippers were just simply 2 associated with 11 from 3-point range, absent several straight to close the other quarter.

NOTES: The Thunder increased that will 13-3 within video games trialled right after a loss. . The Clippers fell to be able to 23-7 during home. . Griffin has 10 direct games together with 16-plus points, seven-plus rebounds plus two-plus assists, this at best this kind of skills in the league this season.

First Woman - Leg Injury Cuts Short Female Kicker's Nfl Tryout - News

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Frustrated and also perhaps a little embarrassed, Lauren Silberman retaliated back tears right after pounding her means in to NFL history.

She grew to be the first woman to use out there at the regional blend Sunday, however your lady survived most of two kicks none that traveled even 20 yards. The 28-year-old Silberman injured the woman proper quadriceps while preparing to the tryout earlier within the week, and also attributed her challenges to that injury.

"I tested out being away from them and continued to wait pertaining to today," your woman said. "I didn't also consider kicks in warm-ups, and, it's pretty hard to know that you will end up in pain, and I wished to sort out the idea and also I undoubtedly attempted to, nevertheless I simply couldn't carry out this today."

"I'm simply really content I experienced this unique experience," Silberman said. "I may be the 1st woman playing to the NFL, although I undoubtedly desire I'm not necessarily this last."

With the 36 different kickers many males several scouts and much more as compared with a couple dozen advertising observing in complete silence on the New York Jets' perform facility, Silberman winced since your lover attempted her earliest kickoff and also the golf ball spread just 19 yards.

She snapped up at her correct leg, after which been slow in creating pertaining to concerning 20 minutes to put this footballing around the tee in advance of measure your girlfriend ways and trying a 2nd kick.

It went with regards to 13 yards.

She then asked to check out a fitness instructor and still left the actual exercise field, in addition to appeared to be favoring your ex right leg.

"They without doubt failed to go as far as they were inside practices," Silberman said, "but I tried out to figureout from the pain."

She wouldn't uncover just how long her kicks have been inside weeks before the actual tryout.

"It's nevertheless tough that will accurately say, nevertheless I simply just bought superior day time through day," the lady said having a smile. "The distance is usually receiving there."

Silberman may be a previous club football battler at Wisconsin along with ex-graduate student at MIT. While the girl never kicked a new footballing around some sort of aggressive game, the actual NFL reported Silberman competent to the regional blend since associated with the woman's particular sports background.

"Our work is always to measure ability and not keep just about any gemstone unturned," said Stephen Austin, that NFL's director regarding regional combines. "We want young, particular sports those who have got gamed a sport, typically inside college or perhaps military services or even modest schools."

The regional combines began in 2011, and also contain players which weren't one of many 333 invited for the principal incorporate within Indianapolis. The NFL is possessing most of these sessions in 10 cities the following offseason, when using the the majority of remarkable people evolving to your super-regional in Dallas inside April.

Silberman settled a registration charge $275 as well as only had to appear Sunday and consider her greatest shot at impressing scouts.

"Until they will have here, most of us lack just about any idea of exactly what these are actually about to churn out to complete as well as just how they're going to perform," Austin said.

When asked whenever he or she could assess Silberman's performance, Austin said: "That exam is usually wholly incomplete."

Silberman, who chatted with regard to just simply three minutes following tryout, was adament your lady can "do more" and "it's too poor that happened." She named this arena "surreal," adding of which your woman "did the right factor to get this body" by simply not carrying on plus anticipates endeavoring to stop all over again from now on perhaps at an additional regional combine next year.

"I've usually recently been an athlete, as well as I've often also been your gamer," the girl said, the woman's eyes tearing up. "When I had the ability for being in the NFL, one of many world's best leagues, I absolutely had for taking the chance."

Silberman commenced your girlfriend date by longing outside the house the particular capability all around noon with the additional kickers, in whose bands were go through out of alphabetically as they will typed in the interior training field. Each player has been subsequently provided time to help warm-up before being shattered directly into groups to aim three kickoffs after which a number of all 5 industry goals, this primary originating in thirty-five yards entirely as long as fityfive yards.

The 5-foot-6 Silberman, using your girlfriend long dark brown locks ripped in to a ponytail, jogged vertical that sideline during warm-ups, trying to get free while professional photographers plus video camera crews from your likes of E! Entertainment multi-level accompanied your girlfriend every single move.

By the actual moment your girlfriend number has been called, nearly three hours after your lady arrived, Silberman wearing a charcoal T-shirt using the girl player tag No. 68 about the front and back again and bright socks drawn around your ex knees worked out her legs, did quite a few push-ups along with a couple of sit-ups. She then chatted a lttle bit with Sonny Powell, another an old football person from Charlotte, as your lady waited intended for your ex choose from kick.

"In speaking with some of the other guys out there here, I don't think the woman becoming your girl acquired anything to do by using it," Powell said. "We're just about all playing for any position in this article in addition to everyones nerves were going crazy."

Silberman's purpose seemed to be give a 60-yard domain goal. That was squashed simply just minutes in to your girlfriend tryout.

"You know, the particular way away had not been there, nevertheless hopefully the actual scouts will certainly discover my technique," your lover said. "It's not always length."

Silberman left the particular complex shortly afterwards that.

"I could often be very, extremely excited as well as happy when I had the chance that will test again," your woman said, "but it may not be about me. It's approximately your scouts."