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ut is expected to join the Minnesota rotation soon. The Twins
in Here is your first Forum Wed Nov 20, 2019 7:08 amby sakura698 • 285 Posts
SAN ANTONIO -- Teams are finding out theres little they can do to stop Kevin Durant. Cesar Cedeno Astros Jersey . Durant had 36 points to offset Tony Parkers season-high 37, and Oklahoma City survived a testy 111-105 victory over San Antonio on Wednesday night, their third win this season over the defending Western Conference champions. Durant is averaging 38.1 points in his last 11 games, helping the Thunder reclaim the Western Conferences record with a five-game winning streak and an 8-3 mark. "Kevin did his thing down the stretch, it was pretty remarkable," San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. Reggie Jackson gave Durant all the help he needed, matching his season high with 27 points while handing out eight assists. Durant and Jackson combined for 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting in a 35-point fourth quarter for Oklahoma City (33-10). Jackson had 11 consecutive points early in the fourth, blowing past Parker for layups to give the Thunder a 94-89 lead with 8 minutes left. "He has had great games against the Spurs," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "I cant put my finger on it. We want him to play aggressive basketball on both ends of the floor. I thought he did a good job of finding spots on the floor that he can finish around the rim." Jackson averages 13.2 points, but has scored 23.7 points against the Spurs this season. Durant bounced up and down excitedly after his second 3-pointer of the quarter gave Oklahoma City a 108-98 lead with 1 minute remaining. "Durant hit some tough shots, he hit some big 3s down the stretch and it just got away from us," Spurs veteran Tim Duncan said. "I dont know how else to explain it." Duncan and Boris Diaw scored 14 points each, Marco Belinelli had 13 points and Manu Ginobili added 10 points. Duncan added 13 rebounds, but San Antonio (32-10) struggled to overcome the loss of their top defensive stopper, Kawhi Leonard. Durant finished 12 for 22, but struggled to get his shot off against the snug defence of the 6-foot-7 Leonard, who has a 7-4 wingspan. Leonard left the game late in the first half after sustaining a non-displaced fracture in his right hand. His status is unknown, but a similar injury is expected to sideline Danny Green for a month. "Its tough, were dropping like flies right now," Duncan said. "Losing Kawhi was huge, especially in a game like tonight." Durant scored 24 points after Leonard left the game with 3 minutes left in the first half. "I felt early in the game the pick-and-roll was working," Durant said. "I was able to go at the bigs a little bit and in the second half I missed some shots, too. They did a good job of just being physical. I think in the second half the defence was a little better." With Leonard out, the Spurs rotated Belinelli, Ginobili and 6-3 former Texas Longhorns teammate Cory Joseph on the 6-9 Durant. San Antonio even attempted a zone at one point to slow Durant to no avail. "(He guarded Durant) just one time in the zone -- he just shot over me," Parker said. "He is on fire right now anyways. He played great tonight. You just have to give them credit." The Spurs used a physical defence against Durant with Leonard out, especially when Ginobili drew the assignment. The tough play angered Durant, who twice lowered his shoulder and dropped Ginobili. Both plays resulted in non-calls, which incensed Popovich. The Spurs coach screamed at officials while Durant appeared to yell at Popovich. Popovich was assessed a technical foul, which Durant angrily sank with 1:12 to give Oklahoma City a 55-51 lead with 1:19 left in the first half. Durant dismissed the heated emotion just as quickly as he did any psychological boost the Thunder will get from beating the rival Spurs three times. "Im sure those guys arent worried that we beat them three times," Durant said. "Were just going to keep plugging away." San Antonio is 1-9 against the Wests remaining top-five teams and the Easts best, Indiana, but they have bigger problems now. After remaining relatively healthy in reaching the NBA finals last season, the Spurs have been plagued by a rash of injuries in the past month. Leonard joins starting centre Tiago Splitter and former starter Green on the injured list. Parker is also still has a bruised shin that limits his mobility and long-range shooting forward Matt Bonner has to wear a mask after breaking his nose Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. "(Losing Leonard) is a big loss for us," Parker said. "We are already down Tiago and Danny, but everyone goes through injuries and we have to deal with it. Other guys are going to have to step up, but we just have to keep playing." Parker had 20 points in the second half, including 12 in the fourth quarter. "Offensively, Tony was great, but he needed some help for a little while and we just did not get it to him," Duncan said. There were four lead changes and six ties in the third quarter, but Oklahoma City never trailed in the fourth. NOTES: Splitter (sprained right shoulder) and Green (broken left index finger) both missed the game. ... Oklahoma City is 10-4 in back-to-back games, including a 4-3 record on the second night. They have swept three back-to-backs this season. San Antonio has a 54-22 record at home over Oklahoma City. ... Bonner, the Spurs fun-loving forward, is playing along with the ribbing he is getting about the mask he must wear to protect the broken nose he sustained Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Duncan, who owns a vehicle customization shop, offered a custom-paint job for the clear mask and Parker joked that Bonner could "scare Durant" with it. Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News jokingly asked if the injury ends Bonners hopes of a modeling career once his NBA days are over. "I can still be a hand model," Bonner said. Jose Altuve Jersey . The South Africa international, who rejoined the club last month on loan from Tottenham, opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a powerful shot into the roof of the net. Luis Gonzalez Jersey . Pikul Khueanpet scored early in the second half and Kanjana Sungngoen made it 2-0 in the 65th minute of the playoff. Tuyet Dong narrowed the margin with goal four minutes from time. The win gave Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continents qualifying spots for the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada. https://www.cheapastros.com/303o-joe-smith-jersey-astros.html . The Laval Rouge et Or defensive back/kick-returner gained the invitation following his showing Sunday at an NFL regional combine in Baltimore. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals clubhouse mood was sombre after a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Eric Hosmer will be going on disabled list after an X-ray revealed a displaced fracture of the third finger of his right hand. "Very frustrating, bad timing," Hosmer said. "The good thing is I can still get back for that last month and make that last push. They said as quick as three weeks and long as six. Obviously, Im going to be shooting for the three to four weeks." Hosmer was hit by pitch from Jon Lester on July 20 and was held out of the lineup for six of the next seven games. He returned to the lineup Tuesday and aggravated it on a check swing in the fourth inning. Alcides Escobar hit a two-run triple and Yordano Ventura pitched seven effective innings as the Royals completed a 5-2 homestand. "It was a great pitch to hit, a fastball right down the middle," Escobar said. "I didnt want to miss it." Escobars triple highlighted a four-run seventh. The inning also included Jarrod Dysons run-scoring single. Dyson stole second and third and scored on catcher Eric Fryers throwing error. Ventura (8-8) limited the Twins to two runs, one earned, on five hits, while striking out seven. Danny Santana led off the game with a home run. Mike Moustakas committed two throwing errors in the third to gift the Twins with an unearned run. Caleb Thielbar (2-1) retired only one of three batters he faced for Minnesota. Twins right-hander Kevin Correia, who had yielded 11 runs on 17 hits and five walks in eight innings in losing his previous two starts, left after six innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits. His 13 losses top the American League. "I was able to go out there get ahead of some guys," Correia said. "I was throwing strikes and able to mix stuff up late." Kurt Suzuki hit a pinch RBI-double in the eighth off Wade Davis, the first extra-base the Royals right-hander allowed in 46 innings and 44 appearancess. Carlos Lee Jersey. "Ive never seen anything like it, never," Royals manager Ned Yost said. Greg Holland worked a flawless ninth for his 29th save in 31 opportunities. The Twins stranded 11 runners, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and eighth and stranding two runners in two other innings. "Were leaving way too many runners on early in the game," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Were not coming up with a big hit and coming up with those extra runs that you need. They show up late." A ROYAL THIEF Dysons two steals brings hit total to a major league-leading nine in July. "Dyson created a run by himself," Yost said. TWINS MOVES The Twins signed Suzuki to a two-year $12 million contract with an option for 2017. They also traded outfielder Sam Fuld, who hit .274 in 53 games, to Oakland for left-hander Tommy Milone, who went 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 16 starts. Milone was optioned to Triple-A Rochester, but is expected to join the Minnesota rotation soon. The Twins also called up first baseman Kennys Vargas, who hit .281 with 17 home runs for Double-A New Britain. TRAINERS ROOM Twins: Second baseman Brian Dozier (jammed left thumb) was not in the lineup. He injured the thumb sliding into third base in the fourth inning Wednesday. Right-hander Ricky Nolasco (right elbow soreness) threw a bullpen session with no problem. He will begin a minor league rehab assignment next week. Royals: Left-hander Jason Vargas (appendectomy) will return to the rotation Saturday, starting at Oakland. It will be his first start since July 8. ON DECK Royals: Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who went 1-3 with a 10.07 ERA in four July starts, will start the series opener at Oakland. Guthrie allowed 22 runs on 34 hits, 10 walks and four hit batters in 19 2-3 innings in July. Twins: Left-hander Logan Darnell will make his second career start against the White Sox. He lost his first major league start July 26 against the White Sox, yielding seven runs on 11 hits in five innings. ' ' '
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