Clanregeln » a 4.018-second pass at 266.04 mph to beat teammate Rob

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Memphis Grizzlies are showing a knack for closing out tight games against the Oklahoma City Thunder. All thats left to prove is whether they can finish off a playoff series thats been nip and tuck throughout and move on to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. In each of the first three games of the series, the go-ahead bucket was scored in the final 2 minutes. Then Game 4 went to overtime, with Memphis winning 103-97 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and put the Thunder on the brink of elimination. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. "Its not like any of the games that it was handed to us. Every game has been right down to the last 2 minutes," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Tuesday as both teams took the day off. "That gives you hope." For Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City, a once-promising season now comes down to desperation time. Without injured All-Star Russell Westbrook, the Thunder need to win three in a row if they hope to reach the West finals for a third straight season or make their second straight trip to the NBA Finals. For his career, Durant is 1-3 when facing elimination. The only win came in Game 7 against Memphis two seasons ago in the West semifinals. "One thing about Kevin, hes going to come back and give everything he has," Brooks said. "Hes not an excuse guy. Hes not going to blame anything on nobody, other than put the pressure on himself to perform every night. Thats what makes us a good team, because of that attitude that he has." Durant has had to do it all since Westbrook had knee surgery prior to Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs. Hes averaging 30.8 points, 11 rebounds and 6.8 assists in this round, and also hit all the key shots down the stretch in the Thunders Game 1 victory. But over time, Memphis -- the leagues top defensive team in the regular season -- has made it harder for Durant to excel with the game on the line. After going 10 for 16 from the field with 22 points in the fourth quarter of the first two games, Durant has gone 3 for 17 and scored seven points in the fourth quarter in Games 3 and 4 plus overtime on Monday night. His shooting percentage in crunch time has gone down in each game. "Weve just got to find a way to make those plays. Were playing hard every day. Its just not going our way," Durant said. "We just have to get ready for Game 5. Its at home, so it should be exciting. Im looking forward to it." While Oklahoma City is at risk of bowing out, the Grizzlies are one win away from the next big step in their progression as a franchise. Before this season, they had won only one post-season series, against San Antonio in 2011. "Its still a game. Still we have to play another game, and we have to win another game. Theres no greater magnitude," coach Lionel Hollins said. "Its just a game that we have to go out and play well to win. Its just like when were down 0-1, just like when we were 1-1, just like when we were 2-1. It never changes. Its a game that has to be played to the best of your ability and the winning and losing takes care of itself." With two teams that have been so closely matched, there dont figure to be any more major adjustments at this point. Brooks was happy with his decision to have power forward Serge Ibaka guard 7-footer Marc Gasol instead of counterpart Zach Randolph, given that Ibaka emerged from a shooting slump for 17 points and 14 rebounds. "I think it loosened him up, just his mind, so he can focus on what he does well. We need his scoring, we need his shooting and I thought last game was good," Brooks said. "Hopefully we can get it again." It still wasnt enough to change the final result -- the third straight Memphis win by exactly six points. "As hard as they came out on us (Monday) night, theyre going to come out even harder when they get home. Its desperation for them," Hollins said. "And we cant anticipate or think that its going to be an easy game. We have to go out and be ready for a heavyweight battle." Brooks said the three straight losses havent changed his teams mindset, which remains "we expect to win and if we dont, itll be disappointing." And he doesnt want the win-or-else mentality to create mounting pressure on his players. "The pressure is not to make every shot. The pressure is just to compete as hard as you can for your team, and wherever that takes you, you live with it," he said. "I think our guys are ready to commit to one more great effort game, and were looking forward to it." After the loss Monday night, Brooks had a light-hearted moment and mentioned knowing that theres a barbecue festival in Memphis on Friday, when Game 6 would be played. "We want to be able to win in front of our home fans and have another game in Memphis and see what we can do there. I like our ability to come back in tough situations, within games and even to the next game. This is obviously not the greatest position to be in but we still have a chance to be a part of history," Brooks said. "Theres not a lot of teams that have come back from 3-1 but we have the talent, we have the teamwork, we have the effort and teamwork to do Wholesale China Jerseys . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Cheap Jerseys Online . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/ . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. Wholesale MLB Jerseys .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mooseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. China Jerseys Online . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. BROWNSBURG, Ind. -- Courtney Force won the Funny Car portion of the NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout and Matt Hagan topped qualifying Sunday in the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway.Force sprinted to a $100,000 payday in her Chevy Camaro SS, powering to a 4.018-second pass at 266.04 mph to beat teammate Robert Hight in the final round of the specialty event.I went out today with the mindset of calm and relaxed, said Force, the daughter of 16-time Funny Car season champion John Force. We got that run in last night that was huge. It qualified us for fourth so my guys got me into today not thinking about a qualifying run which is huge for a race like this. To win an event like this in front of all these ffans in Indiana is huge for our team.ddddddddddddTo be able to outrun Robert and get that win is a big one for our Traxxas team.Hagans topped qualifying with his Friday night performance of 3.858 at 330.80 in a Dodge Charger R/T.Clay Millican led the Top Fuel lineup, Bo Butner topped the Pro Stock field, and Angelle Sampey paced the Pro Stock Motorcycle riders in the regular-season finale.Millican had a track-record time of 3.692 at 316.82 on Saturday. Bo Butner pushed his Chevy Camaro to a 6.571 at 210.24, and Sampey rode her Buell to a 6.812 at 196.62. She set the elapsed time track record. ' ' '