Kevin Durant insisted the Thunder facing elimination

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. wholesale nfl jerseys . -- Kevin Durant insisted the Thunder facing elimination was all the motivation he needed. Thanks to the NBAs best scorer, the Thunder remain alive and can finish off the Memphis Grizzlies back in Oklahoma City. Durant scored 36 points to break out of a slump, and the Thunder routed the Grizzlies 104-84 on Thursday night to force a deciding seventh game in the first-round Western Conference series. His performance came on a day where the hometown newspaper questioned his struggles with a headline calling him "Mr. Unreliable." "We needed to win this game," Durant said. "Thats more motivation than anything, so our team responded. Weve got to do an even better job in Game 7." Russell Westbrook added 25 points for the Thunder, who havent been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs since 2010. They took control early with Durant scoring 14 points in the first quarter, led by 15 at halftime and never let Memphis get that close again in the second half in the first game in the series that didnt go to overtime since the opener. "You dont get to his level as an NBA player and a great player as he is to have other people motivate you," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Hes self-motivated. Hes a tremendous kid and does everything for his team, for our organization. Were proud of him because he gives everything he has. That was the only focus for tonights game." Durant also had 10 rebounds and made 14 of 15 free throws. Reggie Jackson had 16 points off the bench for the Thunder, who will host Game 7 on Saturday night. Grizzlies guard Tony Allen said the Thunder simply wanted the game more and called the loss embarrassing in front of a sellout crowd. "Now, weve shot ourselves in the foot, and we have to go to a hostile environment now and pretty much show where our heart is at," Allen said. Marc Gasol had 17 points and Zach Randolph 16 for Memphis. Guard Mike Conley strained his right hamstring, briefly returned and left for good with 8:48 left. Conley went down in the third quarter near midcourt dribbling when Kendrick Perkins reached in for a steal. The Memphis guard returned briefly, but Conley was limping noticeably. With the Thunder in control, Conley went to the locker room again and didnt return. Nick Calathes currently is suspended for violating the NBAs anti-drug policy, leaving Memphis with only Beno Udrih at point guard. Memphis coach Dave Joerger said Udrih will play a lot of minutes if Conley cant. Conley said he will be re-evaluated Friday and receive as much treatment as possible before tipoff Saturday. "I plan on playing," Conley said. Durant had to answer questions after the shootaround Thursday about that headline in The Oklahoman newspaper. Durant said he had no problem with the headline and that he just needed to hit shots and be more aggressive. Smiling just before tipoff, Durant did just that. The man who led the NBA scoring 32 points a game during the regular season opened by hitting five of his first seven and finished 11 of 23 from the floor. He continued to struggle outside the arc where he missed all six of his attempts. The Grizzlies had a chance to advance to their third semifinal in four years on their own floor. Yet they couldnt shoot well or match the Thunders intensity with a sloppy performance in front of a sellout crowd that tried to energize the Grizzlies. Oklahoma City outrebounded Memphis 47-36 and easily outshot them 49.3 per cent (37 of 75) to 37.3 per cent (31 of 83). "We knew sooner or later our shots would fall," Brooks said. Brooks also benched Thabo Sefolosha and started Caron Butler. "This is why you play the game to prove doubters wrong, and adversity builds character," Butler said. "This team has a strong character and a will." Memphis last led 6-4. A team that thrives off defence, the Grizzlies couldnt knock down shots even when they managed to get consecutive stops. The Grizzlies got to 42-37 with 3:08 left on a steal and fast-break layup by Conley. The Thunder finished the half with a 14-4 run for a 56-41 lead. The Grizzlies missed their first six shots to open the third quarter, finishing any hopes of a comeback. James Johnson scored 15 points off the bench for Memphis, and Allen added 13. Notes: This will be the second Game 7 between the teams in four years. Oklahoma City beat Memphis in seven in the 2011 conference semifinals. ... The Grizzlies are 4-1 with a chance to close out a series. ... Steven Adams blocked a career-high five shots off the bench for the Thunder. cheap jerseys from china . Louis Cardinals have agreed on a four-year contract, giving the All-Star a fresh start after his Biogenesis drug suspension last summer. cheap nfl jerseys .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year contract on Monday.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe is questionable for Sundays game against the Cleveland Browns after straining his groin in practice this week. Coach Andy Reid said Friday that Bowe hurt the groin near the end of Thursdays practice. The former Pro Bowl wide receiver did not participate in Fridays workout. "Its day to day. Well just see how he does," Reid said. "He was feeling a little bit better today than yesterday, which is good. Well just see how he is tomorrow and well go from there." Bowe, who signed, a five-year, $56 million contract in the off-season, has struggled to get involved in the Chiefs unbeaten start. Hes second on the team with 25 catches, but he has just 295 yards receiving and two touchdown catches in his first seven games. Reid and Chiefs offensive co-ordinator Doug Pederson have been quizzed for weeks about why thats the case, and both of them insist that Bowe has been doing other things to get involved. On several occasions, hes delivered devastating blocks for running back Jamaal Charles. If hes unable to go on Sunday, the Chiefs will have to rely even more oon a bunch of untested players. nfl jerseys china. Donnie Avery has 21 catches for 343 yards, and Dexter McCluster has 16 receptions for 186 yards, but no other wide receivers on the roster have more than four catches. Junior Hemingway is next with four grabs for a paltry 27 yards. "We try to spread it around as much as we can and give everyone an opportunity," Reid said. "Well see how it all works out. Were not doing anything until we see who is playing here." Everybody else on the Chiefs roster practiced Friday, including starting safety Kendrick Lewis, who sat out the previous day with a lingering ankle injury, and tight end Anthony Fasano, who played last week for the first time since Week 2 because of his own ankle injury. Reid was especially pleased with Lewis, who played through his injury last week. "Twenty-three is all in, all the time," he said. "Even when he cant practice with the ankle, hes right there just backpedaling, making calls and just on the sideline, so hes doing all the stuff. Hes 100 per cent all in. I love the kid. Tough, tough, tough kid." cheap jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '