The Oklahoma City Thunder hit what everyone thought was a soft spot in their schedule, but it hasnt worked out that way.The Thunder, who were a quarter away from reaching the NBA Finals last season, have lost three straight and seven of their last nine. They will try to get things turned around when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.Oklahoma City is still adjusting to the departure of Kevin Durant, who signed with Golden State in the offseason. The growing pains are apparent but the Thunder still have one of the best guards in Russell Westbrook.It maybe it sounds like a little bit of a broken record, but its kind of where were at, Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan told normantranscript.com. And were working towards getting better and improving.The Thunder (8-8) started the season strong but after losing on consecutive nights to the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings, they are now tied with Utah for first place. Denver (6-9), despite its injury problems and shuffling lineups to try and find consistency, isnt far off the pace.The Nuggets lost to the Jazz 108-83 on Wednesday night, ending their modest two-game winning streak. It was their third game in four nights.Tonight we didnt answer the bell, which is disappointing, Denver coach Michael Malone told The Denver Post. But well get back at it, look at what we have to clean up and try to come out on Friday night against Oklahoma City with a greater sense of energy and urgency to start the game.The Nuggets were without small forward Danilo Gallinari for the game in Utah because of a right thigh injury, and his status for Fridays game is unknown. Gallinari is Denvers second-leading scorer and has a penchant for getting to the line, but the thigh has been bothering him and finally forced him to sit.It hurts stretching it. It hurts when I tighten the muscle. It started giving me discomfort even when I walk, Gallinari told The Denver Post. Im sure that maybe the worst thing is its a strain. Thats the worst-case scenario. The best-case scenario is just a bruise that is not behaving right. Usually with a bruise you get better by playing because you get the blood flowing. But this is not getting better, its getting worse.Malone started 19-year-old rookie Juancho Hernangomez in place of Gallinari on Wednesday and he scored nine points in 27 minutes. His fellow rookie, Jamal Murray, had another strong game with 23 points in 35 minutes off the bench.Murray is averaging 21.7 points in his last three games, giving Denver a boost off the bench.He is playing with ease, Malone said Tuesday night. Hes shooting into a hula hoop right now. Hes feeling very confident and the guys are finding him.Murray will have his hands full if he faces up against Westbrook. Despite the Thunders struggles, Westbrook is playing at a high level. He is averaging a double-double with an NBA-best 31.8 points a game as well as 10.6 assists. His 9.6 rebounds per game nearly has him averaging nearly a triple-double.The gaudy stats arent helping the Thunder win lately, but he is a force and will set the tone against the Nuggets.Just got to be ready to play, man, he told normantranscript.com. Very plain and simple. Womens Air Max Australia . 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. Clearance Air Max Australia . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. http://www.shopairmaxaustralia.com/ . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. White Air Max Australia . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. Air Max Australia Running Shoes .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. CLEMSON, S.C. -- No. 3 Louisville and quarterback Lamar Jackson have done the improbable -- turned Clemson passer Deshaun Watson into an afterthought this weekend.Tigers linebacker Ben Boulware feels it and believes Watson will be more than ready when the Cardinals (4-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) face No. 5 Clemson (4-0, 1-0) on Saturday night.Everyone loves talking about Lamar (Jackson) and Deshauns kind of been in the background, Boulware said. But Im like, `Hey, weve got a pretty good quarterback here, too.Watson was considered college footballs best, the reigning ACC player of the year and the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this season when the year began. But Watson has largely been left in the dust by Jacksons amazing start.Jackson, a sophomore , has passed for 1,330 yards and 13 touchdowns and run for 526 yards and 12 touchdowns. Hes the first Football Bowl Subdivision player in 10 years to put up two seven-TD games in one season. Those numbers, along with Jacksons breakaway runs, have vaulted him into the Heisman favorite a third of the way through the season.Thats OK with Watson, whos focused on keeping the Tigers perfect this week.We just have to continue to do what we do and focus on the task at hand, Watson said. We cant worry about what the future brings or anything like that. At the end of the day, we still have to go out there and play our best.Watson understands hes yet to achieve that this season. The 6-foot-3 junior has passed for 996 yards and nine touchdowns. Hes also thrown four interceptions and has yet to rush for a TD after running for 12 scores a season ago.Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Watson is rounding into form for the most important time of the year. He has led us to four wins, critical drives, critical wins, Swinney said. Were going to need him to play a great game Saturday.---Some things to watch when No. 3 Louisville plays No. 5 Clemson.ACC SHOW: For the second time in three weeks, thhe ACC will have a pair of top 10 schools facing each other.dddddddddddd Louisville, then ranked No. 10, dominated third-ranked Florida State 63-20 on Sept. 17. It is the 15th time in league history that two top 10 teams have matched up. It is just the fifth top five match in ACC history, the last one coming in 2013 at Death Valley when No. 5 Florida State took apart third-ranked Clemson 51-14.HOME SWEET HOME: Clemson does not lose often at Death Valley, currently having won 18 straight at home since its loss to Florida State three seasons ago. The Tigers are 46-6 at home since Dabo Swinney took over as coach for Tommy Bowden in the middle of the 2008 season.RARE DOUBLE: Louisville is seeking a rare double in the Atlantic Coast Conference. A win by the Cardinals on Saturday night would be the first time a league opponent has defeated both Florida State and Clemson in the same season since North Carolina in 2010. The Cardinals could also go a long way to breaking the stronghold Florida State and Clemson have had on the ACC Atlantic Division. The Seminoles and Tigers have combined to represent the division in the past seven championship games.REACHING A MILESTONE: Louisville is seeking its 500th victory in program history when it takes on Clemson. The Cardinals are 499-450-17 in 98 seasons.OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE: True test between the proverbial unstoppable force in Louisville against immovable object in Clemson. Cardinals attack ranks first nationally in overall offense and scoring offense, third in rushing and 10th in passing. Tigers stand third in overall defense and passing defense, fifth in scoring defense and 15th in rushing defense.---Online:AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org and AP-Top 25 Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-Top25Follow Pete Iacobelli at www.twitter.com/PIacobelli-AP Jerseys Wholesale China Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '