OKLAHOMA CITY -- Not much about Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook goes unnoticed. In the past week, while much of the NBA has focused on Kevin Durants run at a possible first MVP award, Westbrook quietly has been the Thunders most productive and efficient offensive player. Westbrook turned in another gem on Friday, finishing with 24 points and seven assists in just 28 minutes to help Oklahoma City beat the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 116-94 on Friday night. Oklahoma City won its third straight and clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Westbrook has been sitting in one game of back-to-backs, so he has played in just four of Oklahoma Citys past six games. In those four games, he is averaging 28.5 points, 6.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 51 per cent from the field. "Hes well rested and hes taking advantage of a lot of matchups," Durant, who led the Thunder with 27 points against New Orleans, said. "Thats what we need from him. Hes playing extremely well. Hes picking and choosing his spots well. Hes playing with a lot of intensity for us." Westbrook said moving in and out of the lineup hasnt slowed him down. "My job is to always stay confident, regardless of if Im playing or if Im missing games," he said. "Just come out with a positive mindset and try to keep going." Serge Ibaka added 16 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high eight blocks for the Thunder. "It seemed like he had 10 or 11 blocks," Durant said. "He was protecting the paint. He was there on pick and rolls. He was there all night." The Thunder shot 54 from the field, made 23 of 27 free throws and committed just 11 turnovers. Oklahoma City led by 25 points at the end of the third quarter, so Durant and Westbrook rested in the fourth. Oklahoma City outscored New Orleans 28-0 in fast-break points. "They were able to steal a lot of buckets in transition," New Orleans guard Austin Rivers said. "I felt like every time we made one mistake, I felt like they capitalized on it, where when we got one, we werent able to." Darius Miller scored a career-high 18 points and Rivers had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Pelicans. New Orleans was without injured starters Anthony Davis (back) and Eric Gordon (left knee tendinitis). "Our guys, they just scrapped and clawed and tried to do what they can to help their teammates," New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. "Its a tough situation playing against a good team." The Thunder took advantage of New Orleans depleted lineup by taking a 30-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. Oklahoma Citys reserves helped the Thunder push the lead to 44-27. New Orleans went on an 11-0 run before Derek Fisher scored for the Thunder. On Oklahoma Citys next possession, Durant sent a nice pass to a running Ibaka, who dunked to put the Thunder up by 10. Durants jumper with three seconds left in the first half put the Thunder up 60-47 at the break. Westbrook scored 16 points in the first half on just 10 shots, while Durant and Ibaka added 12 points apiece. Midway through the third quarter, Rivers got ahead of the pack for what looked like an easy basket. Ibaka caught up with him and pinned his shot on the glass, then Durant dunked on the other end to give the Thunder a 75-56 lead. "Hes fast enough to keep up with guards," Rivers said of Ibaka. "When you have a 7-foot guy who can jump, running on a fast break on defence, its hard to get to the basket. Their defence is all on him. Without Ibaka, this is a whole different team." NOTES: Oklahoma City started its preferred lineup of Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha for just the 22nd time this season. Oklahoma City has played nine starting lineups. ... Durant was presented the Western Conference Player of the Month award for March before the game. He has won four out of five months. ... Rivers got his first start of the season, and New Orleans rookie F Jeff Withey got his second. ... New Orleans G Brian Roberts left the game with a left ankle injury and did not return. ... New Orleans G Tyreke Evans left the game with a right knee bone bruise and did not return. ... Perkins, Durant and Westbrook were issued technical fouls in the third quarter. Durant picked up his 15th of the season. New England Patriots Shirts . -- Stacy Lewis shot 7-under 65 to lead the LPGA Tour team to the championship of the 3Tour Challenge on Tuesday. New England Patriots Gear .B. -- Canadian pairs skaters Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford went from elated to frustrated in the span of a few minutes. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/.Balotelli uploaded on Instagram a picture of the video-game character Super Mario, with whom the Italy international shares a nickname, with text around the image including jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew. Patriots Jerseys 2019 . Ive said it before, Ive worked with top pros and I could have made my own program. New England Patriots Store .com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings.NEW YORK -- For Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, seeing Deron Williams back far outweighed seeing the Celtics again. Williams scored a season-high 25 points in his return to the lineup, Brook Lopez added 24, and the Brooklyn Nets beat Boston 104-96 Tuesday night in the first matchup for Pierce and Garnett against their former team. "D-Will set the tone for how we were going to play tonight," Garnett said. Garnett had 11 points, just his third time in double figures this season, and grabbed nine rebounds. Pierce finished with four points and seven rebounds in his first appearance off the bench in six years after making a quick recovery from a broken right hand. But the key was Williams, who had missed nine straight games and 11 overall with a sprained left ankle, and hadnt been sharp in the games in which he did appear. "Hes the head of the snake," Pierce said. "I mean hes one of the most important pieces of what were trying to do here, what were trying to build and trying to win a championship." The Nets won consecutive games for the first time this season, a stunning stat for a team that considered itself a championship contender after acquiring Pierce and Garnett in a blockbuster that was agreed to on draft night. Both veterans had struggled, with the 12.4 points per game and .368 shooting by Pierce easily the lowest of his career before he was hurt on Nov. 29. The Nets had lost six straight at home, their longest skid since moving to Brooklyn. "Were starting to get whole and its definitely good to have everybody back," Williams said. "Even though Paul didnt start, I thought he came in and gave us a big boost off the bench. It seemed like our energy level was a lot better. More intensity on both ends of the floor." Avery Bradley scored 22 points and Jeff Green had 19 for the Celtics, who have been competitive after trading away two of their most important players from their 2008 NBA championship team. Boston had a three-game winning streak snapped and its Atlantic Division-leading record fell to 10-13. "The players that they had come back tonight, I still feel like they were a very good team. But obviously having two of their leaders as in Deron Williams and Paul, you know that definitely helps them out a lot," Bradley said.dddddddddddd. The Celtics had started with 14-0 and 12-0 leads in their last two games, the latter eventually ballooning to a 45-point bulge in a 114-73 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday that was the NBAs most lopsided game this season. Brooklyn got off to the strong start in this one, pulled away again after Boston tied it, and put it away when Williams, who came in averaging just 9.3 points, scored eight in the final period. "They played great tonight. Played really hard, really together. They took us out of what we wanted to do," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "Like I said, we werent playing the New Jersey Nets that played without D-Will for those 10 games. That is their team and theyre a good basketball team." Pierce was expected to miss two to four weeks, but sat out only four games before returning to practice Monday. He received a nice ovation when he checked in with a protective glove covering his hand midway through the first quarter, no doubt aided by the many Boston fans that were noticeable all around Barclays Center. He said hes still getting used to the glove, joking he might take it out to the movies, and might have to get used to a new role. Coach Jason Kidd said he would consider whether Pierce would remain with the second unit. Garnett gave a pat on the head and a little hug before the opening tip to Bostons starters, who go on to face former coach Doc Rivers and the Clippers on Wednesday. The Nets led 31-20 after one, their largest lead after the opening quarter this season, and 56-47 at the half. Boston quickly tied it at 60, but the Nets responded with 10 straight points, going ahead 70-60 on Williams jumper, and the lead reached 85-68 on Pierces free throw with 1:14 left. NOTES: It was the first time Garnett played against the Celtics since March 4, 2007, for Minnesota. ... Boxer Paulie Malignaggi was presented with the championship of Brooklyn belt by Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark in the second quarter after beating fellow Brooklyn product Zab Judah in a welterweight bout here Saturday. ' ' '