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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Serge Ibaka walked slowly and carefully, but without a limp, before facing reporters Saturday afternoon. Much has been made of the Oklahoma City defensive stars absence in the first two games of the Western Conference finals series against the San Antonio Spurs. The 6-foot-10 power forward strained his left calf in the previous playoff series, and the Thunder said they expected him to be out for the playoffs. The team changed course Friday and declared him day-to-day. He worked out Saturday, but he didnt practice before addressing the media for the first time since his outlook changed. With Ibaka, the leagues leading shot blocker, the Thunder were one of the best defensive teams the NBA. Without him, the Spurs shot at least 50 per cent in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals and won them by a combined 52 points. As he stood for the five-minute session wearing a black compression sock over the calf, he deflected claims that he could be a saviour heading into Game 3 on Sunday. "Ive been hearing a lot of people saying my team lost two games because I was out," he said. "Thats not true. I believe in my guys. I believe in my teammates. They can be better with me or without me. Its no excuse because Serge Ibaka was not there. Just San Antonio, the first two games, they played better basketball." Ibaka said he sometimes screamed at his television set when he watched scenarios in which he could have made plays during the losses. He is not sure if he will play in Game 3 -- he said it is up to doctors, and much will depend on how he feels in the morning. For now, he will depend largely on rest, ice and luck. His presence is needed, even if he is less than fully healthy. Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison and Perry Jones have struggled against the Spurs big men. Kevin Durant, normally a small forward, has played some power forward in the series because of Ibakas absence, and his relative lack of physical strength and unfamiliarity with playing post defence has been exploited. The Spurs prepared all along as though he would return. "It gives them another hell of a player," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, "but we are who we are and weve got to be who we are. We cant change what we do." Even if Ibaka returns, it will not fully solve Oklahoma Citys problems defending the perimeter. San Antonio has made 18 of 40 3-pointers in the series and guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are slashing into the paint with stunning frequency, often scoring or finding their teammates for open shots. The Thunder say it starts with basics. "Its just an individual effort," Perkins said. "Got to put it in your mind that you want to stop the guy in front of you, and thats it. Backside got to be ready. But the thing is when they penetrate, thats what opens those threes. Well do a better job of keeping the ball in front of us, but weve just got to be individual and youve got to want the match up." To be fair, San Antonio shares the ball like no one else. The Spurs led the league with 25.4 assists per game during the regular season. That average is up to 27.5 against Oklahoma City. Parker and Ginobili generate many of the assists, but many others come from simple ball movement. "We dont have a Durant," Ginobili said. "We dont have a Kobe (Bryant) or LeBron (James) that can go one against one and finish every single time. We need to pass the ball to find open teammates, and thats what we do, and thats what weve been doing. We all feel proud about it. We know when we have 25 assists or 30, we are much better and we try to do that every time." Because the Spurs generally have five capable scorers on the floor at a time, it forces opponents to have a greater attention to detail than usual. "Theyve got threats," Durant said. "Everybody on their team is a threat because of their offence. They move the ball. Theyve got 3-point shooters. You take away 3-point shooters, they get the role guys and they get the paint points. You take away that and they start hitting the threes. So we have to do both. We have to be able to close the paint up and get out to shooters. Easier said than done, but we can do it." The Spurs are off to a good start, but experience tells them they wont have as easy a time in Oklahoma City. And in 2012, Oklahoma City fell behind San Antonio 2-0 in the Western Conference finals before winning the series 4-2. "Weve got to know that in their arena its going to be different," Ginobili said. "Theyre going to be way more aggressive, theyre going to be pushed by their fans. We just won two games. They are going to make more shots, they are going to attack harder, they are going to go to the free-throw line more.So, there are a lot of things that they can do much better and were not going to make as many shots." Chris Webber Jersey . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. Sacramento Kings Jerseys . If Vettel wins at Suzuka on Sunday, and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes worse than eighth, the German driver will join his compatriot Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio as the only men to win four consecutive titles. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-...a-Kings-Jersey/. Hernandez (3-0) struck out 11 and shut down Oakland for the second time in a week, becoming the first Mariners pitcher to win three times in the first nine games of a season. With the usual "Kings Court" for Hernandez home starts expanded to a "Supreme Court" encompassing the entire stadium with yellow shirts and "K" cards, Hernandez gave up four hits in the 28th double-digit strikeout game of his career. Bogdan Bogdanovic Kings Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. DeAaron Fox Kings Jersey . Just ask last seasons Supporters Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who were resoundingly defeated last weekend by a rampant Vancouver Whitecaps in a match which produced two contenders for MLS Goal of the Week from Sebastian Fernandez and Pedro Morales. SEATTLE -- Wei-Yin Chen threw one of his finest games in the major leagues, allowing just five hits over eight innings in Baltimores 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night. What everyone wanted to talk about, however, was his defence. Chen (11-3), who has won his past four starts, set the tone in the first inning when he bounded off the mound, gathered a slow roller and glove-flipped the ball to the plate to prevent a run. "That was a little bit of a momentum change there," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Then he showed how to get people out after that." Delmon Young hit a three-run homer in the Orioles four-run third inning and that was all Chen needed as he scattered five singles, walked one and struck out three, matching his career high for innings pitched. His 11 wins ties him for third-most in American League. On the road, Chen is 6-1 with a 3.94 ERA in nine starts. Darren ODay finished with a routine ninth inning. It was Baltimores eighth shutout. The Mariners have been shut out 12 times, tying Tampa Bay for the most in the American League. Chens only hint of trouble came in the first. James Jones walked and stole second, the rookies 20th of the season. After a groundout, Robinson Cano dribbled a ball in front of the plate. Chen scooped and flipped it with his glove to catcher Caleb Joseph, who tagged Jones as he slid in head first. "They actually practice that play in spring but its one of those things people think youre killing time with pitchers," Showalter said. "But it came into play today." Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon protested the call but it was crew chief Fieldin Culbreth who initiated a TV replay review to determine if Joseph illegally blocked the plate. After a review of 3:45, the original call was confirmed. "I was going on contact and his foot was there in the way," Jones said. "I didnt understand the rules, if I could run through him or I didnt know what to do but he was definitely in front of that plate." Joseph said hes "pretty clear on the rules." "You try catch it and make the tag," he said. "The last thing in my mind is where you are position-wise. But thats an important aspect because of the new rules. We got it rightt tonight.dddddddddddd We got it wrong about a month or so ago so it feels good to get it right this time." McClendon still isnt so sure. "I cant go out and argue after the decisions been made," he said. "Im just a little puzzled. He didnt have the ball, his foot was in front of the plate, he caught the ball and he dropped (his knee). To me, thats blocking the plate." Hisashi Iwakuma (8-5), who had won his previous three decisions, lost for the first time since June 25. He went seven innings, allowing four runs and seven hits. He struck out five without a walk. Iwakuma, who had just two three-ball counts, has not walked a batter in a club-record five straight starts, a span of 35 2-3 innings. He is second in club history in walk-less innings behind Cliff Lees 38, set in June 2010. Iwakuma has 33 strikeouts against no walks in those five starts. The Orioles began their four-run third with singles by John Flaherty, Joseph and Nick Markakis. Markakis single drove in one run and on the next pitch Young hit his fourth homer. It was the Orioles 123rd of the season, tying Toronto for the most in the majors. Young said he wasnt thinking home run "just something to get us the runner in from third." Dustin Ackley of the Mariners had a single in the second to give him a seven-game hitting streak and push his July average to .373. NOTES: Beyond the Mariners acquisition of DH Kendrys Morales from the Twins before the game, the club also added two players from Triple-A Tacoma to the roster. Jesus Montero was called up for a second stint and started at DH. Chris Taylor started at short in his first major league game and singled in the fifth. When he called his parents in Virginia Beach to tell them the news, Taylor said, "it was tough to hold it together. That moment is something youre never going to forget. Talking to them on the phone, telling them the news, hearing their voices, how excited they were, its just an indescribable feeling." To make room, the club sent RHP Taijuan Walker back to Tacoma and placed INF Willie Bloomquist (right knee contusion) on the 15-day DL. . The Orioles acquired INF Jimmy Paredes from Kansas City for cash considerations. He will report to the minors. ' ' '