kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old

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. Rex Burkhead Jersey .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005. Trey Flowers Jersey . When Reyes signed a US$106-million, six-year deal with Miami last month, there was speculation Ramirez was unhappy about being supplanted at short. But new manager Ozzie Guillen sold Ramirez on the idea. http://www.patriotsauthenticshop.com/Patriots-Danny-Shelton-Draft-Jersey/ . Fielder has been out with a herniated disk in his neck, and surgery was recommended after a follow-up exam and another scan Thursday with Dr. Trent Brown Jersey . Hoffman, the former star closer, will evaluate and help co-ordinate all pitchers at Double-A, Triple-A and the big league team. Byrnes says Hoffman "will be a key part of finishing the development of our younger pitchers. Chris Hogan Jersey . It will be their 15th head-to-head meeting and fourth in the post-season (Sunday at 2pm et/11am pt on CTV) and for his part, Brady isnt downplaying just how big the game is for him. "Im excited - Its everything you could ask for as an athlete," the New England Patriots quarterback told WEEI Radio in Boston on Monday.International Olympic Committee [IOC] president Thomas Bach has suggested entire federations could be banned from the 2016 Olympic Games as the fight against doping is escalated. The IOC announced on Tuesday it had discovered 31 positive tests after 454 samples collected at the 2008 Beijing Olympics were re-tested, while the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] put its investigations manager Mathieu Holz in charge of an urgent probe into allegations of state-run doping among Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.Bach responded with an editorial carried by both the Daily Telegraph and USA Today stating that the IOC would apply a zero tolerance policy not only with regard to individual athletes, but to all their entourage within its reach. He added: This action could range from lifelong Olympic bans for any implicated person, to tough financial sanctions, to acceptance of suspension or exclusion of entire national federations like the already existing one for the Russian Athletics Federation by the International Association of Athletics Federations. Thirty one athletes could be banned from this years Olympic Games in Rio after banned substances were found in their past samples Bach added that under such a scenario, athletes from affected nations may be required to prove their innocence rather than vice-versa.We would have to consider, whether in such contaminated federations, the presumption of innocence for athletes could still be applied, whether the burden of proof could be reversed, he wrote.This could mean that concerned athletess would have to demonstrate that their international and independently proven test record is compliant with the rules of their international federation and the World Anti-Doping Code, providing a level playing field with their fellow competitors.dddddddddddd.Holz, a former major of the French Gendarmerie and Interpol agent, will be in charge of WADAs scrutiny of the claims made in the New York Post and CBS show 60 Minutes. IAAF president Lord Coe has underlined the importance of regaining the trust of clean athletes Hosts Russia topped the Sochi medal table with 33 medals, 13 of them gold, but a New York Times report last week claimed performance-enhancing drug use was widespread, state sanctioned, and covered up.Bach said that if proved true, those involved would be guilty of an unprecedented level of criminality. Russias sports ministry said on Wednesday that it was ready to co-operate fully with the WADA in its investigation into allegations of organised doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.We are willing to fully co-operate with WADA in their investigation, the ministry said.The IOCs executive board also announced on Tuesday that the results of 250 more re-tests from London 2012 would come in the next week, with further retesting of medallists from 2008 and 2012 planned too. 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