LOS ANGELES, Calif. Mike Soroka Jersey . - When the Oklahoma City Thunder were down by 16 points and struggling to make any shot early in Game 6, they looked all but ready to fold up and head home for a series-deciding finale. Instead, Kevin Durant shouldered the Thunder and carried them into the fourth quarter, where they demonstrated the poise of a championship contender. Durant had 39 points and 16 rebounds, and Oklahoma City advanced to the Western Conference finals with a 104-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 on Thursday night. Russell Westbrook overcame a slow start to finish with 19 points and 12 assists as the Thunder reached the conference finals for the third time in four years, closing out Los Angeles with two straight wins. Two days after the Thunder erased a late 13-point deficit to win Game 5, the Thunder rallied from that early deficit and maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter, shaking off any memories of their Game 4 collapse on the same Staples Center court. "Experience has helped us out a lot, just being with each other for so long," Durant said. "Weve got a long ways to go. We definitely can get better. This is definitely a series that pushed us to the brink. We were in a tough spot. We stayed together and persevered." The league MVP hit five 3-pointers and Reggie Jackson added 14 points for Oklahoma City, which will face the Spurs in a rematch of the Wests last two champions. The series begins Monday night in San Antonio. Chris Paul had 25 points and 11 assists, and Blake Griffin had 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists before fouling out as the Clippers exhausting post-season ended in disappointment. Perhaps the cumulative pressure of two playoff series amid the distractions of owner Donald Sterlings lifetime ban finally cost the two-time Pacific Division champion Clippers, who couldnt keep up late. Or perhaps Durant is just that good. "We did a great job of sticking together," Westbrook said. "Kevin did a great job of setting his guys up, getting the ball in spots that were effective." J.J. Redick scored 16 points for the Clippers, who followed their epic collapse in Game 5 with a disappointing second half at home. Despite a raucous home crowd, Los Angeles wont make its first trip to the conference finals after the best regular season in franchise history. "Oklahoma City absolutely deserves it," said Paul, whose final-minute mistakes hurt the Clippers dearly in Game 5. "We have a really good team, a great team. Its crazy. You play all season long, and the last few games, we really started to figure out who our team was and how to play. And its crazy that its over." The Clippers led for almost every minute of the first three quarters, but Durant kept the Thunder close and eventually ignited a 30-10 run stretching across the final two quarters. Westbrook, who didnt have a field goal until late in the third quarter, contributed 10 points in the fourth as the Thunder comfortably maintained their lead. The fans frustration boiled over after an offensive foul call against Griffin with 3:11 to play. During the ensuing timeout, fans threw at least two drinks at referee Ed Malloy, causing a slight delay while the floor was cleaned. Griffin fouled out with 2:27 left, but the Clippers got within four points in the final minute before Westbrook and Durant hit free throws to close it out. The loss ended a tumultuous post-season for the Clippers, who managed to win a seven-game series with Golden State in the first round even while Sterling was banned from the NBA for life for racist comments exposed during that series. "Weve gone through a lot of stuff over the last three or four weeks," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I dont think that was why we didnt win. I dont think we should use that as an excuse. Were a team in process. I believe we were good enough to win it this year. Oklahoma City told us we were not." Oklahoma City smoothly secured its spot in the conference finals after these teams traded spectacular collapses in the last two games. The Thunder blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4 at Staples Center, but the Clippers responded by blowing a 13-point lead in the final four minutes in Oklahoma City. The Clippers showed little carry-over from their collapse early in Game 6, while the Thunder appeared a step slow and disorganized, falling behind by 16 points in the first half. Durant and Westbrook combined to miss their first nine shots, but Durant quickly got going. NOTES: Serge Ibaka scored six points before going to the locker room in the third quarter with an injured left calf. ... The NBA fined Rivers $25,000 on Thursday for his criticism of the officiating in Game 5. "I thought it was deserved," Rivers said. ... Matt Damon, Rihanna, Tony Romo, Oscar De La Hoya, UFC President Dana White, former Clippers guard Eric Gordon and Masters champion Bubba Watson attended the game. Jack Nicholson watched from a seat near the Clippers bench. The archetypal Lakers fan also has occasionally attended Clippers games over the years. Anthony Swarzak Braves Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Mike Soroka Braves Jersey . The Brazilian international goalkeeper was beaten twice in the first 12 minutes of his Reds debut in a 3-1 preseason loss to Columbus Crew in Florida earlier this week. https://www.cheapbraves.com/1883o-hank-aaron-jersey-braves.html . Globo TV and other news outlets said early Monday that Scolari will not remain as coach after the national teams failure to win the World Cup at home.ARLINGTON, Texas - Toronto right-hander Drew Hutchison knows how to hang tough and make in-game adjustments. Friday night he reaped the benefits in a matchup with Texas Yu Darvish. Hutchison, back in the majors this spring after having Tommy John surgery late in his rookie season in 2012, outdueled the Rangers ace Friday night, throwing a three-hit shutout for his first career complete game in the Blue Jays 2-0 victory. "I was grinding a little bit," said Hutchison, 23, who made 11 starts as a rookie and 10 appearances late last season in the minors. "I had good command, but my secondary stuff took me a little bit to get to. I was able to make that adjustment and make better pitches with the changeup and slider." Melky Cabrera broke up a scoreless game with a two-run double in the eighth inning to give Hutchison (2-3) all the support that he needed. He struck out six in earning his first victory since April 1. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons wasnt surprised by Hutchisons performance. "Ive been watching him pitch from the first day of spring training," Gibbons said. "When hes on, he can be as tough as anybody." Cabreras liner sailed just beyond the outstretched glove of Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland, scoring Erik Kratz and Anthony Gose. Kratz and Gose each reached against Darvish (3-2) on infield bunts. The right-handed hitting Kratz bunted to third and beat an off-balance throw by Adrian Beltre. Gose, a left-handed hitter, drag bunted up the first-base line. Morelands throw to second baseman Rougned Odor covering first base wasnt in time. Kratz and Gose were in the lineup replacing Dioner Navarro and Colby Rasmus. Navarro is on the bereavement/family medical emergency list and Rasmus is on the disabled list. Kratz said it was his decision to open the inning with a bunt. "Wed been talking the whole game about getting something going," Kratz said. &qquot;It was just an idea that worked. Billy Hamilton Braves Jersey. quot; Darvish said through an interpreter that he was surprised by the first bunt but not by the second. He went eight innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Darvish struck out 11 and walked three in his first start since throwing a one-hitter against Boston last Friday that Major League Baseball on Wednesday ruled was a two-hitter. Neither team got a runner beyond first base until the sixth inning — thanks in part to a successful Toronto challenge in the third inning that reversed a safe call on a steal of second base by Leonys Martin. In the bottom of the sixth, Martin walked, was bunted to second, advanced to third on a sacrifice fly. He was stranded when Elvis Andrus grounded to shortstop. Darvish was working on six days rest because of a shuffling of the Rangers starting rotation when Martin Perez experienced elbow pain in his start Saturday. The first hit off Darvish came in the fifth inning, a leadoff single pulled to right field by Adam Lind. The Rangers have lost three straight and five out of six to fall six games behind first-place Oakland in the AL West. Texas typically potent attack went into the game ranked 10th in the league in slugging percentage and 11th in runs. And, in the past week, the Rangers have lost left-handed starters Perez and Matt Harrison to what appear to be season-ending injuries. "Its in the back of our heads; its sad to see whats happening to our pitching staff," Rangers right fielder Alex Rios said. "This is an offence capable of doing a lot of damage. We havent quite gotten there yet." NOTES: Left-hander Robbie Ross, Texas Saturday starter, has allowed 23 earned runs in 26 2-3 innings over his last five starts. ... Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle will bring the ALs most wins (7) and the leagues second-best ERA (2.04) into Saturdays start. ... Andrus hitting streak ended at 11 games. ' ' '