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(SportsNetwork.com) - The Oklahoma City Thunder have won eight of their last nine and will try to keep that momentum going Sunday night when they host the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder were without the services of reigning MVP Kevin Durant their last time out. Durant sprained his ankle in the first half, a 30-point first-half, in a loss against the Golden State Warriors Thursday. He sat out a 104-103 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Russell Westbrook scored 31 points with 10 assists and five rebounds to lead the Thunder versus the Lakers at Staples Center. Reggie Jackson deposited 25 points, Serge Ibaka netted 16 points with seven rebounds and five blocks and Andre Roberson added 10 points for the Thunder. This was a good win for us, explained Westbrook. We came out with a good mindset and got the win. We took what the defense gave us and knocked down the shots. Oklahoma City held Kobe Bryant to a season-low-tying nine points. Durant is still listed as day-to-day. The Thunder host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, then head to San Antonio for a Christmas night showdown with the defending champs. The Pelicans saw a two-game winning streak snapped Saturday night thanks to a home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans fell, 114-88, to a Portland team that went three overtimes against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. New Orleans had won three of four coming in, but the usually productive triumvirate of Anthony Davis, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday combined to shoot 8-of-37 (21.6 percent) for a total of 19 points. Austin Rivers netted a team-high 21 points and Ryan Anderson added 16. We have to have a strong mentality to flush this one before tomorrow, because the NBA is pretty cruel in that way, Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. The margin reached 19 at one point in the opening frame and grew to 44-23 early in the second. The third pushed the difference to 80-51, and both teams emptied their bench from there. The Pelicans beat the Thunder on Dec. 2 in New Orleans. That made it two in a row for New Orleans. Prior to that win in April, the Thunder had won 10 in a row in this series. OKC has won eight in a row at home versus the Pelicans. Nike Shoes From China Outlet . -- The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Brandon Lyon that includes an invitation to their big league camp for spring training. Fake Nike Shoes From China . -- Falcons running back Steven Jackson, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, is expected to practice on Wednesday. https://www.nikeshoeschina.us/ . The Reds will host the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight in the opener of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park, and the debut matchup will feature a pair of pitchers whose recent resumes have included a fair number of bases-clearing hits. Discount Nike Shoes From China . -- Jake Peavy arrived at Bostons spring training complex on Monday with a large white bandage covering his left index finger, the result of a weekend accident. Wholesale Nike Shoes From China . He had even more fun Friday. Coming off a sensational rookie season, Spieth opened the new year by never coming close to bogey and making a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 7-under 66.TORONTO -- Changing the structure of overtime in NHL regular-season games might not be imminent, but continued discussions among the leagues general managers show there is interest in extending the extra period to cut down on the number of shootouts. Overtime was one of many of topics discussed at Tuesdays annual general managers meeting after Hockey Hall of Fame induction night, along with fighting, hybrid icing and the playoff format that was introduced for this season. No formal rule changes came about, though the purpose of this get-together is more to set up the next meeting in March. Forty of the first 262 games this season have gone to a shootout. GMs have been discussing making overtime 10 minutes to cut down on shootouts "to some degree," according to Ken Holland of the Detroit Red Wings. Holland proposed five minutes of four-on-four and then three minutes of three-on-three, while Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues and others want simply 10 minutes of four-on-four. "I think there was an appetite in the room from all the managers and also from (commissioner Gary Bettman) to look at a way to extend overtime," Holland said. "And were talking about possibly do we switch (ends), longer changes and do some things to try to maybe have better ice, whether its more shovelling or something." Holland said its possible overtime gets extended to seven or eight minutes instead of 10, which he considers an improvement he could live with. Fighting was discussed both in general terms and in regard to goaltenders, after incidents this season involving Montreal tough guy George Parros suffering a conccussion after his head hit the ice and Philadelphia goaltender Ray Emery skating over the red-line to pummel Washington netminder Braden Holtby.dddddddddddd Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said there wasnt much of a push to change the punishment for skaters fighting, but he and his colleagues discussed adding more of a punishment for goalies who cross centre to fight like Emery did. The GMs also got clarification on the playoff format, which could include wild-card teams crossing over because of total points even if four make it from each division in one conference. Under the new alignment and format, the top three teams from each division and two wild cards from each conference qualify. "Certainly my personal opinion is wherever possible to stay within the division, it creates rivalries, less travel," Holland said. "Thats obviously part of the reason why we went to two divisions in each conference was to build rivalries, less travel. Obviously theres a crossover component, we talked about it today, and thats why were going to continue to talk about it in March." Director of officiating Stephen Walkom briefed the GMs on hybrid icing, which Bettman said Monday was an ongoing adjustment for players and officials. Walkom said there are roughly the same number of icing plays as previous seasons but noted that no one has been injured crashing into the boards. Bullying was brought up in light of the situation with Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin of the NFLs Miami Dolphins. "Every now and then, we all have to be reminded about whats acceptable and whats not," Yzerman said. ' ' '