Dein erstes Forum » starters returning on both offense and defense, t

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook passed the credit around like he shared the ball on Saturday night.Westbrook had a career-high 22 assists in his 50th career triple-double, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-101 victory over the Phoenix Suns.My teammates did a great job of spacing, catching and finishing, making some shots, he said. My job is to be able to find those guys. The ball is in my hands a lot.Westbrook also scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his 13th triple-double of the season. He had gone three games without one, yet the leagues leading scorer continues to average double figures in points, rebounds and assists.Westbrook set up his teammates for much of the night, but he also showed why he averages more than 30 points per game. He scored 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting in the third quarter to help the Thunder push their lead out to 20 points.As the game goes on, I read and kind of see whats open, he said. And I can go back to different things that I see thats open and try to find ways to be assertive and when not to be. Thats just something Ive learned over the years.Steven Adams had 19 points and seven rebounds and Enes Kanter added 12 points for Oklahoma City, which had dropped two in a row. Thunder guard Victor Oladipo, the teams No. 2 scorer for the season, missed his third straight game with a right wrist sprain.Devin Booker scored 31 points for the Suns, who have lost six of eight.The Thunder led 54-39 at halftime. Westbrook had 12 assists before the break, a Thunder record for a half. Phoenixs first-half scoring total matched the lowest allowed by the Thunder in a half all season.It took Westbrook a while to get to double figures in points -- he finally got there on a free throw with 8:41 left in the third quarter. He was stuck on nine rebounds when he went to the bench with 2:35 left in the third.He re-entered the game with 8:44 to play, and he got his 10th rebound almost immediately upon his return.He is putting up phenomenal numbers, Suns center Tyson Chandler said. I think it really just comes down to heart, passion and will. Every second, he is going full speed, giving 100 percent. He is just putting his will into the game.TIP-INSSuns: F T.J. Warren returned after missing 13 games with a head injury. He scored two points in 14:28. He scored 30 points when the teams met earlier this season. ... Booker was the only Phoenix player who scored more than 12 points.Thunder: Anthony Morrow got his first start of the season in Oladipos place and scored 11 points. ... Westbrook was issued a technical foul in the third quarter. ... Westbrook had 51 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 113-110 win over the Suns earlier in the season.STAT LINESBooker outscored Westbrook 20-17 in the third quarter. He made 8 of 13 shots and all three of his free throws.STEPPING IT UPAdams, not known as a scorer before this season, has scored in double figures for six straight games and has shot better than 50 percent in each contest. He is averaging 15.8 points during the impressive stretch.UP NEXTSuns: Visit Minnesota on Monday night.Thunder: Host Atlanta on Monday night.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP. Cyber Monday Hockey Jerseys . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Cheap Hockey Jerseys . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. Fake Hockey Jerseys . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Custom Hockey Jerseys .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Les Miles has finally been done in by one of the frantic finishes that came to define the Mad Hatters tenure at LSU.LSU fired Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron on Sunday, and promoted defensive line coach Ed Orgeron to interim head coach.The moves came less than 24 hours after Miles briefly watched his players wildly celebrate what they thought was a game-winning touchdown pass at Auburn, only to walk off the field with a stunning, 18-13 upset loss after officials determined on video replay that time had expired before the ball was snapped.It wasnt the first time chaos reigned in the closing seconds of an LSU game with Miles at the helm, leading to intense scrutiny of the quirky coachs clock management. But it will go down as the last after 11-plus seasons that were highlighted by a 2007 national title. It will also be the last time Miles can be blamed for untimely bouts of stagnation by an offense that seems to have too much talent to be stifled as it has for significant stretches.Coach Miles has done a tremendous job here and hes been a great ambassador for our University, which makes this even more difficult, LSU athletic director Joe Alleva said in a written statement. However, its apparent in evaluating the program through the first month of the season that a change has to be made.We have an obligation to our student-athletes to put them in the best position to have success on the football field each week. We have great confidence that coach Orgeron will do just that.Miles firing came hours after LSU (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference), which was ranked 18th last week, dropped out of the Top 25 in the latest AP Poll released Sunday.The 62-year-old coach did not speak publicly about his dismissal, which came more than three seasons before his contract was due to expire at the end of 2019. Miles is paid about $4.3 million annually and although it is unclear whether hell get all of what he would have been owed in his buyout.Several LSU players said Miles was given an opportunity to say goodbye to the team on Sunday evening as the formal transition to Orgerons interim regime took place.He told us to keep fighting, safety Jamal Adams said. Coach Miles gave it his all every day. He is so passionate about LSU. Coach Miles definitely cares about you as a human being. I hurt for coach.Junior running back Leonard Fournette, a Heisman Trophy candidate who is expected to turn pro after this season, said he was very shocked by the decision and hated the way the teams unexpected early season stumbles precipitated Miles firing.Coach Miles loves us. We had some great memories with him, Fournette said. He is one hell of a coach. Of course, you feel soome guilt after him getting fired.dddddddddddd At the same time, I understand this is a business.Receiver Travin Dural said Miles almost broke down, while delivering a touching speech, and added, You could tell he loved the team.Miles, who replaced Nick Saban in 2005, went 114-34 at LSU, the second-most victories in school history behind Charles McClendons 137 victories from 1962 to 1979.Cameron, an old friend of Miles from when they were both assistants at Michigan in the 1980s, joined LSU in 2013. His offense was effective when his quarterback was Zach Mettenberger, a tall, strong-armed, pro-style pocket passer. Production was far less consistent -- and the passing game was often anemic -- during the past two seasons.The 2011 Tigers were one victory away from going down as LSUs best squad in more than a century of football. But after winning its first 13 games, LSU lost in the national title game to Alabama in what has grown to a five-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide.Since the start of the 2013, LSU has gone 15-11 against SEC opponents. LSUs recent struggles nearly led to Miles firing last season, when the latest loss to Alabama began the first three-game skid of Miles tenure at LSU and the Tigers once again faded from contention. But after the Tigers rallied to close the regular season with a home win over Texas A&M, Alleva announced that Miles would return.With a slew of starters returning on both offense and defense, this season was widely seen as a referendum on Miles long-term future. LSU was ranked No. 5 in the preseason, but opened with a close loss to Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.Miles tried to give the offense a lift during LSUs second game against Jacksonville State, when he replaced season-opening starting quarterback Brandon Harris with Danny Etling. Etling led LSU to victories in that game and against Mississippi State, but managed only 118 yards passing in the loss at Auburn.Orgeron, known by players as Coach O, is a Louisiana native and renowned recruiter. He was a head coach once before in the SEC with Mississippi, but never had a winning record there and was fired after three seasons. He fared better as interim head coach at Southern California in 2013, going 6-2 in place of Lane Kiffin, whod been fired that season.Coach O brings new energy. He is pumped up. I am excited to play for coach O, center Ethan Pocic said. Its not easy. College football is a business. The best thing I can do is do whatever coach O asks us. Hes our coach now.---AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '