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(SportsNetwork.com) - The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a tough road win on Christmas and wont have much time to dwell on it when they return home Friday to host the Charlotte Hornets. The Thunder escaped the Alamo City with Thursdays 114-106 triumph over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and used a 38-point fourth quarter to halt a two-game slide and win for the ninth time in 12 tries. Russell Westbrook put OKC on his back to the tune of 34 points on 14-of-28 shooting and 11 assists. We did a great job of being physical, using our length and our athleticism, Westbrook said. Steven Adams posted 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Serge Ibaka scored 21 points and Anthony Morrow added 15 off the bench for Oklahoma City, which made 51.9 percent from the field and registered at least 100 or more points for the ninth time in the previous 10 contests. Oklahoma City isnt taking chances on superstar Kevin Durants sprained right ankle and the reigning NBA MVP missed his fourth straight. Durant sustained the injury in a loss at Golden State on Dec. 18 and is expected to rest again versus the Hornets. Durant missed the start of the season because of foot surgery (Jones fracture) and the Thunder are 7-2 in the games he has played. The Thunder are 7-7 at home this season. Charlotte has been playing well lately with a season-best four straight wins and is coming off Tuesdays 108-101 road triumph against the Milwaukee Bucks. Kemba Walker scored 27 points and Gerald Henderson posted 20 for the Hornets, who outscored the Bucks 34-24 in the third quarter and later took a 96-84 advantage. Theyre a good team, said Charlotte coach Steve Clifford. They beat us up- and-down the floor, which weve been good at, but we are able to stay in there and make the plays we needed. The Hornets are averaging 107.8 points during their win streak and have posted 100-plus points in each of the past five games. They committed 13 turnovers against the Bucks, but are first in the NBA with 11.0 turnovers per game. Walker has scored 20 or more points six times in the last eight games and is posting an average of 23.1 ppg in that stretch. Charlotte is only 3-10 on the road and has won back-to-back road tests. It will host Orlando and Milwaukee next at The Hive. The Hornets and Thunder will meet twice this season and are scheduled to play Feb. 21 in Charlotte. Oklahoma City won both matchups with Charlotte last season and is riding a seven-game win streak in the series. The then-Bobcats never won in six tries in Oklahoma City. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Authentic . Eller said the Oilers were a "junior team" that was "all over the place" before Edmontons 4-3 victory over Montreal on Tuesday night, Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins took offence to Ellers comments and used it to motivate his youthful team. Cheap Official NFL Jerseys . The 18-time champions, who havent won the title since 1990, moved two points behind Arsenal after the leaders were stunned 6-3 at Manchester City on Saturday. Defending champion Manchester United trails Arsenal by 10 points after winning 3-0 at Aston Villa to avoid a third successive league loss. http://www.cheapchinanfljerseysauthentic.com/ . The game had many controversial incidents that, upon closer inspection, were not as controversial as many believed. The Formations Toronto FC lined up in its usual 4-4-2 formation, with Nick Hagglund slotting in at right fullback and Bradley Orr at centreback in place of the injured Mark Bloom and Steven Caldwell, respectively. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . PETERSBURG, Fla. Jerseys China Cheap . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City.Drew MacIntyre doesnt know why at the age of 30 he hasnt started an NHL game. The journeyman goaltender can only go by what hes told. "Probably the main reason why I havent gotten a game while Ive been up is because I dont have NHL experience," MacIntyre said. "Thats the most frustrating thing." Listen to all the action on TSN Radio 1050 starting at 7:30pm et. Its hard to have experience without someone giving him a chance. "Chicken and egg thing," said his agent, Thane Campbell. "You have to get that right opportunity. Some of it is just luck -- being at the right place at the right time." MacIntyre is now in exactly the right place at the right time. With the Toronto Maple Leafs officially eliminated from playoff contention and Jonathan Bernier out with a knee injury, the Charlottetown product is set to make his first career NHL start Thursday night at the Florida Panthers. Its a long time coming for a veteran of 351 AHL games, 56 ECHL games and even two in the KHL. Along the way, he has seen Cory Schneider, Ben Scrivens and other goaltenders he competed against in the minors earn full-time NHL gigs. "It literally feels like every day I see one of the guys that Ive competed against for a while getting starts and becoming a No. 1 goalie in the NHL," MacIntyre said last month. "So that kind of thing can get frustrating because Ive competed pretty well against all those guys. Thats just more evidence that I believe that I can play here (in the NHL)." MacIntyres resume so far includes just five NHL appearances, all in relief. Two came for the Vancouver Canucks in 2007-08, two for the Buffalo Sabres in 2011-12, and the most recent one in March after James Reimer gave up three goals at the New Jersey Devils. On March 23, MacIntyre came in and stopped all 14 shots he faced. He saw that as something of an audition, which Thursday night can be, as well. "That enters your mind," he said. "I havent had that many opportunities. Theyve all been kind of getting thrown in there. ... Thats just the position that Im in where every summer Im hoping to get a job and scrambling to find something. I want to get a chance to compete for a backup role just to seee what I can do.dddddddddddd." MacIntyre will likely be scrambling again this summer. The AHLs Toronto Marlies could go with a young goaltending duo of Garret Sparks and Christopher Gibson, leaving the career minor-leaguer to look elsewhere. Campbells sales pitch is that MacIntyre is a two-time AHL all-star, people know him around the league and hes "not too old." He said MacIntyre is considered one of the best No. 3 goalie options around, but where he might end up next season depends on trades and other player movement. If nothing else, MacIntyre shouldnt have to face the same questions he did last year after breaking his ankle playing for HC Lev Prague of the KHL, getting released and struggling to find a job anywhere. For a while, no team in the ECHL or Central Hockey League would sign him. While practising with the University of Prince Edward Island, MacIntyre was asked by people close to him if he was considering retiring. "It kind of made me say, Jeepers, should I be thinking that?" MacIntyre said. "It definitely crossed my mind, but I didnt think about retiring. I just knew I was up for a fight." Itll likely be a fight to get an NHL deal that gives him a legitimate opportunity to compete for a backup job. After trips through three organizations, thats what MacIntyre expects. "With a number of teams hes been knocking on the door and hes been very close," said Campbell, who has represented MacIntyre since he was 16 years old. "But its tough to get into the NHL, its a tough league to play in. Its the best league in the world. But hes only 30 and theres time left, thats for sure." The goaltender who gives MacIntyre inspiration is Tim Thomas, who didnt make his first career NHL start until the age of 28 and didnt get a real chance until after a sojourn to Europe showed what kind of performer he could become. Family members and friends always bring up Thomas, now a Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup-winner, to give MacIntyre hope. And he buys into that belief. "He did it. I dont see why I couldnt do it," MacIntyre said. "Im not saying Im going to be Tim Thomas if I get a chance, but I like to think I can compete well up here." ' ' '