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OKLAHOMA CITY - Kevin Durant stood before his adoring home crowd, proudly holding his MVP trophy above his head during a pregame ceremony. He spent the next few hours showing how he earned it. Durant had 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-101 on Wednesday night to tie their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. "We wanted to come back and respond," Durant said. "So, I think thats what fueled the team tonight. We just went out there and played extremely well and left it all out there, and came out with a good W." During his emotional MVP acceptance speech on Tuesday, Durant called teammate Russell Westbrook an MVP-calibre player. Westbrook backed up Durants words with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double in his past five playoff games. "I think Russ played harder than all of us combined," Clippers guard Chris Paul said. "He was all over the place." Thunder coach Scott Brooks took Durant out of the game with 1:21 remaining, costing him a shot at the triple-double. According to information provided to the Thunder by the Elias Sports Bureau, no pair of teammates has had triple-doubles in the same playoff game. Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha each scored 14 points for the Thunder, who shot 51 per cent from the field and outrebounded the Clippers 52-36. "It was the perfect storm," Clippers guard Jamal Crawford said. "They did everything they could to win, and they got everything they wanted tonight. That wasnt the Clippers team weve been and Im sure well get back on track." J.J. Redick scored 18 points, Paul had 17 points and 11 assists, and Blake Griffin added 15 points for the Clippers. Los Angeles made 15 of 29 3-pointers in Game 1, but just 9 of 27 in Game 2. The Clippers will host Game 3 Friday in Los Angeles. Durant scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the first quarter to help the Thunder take a 37-28 lead. Paul, who scored 17 points in the opening quarter of Game 1, went scoreless in the first quarter of Game 2 and watched most of the period from the bench with two fouls as the Thunder took control early. Oklahoma City got an offensive boost from an unlikely source in the third quarter — Sefolosha, a defensive stopper. He hit a mid-range jumper, then dunked after a steal by Westbrook to give the Thunder a 78-66 lead. Sefolosha dunked again, then got a steal that led to a 3-pointer by Westbrook and gave Oklahoma City a 90-73 advantage. Sefolosha, who had averaged just 3.7 points in the playoffs, scored 12 points in the quarter to help the Thunder take a 94-77 lead into the fourth. Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he expected Durant and Westbrook to score, but not Sefolosha. "We can win if they (Durant and Westbrook) both have good offensive games," Rivers said. "What we cant do is then give them that plus everything else. And I thought thats what happened tonight." Westbrook clinched his triple-double with 1:21 remaining when he was credited with an assist after a pass to Sefolosha, who took two dribbles on his drive to the basket. Rivers said the Thunder were the aggressors. "Every single possession, you have to have great focus and you have to be locked in, and today we were not," he said. "I thought it was because of all the clutter today. Were upset at the officials, were upset at everything instead of turning our anger on the opponent and focus. Tonight we just didnt have it." Notes: A power surge took out much of the arenas lighting with 27.2 seconds left in the first half. The coaches agreed to finish out the half with the limited lighting. The power returned, but halftime was extended briefly to give the lights the necessary 15 minutes to return to full brightness. ... Rapper Jay-Z attended the game. ... 2K Sports has announced that Durant will be the lone player on the cover of NBA 2K15. He shared the cover of 2K13 with Griffin and Chicagos Derrick Rose. Miamis LeBron James was on the cover of 2K14. ... Commissioner Adam Silver presented Durant with the MVP trophy before the game. ... Thunder C Steven Adams was called for a technical foul with 9:17 remaining for falling on Paul after biting on a pump fake and knocking him into the Thunder bench. Crawford was issued a technical with 7:28 to play, and Paul was given one with 2:24 remaining. ... Severe weather affected the area, and fans were told to stay in the arena after the game to allow the weather to pass. Mark Jackson Jersey . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. Allan Houston Jersey . - Young and old. http://www.knickssale.com/kids-walt-frazier-knicks-jersey/ . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Custom New York Knicks Jerseys . Saltalamacchia drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, Henderson Alvarez won for the first time in three starts and the Miami Marlins beat the Braves 3-2 on Thursday night. Willis Reed Jersey . He has spent much of his adult life trying to give back to his native South Sudan, the war-torn African nation the Cavaliers forward and his family fled when he was a young boy.DETROIT -- After another early exit by Miguel Cabrera, the Detroit Tigers arent exactly sure when their star will return to the lineup. The reigning Triple Crown winner was pulled from a second straight game, this time after two innings Friday night because of irritation in his abdominal area. "I dont feel very good," Cabrera said after a 7-2 win over Cleveland. "I dont want to be specific. I dont feel 100 per cent." Victor Martinez doubled twice and drove in two runs as the AL Central-leading Tigers won in a game stopped after seven innings because of rain. Detroit opened a 7 1/2-game lead over the second-place Indians. Cabrera said he didnt swing the bat well in batting practice, then Tigers manager Jim Leyland watched the third baseman struggle while striking out in his only at-bat. Cabrera likely wont go on the disabled list -- hes never been on the DL in his 11-season career -- because rosters can expand on Sunday. But the Tigers are wondering just how long they might have to sit Cabrera until the lingering strained left abdominal wall gets much better. "I dont have any idea on the status," Leyland said. "All I can tell you is when you pull a guy out one night, normally he doesnt start the next day. I dont have any idea. I dont really know. I just have to play it by ear, see what happens." Cabrera left Thursdays game after hurting his abdomen while making an awkward slide. He has been bothered by a strained left abdominal wall for over a month and hampered by knee and shin injuries since then. The slugger leads the majors with 130 RBIs and a .358 batting average. He also has 43 home runs. Indians manager Terry Francona held a short meeting with his team before the game. Cleveland then lost to Detroit for the 17th time in their last 21 meetings. "Were all aware of what our record is," Francona said. "We dont go into any game not thinking were going to win. The reason theyre beaating us is theyre good.dddddddddddd" Andy Dirks entered after Cabrera left and got two hits and scored twice. Rick Porcello (11-7) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings, walking two and striking out three. He was replaced by Al Alburquerque with the bases loaded and two out in the sixth. Alburquerque walked Asdrubal Cabrera to force in a run and make it 5-2, but then got Yan Gomes on a grounder. Drew Smyly and Bruce Rondon combined to pitch a scoreless seventh as each allowed a hit. Zach McAllister (7-8) gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings. Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the first on a spectacular double play started by Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias. With runners on first and third and none out, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a one-hop liner that Iglesias snared with a dive to his right. He then made the throw to second baseman Omar Infante while still on the ground and rolling over. "The kid made one of the best plays Ive ever seen. Weve got runners on first and third and none out, then that," Francona said. "We got a run out of it. But we would have had still had two on and none out ... that hurt." The Tigers tied it in the second on Don Kellys sacrifice fly. Detroit scored four in the third to take a 5-1 lead. Austin Jackson singled in a run and Martinez hit a bases-loaded, two-run double that eluded centre fielder Michael Bourn, who lost the ball in the twilight. "I saw it off the bat, I knew it was coming to me. From there, I didnt see it," Bourn said. "Obviously, I was pretty far away from it. ... That was on me, I take the blame." NOTES: Rondons first warmup pitch sailed over the head of catcher Alex Avila and bounced off the backstop. ... Martinez in 15 for 24 (.625) in his last six games. .. The pitching matchup for Saturday nights second game of the series is LHP Scott Kazmir (7-6, 4.25) for Cleveland against RHP Anibal Sanchez (11-7, 2.61) for Detroit. 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