The San Antonio Spurs will try to take a 2-0 cushion over the Oklahoma City Thunder when the two teams continue the Western Conference finals tonight at AT&T Center. Shane Greene Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. Five San Antonio players scored in double figures and the Spurs outshot the Thunder from both the field and behind the 3-point line. Russell Westbrook knocked down a jumper with 5:09 left in the third to give the Thunder a 76-75 lead -- their first since a 5-4 edge early in the first -- but after Kevin Durant drained a jumper of his own nearly 30 seconds later, San Antonio turned up the intensity on the defensive end. The Spurs held Oklahoma City to just one field goal over the next seven-plus minutes, turning a one-point deficit into a 13-point advantage early in the fourth quarter. Durants 3-pointer just over three minutes into the fourth brought the visitors within 95-85, but the Thunder failed to get any closer the rest of the way as the Spurs ran away with the victory. Tim Duncan led the charge offensively with 27 points and seven rebounds, while Manu Ginobili and Danny Green combined for 34 points on 7-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. Ginobili netted 18 points, while Green and Kawhi Leonard each scored 16 in the win Tony Parker, who sustained a left hamstring strain in San Antonios series- clinching Game 5 win over Portland in the conference semifinals, supplied 14 points and 12 assists for the Spurs. "We were taking what we were given," Duncan said. "We knew wed be able to get into the middle and attack a little more than we have." The reason the Spurs were able to attack the middle was due to the absence of OKCs big man, Serge Ibaka. He injured his left calf in Game 6 of the conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers and is expected to miss the remainder of the postseason. San Antonio exploited the advantage and trounced the Thunder in the paint to the tune of 66-32. "Were a no-excuse team," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "Serge is out. Hes not coming back. We have to play better." The Spurs shot 57.5 percent from the field and 53 percent from beyond the arc. Oklahoma City shot respectable percentages of 46.3 from the floor and 44.4 outside the 3-point line. Durant registered 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Westbrook finished with 25 points, seven assists and five boards for the Thunder, who won all four meetings with the Spurs during the regular season. The Thunder trailed by as many 15 points in the first half before Westbrook and Durant fueled OKCs comeback in the third, scoring all but two of the teams 23 points in the period. Westbrook registered the Thunders first nine points in the third, including a jumper with 8:13 on the clock that brought the team within 72-68. Ginobili buried a 3-pointer to quell the Westbrook barrage, but Durant ripped off five straight points and Westbrook followed with a free throw and a jumper to give Oklahoma City a 76-75 lead. Durant followed two free throws from Boris Diaw with another jumper, but the Thunder managed just one field goal -- a Durant jumper with 22.9 seconds left in the frame -- for nearly nine minutes as the Spurs surged ahead for good. "The third quarter was obviously our best quarter, but we didnt close out well," Durant said. "Were not taking any moral victories out of it." Game 3 will be Sunday night in Oklahoma City. Warren Spahn Jersey . Mitchell first announced on Twitter that he has signed with the Steelers and his agent Brian Hamilton confirmed the signing to The Associated Press. Financial terms were not released. The Steelers have not announced the addition of Mitchell. Gary Matthews Jersey . Price was hurt at the start of Wednesdays practice after facing just one shot as the team worked on their power play. He left the ice in discomfort and appeared to be favouring his leg. A Habs source told TSNs John Lu that Price suffered the injury in Sochi and not before the Olympics.NEW YORK, N.Y. - Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to play in the NBA, announced Wednesday his retirement from the league.The 35-year-old Collins made the announcement in a first-person story for Sports Illustrated. Its the same forum he used in April, 2013, to publicly reveal his sexuality and become the first openly gay man in any of the four major North American professional leagues.He joined the Brooklyn Nets in February and played 22 games for the team, but was not on the roster this season.It feels wonderful to have been part of these milestones for sports and for gay rights, and to have been embraced by the public, the coaches, the players, the league and history, Collins wrote.Collins started his career with the New Jersey Nets in 2001 and rejoined the franchise in Brooklyn. Nets spokesman Aaron Harris said Collins is expected to address the media at the Barclays Center on Wednesday night before the Nets game with the Milwaukee BucksBucks coach Jason Kidd was Brooklyns coach last year, and Collins singled him out for the courage he showed in bringing him on board.It had been argued that no team would want tto take on a player who was likely to attract a media circus from the outset and whose sexuality would be a distraction, he wrote. Tony Larussa Jersey. Im happy to have helped put those canards to rest.Collins wore No. 98 during his final seasons in the league— 1998 was year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming — was killed.Collins said his most poignant moment came during his third game back last season, when he met Shepards family in Denver.Following Collins revelation, Missouri defensive end Michael Sam came out in February and was drafted by the NFLs St. Louis Rams. He was later cut by the Rams and was released from the Dallas Cowboys practice squad last month.In April, University of Massachusetts guard Derrick Gordon became the first openly gay player in Division I mens basketball.But Collins noted Wednesday that there are still no openly gay players in the NFL, NHL or major league baseball.He wrote that someday, when we get to the point where hes not compelled to hide his true self and is able to live an authentic life, being a gay athlete wont be a big deal.But were not there yet, he said. ' ' '
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