There is no doubt about it: the Oklahoma City Thunder are the it team of the Northwest Division, and the popular pick to hoist a Larry OBrien trophy. cheap jerseys from china . Not popular as in the overwhelming favourites, just that theyre a squad that makes them tough to hate. Kevin Durant is about the nicest superstar you will ever meet, coupled with a deadly skill set that allows him to score easy and often. They look the part of a complete team, thanks to wise drafting and issue-specific trades that have vaulted them to contender status, despite the fact they remain one of the youngest teams in all of basketball. Now, if they could just sort out the crunch-time pecking order between Durant and explosive point guard Russell Westbrook. In Denver, the Nuggets are trying to build on an especially special transition-type season, where they became one of the fun teams to watch after dealing disgruntled star Carmelo Anthony. The Mile High momentum might be a little hard pressed to continue, considering some of their free agents are on the other side of the world playing in China, with no quick return in sight. Three teams made the playoffs out of the Northwest, but it will be interesting to see if Nate McMillan can guide the Portland Trail Blazers to another berth again. This is a team that has some good, if not great pieces, and will say goodbye to their one-time franchise guy in Brandon Roy, while giving Greg Oden – another player expected to be the man in the Pacific Northwest – one more chance to be the dominant big man. The Utah Jazz used to live in the penthouse of this division, but they start their first full season without their long-time coach and their best player. But they have assembled a squad that mixes in promising draft picks with up and coming stars that might just force people to see whats going on in Salt Lake. And Kevin Love was about the only reason to watch the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, as he put together a throwback campaign – think of it as an homage to the 80s big men that stacked points and rebounds in bunches – that forced you to seek out his stat line. While that should still be the case, the focus turns to shaggy-haired Spaniard Ricky Rubio, who will try to live up to the hype that made him one of the teams top draft picks in 2009. So we ask you: How do you see the Northwest Division playing out this season? Its Your! Call. And dont forget to check our team-by-team look at the Northwest Divison, as we count down to the start of the NBA regular season. wholesale jerseys . Less than six minutes remained on the clock at TD Garden with the visitors warily protecting a one-goal lead. cheap nfl jerseys . The Raptors global ambassador was the guest of honour on Saturday but - as he explained to the hoard of media that assembled in front of him before the game - he did not want the evening to be about him, although the night was in fact titled Drake Night. LOS ANGELES -- Staring down the prospect of an 0-3 series deficit, the Anaheim Ducks finally figured out a way to beat the Los Angeles Kings. Even if that way involved a third-period goalie change, two unlikely power-play goals and another wild finish. "Its been like this all year," Teemu Selanne said. "We sell tickets. You never know whats going to happen in our games, but weve got to try to make it a little easier." Selanne scored the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period, Corey Perry got his first goal of the series, and the Ducks beat the Kings 3-2 on Thursday night to trim Los Angeles series lead to 2-1. Anaheim snapped the Kings six-game post-season winning streak. Ben Lovejoys goal with 2:55 to play turned out to be the winner after two earlier goals from the Ducks long-struggling power play. Mike Richards then scored for the Kings with 30 seconds left, but the top-seeded Ducks hung on for just their third win in their last seven playoff games. "It feels good to put a seed of doubt in their mind, hopefully," Lovejoy said. "The Ducks are coming." Game 4 is Saturday night at Staples Center. Jonas Hiller made seven saves in the final 9:58 after rookie goalie Frederik Andersen left with a right leg injury for the Ducks, who bounced back from two narrow losses in Anaheim to open the series. Andersen was solid in Game 3 until getting hurt during a wild scramble midway through the third period. Hiller had to make two tough saves immediately after entering the game, but the Swiss goalie finished strong despite Richards late goal on a midair rebound of Tanner Pearsons shot while Jonathan Quick was pulled for an extra attacker. "Its a challenge for a goalie to come in like that, but it seems like this season is a lot of back-and-forth play," Hiller said. "We were just glad we finally scored three goals in a game." Anaheim scored just three goals total in two games at Honda Center to open the local rivals first playoff meeting. The Ducks regained their edge Thursday, while the Kings struggled to respond in front of their home fans. Jeff Carter had a goal and an assist, and Quick stopped 19 shots for the Kings, who hadnt lost since Game 3 of their stunnning first-round series against San Jose. wholesale nfl jerseys. "Anytime you are down in a series, you are going to come in desperate, and we had to match that desperation," Kings centre Jarret Stoll said. "I dont think we did that. We didnt have it tonight. We werent good enough in a lot of areas." Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau curiously changed starting goalies for Game 3, replacing Hiller with Andersen, the Danish rookie who played poorly in all three road games in the first round against Dallas. Boudreau repeatedly said Hiller had played well against the Kings in the first two games, giving up just five goals, but Andersen beat Los Angeles three times in the regular season, while Hiller is winless in his career at Staples Center. The Ducks didnt have the same vociferous road support enjoyed by the Kings at Honda Center earlier in the series, but Anaheim still silenced Staples Center just 4:06 into Game 3. Ryan Getzlaf got the puck down low to Patrick Maroon, who found Perry in the slot for his third goal of the post-season. Perry, second in the NHL with 43 goals in the regular season, hadnt scored in the series. The Kings evened it when Marian Gaborik set up a one-timer for Carter, who hadnt scored a goal in the Kings last four playoff games. Anaheim couldnt score during a 4-on-3 advantage for 59 seconds late in the period, but Nick Bonino found Selanne with a saucer pass for the Finnish Flashs 44th career goal in 126 post-season games. Matt Beleskey went to the dressing room early in the third period after a hard hit on the boards by Kings captain Dustin Brown. The Ducks said Beleskey had a lower-body injury. Lovejoy scored his second goal of the post-season on a 2-on-1 rush with Andrew Cogliano, sending Kings fans to the exits. NOTES: Maroon extended his scoring streak to six games, the longest post-season streak by a rookie since Los Angeles Warren Rychel in 1993. ... Anze Kopitar, who had an assist, has a point in all 10 of the Kings playoff games. The last Kings player with a 10-game point streak in a single post-season was Wayne Gretzky in 1993. ... The Ducks are staying in a hotel across the street until Saturday, but theyll take a bus 30 miles back home to Anaheim for practice Friday. ' ' '
