LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Clippers begin a new era Thursday night, the Steve Ballmer ownership era, by hosting the Oklahoma

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Clippers begin a new era Thursday night, the Steve Ballmer ownership era, by hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. Cameron Artis-Payne Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 beginning at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt. Ballmer bought the Clippers for $2 billion after former owner Donald Sterling was caught on tape making racially-insensitive remarks. The Sterling saga took place during the Clippers playoff push last season, one that ended in the Western Conference semifinals to the Thunder. Neither team is the same as it was in the postseason. For the Thunder, reigning MVP Kevin Durant is shelved with a broken foot. Theyre not going to change completely who they are, and there were actually minutes where Durant wasnt on the floor, so you can kind of watch those, head coach Doc Rivers said. But theyll be a little different without him, obviously. Theyll play a little different. For the Clippers, the team now has solid support from ownership. The on-court product is solid with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, both of whom finished in the top five in MVP voting last season. The Clippers didnt have much to address in the offseason, but a backup big man was a huge priority. Spencer Hawes agreed to a four-year deal and he will open up the floor for, and spell, both Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, who led the NBA in rebounding last season. And, despite leading the league on the glass, the Clippers were badly out- rebounded in the offseason. Its an issue Rivers and Jordan have addressed with the team. Reboundings not purely athleticism, Griffin said. Its about really going and getting it. DJ does a great job. I need to do a better job of, especially when Im out on the perimeter guarding a stretch four or something like that, of coming back in and pursuing the ball and not leaking out. Thats something Ive been working on. The Thunder try to endure without Durant. Oklahoma City fell to fellow Northwest Division rivals, the Portland Trail Blazers, 106-89, in Wednesdays season opener. OKC built a two-point lead after three quarters, but fell apart totally in the fourth quarter. The Blazers outscored the Thunder, 31-12, over the final 12 minutes. Our guys played their hearts out, head coach Scott Brooks said. We played hard. Thats the only thing I can ask from the guys: to compete, play hard and play for each other. They did that tonight but we made too many mistakes at the end of the game. Russell Westbrook, who had 36 points through three, netted just two points on 1-of-6 shooting in the fourth. He posted 26 of his 36 points in the first half, ended 11-of-26 from the field and sunk 15-of-16 foul shots for the Thunder, who lost to San Antonio in the West Finals last season. Lance Thomas managed 14 for the second unit and Serge Ibaka chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. The Thunder didnt get much from the remaining three starters - Perry Jones, Steven Adams and Andre Roberson. They combined for 17 points, but were forced into duty thanks to injuries to Durant, Reggie Jackson, Anthony Morrow and Jeremy Lamb. The Thunder, who shot 2-for-16 from beyond the arc on Wednesday, have won five of the last seven regular-season meetings with the Clips. Oklahoma City has won three of its last four regular-season matchups as the visitor in this series. Daryl Williams Jersey . -- Wes Welker is unlikely to suit up for Denvers game Thursday against San Diego after leaving Sundays win over Tennessee with his second concussion in four games. Trai Turner Jersey . For Sweed, a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008, this will be his second go around in the CFL after previously having spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. http://www.nflpanthersgearofficial.com/russell-shepard-jersey/ . Goodell said in an ESPN Radio interview Monday (http://es.pn/1gkbauy ) that participants played harder and made the game very competitive. Goodell says he had fun watching the game Sunday and thinks fans did, too.CHANDLER, Ariz. - The New England Patriots came out swinging upon their arrival at the Super Bowl.Not star quarterback Tom Brady or All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis. Not coach Bill Belichick, either.Robert Kraft.The team owner on Monday night demanded an apology from the league once the Patriots are found to be not guilty of breaking any rules regarding using under-inflated footballs in the AFC championship game.A conclusion Kraft is certain will occur.In an unscheduled statement, Kraft strongly defended his teams actions and integrity, growing more fiery with each sentence.I want to make it clear that I believe, unconditionally, that the New England Patriots have done nothing inappropriate in this process or in violation of NFL rules, Kraft said at the teams first media availability in Arizona.If the (Ted) Wells investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs, I would expect and hope the league would apologize to our entire team, and in particular to coach (Bill) Belichick and Tom Brady, for what theyve had to endure this week.NFL Executive Vice-President Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss are leading the probe. Wells was the investigator in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal and has said the current investigation could last a while.Kraft welcomes a thorough search.Im disappointed in the way this entire matter has been handled and reported upon, Kraft said, pointing directly to reports citing anonymous sources. We expect hard facts rather than circumstantial leaked evidence to drive the conclusion of this investigation.The NFL has said evidence shows the Patriots used underinflated footballs during the first half of the AFC title game victory over Indianapolis. The league is still determining why the balls were underinflated.I am confident that this investigation will uncover whatever the facts were that took place last Sunday and the science of how game balls react to changes in the environment, Kraft added. This would be in directt contrast to the public discourse, which has been driven by media leaks as opposed to actual data and facts. James Bradberry Jersey. . Because of this, many jumped to conclusions and made scarring accusations against our coach, quarterback and staff questioning the integrity of all involved.Belichick and Brady followed Kraft to the podium, but basically left any comments on the investigation to their boss.When asked if he was upset by the accusations and jokes of which he was the subject, Brady said: Ive moved past those initial feelings and I want to move forward.But moving away from the deflated footballs theme will be particularly difficult on media day, when just about any question has been fair game in the past.So Kraft came out swinging before then with a speech tinged with emotion — and fire.Tom, Bill and I have been together for 15 years. They are my guys, said Kraft, who has three Super Bowl titles and three other trips to the big game since 2001.They are part of my family. Bill, Tom and I have had many difficult discussions over the years. Ive never known them to lie to me. Thats why Im confident in saying what I just said.It bothers me greatly their reputations and integrity — and by association that of our team — has been called into question this week.This hardly is the first time the Patriots have been under such scrutiny. Most famously was 2007, their undefeated regular season. Revelations that New England videotaped New York Jets coaches signals during a game cost Belichick a $500,000 fine, and the team was fined $250,000 and stripped of its 2008 first-round draft choice by the NFL.During this years playoffs, Ravens coach John Harbaugh accused the Patriots of being deceitful with some alignments on offence. The NFL exonerated Krafts team of any wrongdoing.Now, Kraft has taken the offensive.I, and our entire organization, he said, believe strongly in the integrity of the game and the rules of fair play are properly, equitably and fairly enforced.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Black China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL T-shirts Cheap NFL T-shirts Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap NFL Jerseys Camo ' ' '