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Notes Hornets guard Lance Stephenson missed his fifth straight

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TORONTO -- Nikolai Kulemin has been in the dark. Cheap Air Jordan 5 Retro China . The Toronto Maple Leafs winger is a candidate to play for Russia at next months Sochi Olympics that are set to be a showcase for his home country. But with the roster being made of up some Kontinental Hockey League players in addition to NHL stars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk, he doesnt really know where he stands. "I dont really know what they want to do," Kulemin said last week. "Its their decision who to bring to the team. You never know what theyre thinking." Kulemin, a veteran of 382 NHL games, represented Russia at the 2007 and 2010 world championships but never at the Olympics. The two-way forward was invited to Olympic camp over the summer, and he said only of his likelihood that coaches "said everybody have a chance." Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Malkin and former NHL-turned-KHL poster boys Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov already take up five spots while Alexander Semin, Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexei Tereschenko are also seemingly in good shape. That means it could be a question of whether the Russian management team values Kulemin more than a comparable player from the KHL. Kulemin has just five goals and six assists in 31 games this season after a bone chip in his ankle cost him a month. Thats ninth among Russian-born NHL forwards, though the 27-year-old is much better known for his defensive prowess. "Hes top guy," Ovechkin said of Kulemin earlier this season. "He can play physical game, he can make big hits, good defensive player. Hes very skilled (on) offence too." Ovechkin is the face of the Olympics, so any praise from him cant hurt. "Thank him to say that," Kulemin said. "I would be happy to make the team and help the team in any position I would play for. Well see." One benefit Kulemin would bring is the ability to play on either wing. Thats especially valuable if Ovechkin reverts back to the left side he played his whole life until Washington Capitals coach moved him to right wing, igniting an MVP campaign. Ovechkins place isnt in question. But theres no certainty that Kulemin will join Leafs teammates Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk -- who were named to the U.S. team -- in Sochi. "I think thatd be great for him," van Riemsdyk said. "You see how hard he works day in and day out and what he brings to our team as far as just every shift hes out there hes 110 per cent. You know what to expect from him. He brings a lot to the table for us out there, so I think theyd be lucky to have him on their team, too." Perhaps the Leafs would feel luckier if Kulemin didnt make the cut. Asked Saturday morning about the impact of Kessel and van Riemsdyk making the U.S. team on Toronto, coach Randy Carlyle pointed to a negative aspect of NHL participation in the Olympics. "From my experience with it in Anaheim, we had seven players go to the (2010) Olympics and we had (Ryan) Getzlaf, (Corey) Perry and Scott Niedermayer come back and they didnt have any emotion left when they got back," Carlyle said. "They participated in winning a gold medal, and it was difficult to get those guys back to the level that we needed them at that time, and its understandable." The Chicago Blackhawks had nine players at those Olympics, including Canadians Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, and went on to win the Stanley Cup. But the concern over the let-down is legitimate. "Its two or three weeks of high emotion, and the last thing on their mind is where they came from," Carlyle said. "Theyre playing for their country." This is especially true in the case of the Russians, who will be facing immense pressure to win gold on home ice. Kulemin, a native of Magnitogorsk, a 35-hour drive northeast from Sochi, would love to join in that quest. He has been waiting in nervous anticipation of the roster announcement. "Well see if I make the team," Kulemin said. "Id be so happy. But you never know." Black Air Jordan 5 Retro . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. White Air Jordan 5 Retro UK .ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston.Oklahoma City, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - Russell Westbrooks 29-point outing, his career-best 11th straight game with 25-plus, helped the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 98-75 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Westbrook had to take a bulk of the scoring load once again because his star teammate, Kevin Durant, sat for a fifth consecutive game due to a sprained ankle. Serge Ibaka scored 13 points with a season-high 14 rebounds and Anthony Morrow chipped in 11 points for Oklahoma City, which won for a second straight day after a two-game skid. The Thunder were coming off a 114-106 win over San Antonio on Christmas. We talked about playing every night, playing with a defensive brand every night. Back-to-back games now... I was proud of our defensive effort, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. Brian Roberts paced the Hornets with 17 points off the bench and Marvin Williams added 11 points in a reserve role. Charlotte had its season-high four-game winning streak snapped and dropped its eighth straight game in the series. Westbrook had a productive first half, scoring 19 points to help his team take a comfortable lead into the locker room at the break. Charlottes Cody Zeller opened the scoring with a jumper, then Westbrook scored six points during a 9-0 burst for the Thunder. Westbroook found Ibaka for a 3-pointer later in the frame to extend the lead to double digits and Oklahoma City entered the second up 33-24. Womens Air Jordan 5 Retro UK. . Theyre so good defensively, we just had trouble in the first quarter making shots, Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. We played a very good team and they played well. The Thunder then scored the first eight points of the second, and Westbrooks jumper with over four minutes to go in the quarter giving Oklahoma City a 53-34 cushion and it led 59-40 at halftime. Oklahoma City was held scoreless for the first 3:51 of the third but Charlotte could not take advantage, scoring just four points over that span. Westbrook scored six straight points during a 17-4 run that started with Ibakas jumper that ended the scoring drought, with the Thunder opening up a 76-49 lead at the end of the spurt. Morrows trey capped the scoring in the quarter and helped the hosts to an 81-56 lead entering the fourth. Game Notes Hornets guard Lance Stephenson missed his fifth straight game with a pelvis injury ... Ibaka had four of his teams 10 blocks ... Oklahoma City shot 41 percent from the floor and held Charlotte to 28.7 percent shooting ... The Thunder had a 44-24 advantage in the paint. 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