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MEMPHIS, Tenn. Jeff Skinner Jersey . -- Kevin Durant insisted the Thunder facing elimination was all the motivation he needed. Thanks to the NBAs best scorer, the Thunder remain alive and can finish off the Memphis Grizzlies back in Oklahoma City. Durant scored 36 points to break out of a slump, and the Thunder routed the Grizzlies 104-84 on Thursday night to force a deciding seventh game in the first-round Western Conference series. His performance came on a day where the hometown newspaper questioned his struggles with a headline calling him "Mr. Unreliable." "We needed to win this game," Durant said. "Thats more motivation than anything, so our team responded. Weve got to do an even better job in Game 7." Russell Westbrook added 25 points for the Thunder, who havent been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs since 2010. They took control early with Durant scoring 14 points in the first quarter, led by 15 at halftime and never let Memphis get that close again in the second half in the first game in the series that didnt go to overtime since the opener. "You dont get to his level as an NBA player and a great player as he is to have other people motivate you," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Hes self-motivated. Hes a tremendous kid and does everything for his team, for our organization. Were proud of him because he gives everything he has. That was the only focus for tonights game." Durant also had 10 rebounds and made 14 of 15 free throws. Reggie Jackson had 16 points off the bench for the Thunder, who will host Game 7 on Saturday night. Grizzlies guard Tony Allen said the Thunder simply wanted the game more and called the loss embarrassing in front of a sellout crowd. "Now, weve shot ourselves in the foot, and we have to go to a hostile environment now and pretty much show where our heart is at," Allen said. Marc Gasol had 17 points and Zach Randolph 16 for Memphis. Guard Mike Conley strained his right hamstring, briefly returned and left for good with 8:48 left. Conley went down in the third quarter near midcourt dribbling when Kendrick Perkins reached in for a steal. The Memphis guard returned briefly, but Conley was limping noticeably. With the Thunder in control, Conley went to the locker room again and didnt return. Nick Calathes currently is suspended for violating the NBAs anti-drug policy, leaving Memphis with only Beno Udrih at point guard. Memphis coach Dave Joerger said Udrih will play a lot of minutes if Conley cant. Conley said he will be re-evaluated Friday and receive as much treatment as possible before tipoff Saturday. "I plan on playing," Conley said. Durant had to answer questions after the shootaround Thursday about that headline in The Oklahoman newspaper. Durant said he had no problem with the headline and that he just needed to hit shots and be more aggressive. Smiling just before tipoff, Durant did just that. The man who led the NBA scoring 32 points a game during the regular season opened by hitting five of his first seven and finished 11 of 23 from the floor. He continued to struggle outside the arc where he missed all six of his attempts. The Grizzlies had a chance to advance to their third semifinal in four years on their own floor. Yet they couldnt shoot well or match the Thunders intensity with a sloppy performance in front of a sellout crowd that tried to energize the Grizzlies. Oklahoma City outrebounded Memphis 47-36 and easily outshot them 49.3 per cent (37 of 75) to 37.3 per cent (31 of 83). "We knew sooner or later our shots would fall," Brooks said. Brooks also benched Thabo Sefolosha and started Caron Butler. "This is why you play the game to prove doubters wrong, and adversity builds character," Butler said. "This team has a strong character and a will." Memphis last led 6-4. A team that thrives off defence, the Grizzlies couldnt knock down shots even when they managed to get consecutive stops. The Grizzlies got to 42-37 with 3:08 left on a steal and fast-break layup by Conley. The Thunder finished the half with a 14-4 run for a 56-41 lead. The Grizzlies missed their first six shots to open the third quarter, finishing any hopes of a comeback. James Johnson scored 15 points off the bench for Memphis, and Allen added 13. Notes: This will be the second Game 7 between the teams in four years. Oklahoma City beat Memphis in seven in the 2011 conference semifinals. ... The Grizzlies are 4-1 with a chance to close out a series. ... Steven Adams blocked a career-high five shots off the bench for the Thunder. Jay McClement Jersey .J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. Eddie Lack Jersey . This is an exercise I have undertaken a few times, starting in 2009, and hope that Ive refined my approach a little bit in that time to help paint a better picture. http://www.hurricanesfansstore.com/Sebastian-Aho-Jersey/ . -- Tony Finau won the Stonebrae Classic on Sunday for his first Web. INDIANAPOLIS -- The Eastern Conference became a lot more interesting after Derrick Roses successful return to the Chicago Bulls. The former MVP scored 13 points in 20 minutes in an 82-76 exhibition victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. "Same old Derrick Rose," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "He looked great." Rose led the Bulls to the No. 1 seed in the East two seasons ago before he tore his left ACL during the playoffs, then missed all of last season while recovering. He said he had some nerves Saturday that quickly went away. "I felt great," Rose said. "I felt normal, I felt the way Ive been playing in practice. Im just trying to get my timing back." He was at his lightning-fast best against the Pacers in the preseason opener for both teams, breaking away for several layups and converting a steal and dunk in the third quarter. He appeared unafraid of contact, constantly challenging Indianas large front line. "Thats the way he played before the injury, and hes back to playing like that," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "And for him, thats his game. The speed, the quickness, the power to go along with it -- thats what makes him so special and unique. Theres no one like him." Rose misconnected with his teammates several times and committed four turnovers. Rose said he was going too fast, and his coach agreed. "The speed at which he plays, youve got to get accustomed to," Thibodeau said. "His teammates have to get used to it again, and he has to get used to it, but overall, I thought he played very, very well." Indianas Danny Granger also returned after missing most of last season with a left knee injury. He finished with six points on 2-for-10 shooting in 29 minutes. "He was a little rusty, and I wouldnt expect anything but that," Vogel said. "His game condition is in the final part of his recovery." Taj Gibson had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Luol Deng scored 15 points and Jimmy Butler added 11 for the Bulls. Paul George and David West each scored 14 points and Roy Hibbert added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers. Rose sat on the bench praying in the moments before the opening tip. A large contingent of Bulls fans made the short trip, and they cheered loudly the first time he touched the ball. On his first shot attempt, he challenged the 7-foot-2, 290-pound Hibbert. Rose missed, but got the offensive rebound and scored. "They hit me in practice," Rose said. "Im used to getting hiit now. Cam Ward Hurricanes Jersey. Falling, slipping -- I got that out the way." At 7:17 in the first quarter, Rose stepped in to try and take a charge from Lance Stephenson, but he was called for a block. He played the first 7:02 and went 1 for 4 from the field with an assist. Rose sat on the baseline and rolled a softball under the back of the previously injured knee while he was out of the game. He returned with 8:31 remaining in the second quarter. He showed some of his speed with a breakaway layup with 7:45 left in the second quarter, though it might have been a dunk in his pre-injury days. Later, after a steal, Rose came up stretching his right leg out. Then, it happened. Carlos Boozer snagged a rebound and swung the ball out to Rose, who ran the length of the floor in seemingly no time, scored an up-and-under layup and was fouled. He made the free throw to give the Bulls a 34-31 lead with 4:32 left in the first half. Rose scored another fast-break layup less than a minute later, then hit Deng with a perfect setup for a 3-pointer to push Chicagos lead to 39-33. Rose took a hard foul from Hibbert with 1:34 left in the first half, but quickly got up and walked away, maintaining the calm demeanour he was known for before his injury. He made both free throws to give Chicago a 41-36 lead. Rose had 11 points on 4-for-10 shooting in the first half. He had four turnovers in the second quarter. Early in the third quarter, Rose stole the ball and finished with his first dunk, a two-handed jam. He sat for good with Chicago holding a 50-49 lead, and Indiana immediately went on a 9-0 run to take a 58-50 lead and force a Chicago timeout. Granger played in five games last season. He has a career average of 18.1 points and was an All-Star in 2009 who averaged 25.7 points per game that season. In his absence, George emerged as an All-Star and recently signed a lucrative contract. Granger entered the game with 6:02 left in the first quarter. He made his first basket, a 3-pointer, with 10:54 left in the second quarter. "It was a good first step," Granger said. "My second wind didnt kick in during the first half like it usually does, but it was good to get that under my belt." Notes: Rose turned 25 on Friday. ... Bulls C Joakim Noah missed the game with a right groin strain. ... Granger doesnt practice more than two days in a row and only participates in one practice during two-a-days. ... Former Pacers Dahntay Jones and Mike Dunleavy now play for the Bulls while ex-Bull C.J. Watson is with the Pacers. NFL Jerseys China ' ' '