Dein erstes Forum » Djokovic has claimed the first two Mast

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Maybe life after Kevin Durant wont be so bad for the Thunder.After the longtime face of the franchise left for Golden State, crestfallen Oklahoma City fans were worried it was just a matter of time before the teams co-star, Russell Westbrook, would follow suit. In a move that shocked many, Westbrook re-signed with Oklahoma City. The former scoring champion and two-time All-Star MVPs return gives the team hope.New faces such as shooting guard Victor Oladipo and forward Domantas Sabonis, both acquired in the deal that sent Serge Ibaka to Orlando, might take some time to fit in. Westbrook believes the team is talented enough to succeed if it is focused and the new pieces blend with the old ones who helped the Thunder reach the Western Conference Finals last season.Just play hard, man, Westbrook said. I dont know, win or lose. The only thing I know is that as long as we play hard, we give ourselves an opportunity to win.Westbrook could post historic numbers. He averaged 23.5 points, 10.4 assists and 7.8 rebounds last season and had 18 triple-doubles, the most since Magic Johnson had 18 during the 1981-82 season. Without Durant, more of that could be on the way.Sabonis, a rookie out of Gonzaga who played for Lithuanias Olympic team, played with the starters throughout the preseason. Oladipo averaged 15.9 points and 4.0 assists in three years with Orlando. He joins Westbrook to form arguably the most athletic backcourt tandem in the NBA.Defensively, I think we can be the best defensive backcourt in the league because we can do different things with our size and using our length and our speed, Westbrook said.Here are some things to watch for the Thunder:STEVEN ADAMSThe 7-footer from New Zealand was already a top-notch defender and rebounder before stepping up his offense and averaging 10.1 points during the playoffs last season. In his final two preseason games, he scored 20 points against Minnesota and 17 points against Denver. He could be a breakout star.I think weve had an opportunity these last two nights (against Minnesota and Denver) how good he is around the basket, how smart he has become and how much of a presence he is in the middle, Westbrook said.ENES KANTERThe natural expectation was that Ibakas departure would prompt coach Billy Donovan to move Kanter, who finished third in balloting for the leagues sixth-man award last season, into the starting lineup. Instead, Donovan started Sabonis throughout the preseason. Perhaps Donovan knows best -- Sabonis showed he can hang with the starters, and Kanter averaged 17.8 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 61.7 percent in the preseason.DEFENSIVE DROPOFF?Oklahoma Citys defense could slip with Ibaka in Orlando. Sabonis has great potential, but hes young, and NBA defense takes some time to learn. Donovan said Sabonis has caught on quickly, but there still could be a dip early because Ibakas level of play is difficult to replace -- he was a three-time first-team All-NBA defender and a two-time blocks leader.FOREIGN EXCHANGEThe Thunder added several foreign players to the roster who will add depth -- Spains Alex Abrines, Frances Joffrey Lauvergne and Turkeys Ersan Ilyasova. Donovan said he likes the maturity foreign players add to a team. Abrines played for Spains national team that earned bronze medals at the Olympics. Lauvergne played for France in Rio.FORGOT ABOUT `DRE?Andre Roberson has shifted from the starting shooting guard to starting small forward. That means the Thunder still have Robersons dynamic athletic ability, defensive prowess and nose for the ball on the boards in the lineup. He was a liability on offense in the past, but he started becoming more of a factor on offense during the playoffs last season.I think he feels more comfortable and confident offensively, Donovan said. Hes put forth effort in that area. Its just him continuing to grow offensively and trying to put him in situations where he slashes to the basket and he can cut and he can get out in transition and he can take his open corner threes.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP Qadree Ollison Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. 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"We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors.Andy Murray has been seeded second for this weeks Monte Carlo Masters and cannot face Novak Djokovic until the final - but his route looks anything but straightforward. Murray begins his clay court season in the principality and will be looking to return to the form that saw him reach the Australian Open final rather than the form of the US hard-court Masters swing.Murray has suffered shock defeats in recent weeks, losing to Federico Delbonis at Indian Wells, and labouring in defeat to Grigor Dimitrov in Miami. Next up for the world No 2 is Monte Carlo, a venue he has not played at since a third round exit in 2013, and he will be hoping to replicate the form which guided him to the semi-finals in 2009 and 2011.However, he has it all to do if he is to claim a first Masters title in Monte Carlo.... Second Round beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2 4-6 6-3 Last 16 beat Benoit Paire 2-6 7-5 7-5 Quarter-Final - Milos Raonic Milos Raonic has been one of the form players on tour this season Plenty of danger lurks in Murrays quarter with Pablo Cuevas, a two-time clay-court winner this season, posing a very real threat to the big serving of Tomas Berdych (runner-up in 2015) and Milos Raonic, but its the Canadian who is arguably the form man on the tour this year behind Novak Djokovic.A run to the semi-final at the Australian Open, where he was beaten in five sets by Murray, was followed by a lay-off before a return at Indian Wells where he made the final before losing to Djokovic. Raonic has reached at least the last eight in all four of his events this year, but Murray leads the head-to-head and won the pairs last meeting on clay - a straight sets success on his way to the Madrid Masters title last year.Semi-final - Rafa Nadal Rafael Nadal has won eight Monte Carlo titles - but none since 2012 Rafa Nadal or Stan Wawrinka are the big hitters likely to provide the semi-final opposition with Dimitrov and Dominic Thiem the danger-men lurking in that quarter.ddddddddddddWawrinka was champion in the principality in 2014 but by virtue of his reputation as the king of clay we will take Nadal, with eight successive Monte Carlo crowns under his belt to come through and provide Murrays semi-final challenge.The 29-year-old may be a fading force but his run to the semi-finals at Indian Wells hinted at a return to form before that shock second-round defeat to Damir Dzumhur in Miami.Nadal holds a dominant head-to-head record between the pair including their last meeting at the World Tour Finals in London last year - however Murray won the last meeting on clay.Murray claimed the Madrid Masters title last year with a dominant 6-3 6-2 victory over Nadal in the final and will hope for more of the same should the pair make it as far as the last four.Final - Roger Federer Master of his trade Novak Djokovic blazing a Masters trail Can it really be anyone other than the formidable world No 1 who faces Murray in the final? Djokovic has claimed the first two Masters events of the year (Indian Wells and Miami) which took his career tally to a record 28.He is the defending Monte Carlo champion, has reached the final of every Masters event he has entered since Shanghai in 2014 and has lost just once this year to go alongside his four titles (although that was an enforced withdrawal against Lopez following an eye problem).Well yes actually it can, Roger Federer has made serene progress in Monte Carlo and is chasing a first win in the principality having lost four finals. Gael Monfils is the most likely alternative, reveling in front of his home fans.You can watch the action from the Monte Carlo Masters on Sky Sports from 9.30am on Monday on Sky Sports 1 Federers Monte Carlo retrurn Details on the draw in Monte Carlo Also See: Federers Monte Carlo return Sky Live: Monte Carlo Masters Master of his trade Djokovic wins in Miami ' ' '