Plauderecke » surprise feels much like a veteran in the room to some of th

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Having a team full of talented, but young players can mean a season full of up and downs. One day they are riding high, the next they are having to pull themselves up off the floor.That was the case for the Los Angles Lakers after beating the Houston Rockets in their season opener. They came back two nights later and felt the sting of a physical, bruising loss in Utah during a 96-89 defeat.It hurt, but theres nothing we can do about it, Lakers guard DeAngelo Russell told ESPN.com. Weve got to stay positive and build off it as a team.When we lose, we cant be separated. Thats when weve got to come together. I was just trying to preach that.Los Angeles will get another chance on Sunday to earn their first road win when they take on the Thunder in Oklahoma City.The Thunder is coming off a 113-110 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns. Playing in their first home game of the season, the Thunder had to fend off the hot shooting of TJ Warren and Devin Booker, who scored four straight points in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime.However, they were no match for the superhuman feats of Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, who collected his 38th career triple double with 51 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.Westbrook is the first player since Kareem Abdul Jabbar in the 1974-75 season to have a triple double with at least 50 points.Victor Oladipo, who is in his first season with the Thunder, is learning how serious Westbrook is about winning.This dude right here wants to win more than anybody in the world, Oladipo said of Westbrook. Hell do anything to do that.However, while Oklahoma was pleased to win the dramatic contest in front of their home fans, coach Billy Donovan knows they cant count on nights when Westbrook is forced to shoot the ball 44 times.With only one other player scoring at least 10 points and shooting more than eight shots, Donovan is looking for more production.Overall, weve gotta get more people involved, Donovan said. Weve gotta be able to utilize our big guys better and pound the ball inside.The Thunder will have a size advantage when taking on the Lakers. Steven Adams, Enes Kanter, Domantas Sabonis and Ersan Ilyasova can all score in the paint.Los Angeles will look to counter with a mobile and quick Julius Randle, who wants his team to take on a more aggressive attitude on the road.We gotta go take road wins, Randle told the Los Angeles Times. Stay true to our character, who we are. Just gotta take wins.The Thunder know what type of squad the Lakers will be bringing to town and are prepared for the to bring a lot of energy as they look to bounce back.They are a good, tough team, Oklahoma City guard Andre Roberson said of the Lakers. They are without Kobe (Bryant). They are looking to prove themselves. They are hungry. We just have to come out and be ready to fight their game from the jump. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Nike Jerseys . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Custom Los Angeles Angels Nike Jerseys . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/ . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Custom Kansas City Royals Nike Jerseys . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Custom Seattle Mariners Nike Jerseys . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. Cleveland Browns executive Sashi Brown said Thursday that his team is not looking to trade wide receiver Josh Gordon.The teams head of football operations, talking to a group of Cleveland-area reporters in Tampa, Florida, did not deny there were conversations with multiple clubs about Gordon but the idea the team was willing to listen to offers was probably a mischaracterization.Multiple teams have reached out to the Browns to inquire about the availability of wide receiver Josh Gordon, league sources have told ESPNs Adam Schefter.A Browns team source had told Schefter that the team was not looking to trade Gordon, but Browns comments Thursday were the first public comments from the organization on trade speculation around Gordon.I understand what the interest is in Josh. There are literally hundreds of conversations going around the league about players all the time, Brown said.Gordon will serve a four-game suspension to start the regular season and is one violation away from another indefinite suspension, per the league substance abuse program. Brown said Thursday that Gordon?is doing well.Hes working hard. Hes in with his teammates. I think he understands the position hes in and what the opportunity is here with the Browns. Hes serious about wanting to get back in the league and obviously for him getting back with his teammates here has been a great thing. We talk to him regularly and hes doing well.We see Josh as a great weaapon for our offense.dddddddddddd Hes still working himself back into shape. Hes done a good job getting on top of the playbook. Hes kind of come back in and I think even to his surprise feels much like a veteran in the room to some of the younger receivers.Its a young room, still, a lot of young guys trying to find their way and prove themselves. So hes actually found himself quite a leadership role coming back and we see him as a guy who can be a dynamic piece in our offense.Gordon said Tuesday he didnt want to be traded after returning from his one-year suspension and finding a head coach, an offense, and an infrastructure in place to see through his career comeback.I think it works out perfectly then for me, he said. Mr. [Jimmy] Haslam, the organization, Coach [Hue] Jackson, I think the world of those guys, this city, this organization. Theyre family. Theyre showing me the love and respect back to me by allowing me to stay here up to this point.I expect to move forward with that. Im excited about it. This is where I want to be and Im happy to be with Cleveland.The Browns were in Tampa this week for joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two teams play each other in Tampa on Friday night and Gordon is expected to play in that game.ESPN Clevelands Tony Grossi contributed to this report. ' ' '