MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Kevin Durant insists he and Russell Westbrook arent turning their first-round series into a two-man show, even if the NBA scoring champ says they may be shooting too much. Durant and his Oklahoma City teammates agree those shots will fall. Saturday night in Game 4 would be a good time to start, or the Thunder could find themselves on the brink of playoff elimination in the opening round for the first time since 2010. "I just didnt make shots," Durant said Friday after practice. "Thats the name of the game. But I liked the way I cut, I liked the way I was aggressive. But I have to do a better job of maybe passing the ball a little bit more and also making shots. Ive got to stay confident in myself." Durant and Westbrook each scored 30 points in Thursday nights 98-95 overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, combining to go 19 of 53 or a majority of the 87 shots the Thunder took. Worse, they were a chilling 4 of 21 beyond the arc with Durant missing all eight of his attempts. Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins said that wont happen again. "KD is obviously the league MVP and we expect him to be the MVP down the stretch," Perkins said. Memphis has been making Durant and Westbrook work hard for shots by crowding the paint while holding the Thunder below 40 per cent shooting in back-to-back games. Now the Grizzlies have the same 2-1 lead they had a year ago in the semifinals against Oklahoma City after consecutive overtime wins. Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said they want to limit the easy shots and hope Durant and Westbrook miss some. "Theyre going to get them up," Joerger said. Durant and Westbrook werent alone. Oklahoma City went 5 of 28 for a chilling 17.9 per cent. That was just the seventh time in the playoffs the Thunder have shot 20 per cent or less from 3 since moving to Oklahoma City, and three came against the Grizzlies. Thunder coach Scott Brooks said the Grizzlies have been forcing them to take some of the 3s by crowding three and four players around the paint. Oklahoma City can loosen up Memphis by hitting some of those "The ones were trying to eliminate and hopefully we do that next game, are the ones that are off the dribble with the no passes. Those are the tough ones. Those are the ones that we dont want. The ones we like, and were going to have to be able to step up and make, are the ones when theyre packing the paint." Still, the Thunder, who posted the NBAs second-best record, remain confident. "Itd be different if we got blown out or we feel like we didnt have a chance to win," Westbrook said. "Were in a good place." So are the Grizzlies. They now have won four of the last six playoff games against Oklahoma City, including four straight on their home court. The Thunders lone win here in the post-season needed three overtimes in Game 4 of their 2011 semifinal. Not even going to overtime after blowing fourth-quarter leads has bothered Memphis, which has been pushing for the playoffs since January once centre Marc Gasol returned from a sprained left knee. The Grizzlies went 10-4 in games decided by three points or less as one of only four teams with double-digit wins in one-possession games. Conley called Saturday night the next most important game of the season. "We know theyre not going to go away," Conley said. "Theyre going to fight and do whatever they can to win the series." PJ Tucker Jersey . -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division. PJ Tucker Rockets Jersey . One out away from finishing off an impressive shutout, they let a must-win game slip away. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/Authentic-Steve-Francis-Rockets-Jersey/ . Whenever United loses, its crisis. When other top teams slip up, its the quirky nature of the Premier League. The predictable reaction speaks to the sky-high expectations for a team proven perennial contender and 13 times Premier League champion. Chris Paul Jersey . Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. Charles Barkley Rockets Jersey . With the union re-formed, negotiations with owners will resume Friday on the remaining issues that would be in the collective bargaining agreement, according to a person familiar with the plans.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Coach Mike Smith cant seem to pull the Atlanta Falcons from their two-year rut on the road.The Falcons havent done much right since losing last years opener at New Orleans, dropping 10 of 11 road games as they prepare to visit Tampa Bay this weekend.Smith hopes to reverse the trend by finishing games better. A fourth-quarter meltdown as the home team two weeks ago in London gave the Falcons a seven-game losing streak away from the Georgia Dome.These guys have worked extremely hard, Smith said Wednesday. During the week, they are doing what we ask them to do, but its not transferring to 60 minutes in a football game.The last-second loss to the Detroit Lions at Wembley Stadium has been hard for the team to shake.Atlanta, which has been outscored 75-28 in the fourth quarter of its seven-game skid, blew a 21-0 halftime lead to Detroit.The debacle set off another round of speculation that Smith could get fired — even before the season ends — but quarterback Matt Ryan insists that Smith has not lost the players attention.You cant worry about all the things being said outside this building, Ryan said. When things are not going your way and youre not winning games, there is going to be criticism. We understand that.Before Smith was hired in January 2008, Atlanta was known mostly for losing. The franchise had never achieved consecutive winning records since its debut in 1966, but Smith pulled off the feat four times, leading the Falcons to a pair of NFC South titles and four playoff appearances.On the road, Smiths first five teams went 22-18, not including post-season losses at Arizona and the New York Giants, but its been a struggle ever since.We havent finished games on the road like we need to, Smith said.dddddddddddd Id say thats probably the thing that stands out over the span youre talking about.These kinds of problems are nothing new for running back Steven Jackson, who, as the NFLs leading active rusher, has never played on a team that finished the season above .500.After getting drafted by St. Louis in the first round of 2004, Jackson played for Mike Martz, Scott Linehan, Steve Spagnuolo, Jeff Fisher and interim coaches Joe Vitt and Jim Haslett. Jacksons teams have gone combined 50-117-1, but hes hoping the Falcons play well enough for Smith keep his job.Unfortunately, Im a veteran at the bad situations, so Ive just got to encourage my teammates and the coaching staff that the 53 men in this locker room are going to get us out of this hole, Jackson said. Weve just got to continue to focus on that.Atlantas offence has been undermined by injuries on the line — four starters have been lost for the season — and Ryan cant get in consistent rhythm with his receivers. Jackson and his three backups — Jacquizz Rodgers, Antone Smith and Devonta Freeman — have been inconsistent.The defence is one of the NFLs worst, ranking last in total yards, last in sacks, fifth-worst in scoring and eighth-worst against the run.A trip to Tampa Bay (1-7) could be just what the Falcons (2-6) need as they try to draw confidence from Week 3, when they beat the Buccaneers 56-14.But Ryan believes the team needs to stay focused on the present, not looking back and looking ahead.You cant do it all in one week, Ryan said. Weve got to focus on this week, but I like the guys that we have, coaching staff and players included.___Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '