NEW ORLEANS -- Tyreke Evans scored a career-high 41 points to go with nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped an eight-game skid by shocking the playoff-bound Thunder 101-89 on Monday night. Chris Chelios Jersey . Evans made 14 of 26 shots while scoring mostly on quick, powerful bursts to the hoop. He also scored 12 points at the foul line and made a 3 that put the Pelicans ahead 90-82 with 4:21 left. Kevin Durant scored 25 for the Thunder, who have lost two straight and wont lock up the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs without at least one more win or a Los Angeles Clippers loss. With Oklahoma City having played in Indiana on Sunday, coach Scott Brooks chose to rest point guard Russell Westbrook, starting Reggie Jackson in his place. Jackson, however, was not a factor on offence for much of the game, finishing with four points and three assists. Oklahoma could hardly complain about being short-handed, though. With all five early season starters and its best scorer off the bench out for the season, New Orleans one regular point guard was among 10 players in uniform. That was Austin Rivers, who was ejected, along with the Thunders Nick Collison, after the pair got into a scuffle with 7:56 left in the second quarter. Evans, normally a shooting guard, took over at point guard after that and went on to score 37 of his points. Luke Babbit scored 12 points, hitting a late 3 to help seal New Orleans first victory over the Thunder in 11 meetings, dating to Jan. 24, 2011. Darius Miller and Alexis Ajinca each had 10 points Serge Ibaka had 22 points and 16 rebounds for Oklahoma City. Caron Butler added 19 points on 6 of 9 shooting, but after making six of his first seven shots, he did not score in the fourth quarter and his turnover led to Evans driving layup, which put New Orleans ahead by 10 with 2:16 to go. Durant was somewhat below his usual standard, missing 14 of his 23 shots and not reaching double figures in scoring until his driving floater with 4:35 left in the third quarter. Three nights earlier in Oklahoma City, the Thunder opened up a double-digit lead on reeling New Orleans in the first half and was up 25 after three quarters en route to a 116-94 victory. Back in the Big Easy, where the Pelicans are 21-19, the matchup was far more competitive. New Orleans held a slim lead most of the first quarter and the game got testy in the second, Rivers was angered by a prolonged screen Collison set on him. Rivers pushed his way out of the screen and soon after the two were shouting at each other as they followed the action to the Pelicans offensive end, where Rivers lunged at Collison. Minutes later, Oklahoma City led by as many as six on Butlers 3, but New Orleans closed the half with Morrows short jumper and Evans layup after hed intercepted Thabo Sefoloshas pass, cutting Oklahomas lead to 46-45 at halftime. Notes: The loss prevented Oklahoma City from becoming the only NBA team with 60 wins in each of the past two seasons. ... The Thunder had won both previous meetings this season. Chris Kunitz Jersey . On Thursday, they signed former Browns linebacker DQwell Jackson. Terms of the deal were not immediately available. Adam Boqvist Jersey . -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October. http://www.officialblackhawksfanstore.com/customized/ . -- Terry Francona likened the atmosphere at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday to a playoff game in October.MELBOURNE, Australia - For more than four hours, American qualifier Tim Smyczek fought desperately for every point against Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open, chasing down everything the 14-time Grand Slam champion threw at him.Then, with No. 3-ranked Nadal serving at 6-5 in the fifth set, he gave his opponent a break.A spectator shouted just as the Spaniard was about to make contact with his first serve, causing him to miss long. As Nadal glared into the stands, Smyczek motioned that he should retake the first serve. Nadal did — and won the point and the second-round match 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-5.Smyczek won Nadals respect.What he did at the end of the fifth is just amazing, he said. Very few players can do that after four hours something of a match, at 6-5, love-30. So I just will say thanks to him because hes a great example what he did today.Smyczek, a soft-spoken 27-year-old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, never questioned doing the sporting thing.I dont know if the guy didnt know (Nadal) was tossing the ball or not, but it clearly bothered him, he said, looking down and smiling sheepishly. You know, I thought it was the right thing to do.Ranked 112th in the world, Smyczek had never beaten a top-10 player; his previous best win was against No. 19 Jurgen Melzer at a tournament in Delray Beach, Florida, in 2012.He toils for much of the season on the second-tier Challenger circuit, playing in front of sparse crowds in towns like Napa, California, and Charlottesville, Virginia. Martin Havlat Jersey. He had to survive three rounds of qualifying just to make the Australian Open main draw.Against Nadal in front of 15,000 fans at Rod Laver Arena, though, the American played without fear, racing out to a two-sets-to-one lead behind his pin-point serve — he finished with 15 aces — and a huge forehand that he used to hit 28 of his 64 winners.At one point, with the Spaniard ailing due to the humidity and fatigue, he even entertained the thought he might actually win.I had a good game plan going in. The most important thing I thought was for me to try and stay within myself, he said. I didnt really struggle with nerves too much just because I got nothing to lose.Nadal was impressed with Smyczeks play, too, admitting he knew little about his opponent before the match.I saw him play in some videos, he said.For Smyczek, its now back to the minor leagues, with the goal of lifting his ranking into the top 100 so he doesnt have to qualify for the Slams anymore. Hes supposed to play a challenger in Hawaii next week, but he may take a week off to rest after his performance in Melbourne.Its definitely not going to be the same as playing a night session on Rod Laver, he said. Its just part of the deal with being ranked 100 in the world. Youve got to do it. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '