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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Grizzlies are happy to be back in Memphis, where they finished the regular season by winning a franchise-record 14 straight games. They brought home-court advantage with them. To guard Mike Conley, that ratchets up the pressure even more. Its time for the Grizzlies to protect the place they call the Grindhouse. "Its going to be tough against a team thats played so well, especially on the road," Conley said Wednesday of the Thunder. "But were happy with our position, I can tell you that much." The Grizzlies evened this first-round Western Conference series by winning 111-105 in overtime at Oklahoma City on Monday. Being the visitor Thursday night in a hostile arena for Game 3 isnt a concern for the Thunder, who went 25-16 away from Oklahoma City for the NBAs second-best road record in the regular season. "Everybodys going to be there. Theyre going to have T-shirts. Theyre going to be swinging towels," Kevin Durant said. "Its the playoffs. Its going to be hostile, but weve been there before." Yes, the Thunder certainly have. But they have exactly one win in five previous post-season games in Memphis, and they needed three overtimes to pull that out in the 2011 conference semifinals. Memphis took both matchups in last years semifinals en route to winning the series in five. Memphis went 5-2 at home in the 2013 playoffs, when San Antonio, in the conference finals, was the only visitor to win. Tony Allen, who has made Durant work so much harder for his points in this series, said the Grizzlies cant become complacent knowing theyll have a loud crowd at the FedExForum. "We got to understand its one game at a time," Allen said. "Its the playoffs. Each game counts. Each possession counts. We cant get caught up in that." Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger also has cautioned his team not to simply assume being home will make everything work. That 14-game winning streak that helped them reach the playoffs as the seventh seed also is meaningless. Joerger said its time to start over now, and the team that sets the tone for its style quickest has won each of the first two games. Oklahoma City ran all over Memphis in winning the opener 100-86 in a game that was only that close because the Grizzlies had a big third quarter. The Grizzlies slowed the Thunder down from the opening tip Monday night in leading by as many as 10, even if they needed overtime after Durants amazing four-point play off his 3 falling out of bounds. "Our team is a team that cant play too far from behind because we play a certain style of basketball, and its tough," Grizzlies forward Mike Miller said. "Our starts are big for us. They do have some pressure. They have some expectations." The Thunder practiced Wednesday in Oklahoma City before travelling to Memphis. Coach Scott Brooks wants the Thunder to keep Conley and backup guard Beno Udrih in front of them. Udrih had 14 points in 14 minutes, giving Conley plenty of rest in his first extended action since being claimed off waivers in February. Brooks also wants to make sure Memphis big men work for what they get. Zach Randolph scored 25 points Monday, hitting 10 of his 20 shots. Offensively, Oklahoma City wants to screen better to keep Allen away from Durant as much as possible. "If we dont have good setups and good screens, its going to bog down and its going to be tough shots at the end of the shot clock," Brooks said. Of course, thats exactly what the Grizzlies want to slow down the Thunder. "We just keep slogging along and we feel always that if we get you in a possession game, we feel like that over the course of 48 minutes that we can grind you down," Joerger said. ___ AP Sports Writer Cliff Brunt contributed to this report from Oklahoma City, and AP freelance writer Clay Bailey contributed in Memphis. ___ Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker Wholesale NFL Jerseys . (January 11, 2014) – Once again Kevin Martin proved why he is the all-time TSN skins leader, winning $11,500 in prize money and a spot in the Travelers All-Star Curling Skins Game presented by Pintys final following a semifinal victory over Brad Jacobs earlier this evening at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in Banff, Alta. 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In other first-round matches, Lucie Safarova beat 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-4 and American Bethanie Mattek-Sands had a 6-4, 6-3 win over Canadas Eugenie Bouchard.Manchester United defender Daley Blind insists he is determined to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford. New manager Jose Mourinho is already planning his overhaul of Uniteds squad as he attempts to build a team capable of winning the Premier League. Sky Sports News HQ understands Blind and Juan Mata are set to be high-profile departures from the club, with Mourinho happy to approve the sale of both players this summer should United receive acceptable bids. Blind, Mata set for Utd exit Daley Blind and Juan Mata set for Manchester United exit this summer But Blind insists he wants to work with Mourinho and is keen to extend his stay in the Premier League.Blind told Dutch media outlet NOS: I am looking forward to working with Mourinho. We will have to wait and see whether anything changes for me.I will just give my all and work hard. Mourinho is a manager who has achieved a lot and I am keen to work with him.After playing primarily in midfield during his first season at United, Blind operated almost exclusively at centre-half alongside Chris Smalling last season. Blind formed a successful partnership with Chris Smalling last season However his lack of size - he is 5ft 11 - may prevent him from reprising the role under Mourinho, with the Portuguese well known for his preference for tall players through the spine of his teams.ddddddddddddIf you dont have five tall players, he said during his time in charge of Chelsea, you are dead at set pieces.Blind recognises he is not as big as most centre-halves but pointed to Uniteds excellent defensive record last season - they conceded a league-lowest 35 goals along with Tottenham - as evidence of his ability to perform in the role.I might not be as big as Pepe [who Mourinho coached at Real Madrid] but I think I have shown in the Premier League that I can hold my own defensively, Blind said.We conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League and I think we got the most clean sheets. Thats something to be proud of. I played nearly every game and that is a good feeling.You might be looking for a certain statement, but I will just give my all under Mourinho. Also See: Blind, Mata set for Utd exit Depay out to impress Mourinho ' ' '