OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City defensive specialist Serge Ibaka is expected to miss the rest of the NBA playoffs because of a left calf injury. The 6-foot-10 forward had an MRI on Friday, a day after the Thunder eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers and advanced to the Western Conference finals against the Spurs. Game 1 is Monday night in San Antonio. Thunder general manager Sam Presti called it a Grade 2 strain of the plantaris, which takes time to heal and strengthen because of a high re-injury rate. Ibaka was injured during the third quarter Thursday night. "I just want to express our disappointment for Serge, who, as we all know, is an elite competitor and someone that has proven to be a tremendous teammate," Presti said. "He was playing great basketball throughout the season. Hes had a huge impact on our season to date." Last year, All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook was knocked out of the playoffs with a torn ACL in the first round against Houston. The Thunder rallied to win that series before losing to Memphis in the next round. Presti believes the Thunder can rally and be ready for the Spurs. "We have had this group together for a while, and theyve been through some ups and downs, and this is just another one that hopefully is only going to make us better," Presti said. Ibakas athletic ability and mid-range jumper have been keys for the Thunder. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 13 post-season games. During the 2013-14 regular season, he had career highs with averages of 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds while leading the league in total blocks for the fourth consecutive season with 219. During his emotional MVP acceptance speech, Kevin Durant singled out Ibaka for stepping up and erasing many of the teams mistakes while Westbrook recovered from his most recent knee surgery. While Westbrook was out, the Thunder went 20-7, and Ibakas numbers jumped to 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks with 57 per cent shooting from the field. "For us, we as an organization have been in some situations in the past, and how we respond to those has always been the measure of the teams that weve had in Oklahoma City," Presti said. "Our expectation going forward is that well respond admirably." Blue Air Max 2018 .Y. -- Florida Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski finally has something to show for all the pain he went through in overcoming a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. Air Max 2018 Outlet .com) - Theres nothing better for a team than to send out the staff ace in the most important game of the season. http://www.cheapairmaxsaleonline.com/ .J. -- Kyle Palmieri thrilled his personal rooting section with an overtime winner that sent the Anaheim Ducks to their seventh straight win. Wholesale Air Max 2018 . -- Derek Jeter spoke for 25 minutes, 44 seconds and answered 26 questions about his decision to retire at the end of this season. Cheap Air Max 2018 China .C. -- Only two Syracuse teams have won their first 20 games, and C.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Derek Norris figures the only difference between starting and coming off the bench is the need to bear down a little quicker when hes asked to pinch-hit. Norris delivered a pinch-hit homer and drove in five runs, Stephen Vogt went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and the Oakland Athletics roughed up Yu Darvish again in beating the Texas Rangers 10-6 Tuesday night. "He has a knack," As manager Bob Melvin said about Norris. "Hes ready for the situation." Norris, a career .500 hitter against the Rangers, is 4 for 11 with five RBIs as a pinch-hitter. "I dont know what that means," he said. "I mean, I like starting, too." Six of the catchers eight home runs this year have come with at least two runners on base. "Five RBIs off the bench; thats something special," Norris said. "Ultimately, the credit goes to the team for getting on base. I dont get any more or less aggressive whether someone is on or no one is on. I just try to put the barrel of the bat on the ball." Tommy Milone (5-3) won his fifth consecutive decision, matching his career best, as the As won their third in four games. Milone gave up three runs and five hits over 5 2-3 innings, improving to 5-0 in his last eight starts. He walked one and struck out three. "Every game I just try to stay within myself and not do too much," Milone said. "Im trying to get those guys out and so far its been working. When were scoring runs, pitchers in general just attack the zone and throw strikes." Darvish (7-3) dropped his eighth straight to the As, and the Rangers lost for the second time in six games. "For some reason, they have really good numbers against me," Darvish said through a translator. "I just have to prepare myself for the next start." Darvish allowed seven runs -- four earned -- and eight hits over five-plus innings. He walked five and struck out eight, including Brandon Moss in the first for career strikeout No. 600. "He was out there searching, which he always does," Rangers manager Ron Washington saiid.dddddddddddd"Usually he finds something, but tonight he just didnt find it. He just couldnt find anything to get them out with." Roughned Odor homered, tripled and drove in three runs for the Rangers. Aaron Poreda, recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day, took over for Darvish with two runners on in the sixth and got two outs before giving way to Shawn Tolleson, who gave up Norris home run. Adrian Beltre gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the first with his two-out RBI single. The As scored twice in the second. Jed Lowrie, Vogt and Alberto Callaspo hit consecutive singles to open the inning. Lowrie scored on Callaspos hit, and Vogt came around to score on right fielder Alex Rios throwing error. Vogt added RBI singles in the third and fifth. Coco Crisp hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Norris hit a three-run shot, his fourth career pinch-hit homer, in the sixth. "It seems like all the catchers are producing, even when they are all in the lineup," Milone said. "Its a lot of fun right now." Odour hit a solo homer in the fifth and added a two-run triple in the seventh. Rios hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Daniel Robertson drove in a run in the seventh. Norris added a two-run double in the eighth. NOTES: Robbie Ross was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to make room for Poreda. ... The Rangers signed veteran 1B Carlos Pena to a minor league deal. ... Darvish owns a 7.59 ERA in four career starts at the Coliseum in Oakland. ... RHP Nick Tepesch (2-2, 3.94 ERA) starts for the Rangers in Wednesdays series finale. Hes won three straight over AL West opponents. RHP Sonny Gray (6-3, 2.93) goes for the As. He has lost his last two. ... As LHP Drew Pomeranz was placed on the 15-day DL with a broken right hand. He was injured when he punched the back of a chair in frustration Monday night after losing to Texas in his shortest outing of the season. ... As RHP Evan Scribner was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. Oakland also obtained LHP Brad Mills for cash in a trade with Milwaukee. ' ' '