OKLAHOMA CITY -- The San Antonio Spurs never believed Serge Ibaka was out for the Western Conference finals, even after the Thunder said they expected him to miss the rest of the playoffs with a calf injury. Looks like the Spurs might have been on to something. The Thunder said Friday that their defensive standout now is day-to-day after his strained left calf showed improved movement and stability and a significant decrease in swelling. The Thunder have missed Ibaka badly as San Antonio has raced to a 2-0 lead in the series, and his possible return gives the Thunder hope as they prepare for Game 3 on Sunday in Oklahoma City. "His progress in the last several days has been surprising," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. "I dont think any of us thought wed be standing here talking about this. Were grateful that we are." Well, maybe no one with the Thunder expected it. The Spurs certainly did. "We knew he would be back, and thats good," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Nobody would wish that on anybody to miss a playoff. Weve had guys miss playoffs before. Its obviously a downer. If he gets back in -- and Im sure he will, as Ive said from the beginning -- I think its great." Ibaka was injured in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Clippers, a Western Conference semifinals series-clinching win on May 15. He is averaging 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in the playoffs while shooting 62 per cent from the field. Presti did not say if Ibaka would be available for Game 3, just that he could not be ruled out. Presti said he felt it best to be forthcoming with the change in the situation. "It would be convenient to not provide the information, and if he were ever healthy enough to play in a game, to release that an hour before the game," he said. "But in this case, we dont think that was the way to handle it, because previously, we had deemed him out. And we cant deem him out." Ibaka, a 6-foot-10 forward, led the league in blocked shots during the regular season and erased many of Oklahoma Citys defensive mistakes. Without having to deal with Oklahoma Citys primary rim protector, San Antonio scored 66 points in the paint on 67 per cent shooting in a 122-105 win in Game 1. The Spurs followed up with 54 points in the paint on 66 per cent shooting in a 112-77 blowout in Game 2. Ibaka also provides balance for Oklahoma Citys offence with his mid-range jumper and an ability to finish close to the hoop when defences focus on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. "Big difference," Spurs guard Danny Green said. "Obviously, one of the best defensive players in the league. Alters everything around the basket, rebounds, and also, of course, he can knock down shots. So youve got to respect him. Hopefully, if he does come back hes not as fresh, hes a little rusty." San Antonio said it will not make adjustments based on the news. "Were going to try to do the same thing," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. "Its not like were going to change the game plan for him. For sure, hes going to give them another big body that can be a presence in the paint, block shots and make some jumpers, but our idea will be the same." Presti said Oklahoma Citys medical staff would like to see Ibaka go through game-like conditions before allowing him to return. So far, he has done low-impact training -- light drills and light shooting. Conditioning could be an issue and even if he returns its unclear how much he would play. "Were still focusing on trying to beat the Spurs without him playing," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "That has not changed. I know hes listed as day-to-day, but he is out until Im told differently." Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins said Ibaka could not have erased all the defensive mistakes the Thunder made in Game 2. The Spurs shot 50 per cent from the field and made 9 of 23 3-pointers. "Hes a key guy, but at the end of the day, we shouldnt be getting beat this bad," Perkins said. "In my opinion, even if we would have Serge the last game, the way we played, we still would have lost." Discount Nike Free . - Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick as the Prince Albert Raiders stormed past the Swift Current Broncos 5-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday. Clearance Nike Free . Moments after his Brooklyn Nets teammates ran out onto the court to congratulate him following their 100-98 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, Johnson could only shake his head at scoring only 13 points on 6-of-19 shooting. http://www.wholesalenikefree.com/. For the Miami Heat, that was outstanding news. LeBron James scored the last of his 32 points on a layup that put Miami up for good with 11. Wholesale Nike Free .J. - The New Jersey Devils know the odds are against them as they chase a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Cheap Nike Free Online .m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Colts by 5RECORD VS. SPREAD — Cincinnati 8-8, Indianapolis 11-5SERIES RECORD — Colts lead 18-10LAST MEETING — Colts beat Bengals 27-0, Oct.Al Davis still comes to mind almost daily. Amy Trask will see something or read something and wish she could share it with the late Raiders owner. Along with her husband of nearly 29 years, Davis had one of the most profound influences on her life and career.Now 18 months removed from her almost three-decade stint with the franchise, Trask remains a loyal fan of the Raiders team she fell in love with as a college student at California-Berkeley.She warns her colleagues at CBS and others that when it comes to Oakland, I often answer from my heart.Im asked so often, am I still a fan of the team? Why wouldnt I be? she said. I worked for the team almost three decades.These days, Trask is far removed from the daily operation in Alameda, California.She and husband Rob, an investor, sold their home in the Oakland Hills earlier this year and moved back to Southern California and the same Venice Canals district where they lived during the Raiders time in Los Angeles.Her path has come full circle.Davis died in October 2011, leaving a huge void for Trask. The Raiders longtime chief executive officer, she resigned her position on May 11, 2013.I think about him all the time, Trask said in a phone interview. Ill think of him in a variety of contexts — something funny and Ill want to tell Al; something in the world, and Ill want to discuss that with Al.When Trask walked away from it all, she heard from former NFL greats — even some baseball Hall of Famers — and coaches who offered to guide her through how to make the transition to a new, non-football life.How to essentially do a paradigm shift, Trask said.But Trask wasnt away for long. By the start of the 2013 season she had landed as an analyst for CBS, taking on the terrifying new challenge of television. No, she never imagined this, and no, she doesnt plan to return to work for a team.She still gets her football fix every Sunday, now paying more attention to every team instead of primarily just the Silver and Black. Theres an ice cream fix, too. Thats a daily indulgence, and Trask is proud she had 15 pints in her freezer at once last week. A variety of brands and flavours, and — just as was her way as a top executive — she doesnt play favourites.Absolutely once a day, sometimes more than once a day, she said. There is no shame whatsoever about eating ice cream on a daily basis or multiple times a day.What does she miss most about the Bay Area? Thats easy: the iconic Fentons Creamery. Next: friends and colleagues, and they understand.She hits her home elliptical machine by 5 a.m. most days.Im an early riser by nature, I love being up before anyone, she said.All these years, Trasks life has revolved around the NFL calendar. Running all aspects of the business operation of the Raiders, from ticket sales to the search for a new stadium, she used to pop intto offices at team headquarters to remind other employees the exact countdown to draft day or the first training camp practice and season opener.dddddddddddd.Most of all, she had Davis trust as one of the most influential women in the NFL at a time there werent many.You could tell that they had a mutual respect for each other, said 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, a one-time Raiders quarterbacks coach. I was a very low-level person, but Amy always treated everybody well. She didnt just manage up to Mr. Davis. She managed down well and I always respected that about her. Shes very sharp, always very detailed, very organized. She had a good presence about her and I always respected her.Trask, who first interned with the Raiders before later returning, became CEO in 1997 and was one of Davis most trusted advisers. She earned a bachelors degree from Cal in political science, then received her law degree from Southern California.On the third anniversary of Davis death on Oct. 8, Trask found it fitting the NFL approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills in the wake of the death of longtime owner Ralph Wilson in March. Davis and Wilson were dear friends, and that was not lost on me.In late September, Trask began as a panelist on a new weekly all-women sports show We Need to Talk, which airs in prime time on CBS Sports Network. She will participate in five episodes.Trask is working on a book. She is travelling regularly to and from New York for the CBS That Other Pregame Show, spending as little time outside California as necessary.Former linebacker Bart Scott has helped Trask deal with the transition, even offering a supportive hand to hold under the table during the show.Shes a trailblazer, shes a goal setter, Scott said. They sat us right next to each other, which was perfect. I understood what she was going through. I have tremendous respect for who she is as a person. We know she has the goods. It was all about her delivering it in a way that people could see and understand.Those who know her encouraged Trask to try something outside her comfort zone. But for someone who for years was a public figure — even if she could stay hidden in Raiders headquarters — that idea was hard to envision.I enjoyed being behind the scenes, below the radar screen, she said. I am doing something now that is very frightening, and in fact I am facing my biggest fear.Trask has avoided starting a Twitter account, though she does lurk and read from colleagues feeds from time to time.Little did she know she would be weighing in on some of the NFLs biggest stories, from Ray Rice to Adrian Peterson.I would have bet every single penny that we have that I would not have ended up on television, she said. Its the scariest thing Ive ever done in my whole life.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '