Plauderkasten^^ » Westbrooks competitive side showed when

BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty kick but scored three times to restore his touch and help Real Madrid increase its lead of the Spanish league on Saturday.Ronaldo could have scored a fourth in Madrids 4-1 win at Alaves if not for goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco, who saved his spot kick.Madrids win ensured it stayed two points ahead of Barcelona after the defending champion moved into second place with a 1-0 win over bottom-side Granada. Atletico Madrid also won to move into third after overtaking a Sevilla side that was the only top team to stumble.Ronaldos first multi-goal performance of the season for Madrid was his club record 31st hat trick in La Liga. And it came just when voices in the Spanish capital were wondering if Ronaldos 31 years were finally catching up with him.(Ronaldo) is patient and is showing it on the pitch, Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. Im very happy with his performance. We are always going to ask him for goals, but he was very good in every facet today.Ronaldo got his hat trick following his worst start to a season since his debut campaign at Madrid in 2009. Before Saturday, he scored only four times in nine matches, twice in the league and twice in the Champions League. By comparison, Barcelona rival Lionel Messi has struck 14 times in this campaign.An early goal by Deyverson gave the home fans hope that newly promoted Alaves could add a win over Madrid to an impressive list of results, which include a shock victory at Barcelona and a draw at Atletico Madrid.But Ronaldo leveled the score 10 minutes later from the penalty spot after Deyverson appeared to use his arm inside the area to block Gareth Bales free kick. Ronaldo sent Pacheco the other way before firing home.Ronaldo put Madrid in front shortly after with a vicious strike that deflected off a defender before looping over an outstretched Pacheco.With Madrid hurt by an injury to defender Pepe that forced him to be substituted, Alaves didnt roll over, and goalie Keylor Navas had to deny Victor Camarasa and Deyverson to protect the visitors advantage.After Pacheco blocked Ronaldos spot kick, Marcelo set up both substitute Alvaro Morata and Ronaldo to score in the final minutes.Ronaldo lives to score, Marcelo said. Hes happy today, but more so for the three points than his goals.BARCELONA 1, GRANADA 0With Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez having a subdued night, Barcelona needed another goal from midfielder Rafinha in its 1,500th match at Camp Nou to see off the leagues worst team.Rafinha netted his fifth goal of the season with a bicycle kick to fire in a ball that Neymar sent off the post in the 58th.Barcelona failed to create many more chances, apparently eyeing Tuesdays Champions League visit to Manchester City to face former coach Pep Guardiola.That wasnt our most brilliant game, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said. We lacked sharpness and it didnt come easy, but the win was never in danger.ATLETICO MADRID 4, MALAGA 2Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro each scored twice to lead Atletico Madrid to another commanding win. Atletico is ahead of Sevilla on goal difference, and three points behind Real Madrid.Gameiros second goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime came from an excellent headed pass by Antoine Griezmann.But Carrasco topped that effort with a scorching solo goal struck from the edge of the area after a long sprint that sealed the win in fine style.Both teams finished with 10 men after Atleticos Stefan Savic and Malagas Gonzalo Castro earned two bookings each.SPORTING GIJON 1, SEVILLA 1Jorge Sampaolis Sevilla endured its first non-win in five matches across all competitions. Luciano Vietto scored on the break to give Sevilla the lead four minutes into the away match, but Moi Gomez volleyed in the equalizer soon after. Fake College Jerseys . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Cyber Monday College Jerseys .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. https://www.fakecollegejerseys.com/ .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mooseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Wholesale College Jerseys . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Fake College Football Jerseys . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. OKLAHOMA CITY -- A month after Kevin Durant bolted for Golden State, star guard Russell Westbrook signed a contract extension to stay in Oklahoma City.The team confirmed Thursday that Westbrook signed the extension. A person with direct knowledge of the terms said the two sides agreed on a new three-year deal worth $85.7 million. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release terms.After the announcement, the team feted Westbrook on Thursday afternoon during an event that was part pep rally and part press conference. He exited a vehicle on a street in front of Chesapeake Energy Arena and briefly addressed a crowd of about 1,500 people outside before entering the arena lobby, where highlights of Westbrooks eight-year career with the Thunder were played on a big screen hung from the ceiling.Westbrook said people -- specifically in the Thunder organization and generally in Oklahoma City -- convinced him that staying with the only franchise hes ever known was the correct decision.Me being able to come back here is a true blessing, Westbrook said. There is nowhere else Id rather be than Oklahoma City. You guys have basically kind of raised me. Ive been here since I was 18, 19 years old and you guys have done nothing but great things for me. ... I definitely wanted to have an opportunity to be loyal to you guys.The 27-year-old Westbrook is one of the top stars in the NBA and piled up 18 triple-doubles last season, tying Magic Johnson for the most in the last 30 years. The five-time All-Star averaged 23.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 10.4 assists last season and helped the Thunder reach the Western Conference finals, where the lost a 3-1 series lead and fell in seven games to Golden State.For his entire career, Westbrook had been paired with fellow superstar Durant and together they turned Oklahoma City into an NBA title contender. The Thunder reached the conference finals four of the past six seasons, but advanced to the NBA Finals only once, falling to the Miami Heat in 2012.Durant became a free agent at seasons end and announced July 4 that he would sign with Golden State.Westbrooks contract had been set to expire after next season and, after Durants departure -- which was unexpected by Thunder fans -- rumors swirled about Westbrooks future while he publicly remained silent. Westbrook and the Thunder answered most of those rumors Thursday.If things go poorly for Oklahoma City during the upcoming season, the length of Westbrooks new contract would seem to make him a more valuable trade piece. But for now, both he and Thunder seem to be going all in.On behalf of the Thunder organization and the entire state of Oklahoma I want to congratulate Russ and offer my sincere appreciation for not only his profound presence and skill as a player, but for his high character, personnal integrity and extraordinary leadership, team owner Clay Bennett said in a statement.dddddddddddd He attended the press conference, but did not speak to the media.General manager Sam Presti said Westbrook -- who was raised in Los Angeles and spent two seasons in college at UCLA -- ended up being a good fit for Oklahoma City.Its obviously an incredible opportunity to have a player like Russell Westbrook in your organization, not just as a player . but also as a human being and a leader, Presti said. Hes become synonymous not only with the Thunder, but also with the city and the spirit of the city. We are just overjoyed that he will continue his career and his legacy with the Thunder.Presti said Durants departure helped give the Thunder the financial flexibility to negotiate an extension with Westbrook. The third year of the new contract is a player option, meaning that Westbrook technically only extended his guaranteed stay with the Thunder by only one season, but Westbrook emphasized on several occasions Thursday that Oklahoma City was the best place for me and the best team.He said thats the reason he re-signed now and didnt wait until the end of the season and free agency.Theres no need to wait when you know where you want to be, he said. Theres no need to waste time. Im a straightforward type of guy. Ill shoot you straight.Westbrook said he learned of Durants decision to sign with Golden State the way you all found out, on the news, on cellphones, social media. I talked to Kevin ... early on in the process, but other than that, it was just a text message. Thats about it.He said he still considers Durant a friend, but that the two havent spoken since before Durants announcement. Westbrooks competitive side showed when he was asked if Durants leaving for Golden State (and not another team) made his departure sting more than it might have.Sting for who? Westbrook replied.In Rio de Janeiro, where he is part of the U.S. Olympic team, Durant said he wouldnt immediately be reaching out to Westbrook to discuss his decision to stay in Oklahoma City.Nah, thats a touchy deal, Durant said. At some point, well sit down and talk. But I dont know when.Asked if he was happy for Westbrook, Durant said he was.Im happy to see any player in this league do whatever they want to do, Durant said. Its good for him, man. Its good for his family. Its good for the people in Oklahoma City that love to watch him play and love to have him on their team. So Ive got nothing but positive energy and vibes for everybody. Ive got no beef with anybody. Theres no ill will with anybody. If he did what he wanted to do, thats better. Thats great for him.---AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report. ' ' '