os Angeles Clippers in Game 6 on Thursday night. Russell Westbrook overcame a slow start to finish with 19 points and 12 assists

LONDON -- Andre Schuerrles hat trick sent Chelsea four points clear at the top of the English Premier League with a 3-1 victory at Fulham, capitalizing on Arsenal losing at Stoke on Saturday. Chelsea took until the second half to trouble the leagues bottom team, but Schuerrle then ripped through the defence with ease at Craven Cottage to keep Jose Mourinhos side on track for the title. Having not won on seven previous visits to Stoke, Arsenal came unstuck again as Jonathan Walters clinched a 1-0 victory from the penalty spot. Liverpool moved ahead of Arsenal on goal difference into second by winning 3-0 at Southampton in the late game. Manchester City dropped to fourth but it was only six points from the top with two games in hand, and could collect its first piece of silverware of the season against Sunderland in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. In the days biggest controversy, Football Association officials will be investigating Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, who was sent off for appearing to head-butt Hull midfielder David Meyler. The touchline altercation overshadowed Newcastles 4-1 victory at Hull. Everton recovered from back-to-back league losses by beating West Ham 1-0 and returning to sixth place. After Chelsea made the short trip to Fulham, Mourinho was so annoyed at a poor first-half display that he wouldnt speak to his players during the break. The silent treatment was motivation enough, and the team was transformed, with the opener coming seven minutes into the new half. From inside his own half, Eden Hazard picked out Schuerrle, who headed the ball past Dan Burn, ran forward and slotted into the net. Schuerrle was on the end again when Hazard slipped the ball through in the 65th and the Germany midfielder scored. Torres was the creator for the third, with Schuerrle scoring again with ease in the 68th. Fulham came alive again in the closing stages, but all the team could produce was Johnny Heitinga tapping into an open net. At St. James Park, Newcastle wrapped up the victory before halftime with two goals from Moussa Sissoko and another from Loic Remy. But the real drama unfolded in the 72nd minute with the dismissal of Pardew, who faces a touchline ban. The apparent head-butt happened after Meyler barged into Pardew as he looked to retrieve the ball for a throw-in at KC Stadium. "He was right on top of me and I wanted to just ease him away from me but obviously I put my head in a forward motion," Pardew said. "I want to apologize." On the south coast, a fourth straight league win maintained Liverpools unexpected title push. Strikes from Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, and a late penalty by Steven Gerrard pushed Liverpool above Arsenal into second. The Britannia Stadium proved unwelcome territory for another leading team, as Stoke followed up wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, and a draw against City, by seeing off Arsenal. The breakthrough came with around 15 minutes to go when Laurent Koscielny was penalized for a handball and Walters scored from the spot to clinch Stokes second win in 11 league games. "It is not slightly worrying -- it is a big worry for us to lose a game like that," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "It is a massive setback." Vans Shoes Wholesale Australia .C. -- Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has been ruled out for Sundays game against the Atlanta Falcons. Cheap Vans Shoes Australia Free Shipping . The start of the seasons fifth and final major was delayed two hours due to heavy rain in the area. The tournament eventually began, but with water on the greens and the rain persisting, players were called back to the clubhouse less than an hour after the first group teed off. http://www.cheapaustraliavans.com/. Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Cheap Vans Shoes Wholesale . Fans in the Jets viewing region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 5:30pm ct and listeners can tune in to TSN Radio 1290 Winnipeg. Vans Shoes Australia Sale . Heck, we might just miss the BCS. Maybe? It sort of worked out this season. Top-ranked Florida State (13-0) was the only team to get through the regular season unbeaten, and the Seminoles did it in dominating fashion.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - When the Oklahoma City Thunder were down by 16 points and struggling to make any shot early in Game 6, they looked all but ready to fold up and head home for a series-deciding finale. Instead, Kevin Durant shouldered the Thunder and carried them into the fourth quarter, where they demonstrated the poise of a championship contender. Durant had 39 points and 16 rebounds, and Oklahoma City advanced to the Western Conference finals with a 104-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 on Thursday night. Russell Westbrook overcame a slow start to finish with 19 points and 12 assists as the Thunder reached the conference finals for the third time in four years, closing out Los Angeles with two straight wins. Two days after the Thunder erased a late 13-point deficit to win Game 5, the Thunder rallied from that early deficit and maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter, shaking off any memories of their Game 4 collapse on the same Staples Center court. "Experience has helped us out a lot, just being with each other for so long," Durant said. "Weve got a long ways to go. We definitely can get better. This is definitely a series that pushed us to the brink. We were in a tough spot. We stayed together and persevered." The league MVP hit five 3-pointers and Reggie Jackson added 14 points for Oklahoma City, which will face the Spurs in a rematch of the Wests last two champions. The series begins Monday night in San Antonio. Chris Paul had 25 points and 11 assists, and Blake Griffin had 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists before fouling out as the Clippers exhausting post-season ended in disappointment. Perhaps the cumulative pressure of two playoff series amid the distractions of owner Donald Sterlings lifetime ban finally cost the two-time Pacific Division champion Clippers, who couldnt keep up late. Or perhaps Durant is just that good. "We did a great job of sticking together," Westbrook said. "Kevin did a great job of setting his guys up, getting the ball in spots that were effective." J.J. Redick scored 16 points for the Clippers, who followed their epic collapse in Game 5 with a disappointing second half at home. Despite a raucous home crowd, Los Angeles wont make its first trip to the conference finals after the best regular season in franchise history. "Oklahoma City absolutely deserves it," said Paul, whose final-minute mistakes hurt the Clippers dearly in Game 5. "We have a really good team, a great team. Its crazy. You play all season llong, and the last few games, we really started to figure out who our team was and how to play.dddddddddddd And its crazy that its over." The Clippers led for almost every minute of the first three quarters, but Durant kept the Thunder close and eventually ignited a 30-10 run stretching across the final two quarters. Westbrook, who didnt have a field goal until late in the third quarter, contributed 10 points in the fourth as the Thunder comfortably maintained their lead. The fans frustration boiled over after an offensive foul call against Griffin with 3:11 to play. During the ensuing timeout, fans threw at least two drinks at referee Ed Malloy, causing a slight delay while the floor was cleaned. Griffin fouled out with 2:27 left, but the Clippers got within four points in the final minute before Westbrook and Durant hit free throws to close it out. The loss ended a tumultuous post-season for the Clippers, who managed to win a seven-game series with Golden State in the first round even while Sterling was banned from the NBA for life for racist comments exposed during that series. "Weve gone through a lot of stuff over the last three or four weeks," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I dont think that was why we didnt win. I dont think we should use that as an excuse. Were a team in process. I believe we were good enough to win it this year. Oklahoma City told us we were not." Oklahoma City smoothly secured its spot in the conference finals after these teams traded spectacular collapses in the last two games. The Thunder blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4 at Staples Center, but the Clippers responded by blowing a 13-point lead in the final four minutes in Oklahoma City. The Clippers showed little carry-over from their collapse early in Game 6, while the Thunder appeared a step slow and disorganized, falling behind by 16 points in the first half. Durant and Westbrook combined to miss their first nine shots, but Durant quickly got going. NOTES: Serge Ibaka scored six points before going to the locker room in the third quarter with an injured left calf. ... The NBA fined Rivers $25,000 on Thursday for his criticism of the officiating in Game 5. "I thought it was deserved," Rivers said. ... Matt Damon, Rihanna, Tony Romo, Oscar De La Hoya, UFC President Dana White, former Clippers guard Eric Gordon and Masters champion Bubba Watson attended the game. Jack Nicholson watched from a seat near the Clippers bench. The archetypal Lakers fan also has occasionally attended Clippers games over the years. ' ' '