NBA: Los Angeles Clippers to host Oklahoma City Thunder in prime time showdown
Two of the most exciting young teams in the NBA will face off when the LA Clippers face the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Last Updated: 02/03/13 9:49pm
The Thunder, winners of the West last season, currently lie second in the conference with their record of 42-16 putting them three games behind the San Antonio Spurs.
But it is the third-placed Clippers who head into the contest in better form having won eight of their last nine matches.
Oklahoma City have only won three of their last seven and fell to a narrow defeat to the Denver Nuggets in their last outing on Friday night.
But they did emerge victorious in both of the meetings between the two teams earlier in the season, including a 109-97 win at the Staples Center in January.
Star Clippers point guard Chris Paul was ruled out of that contest through injury, however, and the 27-year-old will be pulling the strings for the home side this time.
Power forward Blake Griffin is also set to be on the court and faces another battle with premier Oklahoma City defender Serge Ibaka, who he dunked on in spectacular style last season.
While Ibaka will look to keep Griffin under wraps, the Thunder will likely channel their offence through Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Durant has won the scoring title in each of the past three years and is second in the charts this season, but it is Westbrook who has led the team in points in each of the past five games.
Durant did chip in with a triple-double as the Thunder beat the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday and could be due for a big tally against the Clippers.
