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Injuries keep bashing the OKC team

The hosts will need to figure out what to do without some 80 points tonight (Westbrook, Durant, Jackson, Morrow, Lamb) and how to try and make up for that

Since they've reached the finals in the 2011/2012 season, the OKC haven't been particularly lucky. After being defeated by Heat, they were abandoned by James Harden, and they had to do a good part of the last season without Russell Westbrook who had to go "under the knife" in a short period of time because of knee trouble. Westbrook returned just to help their team in the season finals, but Serge Ibaka injured himself in the conference finals which was just enough to let the Spurs pass. A few days after the beginning of this season coach Scott Brooks was left without one of the world's best players, Kevin Durant, who will due to his foot injury miss the first 20 matches, and to make things words, Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb and newcomer Anthony Morrow are also not available.

Without their four best shooters out of which a single one could guarantee 30-40 points per evening, all of the load fell on the back of Westbrook whose 38 points in Portland weren't enough - his team fell on Wednesday with 106-89. The following evening in Los Angeles came a new shock for the Thunrder team who lost Westbrook in the 8th minute after the earned a fracture of the metacarpal bone of hir right harm because of which he won't be available for the next 4-6 weeks.

- This is a very unfortunate situation, but we have to find a way to make the best out of it. Good teams and players always come back stronger when they face their problems, and I think our boys understand that - commented coach Brooks.

Without what's practically half of the roster, and we mean the better part of it, his team did great against the Clippers. Less than two minutes before the end Sebastian Telfair lowered the score with a three-pointer to 88-89, and after a couple of errors on each side, Griffin and Redick scored two free throws for the Clippers, and Nick Collison also threw two in for Thunder. Being three points behind, the OKC team had the last offense, but Serge Ibaka's attempt was unsuccessful.

- I'm happy because we fought and didn't give up despite Russell's injury. I don't know why this is happening to us, but all we can do is to give our best and fight to create a positive environment until everyone's back - said Perry Jones who ended the night of his career with 32 points (10/17) and seven rebounds.

Ibaka was also quite good with 17 points (7/13) and nine rebounds, while Telfair scored 11 points and seven assists.

Thunder will tonight be without the aforementioned five which the Denver Nuggets should know how to use and whose mood is a lot better since on Wednesday they finally had all of their players available after a very long time. They used that to beat the Pistons in a home win of 89-79.

- We're healthy, but the guys who are returning after a longer break need a little more time to catch the pace. When they get better, the whole team gets better - pointed out Timofey Mozgov who scored 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Kenneth Faried did a great game - he scored 22 points (8/12) and a total of 17 rebounds with what he only confirmed the top form he's been keeping since the finish of the last season.

- He was great from start to finish. He was aggressive and conquered good positions. He made their players do errors with penalties. This is the continuing of good games he's been showing in the finals of the last season and during the summer with the national team - coach Brian Shaw praised one of his best players.

The newcomer Arron Affalo added to the victory 15 points, and Danilo Gallinari seven with only 1/8 shot from the game, but the starting troubles are understandable because of the difficult knee injury which made him miss the entire last season.

- Physically I feel good. There's no pain. No fear. I'm ready. I was a little rusty, but I expected that. You always want to win the first match and turn to the other one - said the Italian.

Although they're not in top shape themselves, the Nuggets are tonight's huge favorites against the crippled hosts.

First time it passed, but not the second because of the Clippers' desperate three-pointer (7/30), but today I'm convinced that the hosts are up for a tough evening. There's probably, in the whole league, not a team whose two players control the ball so much, and with it the attacks. Thunder's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook generate around 60% of the points for their team, and except for them their team will again miss Jackson, Morrow and Lamb, all key players. Kudos to the rest of the party for L.A., but I don't expect a similar scenario with the Nuggets. The away team are, after a long time, complete which they want to use to return to the play-offs, and to succeed in their intent they have to use chances like this. I simply don't believe that Jones, Adams, Robertson and Telfair will be able to keep up with the Nuggets for long.