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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Oklahoma City Thunder (11-2) at Boston Celtics (4-7), 8 pm (ET) - MiamiHerald.com

With the most wins this season in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder target their seventh straight victory tonight against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

The Thunder own an 11-2 record so far this season -- second to Chicago's impressive 12-2 start -- and will play three straight and six of the next eight games on the road. It has won three in a row away from home and is coming off Saturday's 104-92 win versus the New York Knicks.

Kevin Durant scored 28 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Oklahoma City, which got 24 points from reserve James Harden.

"We came out with a lot of energy," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said. "It was the best defense we've had all year."

Oklahoma City will also visit Washington and New Jersey on the upcoming trip before returning to the OKC for back-to-back games versus Detroit and New Orleans.

The Celtics will try to put the brakes on a four-game losing streak and hasn't won since ripping off four straight victories.

In a 97-83 setback at Indiana on Saturday, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett had 21 points apiece for Boston, which will try to stop a three-game home losing streak tonight and is 3-3 in Beantown this season.

"We knew it would be a tough one," said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.

Boston will also host Toronto and Phoenix on the upcoming homestand. The Celtics will also be re-united with former big man Kendrick Perkins, who was dealt to the Thunder last season. The C's haven't lost five in a row overall and four straight at home since 2007.

The Celtics and Thunder split a pair of meetings a year ago, with each team prevailing as the visitor. Boston has won seven of the past nine meetings with the Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise.

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