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Saturday, April 14, 2012

Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: A Fan's Preview - Yahoo! Sports

While the state of Oklahoma is pounded with tornadoes, the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare for their second home game in as many nights as the Minnesota Timberwolves come to town for a big match-up. The last time these teams played, Kevin Love scored a season high 51-points but the Thunder won in double overtime.

This time around, Love will be on the bench and the All-Star might end up missing the rest of the season. Love, who is averaging 26.0 points and 13.3 rebounds a game over the season, is the Timberwolves' biggest weapon, and without him, it will be tough for them to compete with a hard fighting Thunder squad.

Love joins other injured Minnesota players, including Risky Rubio, who is out for the season, Luke Ridnour, who is doubtful for the Thunder game and Wayne Ellington, who is questionable. This doesn't mean that the Timberwolves' cupboard is bare, though.

Michael Beasley just scored his fourth double-double of the season on April 12 against the Sacramento Kings, breaking out of a slump where he has been playing less minutes and getting very frustrated along the way. Nikola Pekovic is the sole remaining scoring threat on the team, averaging 13.4 a game while J.J. Barea is always dangerous, shooting 10.0 points a game.

While the Timberwolves have lost eight straight, nothing is assured for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team has moved back into first place in the Western Conference after dropping below the San Antonio Spurs for a short time.

Oklahoma is only 3-4 over the last seven games, their most recent loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on April 11. The team responded with a big 26-point blowout over the Sacramento Kings on April 13 but have to start playing better as they move into the final stretch of the season.

James Harden missed the Kings' game with a sore right knee and is questionable for the Timberwolves' game. Derek Fisher is getting a lot more time with the offense with Harden out, as is Daequan Cook, who finished the Kings' game with 13 points. While Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the stars, it is these role players that need to step up as Oklahoma City races to the NBA playoffs.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and is an avid sports fan that has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years. He used to religiously follow the Dallas Mavericks until Oklahoma City found a team to call their own.

Source: Yahoo Sports

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