The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to bounce back from a humiliating loss when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma.
The Thunder, who currently hold the best record in the league at 43-13, are coming off a 103-81 setback against the defending champions Miami Heat in their highly anticipated showdown on Thursday.
Kevin Durant, who leads the league in scoring with 31.4 points per game, was the lone bright spot for the Thunder, scoring 28 points and eight rebounds.
However, the high-scoring forward was outshined by reigning MVP LeBron James, who finished with 33 points, 16 of it coming in the opening period that ended with the Heat on top by 17 points.
Oklahoma City failed to recover from then on, firing blanks after blanks from beyond the arc, finishing the game with a measly 2-for-20 clip from the three-point region.
But on the bright side, the Thunder got a much needed roster boost as Russell Westbrook played after missing 27 games due to a knee injury. The All-Star point guard had 16 points in 24 minutes of playing time, but shot just 4-for-12 from the field.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers will also to try to get back on the win column after dropping their last two games after the 2014 All-Star break.
The Clippers absorbed a 113-103 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, which was followed by a 102-96 setback against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
Blake Griffin, who has been on a tear as of late, led the Clippers in their loss to the Grizzlies, tallying 28 points and 13 rebounds.
The All-Star forward is averaging 34.8 points over his last eight games, and he is expected to play a big role again on Sunday, but he will have to deal with defensive specialist Serge Ibaka.
Live Stream, TV Schedule, Betting Odds
The Thunder have won in four of their last five meetings with the Clippers, but the two Western Conference powerhouse teams split their first two meetings this season with each team winning on their homecourt.
With their head-to-head series advantage and better record this season, the Thunder are currently listed as a 5.5-point favorite, while the total has been set at 210 points.
The Thunder-Clippers showdown will tip off at 1 p.m. EST and will be broadcasted live by ABC. Live stream links are available through NBA League Pass, while video highlights will be available via NBA.com later today.
