Thunder at Hawks
THE STORY: Owners of the league's best record and riding a seven-game winning streak, the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking nearly impossible to stop. That may change depending on the health of their All-Star point guard. Russell Westbrook sprained his left ankle in Thursday's win at Orlando and has been listed as day-to-day entering Saturday night's matchup at the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta has injury concerns of its own with All-Star guard Joe Johnson (knee) set to miss his second straight game.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSOK
ABOUT THE THUNDER (29-7): Westbrook has been an ironman since entering the league, appearing in 282 consecutive games in 3 1/2 seasons. He's also been on a tear in his last six games, averaging 28.7 points and 6.5 assists. If he is unable to play, rookie Reggie Jackson or veteran Royal Ivey will get the start. Of course, that will mean more shots for Kevin Durant, who is coming off a sensational 38-point effort, including 18 points in the fourth quarter, against Orlando. Durant has averaged 34.0 points in his last six games.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (21-15): With leading scorer Johnson and backup Willie Green sidelined, things looked bleak for Atlanta, which had failed to surpass 83 points in five straight games. Instead, the Hawks got a brilliant performance from their reserves, who accounted for 32 of their 34 fourth-quarter points in a comeback victory over Milwaukee. Jannero Pargo (11 points) and Vladimir Radmanovic (9) did all their scoring in the final 12 minutes. Not to be overlooked was Josh Smith's 24-point, 19-rebound effort. He's averaging 19.1 points and 12.4 boards in his last seven.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Oklahoma City has won the last four meetings against the Hawks.
2. The Thunder are seeking their first eight-game winning streak since reeling off nine straight from Jan. 29-Feb. 21, 2010.
3. The Hawks have scored 100 points just once in their last 14 games.