Cleveland has now won eight games in a row, the latest coming in an impressive 105-101 win over the Eastern Conference leading Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
Oklahoma City has gotten their season back on track with the return of All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, winning five of their last six games, including a 114-101 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
Projected Starting Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers (13-7)
G Kyrie Irving – 20.5 ppg, 5.1 apg
G Shawn Marion – 5.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg
F LeBron James – 24.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 7.7 apg
F Kevin Love – 17.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg
C Anderson Varejao – 10.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg
Oklahoma City Thunder (8-13)
G Russell Westbrook – 24.3 ppg, 6.6 apg, 5.3 rpg
G Andre Roberson – 3.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg
F Kevin Durant – 22.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.0 apg
F Serge Ibaka - 15.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.2 bpg
C Steven Adams - 7.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg
What to watch for:
LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant
A matchup between the two best players in the world is always must-see TV, and these guys will be looking to put on another show when they take the floor Thursday night. Durant got the better of James in each of their two contests last season, which was a big reason why he won MVP last season. James will be looking to take crown back, while Durant is still looking for his first statement game since returning from injury.
Which supporting cast steps up?
Both teams rely heavily on their respective Big 3's to score most of their points, and that's especially hurt the Thunder come playoff time. The bench units of these two teams are some of the weakest in the league, so whoever is able to get an unexpected boost from the reserves will win the game.
Prediction: Thunder win 114-106
Cleveland is playing their third game in four nights, and the Thunder will play energized in front of their home crowd. The Cavs fell behind the Raptors early before they stole the game with a fourth-quarter run, and I don't think they'll be able to do that again.
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