2010-2011 Game 12 Preview: Oklahoma City at Boston; Durant Likely Out

This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Records: The Oklahoma City Thunder (7-4) vs. The Boston Celtics (9-2)

Time: 6:00 PM Central Daylight Time

Place: TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

TV: Entertainment Sports Programming Network, Fox Sports Oklahoma, Comcast Sportnet New England.

Just once I'd like a shot at the Celtics with Jeff Green on the roster. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen in 2010, as Jeff Green will be out yet again tonight. What's worse, however, is that Kevin Durant is likely out for the game as well.

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WEEI-850 AM

Enemy Blog(s): CelticsBlog, Hardwood Houdini, Red's Army

Previous Meeting(s): Nov. 7

If the Thunder are indeed without Green and Durant for this season's second installment of Thunder-Celtics, some fans may want to get in line for the Deathly Hallows instead of watching the game. Westbrook can score, sure, but he's never been the go-to-guy or the focal point of an opposing team's defense. Who knows how he'll respond to that kind of pressure? And who is going to be the number two scorer? Harden? Ibaka? Maynor? I'm pretty certain there'll be a few people in the Garden tonight who have never even heard of those people. If there was ever a night to wipe the dust off Mo Peterson and see if he can get things going, tonight may be that night.

Even if Durant does play, it's hard for me to imagine them escaping the parquet floor with a victory, especially after what the Celtics did to them earlier this year in Oklahoma City.Though Jermaine O'Neal is out, Garnett, Davis, Erden, and Shaq (who is making his first appearance against the Thunder this season) will be more than enough for OKC's bigs to try to contain.

Though it looked like things were getting turned around after the Houston game, the Thunder will more than likely have to take their lumps yet again in Boston. Still, there are four very winnable games coming up for the Thunder: at Milwaukee (Nov. 20),Minnesota (Nov. 22), Dallas (Nov. 24), at Indiana (Nov. 26), and at Houston (Nov. 28). However, if Kevin Durant extends his leave into these games, we'll have to see just how "easy" they turn out to be.


Prediction: Boston 118, Oklahoma City 89