Vitals: Thunder at Mavericks

In what could soon be a big NBA rivalry game, the Thunder takes a drive to Dallas.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:26 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Jan 15, 2010 11:21 AM CDT

Dave Carty
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

Oklahoma City Thunder (21-17) at Dallas Mavericks (25-13)
Friday, January 15, 2010, 7:30 p.m. CST.
American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Game 39 of 82

Anticipated Starting Lineups

	Oklahoma City (Away)	Dallas (Home)
PG	Russell Westbrook 16.5 PPG, 7.4 APG	Jason Kidd 8.7 PPG, 8.8 APG
SG	Thabo Sefolosha 6.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG	Josh Howard 13.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG
SF	Kevin Durant 28.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG	Shawn Marion 11.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG
PF	Jeff Green 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG	Dirk Nowitzki 25.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG
C	Nenad Krstic 8.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG	Erick Dampier 7.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG

Injuries
Oklahoma City: F, Matt Harpring (knee, out); G/F, Kyle Weaver (shoulder, out); G, Kevin Ollie (knee, day-to-day).
San Antonio: F, Eduardo Najera (back, questionable); F, Tim Thomas (Achilles, questionable).

Where to find it?
On TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma
On Radio: Thunder Radio Network

What you need to know?
The Dallas Mavericks have lost three of their last five games, but two of those losses came to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. Wednesday night, head coach Rick Carlisle tried a rarely used starting five (the one above) and it seems like he’ll stick with it for the time being. Superstar Dirk Nowitzki is just as dangerous as ever, with two 40-plus point games and 11 double-doubles in 37 games.

After a tough-to-swallow overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City travels to Dallas for what may soon be a big NBA rivalry game. But, the Thunder will need to prove it can beat the Mavs on the road. The franchise hasn’t won in Dallas since 2004 and holds an eight game road losing streak since.

Who to watch?
Oklahoma Sports has confirmed that the man wearing DeJuan Blair’s uniform against the Oklahoma City Thunder was, in fact, DeJuan Blair and not Tim Duncan, who actually did sit the game out. If Blair’s 28-point, 21-rebound effort proved anything, it’s that the Thunder are still susceptible down low. With Dirk Nowitzki, Drew Gooden, Shawn Marion and Josh Howard all capable of getting close-range points, the Thunder will have to contain the Mavs without fouling them – best free throw percentage in the NBA.

It may be naive to say Russell Westbrook (19.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG in January) can run circles around Jason Kidd, but the 16-year veteran has slowed a bit. With Westbrook on his torrid pace, he’s capable of a monster game.