For the third time in the last four years the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies are set to meet in the NBA Playoffs.
Three seasons ago the Thunder won a thrilling seven game series that included a triple-overtime instant classic propelling them into the Western Conference Finals. Last season, again in the semifinals, the Grizzlies took advantage of the loss of Russell Westbrook to beat the Thunder in five games.
Read MoreOh what a difference a healthy lineup makes.
For just the second time since Christmas Day the Oklahoma City Thunder sent their regular starting five out on the court, a group that had played together in just 20 games this season, winning 17.
Now you can make that 18.
Read MoreThe Thunder's regular starting five has been out on the floor together for just 20 games this season. Tonight, if we all cross our fingers and toes, just might be the 21st.
Kendrick Perkins returned last week from his strained groin, Russell Westbrook has been back for a while though he continues under restrictions and last night Thabo Sefolosha was back.
Read MoreThe Oklahoma City Thunder got an important win last night but even more important to the upcoming playoff run is that the team appears to be healthy again.
Thunder defensive whiz Thabo Sefolosha returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a month and Kendrick Perkins was out there playing too and the Thunder beat Sacramento 107-92 thanks to a 21-2 run from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth that was fueled by stout defense.
Read MoreWe've had the first part of the week to talk about it and speculate. Who do the matchups favor? What will the matchups even be, with questions surrounding who will and who won't play tonight.
What we know for sure is the two best teams in the Western Conference go at each other tonight. The time for waiting and talking and speculating is just about over.
Read MoreThunder fans have been hoping that Reggie Jackson, Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins would be back in the team's lineup soon and listening to Scott Brooks after practice it sounds like that day is getting close.
Like say tomorrow.
Read MoreThese next three days should be interesting for those of us who pay attention to the Thunder and the Spurs as both teams play back-to-backs and both will face some interesting lineup decisions.
San Antonio hosts Golden State tonight, The Thunder host the Spurs tomorrow night and then Oklahoma City goes to Houston on Friday.
Read MoreThunder head coach Scott Brooks doesn't really like talking about injured players and how close, or not, they are to returning to the lineup.
Today of course he was asked about the progress of Reggie Jackson, Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins and whether they were able to participate much in Monday's practice.
Read MoreThe Oklahoma City Thunder begin a three game homestand tonight against a team that has never beaten the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
In fact the Sacramento Kings have lost eight straight overall to the Thunder, 10 straight on the road and 17 out of the last 19 these two teams have played.
Read MoreWhile Thunder head coach Scott Brooks told reporters he has a "long list" of things his team needs to work on and Nick Collison agreed that defense was at the top of the list, Russell Westbrook tried to shoulder most of that burden himself.
"I've gotta step up defensively, that's just what I've gotta do to help us win games," Westbrook said after Thursday's practice.
Read MoreFor their first years here in Oklahoma City the Thunder were amazingly healthy. A couple of starters would only miss a handful of games a year, Russell Westbrook never missed a game, Kevin Durant usually didn't either and even key members of the rotation were always healthy.
This year the odds finally caught the Thunder. Out of the 71 games they've played, all five regular starters have played together in only 20.
Read MoreWe had all seen the movie before, you know the one about the hometown basketball team cruising along with a big lead and then blowing it at the end.
In fact we've not only seen it, we've seen it repeated a couple of times and it looked like we were going to see it again last night in Cleveland.
Read MoreThunder head coach Scott Brooks is once again keeping his plans about whether point guard Russell Westbrook will play tonight or sit on the bench a secret until just before game time.
Yesterday after the Thunder practiced in Chicago, Brooks would say only that Westbrook would indeed sit out one of the games of this latest back-to-back set, either tonight's game in Cleveland or tomorrow night's in Toronto.
Read MoreThe Thunder have played with starters out before and played well but three starters on the bench? A superstar and their two best defenders? That was just too much.
The Thunder decided to rest point guard Russell Westbrook, part of his recovery plan from that third knee surgery. Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins are also out with injuries.
Read MoreAfter two terrible defensive performances on the road the Thunder came back home to their longest practice session of the season, just shy of three hours.
"We had 45 minutes, maybe an hour on the court and then we went into the film room which was good I think we needed 'em both today," said Thunder head coach Scott Brooks after the session.
Read MoreThe Thunder rolled into the All-Star break with the best record in the NBA and a nice cushion of a lead in the Western Conference.
They have rolled out of the break straight into a ditch or maybe even off a cliff.
Read MoreThunder shooting guard and defensive whiz Thabo Sefolosha is officially being listed as day-to-day with a strained left calf muscle but in reality it will likely be several days before he's back on the floor.
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