Thunder @ Clippers

Loud City meets Lob City when the (5-3) Los Angeles Clippers host the (5-1) Oklahoma City Thunder for the late game on ESPN tonight. Here's what you need to know:

Time: 10:30pm eastern, 7:30pm pacific

Watch on: ESPN

Venue: The Staples Center, LA, California (Minus the Lakers' banners)

Russell Westbrook	PG	Chris Paul
Thabo Sefolosha	SG	J. J. Redick
Kevin Durant	SF	Jared Dudley
Serge Ibaka	PF	Blake Griffin
Steven Adams	C	DeAndre Jordan

Injuries: For the Thunder, Nick Collison is day to day with a neck injury (probable for tonight) and Kendrick Perkins will miss this game and the next due to a death in the family. No injuries for the Clippers.

The last time these teams met: The Thunder swept the three game series last season, their last meeting coming on March 3rd in LA with the Thunder winning 108-104. Kevin Durant scored 35 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

Story: The first of four meetings between these two this season, in what will probably shape out to be a preview of a series we'll see in the 2014 Western Conference playoffs. Westbrook vs Paul, will be the big one on one match-up, but it will be interesting to see how these two teams front lines match up as well. Westbrook was ejected Sunday for a tussle with Nene, will Doc Rivers' team get under his skin? Can the Clippers beat the Thunder this season?

History watch: Steven Adams will make his first NBA start tonight. He is leading all rookies in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and field goal percentage (.520) while ranking second in blocks (1.33 bpg) and eighth in scoring (7.0 ppg). Clippers forward Antwan Jamison needs just 42 points to reach 20,000 for his career.

Stat you didn't know: Clippers guard (and Seattle native) Jamal Crawford has appeared in 896 NBA games and has NEVER fouled out. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it is the league's longest streak among active players.

Prediction: Clippers win this won, but it'll be a hell of a game. Chris Paul out duels Westbrook and somehow the Clippers will hold Kevin Durant to under 30 points.

Thunder: 102, Clippers: 106

Now... hit the comments!