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LA Clippers Enter Demanding Stretch Of Games Against Conference Rivals

By Keith Rivas

Feb 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford (11) dribbles against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Clippers won 98-92 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford (11) dribbles against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Clippers won 98-92 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Game Plan Against OKC

Feb 11, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) points into the crowd prior to action against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) points into the crowd prior to action against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are nearly impossible to stop as a dynamic duo, but even, the Clippers are the team with a formula that can beat them.

In a similar way to how the team would address the combination Thompson and Curry, Durant and Westbrook run into problems when they face too many distractions on the offensive end.

Not that pressure necessarily gets to either of them easily, but the only way to stop their flow is to cut off their offensive production — because getting Westbrook to give up defensively will never happen.

And if you think it will, think again and come back to the situation later on.

Westbrook is also coming off of the honor of being named the MVP of the league’s All-Star game and festivities over the weekend in Toronto.

The problem the Clippers would run into when trying to stop the Thunder is that when trying to contain Westbrook, as opposed to the duos of Golden State or San Antonio, there is little to no stopping Kevin Durant.

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    • In that case, the opposite is also true.

    In fact, Westbrook can excel when Kevin Durant is out of the loop or having an off night. Therefore, he needs to be the point of focus and attack more than Durant.

    As in the previous games leading up to this against the other two top conference teams, this one will also be held at Staples Center.

    Oklahoma City is 15-9 thus far on the road this season, with only one divisional loss and only five conference fall outs.

    The last time the Thunder and Clippers met was four days before Christmas in Los Angeles. That game, if you’ll recall, was a hard fought tooth-and-nail kind of contest in which the Clippers nearly edged out OKC — losing 100-99 in heart-breaking fashion.

    Don’t expect this game to follow that losing pattern for Los Angeles.

    After that game, the Thunder will host the Clippers in Oklahoma City exactly a week later — so with that, expect tensions, emotions, and expectations to be through the roof by then.

    Prediction:

    97. 149. 103. 77. Final

    Next: Closing Thoughts

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