By:Matt Pinto

The Thunder's surge to 16 wins in their last 19 games has positioned them for a run into the West's top four.  A victory tonight against Northwest Division rival 42-23 Utah will have 40-24 OKC even in the loss column with the Jazz and just one off their pace in wins.  Maybe more importantly it will give Oklahoma City the season series triumph over Utah, with that the tie-breaker advantage, should that come into play down the road.  This is the team's highest stakes game to this point this season!

The Thunder bettered the Jazz in Salt Lake City on November 24th by ten points in a game in which they virtually led from start to finish and fended off Utah at the Ford Center on New Year's Eve 87-86.  This will be the third of four head to head meetings this season.

Utah was cooled by Milwaukee Friday 95-87 incurring only it's sixth loss in the last 29 games and first in the last five contests.  The Jazz also lost spirited defender Andrei Kirilenko with a calf strain in the third quarter.  He may not play tonight.  For OKC this is the finale of a three game home stand that's seem it humble the Hornets by 15 on Wednesday and nip the Nets 104-102 Friday night.  That victory coming about as a result of a stellar season high 27 point outburst from Jeff Green and a franchise record breaking 36th 30 plus point scoring barrage by Kevin Durant with 32 points and a dozen rebounds.

The Jazz are again a model of offensive consistency and efficiency under legendary head coach Jerry Sloan, leading the NBA in field goal accuracy (48.9%) and assists (26.5) while pumping in 103ppg.  A great deal of that impressive success with the ball has to do with the cohesion and chemistry between All-Stars Deron Williams (18.5ppg, 10.3apg) and Carlos Boozer (19.4ppg, 11.3rpg).  Boozer was named Western Conference Player of the Month for February.  Williams may be the premiere point guard in the West.  They form the NBA's most dynamic lead guard-power forward tandem.  Add to that spectacular duo reserve Paul Millsap (11.4ppg, 6.3rpg), a load on the boards, and long range sharp shooter Kyle Korver (6.7ppg, 57.3% three point efficiency) and you get the picture.  The Thunder defense will be challenged at every turn.

The Jazz always play the physical game; setting hard screens, cutting even harder off of those screens, moving the ball crisply offensively while taking the body and hard fouls defensively.  Beating them a remarkable third time this season will require incredible focus, tenacity and execution by the Thunder especially at the defensive end of the floor.

Oklahoma City has won it's last five at the Ford Center and nine of ten at home.  A victory tonight, regardless of how it's achieved, would qualify as the best and most significant to date this season.