wolves gameday

6 P.M. at OKLAhoma CITY • CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA • FSN, 830-AM

Preview: The 11-3 Thunder has won six consecutive games and eight of its past 10 after getting thumped by the Wolves 100-81 in the season's second game at Target Center. That 8-2 record also coincides with Russell Westbrook's return from a second surgery to repair the knee he injured in last season's playoffs. … The Thunder is 8-0 at home to start the season for the first time since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. Its Friday victory was the fifth game in a six-game homestand — tying its longest of the season — that ends Sunday. If the Thunder beats the Wolves, it'll be only the second time in franchise history that the team swept a six-game homestand. It last happened when the Thunder was the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1977-78 season. …Wolves F Corey Brewer held Thunder superstar Kevin Durant to 4-for-11 shooting and 13 points — a season low — in that Nov. 1 game in which Durant played without Westbrook beside him.

Player to watch: Westbrook scored 34 points, including the three-pointer with one-tenth of a second left that beat Golden State 113-112 at home in overtime Friday. The Thunder was 1-1 without Westbrook, and it averaged 81 points on 37.8 percent shooting without him. In 11 games he has played, the Thunder is 9-2 and averaging 106.5 points on 45.7 percent shooting. Westbrook is averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals.

Injuries: F Chase Budinger (knee surgery) and F/C Ronny Turaif (elbow) are out. Thunder F Kendrick Perkins (dislocated finger) is listed as day-to-day but is likely to play.

JERRY ZGODA