The Thunder will be without rookie shooting guard James Harden for the next 2-4 weeks with a right hamstring strain. This will be a blow to the Thunder as Harden has played well this year for them. Harden has played in 63 games (0 starts) this season for the Thunder in which he has averaged 23.0 minutes, 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Thunder will probably need starting shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha to step up and play more minutes while Harden is out. Sefolosha has played in 63 games (all starts) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 28.9 minutes, 5.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Veteran F/C Etan Thomas has been buried on the bench this season through no fault of his own. It’s just that the Thunder don’t have any minutes available for him behind Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison. I know that it’s no consolation to Thomas himself to hear that he is valuable depth for the Thunder as he wants to play. The trading deadline is coming up so maybe the Thunder will move Thomas. He has played in 17 games (1 start) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 16.1 minutes, 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Back-up center Etan Thomas is not getting the minutes needed to help the Thunder as he is behind both Nenad Kristic and Nick Collison at center. Thomas has played in 17 games (1 start) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 16.1 minutes, 3.8 points, 3.4 rebounds an 0.8 blocked shots per game. If either Collison or Krstic get injured I think Thomas would step up and at the very least help the Thunder in both rebounding and on defense.

Thabo Sefolosha is starting at shooting guard because of his defense but he needs to play a little better on offense to hold off rookie James Harden for the starting job. Sefolosha has played in 23 games (all starts) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 32.0 minutes, 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He is only shooting 39.9% from the floor this season and that just isn’t good enough for a starting shooting guard in the NBA. The Thunder have been able to cover for his lack of offense due to the offensive play of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook so far this year. Still, first round pick James Harden might force his way into the starting line-up at some point this season unless Sefolosha starts playing a little better offensively.

Kevin Durant and Damien Wilkins have been bending the rim in December so far. Kevin Durant has been a gun this season and that’s a problem with all of the bricks he has been shooting. In 4 games this month, Durant is averaging 33.8 minutes, 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.5 blocks per game. He also is only shooting 33.3% from the floor last night and that is terrible. Damien Wilkins also is having issues this month. In 4 games in December Wilkins is averaging 27.8 minutes, 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The Sonics need to get both of these guys on track or they will have problems scoring points.