Thunder-Lakers Preview

(AP) -- There will be plenty of star power missing in Hollywood for a Sunday afternoon matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers.

The red-hot Russell Westbrook won't be available for a game already missing Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant as the Thunder try to avoid a winless three-game trip.

Westbrook is the first player to record three straight triple-doubles since LeBron James did it during 2008-09. The superstar guard is out after surgery Saturday to repair a fracture to his right cheek.

He suffered the injury after the knee of teammate Andre Roberson hit him in the final seconds of Friday's 115-112 loss to Portland. Westbrook, who had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in that contest, will be re-evaluated next week.

Durant will miss a sixth straight game due to a broken bone in his right foot. Westbrook was spectacular without him in averaging 30.6 points and 11.8 assists in the Thunder's last five games.

Oklahoma City (32-27) holds a half-game lead for the Western Conference's final playoff spot.

The Thunder are 4-10 when neither Durant nor Westbrook play. Those games took place between Nov. 1-26, with Reggie Jackson playing in the final 13 and averaging a team-best 20.2 points in that span.

Jackson, however, was dealt to Detroit on Feb. 19. Coach Scott Brooks will likely move point guard D.J. Augustin into Sunday's starting lineup.

Center Enes Kanter could return from a one-game absence due to a right thigh contusion.

Los Angeles (16-41) can relate well. Bryant, of course, is out for the season and Nick Young will miss a third straight game with a swollen left knee.

"They've had the same thing as us as far as the injury bug has hit them all season long," Lakers coach Byron Scott said. "So every game for them seems like a playoff game."

Scott's club can record a season-high fourth straight win. The Lakers are allowing a league-worst 106.0 points per game, but have lowered that figure to 100.3 in this win streak and 95.0 in their last two contests.

"I think a lot of it is because we're just changing our defense a lot," Scott said. "We're trying to keep teams off balance. We're going to our full-court press, we're going to our zone, we're going to our man, we're just trying to keep them off balance as much as possible."

Rookie Jordan Clarkson has 38 points in his last two games, including a team-high 16 in Friday's 101-93 win over Milwaukee. Five other Lakers scored in double figures.

Clarkson will get his first chance to play against fellow starting guard Roberson, his high school teammate in San Antonio.

Oklahoma City is one of the league's best defensive teams in limiting opponents to 42.8 percent. The Thunder held the Trail Blazers to 43.8 percent shooting, but Portland hit 10 3s and went 27 of 31 from the foul line.

"I thought we did a lot of good things defensively," Brooks said. "A couple of times we gambled too many times and they hit 3s and they got to the free-throw line too any times."

The Thunder captured the lone meeting this season, 104-103 on Dec. 19. Durant sat as Westbrook had 31 points and 10 assists while Bryant missed 12 of 15 shots and scored nine.