2012 NBA schedule: Red-hot Thunder set for difficult week ahead

Currently sporting the NBA's best overall record through seven weeks of play, the red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder are set to embark on a difficult stretch of games over the next four days.

Kevin Durant and the Thunder will welcome Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs to Chesapeake Energy Arena on Monday evening for the second meeting of the season between the two elite franchises. The Spurs handed Oklahoma City one of its four losses back on Nov. 1 to kick off the regular season, but clearly did not have the same type of advantage last year in the Western Conference Finals.

Oklahoma City will then hit the road to begin a three-game trip that begins on Wednesday night in Atlanta. The Hawks also managed to deal the Thunder a loss back in just the third game of the year, offering Scott Brooks' team a final chance to split the two-game season series. The Thunder will hit the court the following night for another dangerous game with a revitalized Minnesota Timberwolves squad. Scheduled to play four times this season as divisional rivals, Thursday's meeting will mark the first game between the T-Wolves and Thunder so far in 2012-13.

Thunder Weekly Schedule

Mon, Dec. 17 - vs. San Antonio Spurs - 7 p.m. CT

Wed, Dec. 19 - at Atlanta Hawks - 6:30 p.m. CT

Thu, Dec. 20 - at Minnesota Timberwolves - 6 p.m. CT