Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: TNT
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @TheThunderGuys for live-tweets during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a Merry Christmas thanks to Russell Westbrook the last time they hosted the Houston Rockets. The Thunder was able to get a 112-107 win that day, but things haven’t been quite that happy lately.
The Thunder has won six of their last eight games, but in all reality, this has been a rough stretch of basketball. Of those eight games, only two have come against teams with a record above .500, and those both ended in losses.
The Rockets enter tonight’s matchup on a 15-game win streak and carrying the league’s best record at 49-13, while the Thunder has fallen to seventh in the West and is honestly fighting to keep playoff hopes alive. A win tonight would do wonders for the Thunder, not just in the standings, but in morale, while a loss would likely be costly in the long run.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Russell Westbrook
- SG: Josh Huestis
- SF: Paul George
- PF: Carmelo Anthony
- C: Steven Adams
Rockets
- PG: Chris Paul
- SG: James Harden
- SF: Trevor Ariza
- PF: P.J. Tucker
- C: Clint Capela
Injuries
Thunder
- Andre Roberson (left patellar surgery) is OUT.
Rockets
- Ryan Anderson (left hip soreness) is OUT.
- Joe Johnson (illness) is OUT.
- Brandan Wright (right knee soreness) is OUT.
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 15-19 against the Rockets (11-7 at home, 4-12 on the road).
- In nine seasons, the Thunder has won the season series with the Rockets three times, lost it four times, and tied twice.
- The Rockets won the regular season series with the Thunder 3-1 last season. The Rockets also knocked the Thunder out of the first round of the playoffs, winning that series 4-1.
- This is the second of three meetings between the Thunder and the Rockets this season. The teams will meet again on April 7 in Houston.
- The Thunder tied a season-low 18 three-point attempts when they played the Rockets on Christmas Day in Oklahoma City.
- James Harden recorded 14 assists against the Thunder on Christmas Day in Oklahoma City, tied for the most in a game all season by an opposing player.
Game Notes
- Oklahoma City most recently lost to Portland, while Houston is on a league-leading 15-game win streak.
- Oklahoma City is 6-4 in the last 10 games, while Houston is 10-0.
- Oklahoma City is 21-10 at home, while Houston is 24-7 on the road.
- Oklahoma City is 22-19 against the Western Conference, while Houston is 30-8.
- Oklahoma City is 8-3 after two days of rest, while Houston is 6-3 in the same situation.
- Corey Brewer played in 218 games for the Houston Rockets over the course of the 2014-17 seasons.
Be sure to tune in for this week’s episode of “Thunder Things with the Thunder Guys” at 5 PM CT on the Crossover Radio Facebook Page or download the Crossover Radio app on the Google Play or Apple App store.
Article written by Zack Low. Follow @TheThunderGuys on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook.