Tip-Off: 2:30 PM CT
Location: AdventHealth Arena (Orlando, Florida)
Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @TheThunderGuys for live-tweets during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder got off to a rough start in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. The Rockets came out unloading from downtown while the Thunder tried playing a different brand of basketball than they had all season long.
The good news for OKC is that they don’t really need to make a ton of adjustments moving forward. The Thunder’s focus needs to be getting back to playing the same basketball that got them into the playoffs in the first place. OKC’s bread and butter is playing hard-nosed defense that stands in front of opponents while moving the ball quickly and furiously on offense.
Game 1 of a playoff series is often a tone setter, and Tuesday’s game was definitely not the tone that the Thunder wanted to set for this round. Still, there are plenty more games to be played, and all OKC needs to do is to pick up a win tonight and even things out.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Chris Paul
- SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SF: Terrance Ferguson
- PF: Danilo Gallinari
- C: Steven Adams
Rockets
- PG: James Harden
- SG: Eric Gordon
- SF: Danuel House Jr.
- PF: Robert Covington
- C: P.J. Tucker
Injuries
Thunder
- Luguentz Dort (sprained knee) is QUESTIONABLE.
Rockets
- Luc Mbah A Moute (left knee effusion) is OUT.
- Russell Westbrook (right quad strain) is OUT.
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 21-22 against the Rockets in the regular season (14-8 at home, 7-14 on the road) and 5-7against the Rockets in the playoffs (3-2 at home, 2-5 on the road).
- The Thunder has won the season series with the Rockets 6 times, lost it 4 times, and tied 2 times.
- The Thunder won the regular season series against the Rockets this season 2-1 (1-0 at home, 1-1 on the road).
Game Notes
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