Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a rough start to the weekend after a gut-wrenching 147-125 blowout loss on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. After a couple of days off, the Thunder now has a busy week of 4 games in 6 days where they will play just 2 teams in total, starting off with the Houston Rockets tonight.
The Thunder and Rockets have developed quite the rivalry over the years, but the rosters have dramatically changed in such a short time, so it’s hard to say the same level of emotion is still involved.
Still, it should make for an exciting couple of games between two franchises that are in somewhat similar situations yet chasing very different goals. The Thunder is young, just outside off playoff contention, and not particularly concerned with winning games as the draft lottery seems to be the most desirable destination; the Rockets are not so young, barely inside of playoff contention, and still trying to win games.
Regardless of statistics or odds, the NBA is a wild ride. Perhaps entering the week with no real expectations is the best option for Thunder fans; there’s just no telling what we’re going to get.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Theo Maledon
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Al Horford
Rockets
- PG: John Wall
- SG: Victor Oladipo
- SF: Jae’Sean Tate
- PF: P.J. Tucker
- C: Christian Wood
Injuries
Thunder
- Trevor Ariza is OUT (not with team).
- George Hill is OUT (sprained right thumb).
- Ty Jerome is OUT (sprained left ankle).
Rockets
- Dante Exum is OUT (strained right calf).
- Kenyon Martin Jr. is OUT (G League assignment).
- David Nwaba is OUT (sprained left ankle).
- Kevin Porter Jr. is OUT (G League assignment).
- Brodric Thomas is OUT (G-League; two-way).
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 7-9 against the Rockets in the playoffs (5-2 at home, 2-7 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 last season against the Rockets 2-1 (1-0 at home, 1-1 on the road).