Russell Westbrook’s quest for another NBA MVP took a hit when his Houston Rockets manhandled the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opener of their Western Conference Playoff first-round series without him. The teams meet Saturday in a pivotal Game 3 with the Rockets launching threes no matter who’s in the lineup. We don’t know yet if Westbrook will be available on Saturday, which puts a little damper on the series. Westbrook and Chris Paul traded places during the offseason and the teams finished with identical 44-28 records during the regular year.
The game takes place at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 22, 2020, from the ESPN Wide world of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and will air live on ESPN. BookMaker.eu will have odds for every game of the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
NBA Playoff Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston Rockets -3
Oklahoma City Thunder +3
Over/Under 224
Odds Analysis
The Thunder had the upper hand during the regular season winning two of three games while covering the spread every time. In a series with two evenly-matched teams you’d expect some close games, but that wasn’t necessarily the case. All three matchups were decided by at least five points with OKC posting a 21-point victory in the middle game of the set. Houston landed the first punch in the playoff series, taking Game 1, 123-108, winning outright as a 1-point dog. The absence of Westbrook shifted the line, but not Houston’s game plan. The Rockets won against the closing line for just the second time in the last six overall meetings between the clubs.
Houston Rockets
Rallying without Westbrook the Rockets used the long ball to take the opener. They launched 52 shots from behind the arc, making 20 of them while shooting 48 percent from the field. It doesn’t matter who’s on the floor, the Rockets will do what the Rockets do.
“I really feel like when we’re on, when we’re right, when we’re rolling, we shouldn’t take bad shots. There should only be good shots. That’s the way we have to play,” Mike D’Antoni said. The Rockets were certainly rolling in Game 1 with James Harden hitting 6 of 13 triples for 37 points. Starting in place of Westbrook, Eric Gordon did his best impersonation of the former MVP scoring 21 points with Jeff Green adding 22.
When the game got out hand in the fourth quarter D’Antoni went to his bench, something he’s been reluctant to do in the past. Houston reserves tallied 42 points, which is a windfall for a club that typically uses eight players in its rotation.
Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC doesn’t have the firepower to hang with Houston offensively, even with Westbrook out of the lineup. What the Thunder must do is play defense. They held the Rockets to an average of 105 points during the regular season and know what needs to be done. It’s just not that easy.
“It’s actually quite simple. But just because its’ simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. What it comes down to is being disciplined on when you should help,” Steven Adams said about his team’s defense. Sometimes, no matter how well you defend, the other guys just make shots. Houston shot well over its season averages in field goal and three-point percentage in the opener, and that’s likely to fall.
Injury Report
The Rockets are a better team with Westbrook in the lineup. He missed the first two games with a quad ailment and its unknown if he’ll be ready for Saturday’s tilt. The rest of the club made up for his absence in Game 1, but I don’t think the carryover will last long. Russ adds a dimension to the offense that Gordon and Green don’t.
OKC could get one of its top perimeter defenders back and it couldn’t come at a better time, if it does happen. Luguentz Dort has missed time with a knee injury and like Westbrook there’s not timeline for a return. He appears to be getting close, though, and he will help stymie Houston’s long-distance attack.
NBA Odds Pick
If the Rockets continue to launch and make threes they’ll make short work of the Thunder. And if they get Westbrook back sooner rather than later they have a path to the second round. That doesn’t meant OKC is going to rollover. This club surprised a lot of people and I believe they have enough to make it a series. The Thunder defended well during the regular season and I expect them to pick it up, and the Rockets will cool off. I’m leaning toward OKC in a lower scoring affair.
NBA Odd Prediction: Thunder 111, Rockets 105
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