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Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction & Picks - NBA
by Stephen Abiola | in NBA Picks
Oklahoma City Thunder (19-5) will play Houston Rockets (17-3) at the T-Mobile Arena in an NBA Cup game on Saturday. The Thunder come into this matchup in intimidating form after sweeping aside the Mavericks on Wednesday to book a semifinal date with the Rockets. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lit up the hardwood with 39 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists to prevent a late comeback from the Mavs. He will need a similar performance to shoot down the Rockets, who edged the Warriors 91-90 in a defensive quarter-final battle. Houston entered this matchup after losing their last 15 matches at the Toyota Center. They were led to victory by Alperen Sengun, who scored 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists.Limited Offer. Currently at DraftKings
Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder Form
Table
| Teams | % | P | W | L | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
0.846 | 39 | 33 | 6 | 3 |
|
2
|
0.684 | 38 | 26 | 12 | 4 |
Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder Latest Matches
4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
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5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
Dec 11, 2024 - NBA
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3/6 (50%)
3/6 (50%)
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5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
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5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
Dec 10, 2024 - NBA
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5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
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Houston Rockets against Oklahoma City Thunder : Head to Head (H2H)
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Houston Rockets - Oklahoma City Thunder: Form Analysis
OKC is first in the Northwest Division and the Western Conference. With the Lakers crashing out of Group B, OKC could become the second champs in the existence of this in-season tournament. They have continued where they left off last season, especially defensively. The Thunder has the second-best defense after giving up an average of 103.8 points per contest. They have also won eight of their last 10 matchups and are on a four-game winning streak. That’s not all. OKC has a solid domestic record of 15-5 against Western Conference teams. It will take a lot to stop them.
As for the Rockets, they are giving the Thunder a good chase in the Conference. Houston is third, 2.5 games behind the Thunder and only 0.5 games behind the Grizzlies. They come into this matchup looking to extend their two-game winning streak and make it two wins on the bounce against the Thunder. These sides locked horns earlier in the month at the Toyota Center, with Houston edging past the Thunder with a 3-point victory. Like the Thunder, Houston has been solid defensively, giving up 105.9 points per contest. That’s good for third in basketball.
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Players list
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Houston Rockets & Oklahoma City Thunder Squad Analysis
The Thunder will depend on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to do the heavy lifting on offense once again on Saturday. He has been nothing short of inspirational this season, scoring an average of 30.2 points and 6.3 assists. Gilgeous-Alexander also has a commendable field goal percentage of 51.5%. Jallen Williams will help him in offense after averaging 21.8 points, 5 assists, and 6.1 rebounds this season. However, the Western Conference champs have six players in the treatment room, with none expected to be fit for this matchup. Alex Ducas, Adam Flagler, and Jaylin Williams are the latest names on the injury list.
Houston Rockets players don’t necessarily have the most colorful records in the NBA this season. Instead, they have depended mainly on cohesiveness and teamwork to win matches. The bad news is that this could leave them short in close matches where they need star power. Their squad is led by Jalen Green, who averages 19.2 points, 2.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. Alperen Sengun has also been impressive, contributing 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. The Rockets squad is in good shape as they head into the NBA Cup semis, with only Dillon Brooks listed as questionable due to an illness.
Houston Rockets - Oklahoma City Thunder Key Points
- The Thunder have won eight of their last nine matches.
- The Thunder have won 12 of their last 14 home games.
- The Rockets have won seven of their last 10 matches.
- The Rockets have lost two of their last three away games.
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Our Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction
Bookmakers are confident that the Thunder will win, listing them as the 6-point favorites. That’s despite the Rockets winning four of the last five meetings with the Thunder. The young Thunder team is maturing quickly, and adding an NBA Cup to their trophy cabinet will do them lots of good. They have been exceptional in the last two seasons but failed to succeed in the postseason tournament. Maybe winning the NBA Cup will build more hunger and desire in the squad. The Thunder defeated the Mavs to reach this point, and we don’t see the Rockets stopping them. Our prediction for OKC Thunder vs Houston Rockets: OKC Thunder to cover +6.5 spread.
Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder - Other Interesting Picks
Over 213 points
Both teams have excellently executed their defensive strategies this season. However, this is a high-stakes matchup, so we could see an open game with over points cashing it. In fact, over points have been hit in the last four clashes between these Western Conference rivals. So, our secondary pick is for over 213 points.
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