The Houston Rockets (4-14, 2-5 Home) will try to slow down one of the league’s top scoring teams when they play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder (8-11, 3-6 Away) on Saturday. Both teams will be playing the second of a back-to-back. Each is 0-2 without a day off. Oklahoma City defeated the Chicago Bulls 123-119 in overtime at Paycom Center yesterday.
With 30 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a top performer. The Thunder are the 12th seed in the Western Conference.Houston got the win yesterday at Toyota Center, beating the Atlanta Hawks 128-122. Jalen Green topped the scoresheet with 30 points.
With 20 points, Garrison Mathews also impressed. The Rockets are the 15th seed in the Western Conference. The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Houston won three out of four games between the teams last season, including a 114-110 triumph in their last meeting at Paycom Center in December 2021.
Gilgeous-Alexander led all players in scoring with 39 points in defeat. Jae’Sean Tate had 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks for the Rockets. The Thunder have been led this season by Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 31.0 points per game, best in the league.
Gilgeous-Alexander also has dished 6.3 assists per game, most in the NBA. Meanwhile, Josh Giddey is grabbing 7.4 rebounds.Green (21.5 ppg) and Kevin Porter Jr. (19.3) have supplied much of the Rockets’ offense. Green leads the NBA in scoring, while Porter Jr. is first. Porter Jr. also has tallied 6.1 assists per game, most in the NBA.
Alperen Sengun has collected 8.5 rebounds per game. The Thunder rank as one of the most explosive offenses in the NBA, fourth-best with 117.2 points per game. The Rockets have had success in the Thunder’s last 10 visits to Toyota Center, winning six.
In the last 10 games, Oklahoma City is 4-6 with an average margin of -0.9 (123.3-124.2). For the season, the Thunder are averaging 117.2 points per game, compared to 118.3 for opponents. Houston has gone 3-7 over the last 10, allowing 116.2 points per game on average while scoring only 111.3 (-4.9 margin).
THUNDER HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Tre Mann: 7.7 | 14.8 | -7.1
Points per game:
Jalen Williams: 12.6 | 9.8 | +2.8
Rebounds per game:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 6.4 | 4.9 | +1.5
Aleksej Pokusevski: 2.3 | 5.0 | -2.7
ROCKETS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Bruno Fernando: 10.0 | 14.3 | -4.3
Assists per game:
Jalen Green: 5.4 | 3.6 | +1.8
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Houston Rockets
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
