PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY >> 17-10 in April!
(NBA) Oklahoma City vs. Houston,
Total: 218.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 218.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 65-14 Houston Rockets have locked up homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs with the best record in franchise history and are still counting. Houston used a last-second shot from PG Chris Paul to earn a 96-94 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, giving the team an amazing 30 wins in its last 32 games. The Rockets are keeping their foot on the pedal to stay sharp for the playoffs, with both Paul and James Harden logging over 30 minutes in the win. The Thunder return to the court tonight for the first time since dropping a 111-107 decision at home to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday and have spent the last few days watching the standings in the Western Conference continue to stay tight, as six teams are fighting over five spots with the regular season coming to an end April 11 (next Wednesday).
Oklahoma City: "We're not in the situation to press," Paul George recently said. "We've just got to handle what our job is. We're not on the bubble trying to play and fight our way in. We're in right now; we've got to sustain that. It's not a scenario where we're in the situation to be pressing. We've just got to handle our job and close this year out on a high note." I'm not I share George's sentiment. George went 5-of-19 from the floor on Tuesday, as the Thunder lost for the fourth time in their last five games during this stretch run. George (21.6 & 5.7) and Camelo (16.2 & 5.9) were added to the team in the off-season, hoping that the duo could, along with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook (25.6-9.9-10.1), allow OKC to make a run at the Warriors this season. OKC really hasn't closed the gap, while the team's opponent tonight (the Rockets), did exactly what OKC had hoped to do.
Houston: Paul saved the Rockets from playing an extra period against the Blazers, after once holding a 24-point lead. Gerald Green capped a comeback from a 21-point deficit with his game-winning three-pointer back on March 30 against the Phoenix Suns.The bottom line is, when it comes to needing a bit of late-game heroics, Houston has ample options at its disposal. "We've got a lot of closers," Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Eric (Gordon) has made a big shot, Gerald has made a big shot, Chris does, James (Harden) does. We've got a lot of them." Harden (30.6-5.4-8.7) and Paul (18.6-5.5-7.9) are carrying the scoring load but center Clint Capela (14.0 & 10.9) continues to be a solid member of the star trio. He recorded his third consecutive double-double and 41st of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday and anchored the defense with a pair of steals and a block. Capela leads the NBA in field-goal percentage at .652 and pulled out of a rare shooting slump by combining to go 13-of-16 from the floor over the last two games.
The pick: The teams meet for the third and final time in this year's regular season, having split the previous two meetings at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Tonight's venue is the Toyota Center in Houston, where the Rockets are averaging 114.7 PPG. The Rockets continue to win (see above) but are a modest 4-7 ATS over the last 11 games and check in 17-22-1 ATS at home. Meanwhile, OKC has had three days off to rest, regroup and prep for the Rockets, as the Thunder play for a home floor edge in the first round at least, and perhaps for their playoff lives. However, I still don't trust OKC and will instead make the Over a 10*!
Oklahoma City: "We're not in the situation to press," Paul George recently said. "We've just got to handle what our job is. We're not on the bubble trying to play and fight our way in. We're in right now; we've got to sustain that. It's not a scenario where we're in the situation to be pressing. We've just got to handle our job and close this year out on a high note." I'm not I share George's sentiment. George went 5-of-19 from the floor on Tuesday, as the Thunder lost for the fourth time in their last five games during this stretch run. George (21.6 & 5.7) and Camelo (16.2 & 5.9) were added to the team in the off-season, hoping that the duo could, along with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook (25.6-9.9-10.1), allow OKC to make a run at the Warriors this season. OKC really hasn't closed the gap, while the team's opponent tonight (the Rockets), did exactly what OKC had hoped to do.
Houston: Paul saved the Rockets from playing an extra period against the Blazers, after once holding a 24-point lead. Gerald Green capped a comeback from a 21-point deficit with his game-winning three-pointer back on March 30 against the Phoenix Suns.The bottom line is, when it comes to needing a bit of late-game heroics, Houston has ample options at its disposal. "We've got a lot of closers," Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Eric (Gordon) has made a big shot, Gerald has made a big shot, Chris does, James (Harden) does. We've got a lot of them." Harden (30.6-5.4-8.7) and Paul (18.6-5.5-7.9) are carrying the scoring load but center Clint Capela (14.0 & 10.9) continues to be a solid member of the star trio. He recorded his third consecutive double-double and 41st of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday and anchored the defense with a pair of steals and a block. Capela leads the NBA in field-goal percentage at .652 and pulled out of a rare shooting slump by combining to go 13-of-16 from the floor over the last two games.
The pick: The teams meet for the third and final time in this year's regular season, having split the previous two meetings at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Tonight's venue is the Toyota Center in Houston, where the Rockets are averaging 114.7 PPG. The Rockets continue to win (see above) but are a modest 4-7 ATS over the last 11 games and check in 17-22-1 ATS at home. Meanwhile, OKC has had three days off to rest, regroup and prep for the Rockets, as the Thunder play for a home floor edge in the first round at least, and perhaps for their playoff lives. However, I still don't trust OKC and will instead make the Over a 10*!
