It will be a showdown between two of the league’s top scoring offenses when the Oklahoma City Thunder (48-22) challenge the Houston Rockets (35-35). Action starts at 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Mar. 22 and can be seen on TNT.
The Thunder enter this game hoping for similar success after topping the Pacers 115-111 on Saturday. Kevin Durant played a key role, recording 33 points and 13 rebounds to notch his 26th double-double of the season. The Rockets, meanwhile, are coming off a 109-97 loss to the Hawks on Saturday. James Harden played well for Houston, registering 25 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
It could be an error-filled game for the Thunder offense, which ranks 28th in the league in ball protection (turnover percentage of 15.4%). It’ll be facing the gambling defense of Houston, which forces the third-most turnovers in the NBA (15.8%).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Thunder had the upper hand in the most recent game, a 116-108 win. Durant put up 33 points and 12 rebounds.
The Thunder look to build on their records of 48-22 Straight Up (SU) and 29-38-3 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 48-22 SU and 29-38-3 ATS against the Western Conference. The Thunder have no trouble scoring as they rank second in the league in offense with 110.2 points per game. Oklahoma City has gotten to the free throw line often this season. They average 19 made free throws per game, which is fifth-best in the NBA. The rebounding edge goes to the Thunder in this matchup, who average a league-best 48.6 rebounds per game. Crossing over to the defensive end of the court, opposing offenses have been stifled by the Thunder, who allow a field goal percentage of only .439.
On the other side, the Rockets have a record of 29-40-1 ATS and 35-35 SU. In Western Conference games, Houston has gone 35-35 SU and 29-40-1 ATS. Offensively, they average 106.1 points per game, which is good for fourth in the league. Houston is one of the top foul-shooting teams in the league, making 21.0 shots from the line per game. Switching gears to Houston’s defense, the Rockets are a terror in the passing lanes, averaging an NBA-best 10.2 steals per game. Houston is the third-best team in the league at scoring points off turnovers with 18.9 per game.
In their previous meeting this season, Oklahoma City beat Houston, evening up the two teams’ head-to-head record over the last 10 games. On the other hand, with a 5-4-1 record, the Thunder have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – OKC
Notes
Houston ranks fourth in points per game with 106.1, while Oklahoma City ranks 16th in points allowed with an average of 103.0 given up.
Oklahoma City has allowed an average of 100.0 points per home game this season. Houston averages 107.0 points per away game, placing the team fourth in scoring.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Houston Rockets are a superb 14-3. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Oklahoma City Thunder have an abysmal record of 3-11.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Rockets are just 21-32 this season. Oklahoma City is a stellar 45-11 when registering triple digits.
The Thunder have a defensive rating of 103.3 (ranked 12th), while the Rockets rank eighth for their offensive rating of 105.6.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking third in the league with a FG% of 47.7%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Houston Rockets have a losing 8-21 record.
The Houston Rockets rank lower for their field goal percentage (16th) than their effective field goal percentage (seventh), while the Oklahoma City Thunder rank the same for both metrics (third).
On average, the Oklahoma City Thunder make 22.9 assists per game and the Houston Rockets make 21.8. Oklahoma City is ranked ninth, while Houston is ranked 18th.
With 6.1 blocks per game, the Oklahoma City Thunder rank third in the league. The Houston Rockets are in the top half of NBA teams for blocking, ranking 14th with 5.1 blocks per game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the top offensive rebounding team in the league. The Houston Rockets rank 26th in defensive rebounding.
The Houston Rockets earn an average of 10.2 steals per game and are ranked first. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a 16-12 record when they allow at least 10 steals.
