Oklahoma City at Houston
Time: 7:30 PM CT (ABC/ESPN)
Spread: HOU -2.5
Total: 237.5
Odds c/o 5dimes
HOU TEAM NOTES:
Though the Rockets have struggled this season, the team has won six of its last 10 overall and still is situated No. 6 in the Western Conference. The team lost Trevor Ariza over the offseason, hoping that replacing him with Carmelo Anthony would solve its problems. It did none of that, and the team has taken many steps back defensively, which ultimately is the reason it has failed to succeed at the rate it did a year ago. Houston is surrendering 111.1 points per game and scoring 112.7 itself, which yields just a 1.6 positive, point differential.
The Rockets must tighten up its defense significantly to rejoin the realm of Western Conference contenders, which many are feeling can still happen.
But it cannot be all Clint Capela’s work, despite the outstanding season the center is putting together.
Capela recently suffered an injury and was said to be out for four to six weeks. That leaves the Houston Rockets with a massive hole at the 5-spot, given its lack of sizeable backups. Nevermind the fact that Clint Capela alone was having a career breakout season.
Capela had been making a strong bid to be an All-Star and it is easy to see why Houston felt comfortable releasing Dwight Howard to clear the way for Capela.
Truth be told, he has a little of young Dwight, in him and his game. Capela averages 17.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.88 blocks per game while posting the second-best PER on the Rockets. He has proven to be the anchor of a defense that greatly needs perimeter improvement, and it is hardly all the fault of Harden as the narrative often goes.
Harden is playing passing lanes well, coming up with 2-plus steals a game, while heading the offensive attack in his usual masterful way. Harden’s averaging 33.9 points and 8.6 assists per game.
Chris Paul has fallen off in a noticeable way, but he has also played through some injuries and is declining as expected as he ages. The Rockets really need a power forward of the defensive mindset, and losing Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is as much to blame for the team’s defensive decline as losing Ariza. Few are factoring in the value of strong defensive role players and the
OKC
Oklahoma City has been rolling, and its plan of attack is slightly different, so perhaps that is why. Russell Westbrook, while still a dominant force in all aspects of the game, has shifted the primary scoring responsibilities to swingman Paul George. George has thrived.
Over his past 10 games, George is averaging 34 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 38 minutes per night. The 28-year-old is in the heart of his prime and absolutely playing like it. In the month of February (three games), he is averaging 39.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and four assists.
Over his last five games, he is averaging 38.4 points per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and 48 percent from three. He has simply been en fuego–and Westbrook has facilitated plenty of it, in serving a more passive role as the Thunder’s best player and playmaker.
Westbrook had 16 points, 16 assists, and 15 rebounds in his 36 minutes against the Orlando Magic in the Thunder’s most recent 132-122 victory over the Magic. Westbrook is averaging 1.5 points per game less than his career average, but he is averaging 2.8 assists more per game than his career average of 8.3 per contest. He has had a triple-double in seven straight games, and the Thunder have won all but one of those games. It seems that OKC has stumbled across its secret to success this season, but it unclear whether this methodology will be anywhere enough to defeat the vaunted Golden State Warriors when the playoffs roll around. The only thing that is certain, is that the chances are better than ever for this OKC team.
