Oklahoma City Thunder AT Houston Rockets
January 2nd, 2011 at 8:35 PM EST
Opening Line:  OKC -3.5
Current Line:  OKC -3.5
Opening Total: 210
Current Total: 209
Opening Moneyline:  OKC -165 / Houston +145
Current Moneyline: OKC -155 / Houston +135

For as much as it makes sense for the 25-13 Thunder to be favored against a 17-21 Rockets team, there is that one little fact, that they’ve lost 11 straight to the Rockets in Houston.  They won both meetings at home against Kevin Martin and the Rockets, but in their only road game at the Toyota Center this year, they lost by 1.

Durant had his 14th career 40 point game Saturday night against the Grizzlies in a 109-100 victory.  He’ll attempt to avenge the loss last game in Houston when he mustered just 18 points and missed the potential game winning shot as time expired.

Scott Brooks is not dismissing the Rockets as a mediocre sub .500 team, however, and realizes their potentcy, particuarly at home.  “They’ve been good for a while now,” Brooks told the team’s official website. “… The last game we had a chance to win with a last-second shot. They have good players. (Shane) Battier is a good defender, (Luis) Scola’s as smart and crafty as any four man in the league and he gives us problems like he gives the league problems. (Jordan) Hill has stepped up and started to play good basketball, and their backcourt is good.”

The Rockets may be without their leading scorer in Kevin Martin, who is day to day with a wrist injury and they will be without big man (a misleading term for a 6’5″ center) Chuck Hayes.  Brad Miller is also day to day.  The Thunder, however, are at full strength with no injuries to report.

Some betting trends:

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma City’s past 6 games and they are 11-5 SU in their last 16 games.  The total has also gone UNDER in 6 of their last 8 games on the road.  They are 4-20 SU in their last 24 games against the Rockets and the total has gone UNDER in 5 of the last 6 games in Houston.  They are 0-5 SU in their last 5 on the road in Houston and 1-4 ATS in those games.

Houston is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games and 1-6-2 ATS in their last 9.  They are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games and 9-3 SU in their last 12 at home.  They are also 20-4 SU in their last 24 games against the Thunder.

Key matchups:

Jeff Green vs. Luis Scola

Green is a bit undersized at the power forward position and the 6’10” Scola will look to take advantage of that both on the boards and shooting his spot up jumper.  Scola is having a dominant year as the Rockets’ second leading scorer, but Green will pose problems on the defensive end for Scola due to his quickness and outside scoring touch.  Green has struggled from three this year, shooting 6% below his career average, but could pull out of the slump at any time, so Scola can’t simply give him the threes.  Green is averaging 15.5 points per game in nearly 38 minutes a night.

Kevin Durant vs. Shane Battier

Durant has historically had sub par games against Battier, averaging 22 points per game against the Rockets in his career, over three points below his career scoring average, but he had 32 last game against the Rockets and shot an outstanding 12 of 18 from the floor.  While Battier is known as a lock down defender, Durant’s length will give him problems as he is only an inch taller but has the wing span of a player over seven feet tall, enabling him to get his shot off against even the best defense.  Battier won’t fall for pump fakes, so it will be up to Durant to take advantage of his speed and shoot pull ups over Battier.

Tonight’s game should be a close one, as indicated by NBA oddsmakers.  It will represent a huge victory for the Thunder if they can finally win one in Houston.