Two teams involved in a major blockbuster trade last offseason in the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder will go head-to-head in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs. Last July, the Rockets shipped superstar guard Chris Paul to the Thunder in exchange for another superstar guard in Russell Westbrook. Both players helped to lead their new teams into the postseason picture, and in turn they will face off against each other in order to advance. Unfortunately for Houston, Westbrook will be sidelined for at least Game 1 with a quad strain, but could possibly return at some point in the series.
For what it's worth, the Thunder won two out of the three meetings between the two teams during the regular season, including their two most recent matchups in January. With that said, here's everything you need to know about Game 1 between the Rockets and Thunder.
How to Watch Game 1
- Date: Tuesday, Aug. 18 | 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Disney Wide World of Sports -- Orlando, Florida
- TV: TNT
- Odds: Thunder -1.5 | Over/Under: 224.5
Storylines
Rockets: This could be a make-or-break postseason for the Rockets. After coming close to a Finals appearance over the past couple of seasons, major changes could be coming for the franchise if they again fail to advance out of the Western Conference. Coach Mike D'Antoni, who is on the last year of his current contract, could be replaced over the offseason if the Rockets fail to make major noise in this postseason. A Finals run could motivate the organization to commit to D'Antoni moving forward. However, if the Rockets ultimately fall short -- again -- in the playoffs, this time with their small-ball approach, the two sides could part ways when D'Antoni's contract is up after the season. Unless the organization is convinced that the team can win at the highest level by emphasizing shooting and scoring while downplaying defense and rebounding, a split after the season is very possible, even likely.
Thunder: Expectations were relatively low for the Thunder heading into the season, but they surprised a lot of people by climbing all the way up to the fifth seed in the ultra-competitive West. Chris Paul, in particular, will be playing with a chip on his shoulder against his old team, as he wasn't particularly happy with the way his trade out of Houston was executed. A motivated Paul with a chip on his shoulder looking to send a message to his former franchise will be a main underlying storyline in this series.
Prediction
Even without Russell Westbrook, the Rockets are the more dangerous team. James Harden will have to pick up the slack in Westbrook's absence in Game 1, but that's certainly something he's capable of doing, and in Eric Gordon, Robert Covington, P.J. Tucker, he still has a solid supporting cast. The Thunder, on the other hand, have overachieved all season, but their lack of depth may finally catch up to them in the postseason. Pick: Rockets +1.5
