OKC Thunder vs Houston Rockets Prediction & Match Preview - November 29th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The OKC Thunder will travel to the Toyota Center to take on the Houston Rockets in an exciting 2021-22 NBA season game.
The Thunder are in a slump right now, having lost their last five games on the trot. Meanwhile, the Rockets are on a two-game winning streak. This will be the third match between the two Western Conference teams of the campaign.
OKC got the better of Houston 101-98 in the previous meeting. The season series stands at 1-1 between the sides entering this contest.
Match Details
Fixture: OKC Thunder vs Houston Rockets | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Monday, November 29, 8:00 PM ET (Tuesday, November 30; 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX.
OKC Thunder Preview
The OKC Thunder's woes on offense continued as they lost 99-101 against the Washington Wizards in their previous outing.
The Thunder have scored more than 110 points in a game just once this campaign across 19 appearances. They have the second-worst conversion rate from the field at only 41%.
It proved to be their Achilles heel against the Wizards as well. The Thunder made 40.4% of their shots overall. They got off to a slow start in the first and second half and had to fight their way back into the game down the stretch.
OKC couldn't get the job done, though, losing by a margin of two points, their closest loss of the campaign.
heartbreaker https://t.co/o7eU2C020s
Luguentz Dort scored a team-high 21 points on 50% shooting, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from a two-game absence and scored 15 points on 43% shooting for the OKC Thunder.
They will have to work on getting better looks to increase their conversion rate. That will be a decisive factor against the in-form Houston Rockets.
Key Player - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started the campaign on a bright note but has failed to score more than 20 points in any of his last five outings.
His shooting has been an area of concern during that stretch. He has converted below 35% of his field goals in four of those games, while making 43% of his shots in his last match.
As the team's top scorer, Gilgeous-Alexander will have to shrug off this poor run to give the OKC Thunder a healthy chance of winning the tie against the Houston Rockets.
OKC Thunder Predicted Lineup
G - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | G - Josh Giddey | F - Darius Bazley | F - Luguentz Dort | C - Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets experienced their best stretch of the season, claiming two of their three wins in consecutive games. They defeated the in-form Chicago Bulls first, followed by a 146-143 OT win over the Charlotte Hornets.
They improved a lot offensively over those two outings. Four players recorded more than 20 points in their win over the Hornets.
Christian Wood produced his best outing of the season, tallying 33 points and 16 rebounds, shooting 68.4% from the floor. Meanwhile, Kevin Porter Jr. had 23 points and 12 assists to his name.
The Houston Rockets shot 53.7% from the field overall and made a whopping 23 threes during the game.
The Rockets' ball movement was fluid and that is something they will have to continue doing to record a third consecutive win on Monday against the OKC Thunder.
The #Rockets hit a season-high of 23 three-pointers tonight! 🔥 https://t.co/uB892aNGWx
Key Player - Christian Wood
Christian Wood's season-high performance in the last game played a massive role in helping the Houston Rockets get over the line. The Rockets are difficult to contain for opponents, with him firing on all cylinders.
With Jalen Green sidelined, Wood will once again have plenty of attempts to make an impact scoring-wise.
The Rockets' center will have to make the most of that opportunity to give his team a solid chance of winning the game against the OKC Thunder.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Kevin Porter Jr. | G - Eric Gordon | F - Jae'Sean Tate | F - Garrison Matthews | C - Christian Wood.
Thunder vs Rockets Match Prediction
On paper, the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets are evenly matched teams. The momentum favors the Rockets entering this contest, though. That could give them a significant advantage in this match.
Houston will also be playing on their home court, which will only improve their chances of winning this tie.
Where to watch Thunder vs Rockets
The game between the OKC Thunder and the Houston Rockets will be televised locally by Bally Sports Oklahoma and AT&T Sportsnet Southwest. Fans can also catch live action online via a subscription to NBA League Pass.