OKC Thunder vs Houston Rockets Prediction & Match Preview - August 29th, 2020 | Game 5
Fixture: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets
Date & Time: Saturday, August 29th, 2020, 6:30 PM ET (day 4:00 AM IST)
Venue: The Field House, Disney World, Orlando, FL
The OKC Thunder tied the first-round series 2-2 against the Houston Rockets in the NBA playoffs . The Houston Rockets went cold from the three-point line in the fourth quarter. Dennis Schroeder finished with a team-high 30 points for the OKC Thunder while James Harden scored 32 points and assisted 15 times in the game.
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder made an incredible comeback in game four. Like game three, Houston Rockets made a great start and were leading by 13 points in the second quarter but the Thunder were able to erase the deficit by half time.
The three-guard lineup of Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Dennis Schroeder and Chris Paul have come big for the OKC Thunder in this series. Head coach Billy Donovan will expect another big game from this trio. Lu Dort will resume his defensive assignment of stopping James Harden in game five.
Key Player- Chris Paul
Chris Paul has been the most 'clutch' player in the NBA this season. He has scored more than 150 points in clutch situations. OKC Thunder has 32-15 record in close games, which is the best in the league. Paul was responsible for the majority of the scoring in the fourth quarter for the OKC Thunder. The Houston Rockets have found it difficult to contain him in the closing minutes. Paul will have to be at his best in game five against the Rockets.
OKC Thunder Predicted Lineup
Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams
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Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets made the record for attempting the most 3's in a playoff game. They shot 58 three-point attempts, making 29 of them at nearly 40 per cent. However, the Houston Rockets went cold from downtown in the fourth quarter, making only five threes. They have missed Russell Westbrook's scoring and playmaking skills.
It will be interesting to see if head coach Mike D'Antoni will start Westbrook in game five. The Houston Rockets will have to make defensive adjustments if they want to stand a chance against the three-guard lineup of OKC Thunder.
Key Player- James Harden
James Harden had another great game despite Lu Dort chasing him for most of the game. He almost finished with a triple-double as he scored 32 points, assisted 15 times and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Harden has been the top scorer in the series but hasn't performed up to the mark in the closing minutes. James Harden will have to find a way to get his defensive matchup Lu Dort in defensive trouble in game five if he wants to make an impact in the fourth quarter.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
James Harden, Eric Gordon, Danuel House Jr., Robert Covington, P.J. Tucker
OKC Thunder vs Houston Rockets - Match Prediction
All the games in this series have been highly competitive. We can expect another close game on Wednesday. Russell Westbrook's return will be crucial for the Houston Rockets in this game. Another decisive factor would be Lu Dort's defence on James Harden. The Houston Rockets will be strong favourites to win this game and take a 3-2 lead in the series.
OKC Thunder vs Houston Rockets- Where to Watch
Local coverage of the game will be available on AT&T SportsNet - Southwest and FOX Sports Oklahoma. The match will be on national TV via TNT. You can also live stream the same through the NBA League Pass.
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