It’s win or go home for both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. It’s as simple as that, in their Game 7 tussle to decide which team will advance to the next round and face the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Betting Preview for the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 7 on September 2, 2020
Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando
When: Wednesday, September 2, 2020, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Oklahoma City Thunder (+5.5) vs. Houston Rockets (-5.5) – view all 2020 NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder (+5.5)
Regular Season Record: 44-28
Chris Paul was not going to let the Thunder go home on Monday, as he scored 15 of his 28 points to lead the Thunder to a 104-100 win in Game 6 against the Rockets. Paul also had seven rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes of action. Meanwhile, Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points to provide Paul ample support that the latter usually gets from either Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder. Gilgeous-Alexander had 10 points in Game 6, while Schroder scored 12. Surely, the Thunder would want the pair to do better on offense in Game 7. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 15.8 points on the series, while Schroder is mustering 18.2. The Thunder defended Houston in Game 6, as they didn’t allow the Rockets to hit the 30-point mark until the latter half of the second quarter.
The Thunder are 3-1 against the spread in their last four games.
Betting on the Houston Rockets (-5.5)
Regular Season Record: 44-28
James Harden shot 11 for 12 from the field and finished with 32 points in Game 6, but his efforts were wasted in the loss to Oklahoma City. Robert Covington played a great game, as he scored 18 points with four 3-pointers, five rebounds, and five assists in 38 minutes of action. Covington played even better than former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, who chipped in 17 points on 8-for-15 shooting. The Rockets would rather have Westbrook have a nice game than a role player like Covington. Another player who needs to rebound for the Rockets is Eric Gordon, who shot just 3 for 12 for nine points. On defense, the Rockets might want to sag a bit and dare the Thunder to shoot more threes, as Oklahoma City is just terrible in the series in terms of outside shooting. In fact, the Thunder are second-worst among all playoff teams with a 30.6 percent shooting from deep, so far in the postseason.
The Rockets are 3-0 against the spread in their last three games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
The Thunder win, 115-111.
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