Rockets Intent on Eliminating Thunder in Game 6
Permanent Silence. Rumbles of Revenge. No Close Calls.
“Then you were exceedingly lucky. An inverted bullet through your body would be devastating. Not pretty,” another quote from Tenet, which hits theaters in Houston Monday night, just as the Rockets hope time run’s out on OKC’s season with a win in Game 6 tonight. Especially against Chris Paul, a seasoned veteran, and one of the wisest to ever play the game, closing out the Thunder won’t be easy. Russell Westbrook shouldn’t be as rusty as he was in Game 5, and James Harden has been stroking his shot efficiently, shooting 11-for-15 last game. The Rockets are lucky to have Westbrook back. And despite their season still being alive with a loss, Houston can’t take this OKC team for granted in Game 6. Chris Paul is going to have his Thunder team fighting until the final buzzer sounds. If the Rockets want to close out OKC tonight, they’re going to have to finally win a close game in this series… a task Houston’s failed to accomplish in this series.
All of three Rocket wins have been blowouts in this series. The Thunder aren’t going down without a fight. Close-out games are the most difficult, especially against the best leaders, and CP3, despite his age, will have OKC looking to push this series to a Game 7. A situation Houston needs to avoid at all costs. Anything can happen in a winner-take-all Game 7. Injuries, someone gets hot, or a close play decides the game, and thus series. But the Rockets are a better team than the Thunder. In order to avoid putting themselves in a dangerous Game 7 position, Houston has to enter tonight’s matchup with a Game 7 “leave it-all-on-the-floor” mentality. The key to Game 6, and Houston ending this series on Monday night, lies in the strength of their defense. After holding OKC to a mere 80 points in Game 5, the Rockets now have had the best defensive rating in the playoffs at the moment. In this series, Houston is 3-0 when they hold OKC to under 115 points. When they allow the Thunder to score 115 or more, the Rockets are 0-2. If Houston plays with the defensive intensity they’ve shown they’re capable of, this series should be over tonight. Specifically, in OKC’s wins, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari have been factors offensively. However, Gallinari is inconsistent, and SGA is still a young player who’s shown elements of panic when swarmed by Houston’s defense. If the Rockets come out focused early, this game, and series, should be over in a few hours time.
However, That’s a big if. If Houston comes out lackadaisical or fails to match OKC’s urgency, we could be in for a close call tonight. And the Rockets don’t want any more close calls with Chris Paul and the Thunder. If Game 6 is close, with their season on the line, OKC will fighting on every possession. Houston needs to silence the Thunder’s noise, and get off to blast in Game 6. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are already patiently waiting, watching closely, as they await the winner of this series in the conference semifinals. And a Game 7 gives LA one more game to scout James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and the Rockets devastative small-ball scheme. A loss by Houston in Game 6 tonight also puts this series up in the air, and swings the momentum ferociously in OKC’s way heading into a decisive Game 7. A devastating situation the Rockets want to avoid. It’s time to get the job done in Monday night’s Game 6. Houston’s exceedingly lucky to be in this situation, 48 minutes away from moving on to the next round. And they’ve proven, with their blowout dominance (without Russ), they are the better team in this series. However a slip up in Game 6 could mean problems for Houston. Because A Game 7, where anything can happen… against Chris Paul, one of the smartest players and best closers in the league, and a guy you traded another superstar for this season. For James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Houston… that’s not pretty.
Advent Health Arena: Orlando, Florida
Jersey Colors:
Oklahoma City Thunder (2-3): Black
Houston Rockets (3-2): Red
TV: 8 PM CT – TNT, AT&T Sportsnet SW