Rockets Clash with Thunder in Pivotal Season Finale
One More Time. Up For Grabs. Finishing Touch.
In their previous game, the Rockets earned home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. It’s not the first seed like last season, but it’s still important. And we’re finally here. Down to the last game of the 2018/2019-campaign. After a crazy regular season that had more storylines than most Hollywood trilogies, the Rockets are at the end of the NBA’s regular season ride. And the last game of the season isn’t going to be cakewalk. Houston travels to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder. The matchup is a pivotal one for both squads, as the Thunder are trying to avoid the eighth seed, with the sixth spot possibly in reach for OKC. For the Rockets, they have their eyes on the second seed (with some help from Denver). Houston needs to win tonight for the second seed to still be in play. A loss puts the Rockets at risk of falling to fourth if the Blazers win their two remaining games. Houston’s been tested 81 games for a matchup like the one they’ll get tonight in Oklahoma City. On a national stage, the Rockets can show the NBA world they’re a real threat to Golden State in the playoffs. The Thunder are whom many picked in before the season to have the best chance to unseat Golden State in the West. Houston can put that theory to rest with a win tonight.
After all the adversity, the slow start, the roster turnover, the injuries… the Rockets find themselves with the second seed within grasp. Houston needs Denver to lose at least one of their remaining two games, and the Rockets get the two seed with a win tonight. A loss, however, puts the Rockets in position to fall down to the fourth seed, a scenario Houston wants to avoid at all costs. Whichever team gets the fourth seed would play Golden State in the second round, upon advancing. The Rockets want to avoid the Warriors for as long as possible. Houston isn’t afraid of the champs, they know they can beat Golden State. Anything can happen in basketball. Who knows? For once, the Warriors could suffer an injury, and have to play through adversity. This is unlikely, given Golden State’s luck, the Rockets can only play their best and hope to be healthy when inevitably matchup with the Warriors.
Houston looks to put the finishing touches on a regular season that’s seen it all. The ugly. The amazing. The unbearable. The unbelievable. On Tuesday night, the Rockets will have to turn up the intensity a notch. Russell Westbrook and Paul George pose a tough tandem to contain, especially in their building. Houston’s faced weak opponents over the last four games, and Oklahoma City is a step up in the competition department. The Rockets need to win tonight in order to put themselves in position to slide into the second slot. James Harden can cap off his incredible season with another historic performance. Although, getting the victory is more important than any individual accolades. The Beard deserves the MVP, although it sounds like the Bucks’ “Greek Freak” is the favorite. Harden should win, but he probably won’t. That’s not a problem for Houston. He has bigger goals on his mind. Harden and the Rockets look to close out the season as the hottest team in the NBA. A win tonight would be Houston’s seventh straight, and the NBA’s longest entering the second season. They’ll be wearing their “earned” red Houston jerseys. The earned editions were given to each team that made the playoffs last season. The Rockets look to prove, in a pivotal Western showdown in the final game, that this season, they have their sights set on earning something more.
Chesapeake Energy Arena: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (53-28): “Earned” Crimson Red
Oklahoma City Thunder (47-33): Navy Blue
TV: 8:30 PM CT – TNT