- Rockets try to close out Thunder in Game 6 Monday
- Thunder scored just 80 points in blowout loss in Game 5
- See the odds, our analysis and best bets for Game 6 below
With the Los Angeles Lakers waiting in the wings, their next opponent could be determined as soon as Monday, as the Houston Rockets try to finish off the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of their opening round series.
After demolishing the Thunder in a 114-80 Game 5 statement, the Rockets vs Thunder odds appear to have Houston ready to wrap things up.
Rockets vs Thunder vs Game 6 Odds
| Team | Spread at FanDuel | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | -5.5 (-110) | -240 | O 226.5 (-110) |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +5.5 (-110) | +198 | U 226.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Aug 30. Tip-off is 9:10pm ET
Can OKC work their way back into the series and force a Game 7, or have the Rockets found their formula to oust the pesky Thunder?
Houston Picks on Thunder Youngsters
Perhaps the most disheartening part of the Rockets’ dismantling was the way they systematically targeted OKC’s young players. On the defensive end, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was identified as the weak link, and all Houston action was geared to exploiting him.
💨 Eric Gordon savunmadaki boşluğu görüp potaya gidiyor! #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/aIRpRLMXlp
— Do Deka (@dodekabasket) August 30, 2020
Gilgeous-Alexander also endured a nightmarish offensive performance, going 2-for-8 for four points and four turnovers.
Speaking of nightmarish, Houston dared Luguentz Dort to shoot, leaving him virtually unguarded. The young wing, who’s gained acclaim for his hard work in trying to contain James Harden, took the bait and the results were disastrous. Dort led all Thunder players in shot attempts, going a woeful 3-for-16, including an ugly 0-for-9 from three-point range for six points.
Lu Dort just had the worst offensive game of his career and he still outscored Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari COMBINED.
That's how trash they were. This was a team-wide loss.
— Samuel H. Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) August 30, 2020
His inability to make shots or plays on offense forced head coach Billy Donovan to sit his best Harden defender in search of better offense.
James Harden scored 31 PTS as Houston won Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead over OKC. #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/rkoELnSCUE
— NBA UK (@NBAUK) August 30, 2020
Meanwhile, Houston’s offense was humming, even though Russell Westbrook didn’t make a monstrous impact, scoring just seven points. Harden posted an efficient 31 points on 15 field goal attempts, while Eric Gordon and Robert Covington each added 20+ to pace the Rockets’ attack.
Thunder Need to Generate Offense
Losing Dennis Schroder to an ejection in the third quarter for a low blow to PJ Tucker put out any flicker of hope for OKC to even come close to mounting a comeback in Game 5. The Thunder have been offensively challenged in these playoffs. OKC is shooting a dreadful 42.5% from the field and an even icier 30.1% from behind the three-point line.
After posting back-to-back 26-point outings in Games 3 and 4 to help the Thunder bring the series to 2-2, Chris Paul struggled just like many of his other teammates, scoring just 16 points and committing four turnovers.
ERIC GORDON COM O STEAL!
ERIC GORDON COM A BANDEJA!#NBAnoSporTVpic.twitter.com/INcBuyurj0
— Red Nation BR 🇧🇷 (de 🏠) (@RedNationBR) August 30, 2020
He’ll likely need to be OKC’s best player in Game 6 to extend the series, and they’ll need Danilo Gallinari to return to his top form in the earlier part of this series. Gallinari averaged 22 points a contest the first three games, but he’s failed to crack double-digits in his last two, including a 1-point, 0-for-5 night with four turnovers in Game 5.
What’s the Best Bet?
Even though they still attempted 48 three-pointers, the Rockets did make a more concerted effort to get to the tin. That helped them avoid long scoring lapses that cost them Games 3 and 4.
Westbrook’s return may not have paid immediate dividends, but the mercurial guard should be back to his explosive and dominant self soon. It’s probably not a coincidence Harden looked re-energized in Game 5. Westbrook will help absorb the responsibility of running an offense that was Harden-centric and bogged down tin their previous losses.
For this to be close, the trio of Schroder, Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander will need to account for better than 70 points. They had just 39 combined in Game 5.
I think we’re about to see the Rockets take off. Get ready, Lakers.
The pick: Rockets -5.5 (-110)
The post Rockets vs Thunder Game 6 Picks and Odds appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.
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