Game 5 Pregame Primer: Thunder @ Rockets (Series 2-2)
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ESPN preview
Tip-off:
5:30 PM @ ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, ? TNT
Projected starting lineups:
| Oklahoma City | Houston |
| PG: Chris Paul | PG: James Harden |
| SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | SG: Eric Gordon |
| SF: Lu Dort | SF: Danuel House |
| PF: Danilo Gallinari | PF: P.J. Tucker |
| C: Steven Adams | C: Robert Covington |
3 Big Things:
- Momentum: It’s been anything but easy, yet for better or worse, OKC Has tied the series thanks to some inspiring defense, and offensive outbursts from the 3-guard lineup. The Thunder can’t get complacent, and they have to keep playing with the desperation we have seen these past two games. Ride this momentum to a victory.
- If it ain’t broke: Steven Adams has played fine, and hasn’t been a detriment to the squad this series. That being said, OKC has gone small with Gallo at the 5 in the clutch time for the past two games. The results are hard to argue with. The Thunder need that lineup at the end of the game because it spaces the floor so much better and allows our guys an easier path to the basket.
- Russ: For the first time in history, Russell Westbrook will be in the playoffs, but not representing the Oklahoma City Thunder. To make it even more poetic, the first team he faces in the playoffs since not being on the Thunder….. is the Thunder. Whether old habits die hard and we get to exploit that, or he comes out with a little extra motivation and destroys us, having Russ out there changes the game completely.
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