Thunder at Rockets
Two of the top candidates for league MVP lead their red-hot teams into battle when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Houston Rockets on Sunday in what could be a preview of a first-round playoff matchup. Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook needs six triple-doubles to match Oscar Robertson’s all-time record for a season (47) and Houston’s James Harden is averaging a robust 39.5 points and 12.3 assists the last four games.
Harden boasts four triple-doubles to go along with three double-doubles in his last seven games to make his MVP case as the Rockets won six times, and he is second only to Westbrook (31.2) in scoring at 29.5 while leading the lead in assists (11.3). “I think so, but I try not to think about it too much,” Harden told reporters when asked if he is making a strong run at the MVP. “I just try to do my job at a high level and win games. That’s all I can do.” Westbrook played reduced minutes for the second straight game, but still registered a triple-double with 18 points on 6-of-6 shooting, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Philadelphia. “I’ve been watching some film, trying to pick my spots better,” Westbrook told reporters. “I found ways to continue to get my teammates involved throughout the game and it just happened that way.”
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE THUNDER (41-30): Westbrook should be well rested after averaging just 27.5 minutes the last two contests - seven below his season average – and has gotten strong support from Victor Oladipo during Oklahoma City’s 6-1 surge. Oladipo is averaging 18.3 points on 50 percent shooting – 60.6 from 3-point range – in eight games since returning from back spasms. Enes Kanter has also upped his production while averaging 15.5 points on 55.9 percent shooting in March and 16.8 on 55.6, respectively, in the last five contests while fellow center Steven Adams is shooting 66.7 percent from the field in the same span.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (50-22): Harden drained 16 from 3-point range and 46-of-53 free throws in the last four games, making at least 11 field goals in each contest, and is averaging 9.5 boards in the same span. Eric Gordon (16.4) is second on the team in scoring, but some of the other top performers have been cold the last few games. Lou Williams, who is averaging 13.9 points in 14 games since being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers, is 0-for-12 from 3-point range the last four contests while Ryan Anderson is shooting 35.7 percent from the field the past five (8-of-29 from behind the arc) and is expected to miss this one with an ankle injury.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Harden’s streak of four straight games with at least 30 points and 10 assists is the longest since Michael Jordan accomplished the feat in five consecutive contests in 1988-89.
2. Westbrook is averaging 35.3 points in three games against Houston (one win) and Harden is at 20.0 with 12.3 assists on 29.1 percent versus the Thunder in 2016-17.
3. Houston C Nene has reached double figures in scoring eight times in the last 11 games and is shooting 63 percent from the field in that stretch.