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There is no bigger treat for NBA fans than a Round 1 face-off between Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets to start the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
In one of othe most dramatic deals of the 2019 NBA off-season, Chris Paul of Oklahoma City Thunder moved to Houston Rockets whose All-Star Russell Westbrook went the other way. In that backdrop, both teams square up against each other in the first round of this season's NBA Playoffs.
With James Harden having a blast this season, one of the frontrunners in the race for this season's MVP will look to adorn his Hall of Famer-worthy career with a NBA Championship title.
However, Houston Rockets are not likely to have a smooth ride against the Thunder who are in full strength and do not have any injury worries coming into the first round of the playoffs.
On that note, we take a look at five things the Houston Rockets will have to look out for in their match with the Oklahoma City Thunder:
Five things Houston Rockets will have to look out for in their 2020 NBA Playoffs first round match against Oklahoma City Thunder:
#1: Russell Westbrook to miss the start of the playoffs
After missing two games at the bubble, Russell Westbrook returned against San Antonio Spurs and scored 20 points in 28 minutes. But after his MRI report suggested a right quadricep strain, he was ruled out against 76ers.
All-Star guard Russell Westbrook is now set to miss multiple games in the first round against the team which he called home for the last 11 NBA seasons.
Westbrook is a prominent player in the Houston offence and has averaged 27.2 points, seven assists and eight rebounds in his maiden season with Houston Rockets. The absence of a player of Westbrook's calibre will be a blow to the Rockets and good news for the Thunder who will be more than happy to see their former player courtside.
#2: Oklahoma City Thunder's defensive prowess
Following the return of Andre Roberson, the already defensively strong Oklahoma City Thunder have their spirits up as they try to stop the short-handed Rockets in scoring and paint sequences.
The Thunder ring, which is manned by all-defensive big men like Steven Adams, Nerlens Noel and Mike Muscala could be a handful against the Rockets who have adopted a small-ball formula without much success against the Thunder in the season series.
Double teaming James Harden will definitely be the key for Houston Rockets as the absence of Westbrook doesn't leave the Rockets with too many scoring options since their offence all year-long has revolved around their two All-Stars.
#3: Houston Rockets' bench strength is a worry
This season, the Houston Rockets have relied heavily on their starting five, especially their All-Star duo of Westbrook and Harden who tend to excel in isolation. But their second unit is not as strong as their counterparts.
Oklahoma City Thunder has flaunted their bench strength, which has performed admirably and delivered consistent results despite the absence of key players. That was evident in their comeback victory against the Miami Heat where Darius Bazley, Hamidau Diallo, Devon Hall, Luguentz Dort and Terrance Ferguson starred prominently for the power-packed second unit of the Thunder.
#4: Harden's big-game inconsistency
James Harden's well-known offensive prowess means that the former MVP is going to be double or even triple-teamed by Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, the usually dependable Harden has failed to deliver in the big games when the Rockets need him the most. That was evident in the closing minutes of last year's NBA Conference semi-finals against the Warriors.
#5: Chris Paul still has bad blood against the Rockets
Ever since James Harden pushed for the trade and the Rockets gave away Chris Paul after keeping him in the sidelines, the latter has come back even more motivated and has led the young Thunder team admirably this season.
The veteran CP3 has emerged a better player and leader than last year. He has averaged 17.6 points and 6.7 assists, doing so at a field goal percentage of 49.
The series against Houston Rockets is a perfect opportunity for Paul to show his former side what they have missed by not having him in their roster, especially since Russell Westbrook is slated to miss the first few games of the series.
