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The Oklahoma City Thunder will face off against the Houston Rockets in an enticing NBA 2021-22 regular-season game at the Toyota Center on Friday. Both OKC and Houston will look to get back to winning ways after losing their respective season openers.
The Oklahoma City Thunder lost their first game of the season to a strong Utah Jazz team. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 18 points for the Thunder on 41.2 % shooting from the field. However, the youngster fared poorly from the three-point range. He will look to bounce back with an improved performance when the Thunder face the Rockets on Friday.
Meanwhile, after impressing in spurts during the preseason, the Houston Rockets started off their regular-season campaign with a defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They will go into the game against the Thunder hoping to get their campaign back on track with a win.
Match Details
Fixture: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Friday, October 22; 8:00 PM ET (Saturday, October 23; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX.
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder have a young and exciting roster for the 2021-22 NBA season. They ended their preseason with only one win in four games, though. After finishing 13th in the Western Conference last season, they will hope to fare better this year.
They have some interesting players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lugentz Dort and Josh Giddey, all of whom could be key to the Thunder's success this season. Houston look like a tough team to face, but strong performances from the OKC youngsters should take their team to a win in this game.
Key Player - Shai Gilgeous- Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most interesting young players in the NBA. Last season, he averaged 23.7 PPG, while shooting at 50.8% from the field. That helped him earn a lucrative max-contract extension. He will hope to have another great campaign to help the team improve on their dismal 14th-place finish last season.
Oklahoma City Thunder Predicted Lineup
G - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; G - Josh Giddey; F - Lugentz Dort; F - Darius Bazley; C - Derrick Favors.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets ended their preseason with only one win in four games. But the young team showed glimpses of their abilities, with a few impressive individual performances. Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft class, was terrific in the preseason. He featured in several highlight reels, showcasing his athletic prowess.
Their first regular-season game of the season ended in a 106-124 loss to the Timberwolves. They will hope to put that loss aside, and put on a strong show against the Thunder. For that to happen, the Rockets will need big nights from Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green and Christian at the Toyota Center on Friday.
Key Player - Christian Wood
Christian Wood had started his 2020-21 campaign well. However, an injury meant he was sidelined for large swathes of the season, and in his absence, the Rockets failed to produce positive results.
This year, Wood will look to keep himself healthy and contribute to the young Rockets team. His ability on the floor is no secret to anyone, so he will look to put in a big performance against the OKC Thunder on Friday.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Green; G - Kevin Porter Jr.; F - Jae' Sean Tate; F - Christian Wood; C - Daniel Theis.
Thunder vs Rockets Match Prediction
The Houston Rockets have some exciting young players like Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., who were brilliant this preseason. They also have a big man like Christian Wood, who can do it all on the court. However, they face a tough task against a strong OKC team. But if they get going, they could beat OKC on Friday.
Where to watch the Thunder vs Rockets game?
Streaming for NBA preseason games is available on the official NBA app. A subscription to this app will give you access to all NBA preseason and regular-season games. The Thunder vs Rockets game will also be telecast locally on AT&T SportsNet Houston and Bally Sports Oklahoma
Also Check Out: Complete NBA TV Schedule for 2021-22 Season
