NBA Playoffs 2017: Rockets vs. Thunder Game 1 live stream: Watch online
By Luke Norris
The Houston Rockets (55-27) will host the Oklahoma City Thunder (47-35) in Game 1 of the opening round of the Western Conference Playoffs on Sunday night. Here’s how to find the game online, on television and a quick look at what to expect.
Of the eight playoff series starting up this weekend in the NBA, the matchup between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder may be the most intriguing and perhaps the most entertaining to watch.
It’s pretty much perfect that James Harden and Russell Westbrook are facing off in the first round, isn’t it? Since the season began, the former teammates have been filling up stat sheets at a crazy, record-breaking pace (the two combined for an insane 64 triple-doubles) and the conversation has been going on for months about who should be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Is it Harden? Is it Westbrook? Should there be co-MVPs for the first time in history? Well, we won’t know that until late June as the NBA is holding a new ceremony this year to announce awards but what we do know is that we’re in for a treat watching these two go at it.
But while Harden and Westbrook will dominate the headlines, there is so much more to this series than just those two guys. For one, it’s unlikely that Harden will be guarding Westbrook much as Patrick Beverley will likely be the man to take that challenge. And seeing how Beverley gets treated in Oklahoma City will be interesting anyway as he’s the man who knocked Westbrook from the playoffs a few years ago after running into him and causing a knee injury. It should also be fun to watch Andre Roberson taking on Harden…and Eric Gordon for that matter. The battle of the big men should be entertaining as well and could be the real key to this series. Steven Adams really has to step up and hit the glass for OKC to have a chance, especially if the Rockets aren’t hitting their threes…and they shoot a TON of them. Adams has to deal with both Clint Capela and Nene here so he has a lot of work in front of him. Here’s a look at what the starting lineups will likely look like for both teams.
Houston Rockets
C-Clint Capela
PF-Ryan Anderson
SF-Trevor Ariza
SG-Patrick Beverley
PG-James Harden
Oklahoma City Thunder
C-Steven Adams
PF-Taj Gibson
SF-Andre Roberson
SG-Victor Oladipo
PG-Russell Westbrook