The Houston Rockets are going through their toughest stretch of the season without Chris Paul. Up next, the sizzling Oklahoma City Thunder.
It’s pretty safe to say that lady luck hasn’t been on the Houston Rockets’ side this season.
Just as they were beginning to gain some consistency, Chris Paul went down in a game against the Miami Heat, and he will be lost for the next two weeks. To add insult to injury, the Rockets (17-15) lost Paul at a really bad time. That’s because Houston is in a stretch where their next nine games are against teams who are above .500, and they’ll see all of the powers of both conferences.
They started this stretch on a good note, with 108-101 home win over the surging San Antonio Spurs. James Harden notched 39 points and 10 assists, and Clint Capela snagged 23 rebounds in a total team win.
They’ll need that same effort again on Christmas Day against the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-11), who are beginning to look like a team to be reckoned with in the West.
Outside of a home blimp against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 23, the Thunder, led by Russell Westbrook and Paul George, has been on a tear lately, winning four of their last five games. The Thunder, however, will be entering their own tough stretch, with five of their next six games being on the road, including this three-game trip that, after Houston, will take them to Phoenix and Dallas.
Thunder at Rockets live stream details
When: Tuesday, Dec. 25
Time: 3 pm EST/2 pm CST
Where: Houston, TX
Venue: Toyota Center
TV Info: ABC
Live Stream: ABC Live, NBA League Pass
This is the first meeting between these two rivals, as the Thunder and Rockets will alternate between Houston and OKC for the next two games. This matchup promises to be one of the highlights of the Christmas Day games, and this will be another test as to whether or not the Rockets can keep the ship held together while Paul is out.