Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets Prediction, 8/30/2020 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets

Date: Sunday, August 30, 2020

Location: The Field House in Orlando, Florida

TV: TNT

Odds/Point Spread: Houston -2

Total/Over-Under: 225.5

Danilo Gallinari and the Oklahoma City Thunder travel to The Field House on Sunday where they'll meet the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their series. Houston opens this game as 2-point favorites. The O/U opens at 225.5.

OKC tied the series at 2-2 with a 117-114 win on Monday. Dennis Schroder led the Thunder with 30 points and 3 assists. James Harden led Houston in the loss, collecting 32 points, 15 assists, and 8 boards. 

The Thunder cover the spread 60.5% of the time, having gone 46-30-0 ATS. Houston is covering the spread 46.1% of the time, going 35-41-0 against the spread.

Key Oklahoma City Thunder Injuries

08/24/20 PG Deonte Burton Illness is questionable Wednesday vs Houston

Key Houston Rockets Injuries

08/14/20 PG Russell Westbrook Quad is out indefinitely
07/21/20 SF Thabo Sefolosha Personal is out for season

Player Spotlight

Danilo Gallinari comes into this game averaging 18.7 points per contest while playing 29.6 minutes per night this year. He grabs 5.2 rebounds per contest and distributes 1.9 assists per game. His FG percentage is 44% while his free throw percentage is 89%. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averages 19.0 points per contest in 34.7 minutes per game. He averages 3.3 assists per game and 5.9 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 47% for the season while his free throw percentage is 81%.

Player Spotlight

Robert Covington scores 12.4 points per contest while playing 30.5 minutes per game. He hauls in 6.6 rebounds per contest and has 1.3 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 42% and his free throw percentage is at 80%. James Harden averages 34.3 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 36.5 minutes per game. He also brings in 6.6 rebounds per game and has 7.5 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 44% and his free throw percentage is 87%.

Useful Team Statistics

Oklahoma City averages 110.4 points per contest, which is 21st in the league. Their average scoring margin is 2.0 and their shooting percentage is 47% as a unit, which has them ranked 10th. From 3-point territory they shoot 36%, which is good for 18th in the NBA. They average 42.9 boards per contest and 21.7 assists per game, which ranks them 23rd and 28th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 25th with 13.7 per game. The Thunder allow 108.4 points per contest, which is 7th in the NBA. They also surrender a 46% shooting percentage and a 34% average from 3-point range, ranking them 10th and 3rd in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 44.8 rebounds a game which ranks 13th, and they allow 23.0 assists per game which puts them in 5th place in the league. They force 14.2 turnovers per game which ranks them 13th in the NBA.

Useful Team Statistics

Houston is 2nd in the NBA with 117.8 points per contest this season. They are 22nd in the league in shooting at 45%, while their average scoring margin is 2.96. They shoot 35% from beyond the arc, which is good for 24th in the league. They are 18th in the NBA in rebounding with 44.3 boards per contest and 29th in assists per game with 21.6. The Rockets are 16th in turnovers per contest with 14.7. The Rockets give up 114.8 points per game, which ranks them 23rd in the league. Their defense surrenders a 46% shooting percentage and a 35% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 14th and 7th in those defensive statistics. They rank 23rd with 25.3 dimes allowed per game and 30th with 47.9 boards surrendered per contest. The Rockets are 28th in the league in forcing turnovers with 16.2 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Thunder are 16th in the NBA in offensive rating with 110.8, and their defensive rating of 108.8 is ranked 7th. In terms of pace they are 22nd in the league with 98.8 possessions per 48 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 53% is 18th. As a team they are 9th in the NBA in true shooting percentage with 57% and they shoot 3-pointers on 35% of their shots, ranking 25th in the league. Oklahoma City is 22nd in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12.4 times per 100 possessions while forcing 12.6 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 52%, which is 22nd in the league.

Advanced Statistics

Houston is 20th in the league in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12.6 times per 100 possessions while forcing 13.7 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 53%, which is 17th in the NBA. The Rockets are 6th in the league in defensive rating with 110.1, and their offensive rating of 112.9 is ranked 14th. They are 2nd in the NBA in pace with 103.7 possessions per 48 minutes, and their eFG% of 54% is 7th. As a unit they are 5th in the league in true shooting percentage with 58% and they shoot 3-pointers on 50% of their shot attempts, ranking 1st in the NBA.

Who will win tonight's Thunder/Rockets NBA game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take Houston -2

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