Three keys to OKC Thunder match versus the Rockets
As noted, the Rockets are on a five-game win streak to climb to .500 and reside in the 10th seed in the West. With the Jazz losing to the Nuggets on Sunday the longest win streaks belong to the Rockets and the Grizzlies (six).
OKC Thunder key no. 1 – This isn’t the old Rockets
While there might have been some lingering angst between the clubs it was drastically tempered by the overhauls of both clubs’ rosters.
OKC only brought back six players from last season but the Rockets also made significant changes.
Both former OKC Thunder players are no longer with Houston as James Harden got his wish to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets and Russell Westbrook was sent to Washington.
Also gone are Analytics GM Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni. They were replaced by Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas.
A series of offseason moves reshaped the Rockets:
- John Wall – the key part of Westbrook trade
- Christian Wood – signed in free agency
- Victor Oladipo – part of Harden trade package
- DeMarcus Cousins – signed in free agency
- David Nwaba -signed in free agency
- Dante Exum – part of Harden trade package
- Rodions Kurucs – part of Harden trade package
There is plenty of talent on this new Houston squad and while the Thunder can battle with any team on any given night, the Rockets are definitely better and deeper — at least on paper.
Mark Daigneault has a tough challenge since four-fifths of the Rockets starting rotation is new. Fortunately, Stephen Silas has a similar dilemma because most of this Thunder crew is also new although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort are holdovers from the starting unit last season and he’s familiar with Darius Bazley and Hamidou Diallo.