Injuries, suspensions and offseason changes have kept both the Houston Rockets (4-5 SU, 3-6 ATS) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (5-4 SU and ATS) from getting out of the gate quickly this year. But only one of these teams is expected to have their top players available for Thursday’s matchup at Chesapeake Energy Arena. TNT will provide the television coverage at 8 PM ET.
Russell Westbrook missed the first two games of the season for Oklahoma City recovering from knee surgery, and it looks like he’ll be on the shelf again after spraining his left ankle during Monday’s win over New Orleans. Westbrook appeared to be in considerable pain after landing awkwardly on Anthony Davis’s foot. His status going forward remains unknown at press time.
As for the Rockets, they got off to a very slow start, and it didn’t help when James Harden (hamstring injury, three games) and Chris Paul (suspension, two games) were taken out of the lineup. However, both All-Stars are back in the fold, and Houston won the first three games of this five-game road trip at 2-1 ATS. Eric Gordon could join them on Thursday after missing the past two games with a strained right adductor.
