Rockets vs. Thunder: Pre-game primer

vs.

Houston Rockets (6-4) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Monday, November 17
Ford Center
Oklahoma City, OK
7:00 PM CST

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)

Is there any hope for tonight? Any reason at all to turn off College Football Live's endless coverage of OU/Tech and tune in to watch Oklahoma City play the Rockets tonight?

(Thinking...)

(Still thinking...)

Ok, so I don't really have a reason per say, but I can tell you this: Yao Ming is really tall, Tracy McGrady is really good and Ron Artest is a little unbalanced so who knows what we might see? Just like the thousands of you Oklahomans that chug to the Myriad to watch Doug Sauter's Blazers play, go watch the Thunder for the outside chance of a cool fist fight tonight. The Rockets rumbled with the Suns last week - even though goonie Matt Barnes started it - so I guess there's a chance.

Because other than that, I can't really think of much of a reason to watch this team at this point. One night, OKC gets down by 30 and then the other team falls asleep and the Thunder try to make a game out of it. The next night, they do the same thing again. Then again. And then they play hard and consistent for two quarters and just the opposite of the previous nights, they tumble in the second half. As frustrating as it is to watch, I bet it's even more so for the dudes on the floor. We can tell ourselves it will get better and we can keep chalking it up to inexperience, but as long as it keeps happening, we will keep getting sadder. But one thing - the Rockets haven't blown anyone out yet in their six wins. Every game has been close, including an 89-77 win over the Thunder at the beginning of the month.

But these were the type of games we lived for (warning: Hornets comparison) in 2005. These were the type of out-of-nowhere wins that made us fall in love with that transplanted group. Of course they had Chris Paul and we have Earl Watson, but still, I guess it's possible.

What is encouraging for OKC though is Jeff Green. He's averaging 15. 2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He's becoming the player Sam Presti has dreamed about. Kevin Durant has been solid, a little inconsistent himself, but solid. Russell Westbrook sure has flashes of awesomeness, but then there's the bad charge, the bad turnover or the bad shot. So what will it take to be competitive tonight? For once, all three of those guys have a good game together. Forget Earl Watson, Desmond Mason or Nick Collison. Wins are going to come through these three guys. Collison and company are absolutely vital to give support, but those three guys will have to be the guys to carry OKC to wins. Especially if it wants to win games like tonight, where it realistically isn't supposed to have any shot.

This will be the first time the Thunder has to go head-to-head with the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team. Lucky for Kevin Durant and company, OU is playing Mississippi Valley State, so maybe not that many will choose Lloyd Noble over the Ford Center tonight. But maybe unlucky for the Thunder: What would you rather see - 20 incredible dunks by Blake Griffin or 20 Earl Watson jumpers clank off back-iron. A tougher choice than I thought.