NBA Playoffs 2020: Rockets vs. Thunder Odds, Picks, Game 5 Predictions from Model Tested on Roll 59-33

After back-to-back victories, the Oklahoma City Thunder are aiming to take control of a best-of-seven 2020 NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets on Saturday. In contrast, James Harden and the Rockets will be looking to restore order after a couple of shaky performances. Russell Westbrook (quad) is expected to return after a multi-game absence, with Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) ruled out for Houston. The game begins at HP Field House in Orlando at 6:30 pm ET.

William Hill lists Houston as the five-point favorite, unchanged from the opening line, in the latest Rockets vs. Thunder. The over-under for total points is 228, 1.5 points more than the first game. Before making any Thunder vs. Rockets, be sure to check out the NBA predictions from SportsLine’s proven computer model.

The SportsLine projection model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and has already returned more than $ 4,700 in earnings on its top-rated NBA picks this season. He entered the week on an overwhelming 59-33 streak on the NBA’s top-rated spread picks, and dropped nearly $ 2,300 on those picks alone. He is also 7-2 on the top-ranked picks since the NBA restart in July. Anyone who has followed him has made huge profits.

Now, the model has set his sights on Rockets vs. Thunder. You can visit SportsLine now to see the selections. Here are William Hill’s NBA odds and trends for Thunder vs. Rockets:

• Rockets vs Thunder spread: Rockets -5
• Rockets vs Thunder over-under: 228 points
• Money line between Rockets and Thunder: Rockets -200, Thunder +175
• HOU: Rockets are 4-6 against the spread in the last 10 games
• OKC: Thunder are 5-5 against the spread in last 10 games

Why the Rockets can cover

Harden is the best player in the series, and in the NBA, that’s a great domino. The MVP-caliber point guard is averaging 32.0 points, 8.8 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game in the series, picking up where he left off after a fantastically productive regular season. Harden has been limited, at least in part, by Luguentz Dort, but his severity allows other members of the Rockets to get a quality look. As such, Houston is generating a whopping 54 3-point attempts per game in the series, dropping nearly 36 percent and leaning on his analytically friendly approach.

Defensively, the Rockets have done an admirable job this series, keeping the Thunder below their regular-season baseline by allowing just 1.09 points per possession. A key component in that relative success is that Houston avoids the defensive rebounding problems that plague small-ball teams, and the Rockets are grabbing a respectable 75 percent of available rebounds after a missed shot by the Thunder.

Why the Thunder can cover

Throughout the season, the Thunder have exceeded expectations, and that continues with their performance in this playoff series. Oklahoma City’s defense has been particularly notable, especially in Game 3 and Game 4 victories. Against a powerful Houston offense, the Thunder allowed just 1.02 points per possession in those two games, posting a defensive rebound rate of 86. percent.

Dort is an ace-level defender at Harden, and Billy Donovan’s team is capable of beating the Rockets on the other end with quality guard play. Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder give the Thunder a trio of quality options against Houston’s trade-heavy scheme, and Oklahoma City ranks in the top seven in the NBA in turnover rate and free throws, dating back to the regular season. .

How to make Rockets vs. Thunder picks

SportsLine’s model leans below total, and Chris Paul and Eric Gordon are expected to miss their playoff scoring averages. The model also says that one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of the simulations. You can only choose on SportsLine.

So who wins Thunder vs. Rockets? And which side of the spread charges almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rockets vs. Thunder jump, all from the advanced model that has risen over $ 4,700 on its top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.