The Oklahoma City Thunder beat Miami’s Heat 116-115 on Wednesday to secure a first-round playoff game with the Houston Rockets, and a lot of convincing intrigue.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Rockets (No. 5) and Thunder (4) will remain at the same hotel and in the same construction within the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida, at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. .
During the off-season, the Thunder traded Russell Westbrook to the Rockets for Chris Paul, first-round picks in 2024 and 2026 and selection exchanges in 2021 and 2025.
Last year, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that there were “frictions” and “problems” between Paul and James Harden, and the fact that Houston broke up CP3’s tactics and so many long-term assets warned there was some truth.
If there’s any bad blood left between Harden and Paul, another layer of intrigue will rise to what will be a very entertaining and competitive playoff series.
Westbrook’s game opposed to the team he spent the first 11 years of his career deserves to attract NBA fans as well, there is no guarantee that he will be healthy enough to dress. Russ is battling a tense right quadrant muscle and deserves to be reassessed before the playoffs begin.
Westbrook’s absence would bring a massive situation out of the equation, but Harden, unlike Paul and the two groups staying at the same hotel, remain a must-see series.
The Rockets star (quad) misses the first playoff games and maybe more’
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