You couldn’t have asked for a better first-round matchup in the 2020 NBA playoffs.
Thanks in part to a Mike Muscala game-winner against the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed either the No. 4 or 5 seed in the West, and the Houston Rockets will get one of those two seeds as well. But they’re locked in.
That’s right, the same two teams who made one of the biggest surprise trades of the 2019 offseason — the Rockets ended the Chris Paul pairing with James Harden by sending Paul and a bunch of picks to OKC for Russell Westbrook and a different bunch of picks — will face off.
There is some concern that Westbrook won’t get to play after injuring his quad, but if he’s ready to go, you can bet he’ll be motivated to take down the franchise he called home for 11 seasons.
D’Antoni on Westbrook: “We’ll re-evaluate (quad)in a couple of days. He’s not gonna play Friday-I don’t think he aggravated it.During the game & after the game he was fine.Woke up the next day he was kind of sore. They’re checking it out & making sure it can respond to treatment”
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) August 12, 2020
Paul said in December that the trade shocked him and on Wednesday, noted that we’ll “see what’s what” in the series.
Chris Paul’s first impressions on playing against the Houston Rockets in the 1st Round of the NBA Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/wRrGQlzUGb
— SneakerReporter (@TravisSingleton) August 13, 2020
There’s also this from the bubble:
As if Rockets/Thunder in Round 1 didn't have enough subplots …
I'm told James Harden's team and Chris Paul's team not only share a hotel but also share the same building at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 13, 2020
Russell Westbrook's first playoff series as a Rocket, should his quad injury heal, comes against OKC and CP3 …
And as @NYTSports reported earlier this week, Portland, Phoenix or San Antonio moves from the Yacht Club into the Grand Floridian IF one can finish No. 8 in the West
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 13, 2020
The Rockets won their first matchup, but the Thunder took the next two before the pause. The contenders didn’t face each other in the bubble, but there’s still SO MUCH DRAMA! I love it! Fans are pumped too:
Rockets Thunder.
Hell. Yes.
— Matt Peck (@Bulls_Peck) August 13, 2020
Thunder vs. Rockets.
It had to be.— 🌿Wes🌿 (@turtle_bale) August 13, 2020
THUNDER VS. ROCKETS IS OFFICIAL
LET THE CHAOS BEGIN pic.twitter.com/VDIErHNNzX
— Matt (@MattTyrannyNBA) August 13, 2020
Thunder vs Rockets is gonna slap. pic.twitter.com/VDwfMtptHv
— Brian (@King_Doncic) August 13, 2020
Chris Paul after seeing that the Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing the Houston Rockets in the first round: pic.twitter.com/mfFRBimgrD
— Colb (@___Colb___) August 13, 2020
Thunder Vs Rockets
Lmk your series predictions below👇 pic.twitter.com/XjmzjLEsmi
— Gianni (@Gianni2225) August 13, 2020
CAN’T. WAIT.
[jwplayer 77jr8Gtv-q2aasYxh]