Fans will be welcomed to an action-packed battle this Thursday, as the Houston Rockets play host to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks. It’s a game that will pit two former MVPs – James Harden and Russell Westbrook – against the reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Adding to the intrigue is that the two teams are among the most prolific offenses in the league, with the Rockets ranking inside the top two in points or offensive efficiency in each of the last three seasons and the Bucks leading the league in scoring this past year.
QUESTIONS SURROUND THE ROCKETS’ DUO
Hovering around the excitement of Harden and Westbrook’s reunion is a big, dark cloud of doubt. Because let’s be honest, it’s hard to assume that ball-dominant guards can work together.
The two have gained notoriety for holding or needing the ball too much – Harden loves isolation plays so much, he once scored 263 consecutive points that were unassisted, while Russ, with his triple-double ways, has been known to steal rebounds from teammates.
It will be interesting to see how well head coach Mike D’Antoni can tweak his fast-paced offense to keep his pair of superstars happy while also feeding the ball to the other guys. Clint Capela and Eric Gordon, two key players in the supporting cast, are talented complimentary guys, and they too would want to get a good share of the pie.
Can Harden and Westbrook build on their long-time friendship and sacrifice their beloved stats, or will we see an implosion early in the season? Either way, the Rockets and their fans are in for a ride.
THE BUCKS WILL BE EAGER TO RUN IT BACK
The Bucks finished the 2018-19 regular season with the best record (60-22), best offense (118.1 PPG), and arguably the best defense (103.3 PAPG, 2nd) in the league. It was going smooth in the playoffs too, until they collapsed in the Eastern Conference Finals and got sent home courtesy of a backdoor sweep against eventual champions Toronto Raptors.
If you sleep with a bad taste in your mouth, you’re going wake up with one, and this Bucks team is ultra-focused on erasing that taste with champagne after an NBA championship.
The first game on the road to redemption is in Houston, and we should see the Bucks pumping their chests out. With its well-oiled play on both ends, they swept the Rockets in last year’s season series. That first-ranked defense stymied Houston’s potent offense in the two meetings and held them to a combined 36.9%-shooting.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (27.7 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.5 BPG last season) devours the stat-sheet every game and we’ll be continuing to see that. He’s also alongside the perfect Robin to his Batman in co-All-Star and fellow two-way player Khris Middleton.
Eric Bledsoe rounds out the main defensive trio of the Bucks. The eight-year veteran is currently listed as day-to-day (rib) but is hopeful to play in the opener. He joined Giannis in the All-Defensive First Team last season and will be sure to contribute scoring and defense to the Rockets’ MVP tandem should he get cleared.
PREDICTION:
The two teams engage in a high-scoring affair. Expect Harden to get his 30+ and Westbrook to relentlessly slash through the defenders. Giannis and his season-long mean streak, however, will cancel it out with an MVP performance and lead the Bucks to a road victory.
