Rockets Win 16th Straight, Quiet The Thunder

Did someone say isolation basketball?

Ah yes, yet another Thunder game with no ball movement or spacing, only to leave them bewildered that they’re still not an elite NBA team. Because on Tuesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder fell to the Houston Rockets, 118-110 in (to say the least) an unspirited effort. Their bench scored just 21 points, which was so sorry, it prompted Nate Robinson to state he could outscore their entire bench in one quarter. However, you can’t expect the bench to play with excitement when the starters not only play one on five on offense but go back on the other end and give this type of effort…

Dont know how Harden was able to score against that impenetrable Melo transition defense pic.twitter.com/PKLgAtwPVx

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 7, 2018

pic.twitter.com/s8YwbafLLW

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 7, 2018

It amazes that me that you can have three All-Star caliber players, still be on the verge of falling out of the playoff picture, and then be so lackluster on the court. Nevertheless, let’s take nothing away from this great Rockets team. Now having won 16 straight games, the Rockets look like a legitimate title contender. James Harden is in prime MVP form, Chris Paul is more efficient than ever, and they had seven different players in double figures tonight. With that said, let’s take a look at some key takeaways from tonight’s game.

Key Takeaways

• Carmelo Anthony passed Jerry West to move to 20th on the NBA’s All-Time scoring list, showcasing his excellent scoring career.
• The Thunder are a game away from falling out of the playoff picture, which is a scary sight considering the regular season ends in just over a month.
• The Rockets continue to maintain the first seed in the Western Conference, posing as a legitimate threat to the Warriors juggernaut.
• The Thunder will never change the ways of their stagnant offense.
• Nate Robinson is still bitter that he is not on an NBA roster.