Once again, the Houston Rockets are at a rest disadvantage against a superior opponent. In addition, the Oklahoma City Thunder sat half their roster for their last game in San Antonio.

In reality, none of that matters since the Rockets probably couldn’t beat the Oklahoma City Blue right now. Houston’s offense, which was build around Fred VanVleet’s decision-making and Steven Adams’s rebounding prowess, is so abysmal that calling it “nonexistent” would be an insult to things that don’t exist.

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Defensively, Houston hasn’t been as terrible at it feels, but teams have figured out two things: Alperen Sengun cannot defend the pick-and-roll and no one on the Rockets is playing with much IQ on that end of the floor. Threes have been wide open and closeouts have been…lazy, to say the least. Ime Udoka can call all of the angry timeouts he wants, but this team can’t change who they are.

Truly, it hasn’t felt this hopeless as a Rockets fan since the Stephen Silas years. And even then, there was light at the end of the tunnel in the form of lottery picks. Right now, there’s not much silver lining.

I know Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams are out, but how is the line only Thunder by 4.5? This is going to be a bloodbath.

Tip-off

2:30pm CT

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How To Watch

ABC

Injury ReportRockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: OUT

Jalen Williams: OUT

Ajay Mitchell: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

OKC -4.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Tuesday night at home against the Los Angeles Clippers