NBA Playoffs: Everything you need to know about Rockets vs Thunder

Key Matchup: PJ Tucker vs Steven Adams

Because the Rockets lack a true center, the 6’5” PJ Tucker will have the difficult task of defending seven-foot Steven Adams. Adams is a great scorer in the paint but more importantly, he is a great rebounder, averaging 9.3 rebounds per game. So the big question is whether or not Tucker will be able to keep the much larger Adams from dominating the boards.

Tucker has proven his ability to keep some of the NBA’s best big men in check, but he has yet to face the task of doing it over the course of a seven-game series. How well Tucker does in preventing Adams from dominating the boards and creating second-chance points for the Thunder will play a major role in the outcome of each game.

On the flip side, Adams will be forced to defend the perimeter, which is something he is not great at. Expect Tucker to set lots of screens as a way of forcing Adams to switch and have to guard guards like Harden, Eric Gordon, and Austin Rivers. The big question here is whether or not the Rockets offense can exploit Adams and create open shots or if Adams will step up to the task defensively.