In this thrilling matchup, we've got the Oklahoma City Thunder taking a short trip down to Houston, and there's no playing nice in Texas, folks. On the side of the Thunder we've got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, essentially becoming a human bucket, dropping an astonishing 34.9 points per game in the last month. Not to forget Jalen Williams, who's been consistently hitting north of 20 points a game. The Rockets aren't without their share of stardom, Jalen Green is putting numbers on the boards with an average of 21 points in the last month, and Alperen Sengun who might as well set up a tent in the paint with his formidable 10.3 rebounds per game.

History seems to favor the Thunder, who've won four of the last five encounters between these two teams. Regular season records also tell a not-so-subtle story with Oklahoma City leading the pack with 64 wins to their name. However, dismiss the Rockets at your own peril. They've looked in form recently, dropping an eye-watering 143 points on Utah.

As the No. 1 and No. 2 of the Western Conference, there's not much separating these two teams except for their thinning patience for one another. Ah, the joy of a good rivalry game!

Albert’s Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder by 7