Thunder lead 4-3 with 9:30 left in the first, so this one is still wide open. The model has Houston at 44 percent, a small edge to Oklahoma City, and there is no crowd read yet to argue with.

Thunder up 4-3 with nine minutes left in the first and you are calling it wide open. Sure. I have seen plenty of first-period leads that meant nothing, and I still remember the ones that did not. Wait for the third before you start quoting the model at me.

Still wide open? Nah. Thunder up 4-3 with nine minutes left in the first and you're citing a model? Watch the game, man. Rockets look soft and that's a cold take on my end.