Game 78: Houston Rockets At San Antonio Spurs Preview
By Yoni Pollak
The 53-24 Houston Rockets are well rested as they get ready to face the 52-26 San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs, however, are on the second night of a back-to-back after their easy win over the Thunder last night. The Rockets are 1-1 against the Spurs this season.
The NBA schedule has a few quirks during the season and here we have the final one of the year. The home-and-home, where two teams play each other in back-to-back games, one each at home and on the road. Tonight, the Rockets get the home court, on Friday it will be in San Antonio.
The Spurs will likely be without two starters for today’s game. Tony Parker is questionable after leaving Tuesday’s game with an achilles injury. Tiago Splitter is out with a calf injury. That means the Spurs will likely go with Cory Joseph and Patty Mills at the point if Parker can’t go, and Aron Baynes or Matt Bonner at center.
The Rockets will be mostly healthy for tonight’s big game. Dwight Howard should see a minutes increase and is expected to get at least 25 minutes tonight. Kostas Papanikolaou is questionable after missing the last several games. Even if active, Papanikolaou likely wouldn’t crack the rotation. Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas are both out tonight.
Tonight’s big matchup will be between Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Harden has averaged just 24 ppg in two matchups vs the Spurs this season. With Parker potentially out, Leonard will also be asked to produce more offensively.
The Rockets are 5-1 against the Spurs over the last two seasons with Dwight Howard a member of the Rockets. He averaged 18/16 last season against San Antonio and is averaging 28/17 against them this season. Expect the Rockets to pound it in the post with Splitter out.
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Three-point shooting has been key for the Rockets this season. If they hit eight three’s tonight they’ll break the NBA record for most three’s made in a season. Harden can also break a franchise record for free throws made if he makes three more tonight. He’s at 672 on the season and the franchise record is 674, set by Harden himself during the 2012-2013 season.
This game is huge for both teams as they jockey for seeding in the Western Conference. A Rockets loss could potentially have them facing a big drop in the seedings. The Rockets need to win at least one of the next two games to help stave off the Spurs. Houston is just one game ahead of the Grizzlies for the #2 seed and 1.5 games ahead Spurs, who are sitting all the way down in the #6 seed. Needless to say, these next two games are huge.
Tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:30 PM and can be seen on Root Sports SW.
Three Things to Watch:
1. Harden vs. Leonard
2. Howard in the post
3. Both teams’ bench production
Prediction:
Rockets 103 – 99