The San Antonio Spurs look to be peaking at exactly the right time as they strolled to yet another victory on Tuesday, destroying the Oklahoma City Thunder by 25 huge points. They have a grand opportunity to move further up the standings as they will next face the Houston Rockets who are second in the Western Conference right now with a 53-24 slate.
With the Rockets holding a slim 1 ½ game lead over the Spurs, the stage is set for one epic clash. Who will emerge victorious in this pivotal Southwest Division showdown? Read on below for a preview of tonight’s game and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Atlanta vs. Brooklyn and New Orleans vs. Memphis.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs Betting Preview
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio
When: Wednesday, April 8, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Houston Rockets (+5.5) at San Antonio Spurs (-5.5); total: 208.5 – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Houston Rockets
Houston stretched its unbeaten run to three games with a thrilling 115-112 win Sunday over the Oklahoma City Thunder. To no one’s surprise, it was James Harden who stole the show for the Rockets. He led all scorers with 41 points on 12 of 22 shooting from the field.
[sc:NBA240banner ]He was sizzling particularly from the three-point area, knocking down six of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. Harden’s offensive explosion was enough for Houston to survive another triple-double from Russell Westbrook who finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.
Harden has been a vital cog to the Rockets’ success this season, leading the team not only in points (27.7 PPG) but also in assists (6.9 APG) and steals (1.9 SPG) as well. His play this season has been so tremendous he is considered to be one of the frontrunners in this year’s MVP race.
It would take more than Harden, though, for Houston to stop the streaking Spurs. Fortunately for head coach Kevin McHale, big man Dwight Howard is back to wreak havoc underneath the basket for the Rockets. He scored 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field in the game against the Thunder. He also grabbed eight rebounds and had two steals in just 23 minutes of action.
He will be a major asset for Houston against the Spurs as he has fared extremely well against the defending champions in their two meetings thus far this season. He is averaging 28 points and 16.5 rebounds in two games with the Spurs this season.
The Rockets are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 road games.
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Betting on the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to eight games with an emphatic 113-88 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. Six players scored in double-figures for the Spurs who moved into a tie with the Los Angeles Clippers for fifth place in the Western Conference with a 52-26 record.
Leading the way against the Thunder was Kawhi Leonard. The reigning NBA Finals MVP matched his career-high of 26 points to go along with two rebounds and three steals. Leonard has been on a tear during this winning streak, averaging 19.4 points per game and shooting at a 59 percent clip.
The Spurs have looked absolutely dominant during this winning run, trouncing their opponents by an average of 20.9 points. The defending champions have been excellent especially on the defensive end. They have allowed 93 points or fewer in all eight games. The Spurs will need every bit of that defensive intensity if they are to extend their win streak to nine games as they will next face the equally red-hot Houston Rockets.
The Rockets are one of the highest-scoring teams this season, ranking fifth in the league with 103.7 PPG. The onus is on Leonard to put the clamps on Harden who leads the league in scoring this season.
Interestingly enough, Leonard has struggled offensively against the Rockets this season. In his only game against Houston on November 6, he scored just seven points on a woeful 2-of-11 field goal shooting. We have to take note, though, that he was still suffering from a hand injury back then. Expect a healthy Leonard to be more aggressive against a Houston defense that is allowing 100.4 PPG this season, 18th in the NBA.
The Spurs are 9-1 SU and ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
San Antonio (-5.5) extends its winning streak to nine games with a 107-99 victory.
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