Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs: Match Preview and Predictions - 3rd December 2019
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs
Date & Time: Tuesday, 3rd December 2019 (8:30 PM ET)
Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
Last Game Results
Houston Rockets (13-6): 158-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks (30th November)
San Antonio Spurs (7-14): 98-132 loss to the Detroit Pistons (1st December)
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets suffered three big defeats to the Nuggets, Mavericks, and Clippers in Week 5, although Mike D'Antoni's side managed to bounce back last week with convincing wins over the Heat and Hawks. James Harden was once again the catalyst as he contributed 94 points during the back-to-back wins, including a near-career high 60 points against Atlanta.
Russell Westbrook also neared a triple-double as he finished the week shooting over 50 percent from the field and the Rockets will be looking to pick up momentum over the next two weeks as they face a favorable schedule.
Key Player - James Harden
In his last appearance, Harden dropped 60 points in three quarters against the Hawks, and the 30-year-old seems to be getting better with each passing week. Harden is currently averaging 38.9 points on 44 percent shooting from the field and the shooting guard looks set for another huge night in San Antonio.
Rockets Predicted Lineup:
Ben McLemore, P.J. Tucker, Clint Capela, James Harden, Russell Westbrook
San Antonio Spurs Preview
San Antonio's season looked set for lift-off following a hugely impressive win over the Clippers, although any momentum was wiped out on Sunday evening as the Spurs were crushed by the struggling Pistons. The defeat left the Spurs well outside the playoff spots with a 7-14 record, and it looks increasingly likely that they will miss out on the postseason for the first time in more than two decades.
The Spurs have picked up five of their seven wins at home this season, although LaMarcus Aldridge remains a doubt, and Harden could thrive upon a defense that has allowed 115.1 points per game (6th worse in NBA).
Key Player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan has been backed to complete a trade away from the Spurs in the coming months, although at least for now, he remains San Antonio's best performer. The 30-year-old is currently averaging 21.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, and DeRozan will be the Spurs' biggest offensive threat in the absence of Aldridge.
Spurs Predicted Lineup:
DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Jakob Poeltl, Bryn Forbes, Derrick White
Rockets vs Spurs Match Prediction
The Spurs put in one of their worst performances in recent memory against the Pistons on Sunday, and Houston's offense should be lethal enough to inflict a 15th defeat of the year on Popovich's team.
Where to Watch Rockets vs Spurs?
There will be live coverage of the game on Fox Sports Southwest - San Antonio and AT&T Sportsnet - Southwest from 8:30 PM ET. You can also stream the game via NBA League Pass.