Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction & Match Preview - October 15th, 2021 | NBA Preseason 2021-22
The Houston Rockets will square off against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center in an NBA 2021-22 preseason game on Friday.
The Rockets are coming off a disappointing 107-92 loss to the Toronto Raptors,, while the Spurs pulled off a close win against the Orlando Magic in their respective last preseason outings.
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs | NBA Preseason 2021-22.
Date and Time: Friday, October 15th; 8:30 PM ET (Saturday, October 16th; 6 AM IST).
Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX.
Houston Rockets Preview
The rebuilding Houston Rockets suffered their second defeat of the 2021-22 preseason in a blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Rockets rested guard/forward Eric Gordon due to an ankle injury, with trade rumors swirling around the 13-year veteran.
Houston's loss against Toronto featured flashes of the young talent they possess, but they were unable to be consistent enough to get the job done. Poor shooting at the charity stripe plagued the Rockets, as they shot a measly 65.2% from the free-throw line. Houston also had 28 turnovers, with their young star Jalen Green accounting for seven of them.
Armoni Brooks was letting it fly last night 🔥 @snipabrooks_ #BeyondFamily
• 15 Points (All in the 4th Quarter)
• 5 Made Three’s https://t.co/LJ5gZ1MVLg
However, there were bright spots in the game and positives to take home from the game for the Rockets. Rookie Armoni Brooks has been a revelation. He shot extremely well from the perimeter, and stood out in their loss against the Raptors, with a 5-10 shooting night.
Key Player - Jalen Green
Jalen Green has shown the potential to be a franchise cornerstone, with his preseason performances. He had a dominant performance in the Rockets' loss to Miami after a rather disappointing debut. Green registered 20 points, and shot over 40% from the perimeter to go along with three steals and two assists.
Against Toronto, he showed glimpses of what a lot of NBA scouts were worried about when it came to drafting him. His shooting was streaky, and he exhibited an inability to read the game well, leading to a lot of turnovers.
He had an underwhelming shooting night on his debut, failing to convert a single shot from the perimeter. But he seems to have picked himself up with an above 40% showing against the Heat.
However, his percentage regressed to 20% on a 1/5 shooting night against the Raptors. His inability to read the game was apparent, as he had a game-high seven turnovers. Jalen Green will now look to bounce back against the San Antonio Spurs with a great showing before heading into the regular season.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Green; G - Kevin Porter Jr.; F - Jae'Sean Tate; F - Christian Wood; C - Alperen Sengun.
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs have won two of their four preseason games. In their last outing, they had a hard-fought victory against the Orlando Magic. Youngsters Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker stepped up, which is a great sign for the Spurs heading into the regular season.
💦 @lonniewalker_4 💦 https://t.co/ja7R7L0IR8
Walker was especially key in their victory against the Magic, providing 16 points off the bench with a 6/11 shooting and dishing out five assists. He will look to build on that, and continue his good form against the Rockets as he heads into a crucial year for him.
Key Player - Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray seems to have found form in the nick of time as the San Antonio Spurs' fortunes this year could largely ride on his young shoulders. The young guard has shown the potential to be the player who can carry the franchise, with a couple of efficient preseason performances.
He comes into the game against the Rockets after a very solid performance in his last outing. Murray scored 18 points on 8/12 shooting while grabbing five boards, and dishing out an assist in 25 minutes of play. He will now look to head into the regular season with yet another good performance in his team's last preseason game.
San Antonio Spurs Predicted Lineup
G - Derrick White; G - Dejounte Murray; F - Keldon Johnson; F - Doug McDermott; C - Jakob Poeltl.
Rockets vs Spurs Match Prediction
The Houston Rockets will be looking for redemption after back-to-back losses. But they'll face stiff resistance from the San Antonio Spurs, who will look to end their preseason campaign on a high note. However, considering their previous performances and the strengths of both rosters, it looks like a comfortable victory for the Spurs in Friday's game.
Where to watch Rockets vs Spurs?
Live coverage of the game will be available on Bally Sports Southwest and AT&T SportsNet South West. The game will also be aired live on the NBA League Pass.