The San Antonio Spurs (38-7) can extend a 24-game home winning streak when they meet the Houston Rockets (25-22). Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Jan. 27 and can be seen on ESP, RSW and SA2.
The Spurs are expecting a better outcome after their 120-90 loss to the Warriors on Monday. Kawhi Leonard was the team’s leading scorer with 16 points. The Rockets, meanwhile, are coming off a 112-111 win against the Pelicans on Monday. James Harden claimed his 11th double-double of the season with 35 points and 11 rebounds.
Harden and Trevor Ariza have upped their production over the last five games for the Rockets. Harden has averaged 28.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 3.2 three-pointers during that stretch, while Ariza has put up 20.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 4.4 three-pointers.
When evaluating effective field goal percentage, the Spurs could have a healthy advantage on offense. They’re ranked second in the league in that category at 53.2%, while Houston’s suspect effective field goal percentage defense is ranked 27th, allowing opponents to connect at a rate of 51.9% this year. Furthermore, getting to the line could play a crucial role for the Rockets. They rank first in the league in free throw attempt rate (34.6). However, the Spurs are among the best in the NBA at keeping opponents off the charity stripe (ranking fourth at 23.7).
Both teams have won a game in the season series. The Spurs had the upper hand in the most recent game, a blowout 121-103 win. In the victory, LaMarcus Aldridge led all scorers on the team with 24 points.
This one isn’t expected to be close when the Spurs, a substantial 10-point favorite, take on the Rockets. According to the oddsmakers, the Over/Under (O/U) is currently 206 points. The Spurs come into this game 38-7 Straight Up (SU) and 30-15 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 5-2 SU and 4-3 ATS against divisional opponents. The Spurs have no trouble scoring as they rank fifth in the league in home offense with 105.4 points per game. The Spurs are one of the best in the NBA in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .384 from beyond the arc. San Antonio is one of the best passing teams in the league with an average of 25.1 assists per game. San Antonio’s defense can be considered one of the best in the league. The Spurs allow a .428 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the league. San Antonio will look to take advantage of the Rockets and their propensity to foul. Houston ranks 27th in the league in fouls, averaging 22.8 per game.
In the other locker room, the Rockets have 25-22 SU and 20-27 ATS records. Against fellow division members, Houston has a 6-5 SU and ATS record. Houston is the fifth-best team in the league at scoring points off turnovers with 18.4 per game.
San Antonio beat Houston in their most recent meeting this season, but the win was not enough to overtake Houston in the recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 4-6 SU over the most recent 10 meetings. The Rockets also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3.
Predictions: SU Winner – SA, ATS Winner – SA, O/U – Over
Notes
San Antonio is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games.
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio’s last 5 games when playing Houston.
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston.
San Antonio is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Houston.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio’s last 6 games when playing at home against Houston.
San Antonio is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Houston.
San Antonio is 5-2 SU against its divisional rivals, while Houston is 6-5 SU.
The Rockets are a top-10 scoring team, averaging 104.8 points per game. San Antonio allows just 90.4 points per game, best in the league.
Houston averages a solid 105.3 points per away game this season. However, San Antonio is the top-ranked team in points allowed at home, giving up just 89.2 points per game.
In its last game, Houston won by a margin of one point. San Antonio is 2-3 in games decided by three points or less. Houston has a 4-2 record in close games.
The Rockets have an 11-2 record when they allow fewer than 100 points. The Spurs, however, have performed well when they score under 100 points, with a record of 10-6 in such matchups.
Houston is 14-20 when allowing 100 or more points this season. The Spurs have a superb 28-1 record when hitting triple digits.
The Spurs have the best defense in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 94.4. The Rockets’s offense ranks a solid seventh, with an offensive rating of 105.1.
The San Antonio Spurs have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking first in the league with a FG% of 48.9%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Houston Rockets have an abysmal 2-10 record.
On average, the San Antonio Spurs attempt 18.0 three point field goals per game and the Houston Rockets attempt 30.0 per game. In games where they attempt at least 25 threes, San Antonio has a split 1-1 record, while Houston is 21-18.
The San Antonio Spurs, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.91, rank second in the NBA. The Houston Rockets have a lower A/TO (1.38), ranking 25th.
The San Antonio Spurs rebound 45.0 times per game and are ranked seventh. Ranked 19th, the Houston Rockets rebound 42.9 times per game.
The Houston Rockets are one of the best offensive rebounding teams, currently ranked ninth for the season. The San Antonio Spurs rank near the very top of the league (third) in defensive rebounding.
Though Houston is one of the best in the league in forcing turnovers with opponents averaging a TOV% of 15.5% (ranked sixth), San Antonio has an exceptional 12-4 record SU when it has a TOV% of 15.5% or greater.
