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Wednesday, April 8
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Game of the Day: Rockets at Spurs
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Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (-5.5, 208.5)
The San Antonio Spurs are racking up victories and will face another hot team in the visiting Houston Rockets in Wednesday’s opener of a back-to-back between the two teams. San Antonio pounded Oklahoma City on Tuesday for its eighth straight victory and 18th in the past 21 games.
Houston has won 10 of its past 12 games and sits in second place in the Western Conference by one game over the Memphis Grizzlies. Even before San Antonio dismantled the Thunder for the second time in 14 days, Rockets coach Kevin McHale was wary of the Spurs. “They’re a good team playing very well right now,” McHale told reporters. “They’re the defending champions and they’re healthy and on a roll. It will be a great test for us, especially in San Antonio.” The Spurs have won by an average of 20.9 points during their eight-game winning streak, have also won 19 of their last 21 home games and are just 1 1/2 games behind the Rockets in the West race.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Spurs as 5.5-point faves and the total at 208.5.
INJURY REPORT: Rockets - F Kostas Papanikolaou (Questionable, ankle), F Donatas Motiejunas (Out indefinitely, back). Spurs - C Tiago Splitter (Questionable, calf), G Tony Parker (Doubtful, Achilles).
POWER RANKINGS: Rockets (-8.2) + Spurs (-10.4) + home court (-3.0) = Spurs -5.2
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (53-24 SU, 45-32 ATS, 36-41 O/U): Center Dwight Howard scored 22 points in Sunday’s 115-112 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in his best game since returning from a knee injury March 25. Howard was 10-of-15 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds and is no longer looking tentative on the floor. “I feel pretty good,” Howard told reporters. “I got a little winded in the fourth quarter and it’s to be expected. I got to continue to look and continue to run and just get better in that area.”
ABOUT THE SPURS (52-26 SU, 40-36-2 ATS, 36-42 O/U): Small forward Kawhi Leonard matched his career high of 26 points Tuesday for the second straight game and he has scored 20 or more points in five of the past six contests. “Our offense is just rolling,” Leonard said in a postgame interview on TNT. “Turning the defense into offense, and guys on the team are looking for me and I’m just knocking them down.” Leonard is averaging 21.5 points, three steals and shooting 63.4 percent from the field over the past six games.
TRENDS:
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Rockets are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Spurs are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 4-1 in Rockets last five road games.
CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 51 percent of the betting public is backing the Spurs.
Wednesday, April 8
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Game of the Day: Rockets at Spurs
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Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (-5.5, 208.5)
The San Antonio Spurs are racking up victories and will face another hot team in the visiting Houston Rockets in Wednesday’s opener of a back-to-back between the two teams. San Antonio pounded Oklahoma City on Tuesday for its eighth straight victory and 18th in the past 21 games.
Houston has won 10 of its past 12 games and sits in second place in the Western Conference by one game over the Memphis Grizzlies. Even before San Antonio dismantled the Thunder for the second time in 14 days, Rockets coach Kevin McHale was wary of the Spurs. “They’re a good team playing very well right now,” McHale told reporters. “They’re the defending champions and they’re healthy and on a roll. It will be a great test for us, especially in San Antonio.” The Spurs have won by an average of 20.9 points during their eight-game winning streak, have also won 19 of their last 21 home games and are just 1 1/2 games behind the Rockets in the West race.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Spurs as 5.5-point faves and the total at 208.5.
INJURY REPORT: Rockets - F Kostas Papanikolaou (Questionable, ankle), F Donatas Motiejunas (Out indefinitely, back). Spurs - C Tiago Splitter (Questionable, calf), G Tony Parker (Doubtful, Achilles).
POWER RANKINGS: Rockets (-8.2) + Spurs (-10.4) + home court (-3.0) = Spurs -5.2
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (53-24 SU, 45-32 ATS, 36-41 O/U): Center Dwight Howard scored 22 points in Sunday’s 115-112 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in his best game since returning from a knee injury March 25. Howard was 10-of-15 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds and is no longer looking tentative on the floor. “I feel pretty good,” Howard told reporters. “I got a little winded in the fourth quarter and it’s to be expected. I got to continue to look and continue to run and just get better in that area.”
ABOUT THE SPURS (52-26 SU, 40-36-2 ATS, 36-42 O/U): Small forward Kawhi Leonard matched his career high of 26 points Tuesday for the second straight game and he has scored 20 or more points in five of the past six contests. “Our offense is just rolling,” Leonard said in a postgame interview on TNT. “Turning the defense into offense, and guys on the team are looking for me and I’m just knocking them down.” Leonard is averaging 21.5 points, three steals and shooting 63.4 percent from the field over the past six games.
TRENDS:
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Rockets are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Spurs are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 4-1 in Rockets last five road games.
CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 51 percent of the betting public is backing the Spurs.
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