Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Predictions, Odds & Picks

• The San Antonio Spurs can’t afford to lose if they hope to reach the NBA Playoffs!
• Houston has been one of the bubble’s brightest teams, with a 4-1 record.
• Winning out is the Spurs’ best option to make the playoffs.

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Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Odds

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Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Predictions and Picks

The Rockets have been on fire since the season restart and they don’t look to slow down against the Spurs. Despite splitting the season series to this point, the Rockets roster is unlike the Spurs have seen in the past. We expect a high-scoring victory for the Houston Rockets, against an inconsistent Spurs defense.

Pick:

Houston Rockets def. San Antonio Spurs -154

How to Watch Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs

Head-to-Head: Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs

A Full 48-Minute Effort

The San Antonio Spurs look to be in a transition period. They have a mix of capable veterans and promising youngsters. That contrast sometimes leads to inconsistent play. In a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Spurs showed their consistency struggles.

Despite outscoring the Pelicans 52 to 45 in the first half, the Spurs allowed a 32 to 19 third quarter that trimmed their lead going into the fourth to just four points. Up by just three with 3:21 to go in the fourth, the Spurs were able to rely on the efforts of veterans Demar Derozan and Rudy Gay to bring the game home for them. It was their young players who paced them in the beginning, with Derrick White scoring 16 points and Jakob Poeltl collecting 10 rebounds in the first half. But it was Derozan and Gay who contributed a combined 32 points in the second half to make up for White and Poeltl scoring nothing for the rest of the game.

You could argue that that is what veterans are for. However, against the Rockets, the Spurs can’t afford long lapses in contribution from any player. Their longest scoring drought against the Pelicans was for five minutes and 21 seconds. Half a quarter without points is too much to risk against a talented scoring outfit like Houston.

Houston’s Depth is Impressive

The Houston Rockets’ drubbing of the Sacramento Kings on Sunday was expected, but still impressive. Ever since the Rockets traded Clint Capela and began starting PJ Tucker at the center, the league has wondered how they would fare. Clearly out of the experimentation period and into the testing period, it’s clear that the switch has been a huge success.

Houston’s ability to move the ball at a faster pace than any other team is opening up opportunities for every single player. James Harden is still the maestro of the offense, but valuable contributions from Covington, McLemore, House, and Rivers are now commonplace. On Sunday Austin Rivers was unstoppable, scoring 41 points on 14 of 20 shooting from the field and six of 11 from three.

It’s a credit to the Rockets players that every player who appeared for more than five minutes during their Sunday win recorded an assist. While Harden is the focal point, the entire team has bought into the system. Rivers and Green were particularly brilliant last time out, assisting on 25.1% and 19.2% of teammates’ field goals respectively. If they can move defenses with their passing, not even the Spurs’ stout line can slow them down.

Rockets Key Player: (G) Austin Rivers

Career-high 41 POINTS for Austin Rivers! ??#OneMission #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/lJVnVUdqaI

— NBA (@NBA) August 10, 2020

Son of LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, guard Austin Rivers is exactly what you’d call a streaky shooter. Capable of filling he box score but too inconsistent to rely on regularly, Rivers’ ball-handling and playmaking force him onto the court. In his last match, Rivers exceeded all expectations.

Rivers went off for 41 points in 33 minutes of play. He shot 70% from the field and 54.5% from three, to go along with six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. The reserve guard has always been asked to be the backup playmaker, but his selfishness was more than warranted on that night. It was the highest-scoring total for Rivers for the season and his career.

Against the Spurs, Rivers likely won’t have the same opportunity to shine. San Antonio has a swarming defense and length on the wings to make the best defensive teams jealous. While scoring may be tougher, he can always contribute with his playmaking. Assisting on 25% of his teammates’ field goals against the Kings, Rivers distribution is as valuable as his shooting.

Spurs Key Player: (F) Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay with the DUNK! Let’s go #SpursTwitter pic.twitter.com/PoOfT2SxO7

— Joe Garcia (@twoshotspodcast) August 9, 2020

Rudy Gay is a veteran presence for the San Antonio Spurs, but he is far removed from his time as a go-to star in this league. The 33-year-old still has that scoring punch due to his size and versatility, but he’s scored between 10-19 (32 times) almost often as he’s scored between 0-9 (31 times).

The Spurs don’t need a massive night from Gay, but a consistent effort in both halves to spell their young stars is needed to take down the Rockets. Gay has been fantastic in the bubble, averaging 18.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game on 47% shooting from the field and 44.8% shooting from three. His disruptive abilities on the defensive end are notable, having collected three steals in each of his last two games.

It seems the rest time has done Gay well, as he’s performing at a top-level. His fitness will be put to the test against the Rockets, who will try to run him ragged. Gay’s switchability on defense and versatility on offense will be crucial to the Spurs’ success.