Neither the Houston Rockets nor the San Antonio Spurs are where they’d like to be at this point in the season – but one team is considerably better off than the other as the Texas rivals duel Monday at Toyota Center. The Rockets are looking to gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race, while the Spurs would just love to be in the conversation.
- Date/Time: December 16, 8 p.m. ET
- Arena: Toyota Center
- TV Coverage: ATTSN-SW, KENS
- Spurs vs Rockets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Houston opened as a double-digit favorite vs the Spurs and has remained such; it’s the largest spread between the teams in the past seven games. The total opened at 232, the second straight meeting in which they’ve had a number of 230-plus.
San Antonio News & Notes
Their record says plenty: the Spurs are 10-15 SU and have won just three of their first 11 games away from San Antonio. But they’ve been even worse from a betting perspective, owning the worst ATS record in the league by a considerable margin at 6-18-1. And they’ve covered just four times with one PUSH in their last 12 meetings with the Rockets.
And as if things weren’t challenging enough for Gregg Popovich’s team, there’s also the fact that it has played four consecutive overtime games, becoming the first team in NBA history to do so. That’s 25 extra minutes of basketball – though fortunately for the Spurs, they recently had a five-day break and on Monday will be playing just their sixth game this month.
Houston News & Notes
To be a force in the NBA, you need to be dominant at home. But while the Rockets’ 9-4 SU record is commendable, this team has struggled mightily in recent games at Toyota Center. Houston has dropped two in a row at home and has failed to cover in three straight despite facing inferior foes in Detroit, Sacramento and Phoenix.
Houston is already behind the 8-ball in its series with San Antonio after dropping a thrilling 135-133 double-overtime decision at AT&T Center on December 3 (the Rockets were -7 in that one). James Harden erupted for 50 points in the loss but he didn’t get much help from backcourt mate Russell Westbrook, who shot just 7-for-30 from the field en route to 19 points.
Betting Pick: Houston -10
The Spurs have been dreadful away from home this season, and Houston will have revenge on its mind following that double-OT loss; a double-digit spread is no joke, but we have faith in the Rockets.
- San Antonio is 4-12-1 ATS in its last 17 games.
- Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
- The UNDER is 9-4 in San Antonio’s last 13 games vs the Southwest Division.
