A light five-game schedule around the NBA on Thursday night and the clear marquee matchup is a potential Western Conference semifinals preview between the Rockets and Spurs in San Antonio – although it loses some luster with Kawhi Leonard still out. That will affect the NBA betting lines.
The Spurs are now 7-0 this season when recording 30+ assists. San Antonio is now 32-0 in the last three seasons when notching 30+ assists.
Manu Ginobili recorded 14 points, the 20th game this season the veteran has recorded 10+ points. He now has the most games with 10+ points by anyone age 40+ in a season since Karl Malone’s 38 in 2003-04. Ginobili also now has 40 three-pointers this season. He is the second player in NBA history, along with Vince Carter, to hit 40+ threes after turning 40.
The Spurs are currently 22-4 (.846) at home, the best home record in the league. The Spurs were the first team with 20 home wins in the NBA
Thursday Night NBA Betting Lines & Pick: Rockets vs. Spurs
When: Thursday, 8 PM ET Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio TV: TNT Stream: NBA.tv Radio: Sportstalk 790 AM (Houston) / WOAI 1200 (San Antonio) NBA Betting Lines: Rockets -2 (-105)Four game road trip. First stop 🛬 📍San Antonio pic.twitter.com/YvT7vKeksz
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 31, 2018
Season Series
Second meeting between the two. Houston won the first, 124-109, on Dec. 15 at home. The Rockets jumped out to a large lead early, ending the first frame ahead 31-16 and never looking back. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 16 points. Chris Paul and James Harden led the Rockets with 28 points, Paul also chipping in 8 assists, 7 steals, 4 rebounds and 1 block. Paul became the first player in NBA history to post 28 points, eight assists and seven steals in a game against the Spurs. Houston’s 124 points were the most San Antonio had allowed in a regulation game since March 8, 2013, in a 136-106 loss to Portland. It was also the most points the Rockets had scored in a regulation game against the Spurs since April. 3, 1986, when Houston scored 136. Since winning six straight in this series from 3/24/13-11/6/14, the Rockets have lost 9 of past 12 meetings. Dating back to 1997-98, Houston has only won one season series (4-0 in 2013-14).Why Bet on Houston?
You will want to wait and see which injured guys play. In Tuesday’s 114-107 win over Orlando, Paul sat out with a sore groin – probably a game he could have played but it was a terrible opponent. Eric Gordon got the start tonight in place of Paul but he lasted just 10 minutes before leaving with back stiffness. Meanwhile, Luc Mbah a Moute started for Trevor Ariza (hamstring) and played 39 minutes, but finished with just eight points, two rebounds and one assist. Harden made history in that win, finishing with a franchise-record 60 points along with, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, four steals and a block, marking the first time in NBA history that a player has had a 60-point triple-double. He scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and broke Calvin Murphy’s franchise scoring record of 57 points, which he set in 1978. Harden played a season-high 46 minutes and 26 seconds, racked up his fourth 50-point game of the season, and set his own career high, which was previously 56 points. Harden’s 60 points were the most scored by a player with 10+ assists in NBA history. It was his fourth career triple-double while scoring 50+ points, the most NBA history. Harden has scored 50+ points four times this season after doing so five times prior in his career. Ariza is unlikely to play here. Paul is questionable. He was able to get some shots up at Wednesday’s practice, but with his long-term health being the primary focus in Houston, he likely will sit again on Thursday if there’s any doubt about his groin. Gordon is also questionable. Gerald Green would likely start. Houston is 20-1 when Clint Capela, Harden, and Paul play together (first loss at New Orleans on 1/26) and 16-12 when they don’t. The Rockets are 30-2 when leading after three quarters of play this season and 6-11 when tied or trailing.Why Bet on San Antonio?
The Spurs won their second straight on Tuesday, 106-104 over Denver. San Antonio shot 50 percent from the field and tied a season high with 33 assists. Aldridge had his fifth 30+ point game of January month with 30 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Kyle Anderson scored a career-high 18 points (9-12 FG) along with 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal. Dejounte Murray missed all four of his shots and failed to score in 26 minutes Tuesday, but also had 13 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. He’s averaging 10.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists on 49 percent shooting over his last five games. He’s hit double digits in rebounding in three of his last five games, which is pretty amazing for a point guard. Murray has scored 10+ points 17 times and notched 10+ rebounds 8 times, the first Spurs point guard with multiple double-digit rebound games in a season since Rod Strickland’s two in 1989-90.
The Spurs are now 7-0 this season when recording 30+ assists. San Antonio is now 32-0 in the last three seasons when notching 30+ assists.
Manu Ginobili recorded 14 points, the 20th game this season the veteran has recorded 10+ points. He now has the most games with 10+ points by anyone age 40+ in a season since Karl Malone’s 38 in 2003-04. Ginobili also now has 40 three-pointers this season. He is the second player in NBA history, along with Vince Carter, to hit 40+ threes after turning 40.
The Spurs are currently 22-4 (.846) at home, the best home record in the league. The Spurs were the first team with 20 home wins in the NBA
Latest NBA Betting Trends
- Houston is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games
- Houston is 6-1 SU in the last 7 games
- The total went UNDER in 7 of Houston’s last 9 games
- San Antonio is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
- San Antonio is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games
- The total went OVER in 4 of San Antonio’s last 5 games
