The San Antonio Spurs were in a rare spot a few weeks, actually sitting on the outside looking in of the Western Conference playoff picture. But they have found a groove to move back up to the No. 4 seed and are hoping to stay there to earn home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Every win is crucial this time of year because there are several teams packed tightly together in the West. The Spurs are at home next time out but have to face off the best team in the NBA in the Houston Rockets. Houston has been dominant from start to finish this season and should be favored in this one despite playing on the road in NBA basketball wagering.
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Odds Analysis
The Rockets are 61-14 straight up and 40-33-2 against the spread. Houston has gone 24-13-1 against the spread on the road this season. The Rockets are 38-30-2 against the spread as the favorite.
The Spurs are 44-32 straight up and 38-34-4 against the spread. San Antonio is 23-13-2 against the spread at home this season. The Spurs have gone 10-11-1 against the spread as the underdog.
Injury Report
Spurs star LaMarcus Aldridge hurt his knee earlier this week and there was concern it could be serious, but he was back on the court last time out and registered 25 points and 11 rebounds in a crucial win over the Thunder. Having Aldridge in the fold is a huge help in San Antonio’s chance to pull the upset in this matchup.
San Antonio is still without star Kawhi Leonard, who continues to rehab from a quadriceps injury. There is a lot of tension between Leonard and the team as some are wondering why he hasn’t returned to the court yet. It seems like at this point Leonard doesn’t have plans to return any time soon, and is expected to miss this contest.
Keep an eye on how the Rockets approach this contest. Superstar James Harden and forward Clint Capela have each been given some rest down the stretch, and if Harden sits in this one it will completely change the spread and the Rockets will be the underdogs.
Previous Meetings
The Rockets are 3-0 against the Spurs so far this season, outscoring San Antonio 335-293 in those games. Houston has the second-highest scoring offense in the league and presents a challenge to Spurs despite possessing one of the NBA’s toughest defenses.
In the most recent matchup between the two squads on March 12th, Houston won 109-93 behind 28 points from James Harden. He has also scored 28 points in each of the previous meetings and remains the motor behind this Rockets’ offense, averaging 30.7 points on the season.
The Spurs just don’t have the ability to hang with Houston offensively so they’ll do their best to try to slow them down. San Antonio would be well-served to pick up its first victory of the year against Houston to help its playoff standing.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Rockets aren’t expected to be huge favorites and the Spurs should certainly be able to stay in the game at home, but Houston is just too good. Look for Harden to come up with another big-time performance provided he plays in this one.
This one is harder to predict if any of Harden, Capela or point guard Chris Paul are rested in preparation for the playoffs. With that in mind, keep a close eye on this matchup the day of the game. If Houston is full strength, it should come away with the victory.
NBA Odds: Rockets 108, Spurs 102
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