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Match Details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs
Date & Time: Tuesday, August 11th, 2020, 2:00 PM ET (11:30 PM IST)
Venue: The Field House, Disney World, Orlando, FL
In this game we see two teams from Texas, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs face-off in what could be a crucial game to determine the play-in tournament contenders.
The Houston Rockets are currently fourth in the Western Conference and would hope to cement their position with a win. The San Antonio Spurs who are currently the tenth seed will hope to catch up to the Portland Trail Blazers who are in the ninth spot.
Houston Rockets preview
The Houston Rockets dominated the Sacramento Kings in a 129-112 blowout victory on Sunday. Despite not having Russell Westbrook, they won the game with ease with the bench putting on a show.
Austin Rivers put on a magnificent performance with a career-high 41 points on 70% shooting from the field. River shot 6-11 from three-point range during the game. James Harden was at his scoring best with 32 points in 33 minutes. Robert Covington put up a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds while Ben McLemore scored 20 points.
The only concern for the Houston Rockets would be Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon. The two stars have been suffering from injured and their health will be crucial to the Rockets' playoff ambitions. The Houston Rockets will still fancy their chances against the San Antonio Spurs who themselves are missing some key players.
Key player - James Harden
James Harden has been the focal point of the Houston Rockets offense and even more so now with Russell Westbrook out. Harden is on his way to another scoring title averaging 34.3 points and 7.5 assists this season. In the seeding games so far, he has put up great performances on the defensive end of the floor as well.
The Houston Rockets will need Harden to continue his high scoring to get them this crucial win against the San Antonio Spurs.
Houston Rockets predicted lineup
P.J. Tucker, James Harden, Robert Covington, Danuel House, Ben McLemore
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San Antonio Spurs preview
The San Antonio Spurs will be very pleased with their 122-113 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, right after they beat the Utah Jazz. With a dominant performance on both ends of the floor, they cruised to an easy victory which will go a long way in their hunt for a spot in the play-in tournament.
DeMar DeRozan was playing excellent basketball with 27 points at 62.5% shooting. Rudy Gay, Dejounte Murray, Marco Belinelli, and Derrick White made useful scoring contributions and Jakob Poetl grabbed 14 boards.
The San Antonio Spurs will have to prove their mettle by beating the Houston Rockets to catch up with the Portland Trail Blazers who are currently in the ninth spot in the Western Conference.
Key player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan has been playing excellent basketball so far in the NBA bubble. While the San Antonio Spurs have been missing the presence of LaMarcus Aldridge in the interior, DeMar DeRozan has taken it upon himself to lead the way with his high scoring. He has been averaging 22.1 points this season at 52.9% shooting from the field for the San Antonio Spurs.
With his experience in such pressure games, DeMar DeRozan will be key in leading the young San Antonio Spurs against the dominant Houston Rockets.
San Antonio Spurs predicted lineup
Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV, DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl
Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Match Prediction
The Houston Rockets are the clear favorites to win this game. With James Harden in such great form, the Houston Rockets will hope to get off to a flying start. The San Antonio Spurs will have to place their bets on DeMar DeRozan who is also playing some excellent basketball in these seeding games.
It will be interesting to see how coach Pop chooses to defend James Harden in this game. If they do manage to slow down the former MVP, the bench strength of both teams will be tested in what we expect to be a fierce battle.
Where to watch Rockets vs Spurs?
Local coverage of the match can be seen on AT&T Sportsnet Southwest and FOX Sports Southwest - San Antonio. This same will be broadcast on national television on NBA TV. Fans in India can watch the game live on Sony Six. You can also live stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
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