Rockets at Spurs: Betting odds, point spread for Saturday afternoon

Though the Rockets won Thursday’s matchup as an underdog, the Spurs are again favored on Saturday due to Houston’s widespread absences.

The Houston Rockets had a feel-good victory in San Antonio on Thursday night, in large part due to overcoming the odds with an extremely shorthanded roster featuring only nine active players. Christian Wood led the way with 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots.

Two days later, Wood and what remains of the healthy Rockets might be asked to do it all over again. Saturday’s tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m. Central, with the game broadcast nationally on NBA TV.

As of early Saturday, the Rockets did not know if any reinforcements would arrive in time for their afternoon rematch with the Spurs at AT&T Center. The NBA is conducting these mini-series during the 2020-21 regular season to minimize travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rotation fixtures John Wall (sore left knee) and Danuel House Jr. (health and safety protocols) are again listed as out, while Eric Gordon (left lower leg tightness) is questionable. Gordon was also initially listed as questionable for Thursday before sitting out. DeMarcus Cousins is new to Houston’s injury report with right ankle soreness, and he’s doubtful.

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The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Spurs -6.5 (-110), Rockets +6.5 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Spurs -275/Rockets +220
  • Over-under: 217.5 (-110 O, -110 U)
  • Player O/U Scoring Props: DeMar DeRozan 20.5 (-105 U, -125 U), LaMarcus Aldridge 16.5 (-115 O, -110 U), Dejounte Murray 15.5 (-105 O, -125 U), Keldon Johnson 14.5 (-115 O, -110 U), Lonnie Walker IV 13.5 (+100 O, -130 U), Patty Mills 12.5 (-125 O, -105 U)

Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN, and WV at BetMGM.

From NBA.com’s official game notes, projected starters for the Spurs are Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, DeMar DeRozan, Keldon Johnson, and LaMarcus Aldridge. Meanwhile, the Rockets are listing Sterling Brown, Ben McLemore, Jae’Sean Tate, PJ Tucker, and Christian Wood.

For both teams, these would be the same starting lineups as used in Thursday’s 109-105 win (box score) by the Rockets. Johnson led the Spurs with a game-high 29 points (75% FG) and 6 rebounds.

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Advice and prediction

Of Houston’s three newly acquired players connected to the blockbuster James Harden trade, Dante Exum is likely unavailable until March with a calf strain. That leaves Victor Oladipo from Indiana and Rodions Kurucs from Brooklyn. Oladipo, however, had yet to be formally traded as of early SAturday, since the Rockets are flipping Caris LeVert (who they acquired from the Nets in the Harden deal) to Indiana for Oladipo.

Before that separate transaction can be processed, all players in the initial trade have to complete their physicals, and it’s unclear whether that will happen in time for an afternoon game on Saturday.

Should the new acquisitions not be cleared, Houston could be down to the NBA’s minimum of eight active players. Rookie reserves Mason Jones and KJ Martin Jr., who each impressed on Thursday in their first game as a rotation player, may need to play even more minutes Saturday.

Houston (4-6) beat all the odds on Thursday, but it could be a lot to ask versus San Antonio (6-6) twice in two days on the road. The “under” could also be a pick, in case the shorthanded Rockets run out of energy.

Prediction: 107-100, Spurs

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

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