Spurs at Rockets
The red-hot San Antonio Spurs are looking to rise up the Western
Conference as they attempt to complete a back-to-back sweep of the host
Houston Rockets on Friday. San Antonio has posted nine straight
victories – including a 110-98 win over Houston on Wednesday – and
suddenly sits a half-game behind the Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies for
second place in the West.
The Spurs are currently tied for fifth with the Los Angeles Clippers after winning 19 of their past 22 games. Point guard Tony Parker starred with 27 points and forward Kawhi Leonard added 20 as San Antonio controlled Wednesday’s game. Leonard has scored 20 or more points in six of the past seven games, while Houston star James Harden was held to 22 points after topping 30 in three of the previous four games as the Rockets took a hurtful loss. “We’ve just got to play our basketball,” Harden told reporters. “Not worry about what’s going on in the standings and things like that. Just focus on ourselves and we’ll be all right.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, KENS (San Antonio), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE SPURS (53-24): Parker didn’t appear limited in the least while making 13-of-18 shots one night after playing just 16 minutes after injuring his right Achilles’ tendon against Oklahoma City. Parker said he had a lot of energy after not playing a lot and he was determined to aggressively carry the team, and it showed. “He played a really great floor game,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. “He showed really good patience in distributing the ball, looking for his shots, going to the bucket. He was tough for them to guard.”
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (52-26): Center Dwight Howard (knee) is still on a minutes limit and power forward Donatas Motiejunas has been ruled out for the season due to lower back pain. Motiejunas has missed the last seven games but Houston was holding out hope he might return for the playoffs before it was determined during Wednesday’s re-evaluation that his condition wasn’t improving. Howard is averaging 19 points and 9.5 rebounds and shooting 17-of-25 from the field over the last two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. San Antonio has won the last two meetings after dropping the previous six.
2. Rockets F Trevor Ariza was 5-of-6 from 3-point range while scoring 19 points on Wednesday and has scored in double digits in eight straight games.
3. Spurs C Tiago Splitter (calf) has missed the last three games, while SG Marco Belinelli (groin) missed Wednesday’s game against the Rockets.