Spurs at Rockets
The San Antonio Spurs saw their nine-game winning streak snapped but look to remain hot when they visit the Houston Rockets on Friday. San Antonio won nine straight games before losing 110-105 to the visiting Miami Heat on Wednesday and is opening a three-game road swing with the Rockets.
Houston was on a torrid streak of its own with 12 victories in 13 games before suffering a 126-125 overtime road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. "It was one of those games. Every once in a while it crops up," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters. "You've got to go on. It's too bad, but we just kind of threw that away." Houston resides in third place in the Western Conference - a half-game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers - while the Spurs are in a four-way tie for the fifth through eighth spots. San Antonio allowed 16 3-pointers in the loss to the Heat as coach Gregg Popovich was less than thrilled with the defensive performance.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
ABOUT THE SPURS (42-30): San Antonio had good offensive balance against Miami with five players scoring 15 or more points as reserve guards Marco Belinelli and Patty Mills joined All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge for team-high honors with 17. Guard DeMar DeRozan contributed 16 points and a career-best 15 rebounds while backup small forward Rudy Gay added 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Mills was 5-of-9 from 3-point range after hitting just 6-of-18 over the previous four games.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (45-27): All-Star guard James Harden poured in 57 points Wednesday to mark his seventh 50-point effort of the season, two coming against the Grizzlies. Harden knocked down nine 3-pointers during his latest splurge and he has made at least three from long range in 10 of the past 11 games. Shooting guard Eric Gordon has knocked down three or more 3s in nine straight appearances and he will be back on the floor against San Antonio after being rested against Memphis.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets are 2-1 against the Spurs this season and have won five of the past seven meetings.
2. San Antonio PG Derrick White was just 1-of-8 shooting while scoring three points against Miami.
3. Houston PF Kenneth Faried (knee) could return after sitting out against Memphis.