This TNT Thursday Night Opener features a Marquee Matchup of the defending NBA champion, San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets, who have taken the NBA by storm with a 5-0 SU ATS beginning, covering the number by 43 points.
Houston has broken from the gate with 5 consecutive victories, building on their strong 56-32 SU record of last year when they advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs. The Rockets have been doing it on both ends of the court. Living behind the arc, Houston is averaging a mind-blowing 14 triples per game on 44% shooting. In their previous game, a 108-91 victory against Miami, they held the Heat to 42% from the field. That was a Miami team that had been shooting 49% against their previous opposition. To make matters worse for San Antonio, Dwight Howard is averaging 21 points on 62% shooting with 16.5 RPG with 10 consecutive double-doubles against the Spurs.
Defending champs appear to be living on their laurels from last year. They are 2-1 SU, 0-3 ATS. That includes a 1 point home court escape against Dallas on opening night, blowing a 9 point 4th quarter lead in a loss at Phoenix, followed by a lackadaisical performance last night in which they made just 5 of 17 triples and committed 21 TOs in a sloppy 94-92 win, no cover, against Atlanta. Tonight, they will play a bit shorthanded without key cogs, Splitter and Belinelli.
I can assure you that NBA momentum players will be all over a Houston team, who has gone 5-0 ATS in their perfect start, covering by 43 points. Though every victory has been by double digits, the first 4 of those have come against Philly, Boston, Utah and the LA Lakers. Those teams are a combined 3-16 SU.
How is this going to go? The Rockets are Red Hot, but Pop always seems to have an answer.