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The Houston Rockets are back home tonight for a nationally televised contest against the San Antonio Spurs. They’ll be looking to start up another win streak after beating the hapless Dallas Mavericks yesterday.
James Harden will be back in the lineup for the Rockets after sitting out yesterday’s win, and the Rockets will be back to their normal rotation, of course minus Ryan Anderson and Brandan Wright, who both continue to be out.
As for the Spurs, they’ll be without LaMarcus Aldridge, Manu Ginobili, and, of course, Kawhi Leonard, though the Spurs do expect the latter to be back literally any day now. No word yet on who’ll be filling in for Aldridge, according to Jonathan Feigen.
Asked who will start with Aldridge out, Popovich said, "I don't know. I'm not trying to trick you; I don't know." He likely is choosing between a few options since if he did not want to say, he would say he did not want to say.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) March 12, 2018
The Spurs have been really struggling of late, losing 8 of their last 10 games, and have fallen to seventh place in the Western Conference and just a game away from being out of the playoffs altogether. They’re still the Spurs, though, and one of the Rockets’ biggest rivals, so there’s certainly no gimmes here. But with San Antonio shorthanded, Houston has a real opportunity to put two full games between them and the Golden State Warriors for first place in the West.
The Rockets have taken advantage of most of their opportunities this year. I like them to do it again tonight.
Go Rockets!