Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET the NBA yuletide action continues, shifting back to ESPN for a Texas throwdown in San Antonio featuring the host Spurs (22-6) against the Houston Rockets (18-11) in a Western Conference matchup that can be live streamed free here. Rockets fans can tune in to the radio broadcast on KBME Sports Talk 790, while Spurs fans may do the same on 1200 WOAI.
The Rockets may be without leading scorer James Harden in this game; he missed the Rockets' past two contests with a sprained ankle. San Antonio is sure to be hoping that ankle stays sore, as he has been a thorn in the Spurs' side for quite a while. In his last four games against San Antonio he is averaging 30.5 points per game, and famously torched them two postseasons ago as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"It's not an easy task," San Antonio guard Danny Green said of stopping the bearded Harden. "We'll try to do as best we can of trying to play good straight-up defense without giving him easy ones at the free-throw line."
Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin is back in action after missing four games with back trouble, but will be matched up against Tony Parker. That battle strongly favors the Spurs on paper. Parker led the Spurs with 22 points in a convincing victory over the Raptors on Monday.
"We won that game because of Tony Parker's aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. And we made some 3s in the fourth quarter. Those are the two reasons we won the game."
The Spurs have a better recent track record than Houston, but Green is aware of some statistical successes working in Houston's favor this year.
"Last time we played them they were the number one in the league in points in the paint and number one shooting behind the arc," Green said. "I don't know if they still are but we know how effective they are and how good they can be."
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