Two of the Western Conference’s top teams will square off on Wednesday as the San Antonio Spurs (31-15) head to Houston to take on the Rockets (28-16) inside the Toyota Center.
Both teams have been staying hot despite the cold temperature. The Rockets have won five of their past six games, dropping only an overtime decision to the Philadelphia 76ers last week. San Antonio has won four of its past six games, including a pair of wins over Utah.
Included in the Spurs’ recent slate was a road trip to Houston, which the Rockets won 111-106. Will San Antonio come out on top of this Texas Two-Step with Houston? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for Wednesday’s game.
After missing several games earlier this year, Victor Wembanyama has returned to form for the Spurs. The 7-foot-4 phenom is averaging 24.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists through 32 games for San Antonio.
While the third-year star has been dominant this season, he’s yet to have a big game against the Rockets. Wembanyama has been below his season averages against Houston in both games thus far, scoring only 14 points in last week’s loss to their Western Conference foe.
The center has posted five games with at least 26 points in January, including back-to-back 30-point efforts. Still, bettors should not expect him to have a strong outing against Houston (more on that later). Take the under on Wemby’s scoring prop bet total.
Over the years, Houston has been fortunate to have several big-name centers on their roster. Add Alperen Sengun to that list. The 6-foot-11 Turk averages top 30 stats in points (21.5), rebounds (9.0), and assists (6.4).
He’s had strong games against the Spurs in both outings this season, posting figures above his season averages with 22.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists. In his last outing, Sengun finished with 13 boards, making him a strong bet to exceed his rebounding prop bet total on Wednesday.
Kevin Durant is providing veteran leadership for the young Houston squad. In his 20th season, the 6-foot-11 forward is averaging 26.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists to lead the Rockets in multiple categories.
He’s been a force to reckon with all season – except against San Antonio. The Spurs have held the 37-year-old to 22.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in two previous meetings. That’s why bettors should feel confident Durant will be held below his season averages on Wednesday, keeping him from covering this combo prop bet.
This is one of the underrated rivalries brewing in the Western Conference. Both San Antonio and Houston have prioritized youth, building young rosters that should be capable of making deep playoff runs for the foreseeable future.
So why should bettors be confident that the Rockets will win this contest? Sengun has played phenomenal basketball against the Spurs, keeping Wembanyama from having big games against Houston. Bettors should expect that again on Wednesday as Houston covers the spread en route to their third straight win.