Spurs vs. Rockets Preview: Chippiness to Be Expected

After losing a close game to the Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs have one last game in the preseason. They will take on the Houston Rockets on Thursday night on the road and aim to finish the preseason with a winning record. The Rockets have only played three games and won two of them.

Houston's Reed Sheppard will be a player to watch in this matchup. Through his first three preseason games, he is averaging only eight points and is shooting poorly, but once he adjusts to the NBA pace and physicality, he will likely be one of the best players in the 2024 draft class. Hopefully, fans can be treated to some one-on-one matchups between him and Stephon Castle.

Here's everything you need to know before tipoff, including what channel the game is on, injury reports for both teams, and betting odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

How To Watch

• Location: Toyota Center, Houston TX
• Time: 7:00 PM CST
• Channel: Space City Home Network
• Streaming: NBA League Pass

Injury Report

Spurs

• Devin Vassell, foot (OUT)
• David Duke Jr., undisclosed (OUT)

Rockets

• Jock Landale, rest (OUT)

Betting Odds

• Point spread: Spurs +4.5 (-110)/Rockets -4.5 (-110)
• Money line: Spurs (+154)/Rockets (-192)
• Over/under: 223

Related: Not Even Veterans Are Immune From San Antonio Spurs' Pitfalls

Last year, the Spurs went 1-3 against Houston. Alperen Sengun was hard for the Spurs to topple all season, although on the bright side, Victor Wembanyama managed to have the block(s) of the year when he rejected two fast-break shots in a row from Jabari Smith Jr.

In their third matchup of the season, Jeremy Sochan and Amen Thompson got into a scuffle in the third quarter. The Rockets and Spurs have a long-standing rivalry, so tensions might flare, even in preseason.