Separated by approximately 195 miles, Houston and San Antonio share a fierce rivalry. You might hear a Houston individual quip, “What’s the greatest thing to come out of San Antonio?” and the punchline follows: I-10. Conversely, citizens of San Antonio have their own spin on this joke.
This rivalry is set to escalate in the coming years, thanks to the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, both of which are stacked with emerging stars and valuable draft picks that could turn them into future contenders. Currently, they are among the top-performing teams in the Western Conference, with the Spurs at 30-13 in second place and the Rockets at 25-15 in fifth.
On Tuesday, these two teams will meet for the second time this season at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Spurs come into this matchup riding a three-game winning streak, all at home, while the Rockets are 3-1 in their current five-game homestand.
The Rockets are favored to win by four points on Tuesday evening.
Aside from the Rockets-Spurs matchup, a sports landscape featuring six additional NBA games and a full schedule of college basketball awaits. Below are details on what to watch and where to place your bets for Tuesday, January 20. All times are in Eastern Standard Time.
NBA Best Bets and Viewing
Spurs at Rockets
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Houston | TV: NBC/Peacock | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Picks — Model: Rockets -168
The Spurs have recently broken out of an offensive slump with a significant scoring increase in their last three games, averaging 123.5 points against the Bucks, Timberwolves, and Jazz. However, they face a challenge as they play the second night of a back-to-back schedule away from home. The Rockets have been robust at the Toyota Center this year, achieving a record of 14-3. Houston enjoyed a much-needed solid shooting weekend, achieving 50% from the field, including a breakout performance from Jabari Smith, who tallied 32 points with seven three-pointers. The SportsLine projection gives the Rockets a 74% chance of victory, with a strong recommendation for the Rockets’ money line (-168).
Lakers at Nuggets
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: Denver | TV: NBC/Peacock | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Picks — Model: Over 228.5 | Expert: LeBron James Over 22.5 total points -124
