The San Antonio Spurs narrowly eked out a win over the surprising Houston Rockets. Here are three things that we learned from that game.
When the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets get together to do the Texas Two-Step, it is always a captivating dance to watch. From the days when Moses Malone and George Gervin went toe-to-toe, to the rivalry between Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson and beyond, Spurs-Rockets is one of the best rivalries going in NBA, and last night’s barnburner didn’t disappoint us.
Here are three things that we took away from the Spurs’ thrilling 112-110 home victory over the offensively dominant Rockets.
3. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are the MVP favorites
There is no question that we saw the two leading MVP candidate on full display last night, and this battle was one for the ages.
Both Harden and Leonard scored 39 points and both led their teams in assists. But it was the way that they went after each other that made this battle so memorable. It was a Texas-sized duel, and while Harden’s Rockets were leading throughout, Leonard refused to let his Spurs go down to their rivals on their home court.
If these two ever meet in the playoffs, and there a good chance they might, this will be a DVR-worthy series.
2. Lou William’s dreadful night….
What can you say about Lou Williams?
Williams is a perfect fit in the Rockets scheme, and he has made them a legit contender in the West. But if you’re going to get any ground on the Warriors and Spurs, you can’t have games like Williams had last night.
It was like the basket had a lid on it the entire night for Williams, who went a dreadful 1-10 from the floor and missed all three of his 3-point attempts. To make matters worse, he only got the charity stripe twice, not what you need if your shot has abandoned you.
Williams will redeem himself. He has no other choice.
1. Can we just say the Spurs are the favorites in the West?
How hard is it to say that the Spurs are now the favorites to come out of the West?
Sure, the Warriors currently have the best record in the NBA, but no team has been as consistent as the San Antonio. They just find multiple ways to win and can beat a team anywhere. Their depth is, dare we say, much better than Golden State’s.
Next: NBA Power Rankings: Warriors suffer biggest loss of season
It’s time to get off of the “big three’ bandwagon and anoint the Spurs as the best and favorites to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
It’s not that hard, people.