NBA Playoffs 2017: Spurs vs. Rockets Game 1 live stream: Watch online
By John Buhler
Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference Semifinals between the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs will be on Monday. Here is how to watch it online.
For the first time in a very long time, two Texas in-state rivals will clash in a playoff series. One of the four conference semifinal series in the 2017 NBA Playoffs will be between the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs and the No. 3 Houston Rockets.
San Antonio knocked off another Southwest Division rival, Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Quarterfinals in six games. Houston had an easier first-round matchup, as the Rockets wrangled the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games.
Being that they are division rivals and all, Houston and San Antonio have already met four times this season with the Spurs having the 3-1 edge in the season series. These Lone Star State rivals will play somewhere between four and seven more games to decide who plays in the 2017 Western Conference Finals.
Game 1 will be in San Antonio on Monday night, but it will be all about the matchups in this best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinals series. For the visiting Rockets, we should expect the same starting five that Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni used to eviscerate Oklahoma City. Patrick Beverely will be at point guard, James Harden will be at shooting guard, Trevor Ariza will be at small forward, Ryan Anderson will be at power forward and Clint Capela will be at center.
Houston used predominantly an eight-man rotation in its first round series with Oklahoma: the starting five, shooting guard Eric Gordon, shooting guard Lou Williams and center Nene. The Rockets could have back small forward Sam Dekker for Game 1, who is recovering from a broken hand.
As for the Spurs, it is a little more difficult to figure out who San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich will trot out there. Four San Antonio players started all six games for the Spurs: point guard Tony Parker, shooting guard Danny Green, small forward Kawhi Leonard and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
What Popovich does at the five is a bit of a head-scratcher. He had Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee start three games apiece at center, with veteran All-Star big man Pau Gasol coming off the bench. Any of those three could start at the five for San Antonio in Game 1 and it wouldn’t be shocking.