NBA Playoffs 2017: Spurs vs. Rockets Game 5 live stream: Watch online
By John Buhler
Game 5 of the 2017 Western Conference Semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets will be on Tuesday night. Here is how to watch it online.
With the best-of-seven series all tied up at two games apiece, pivotal Game 5 between the No. 3 Houston Rockets and the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs will be Tuesday night. Houston stomped San Antonio in Games 1 and 4, while the Spurs bested the Rockets in Games 2 and 3.
Though it is a very regional affair between two Texas-based teams, this has been the more compelling of the two Western Conference Semifinals series in the 2017 NBA Playoffs. It really has been a testament of wills in these first four games. Does San Antonio have enough in the tank for another Conference Finals run? Can Houston blast off to its second Conference Finals in three years thanks to elite perimeter shooting?
Game 5 will go a long way in deciding which Texas team gets to play the Golden State Warriors in the 2017 Western Conference Finals. Looking ahead to whom Mike D’Antoni will start for his Rockets shouldn’t be that hard. He has used the same starting five in all nine Rockets playoff games up to this point.
Look for Patrick Beverley to start at point guard, James Harden at shooting guard, Trevor Ariza at small forward, Ryan Anderson at power forward and Clint Capela at center. However, there will be a big adjustment to the Rockets rotation with Nene being out for the playoffs due to injury. He would spell Capela at the five. Look for Montrezl Harrell to get more playing time at center to offset Nene’s absence.
As for the Spurs, their starting lineup will take a little more thought for head coach Gregg Popovich. So far he has started Danny Green at the two, Kawhi Leonard at the three and LaMarcus Aldridge at the four in all 10 Spurs playoff games this run.
With normal starting point guard Tony Parker out for the season with an injury, look for presumably Dejounte Murray to start at the one. Popovich could in theory run Patty Mills with the starters or even veteran Manu Ginobili should the Spurs get in a bind. However, Murray at the point to start Game 5 seems most logical.
As for center, Popovich has used David Lee four times, Dewayne Dedmon three times and Pau Gasol three times. While Popovich used Lee as Game 1’s starter at center, he has used Gasol at the five the last three games. San Antonio has gone 2-1 in Gasol’s three starts at center. Look for him get the nod at starting center for Game 5.