The San Antonio Spurs had a slight speed bump on Sunday at home against the New Orleans Pelicans and are now on tour against their in-state rivals in Houston. The Spurs are hardly separated from the fifth seed (2.5), making it critical to take care of business so they don’t lose their precious home-court advantage in the playoffs.
It’s the third of four match-ups, and some of the biggest factors determining victory will be closing out to the corners quickest and maintaining an edge on the glass. Keep
in mind that Houston is third in isolation frequency, and it’s mostly Kevin Durant turning water into wine on those possessions.
San Antonio Spurs (31-15) at Houston Rockets (28-16)
January 28, 2026 8:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs injuries: Harrison Ingram – G-League, two-way (out), David Jones Garcia- G-League, two-way (out), Jeremy Sochan- left quad soreness (questionable), Stanley Umude- G-League, two-way (out)
Rockets injuries: Steven Adams- left ankle sprain (out), Tristen Newton- G-League, two-way (out), Fred VanVleet- ACL repair (out)
What to watch for
Fourth quarter intensity
The Spurs were recently in control against the Rockets on Jan. 20, but got pantsed in the fourth quarter, settling for jumpers and getting lit up everywhere. Notably, the only shot in seven attempts Victor Wembanyama made late in that game was at close range. When Tuesday’s fourth quarter starts, whether it’s down 10 or up 10, expect the Spurs to not play with their food and be sharp on pick-and-roll defense. The misses and turnovers allowed the Rockets to get out in transition, where they added seven back-breaking points, so the Spurs will have to get back quicker.
Reed Sheppard’s quick trigger and Houston’s athleticism
Sheppard is a small guard, but he compensates for it by having some of the fastest hands in the NBA on his jumper. His deep shooting ignites them like rocket fuel, so he’ll likely be played much closer when off-ball.
Furthermore, the Rockets don’t use a traditional point guard, which is part of the reason their offense can be suspect. Their best playmaker, despite not having the highest assist-to-turnover ratio on the team, is Alperen Şengün, because he is a post threat that causes the most overreactions. A great way to lower his impact is not to play help defense when Victor guards him. He should be fine if he avoids falling for Turk Nowitzki’s fake.
As much of an offensive threat that Durant still is in year 19, Amen Thompson is the next dangerous man to look at. His game-changing athleticism is only rivaled in this matchup by Stephon Castle, and he is a wrecking ball on defense. His torque and first step make him recover quickly when jammed into a screen. Offensively, he is a better player than a point guard and is still averaging 5.4 assists, mostly on drive-and-kick plays.
Heavy lifting by the stars
Wembanyama, Castle and De’Aaron Fox got outplayed by Houston’s star trio in their last matchup. Even if they shoot poorly, their pride will make them play more forcefully against Houston’s interior, since the team only took 10 free throws on Jan. 20. Anticipate a higher frequency of off-ball screens to get them loose.
You can follow along with game here on the Game Thread, as well as on our X profile (@poundingtherock).
