Nine games feature on this NBA slate on Thursday with some huge matchups on the card. The Lakers head to Cleveland, the Magic face the Heat in a division rivalry, while the Spurs meet Houston for the second time in 10 days.
San Antonio Spurs @ Houston Rockets
The Spurs will be looking for redemption after falling to the Rockets just last week. They remain second in the Western Conference with a 31-15 record, while Houston sit close behind at 28-16.
The Rockets have won five of their last six games after enduring a short lull while Alperen Sengun was sidelined, and will be aiming to beat their division rival for the second time in two weeks.
LEG 1 - Alperen Sengun Over 18.5 Points
Averaging 21.5 points per game this season, this is a low line for Alperen Sengun, likely influenced by the Wemby factor.
Sengun scored 20 against the Spurs last week and has covered this number consistently. If you remove the game he left injured, Sengun has scored 19+ points in 16 of his last 20 appearances.
Having covered this line in both meetings with San Antonio this season, he should be able to do so again.
LEG 2 - Tari Eason 6+ Rebounds
With Steven Adams out for an extended period, Houston’s rotation has shortened, creating more opportunity for Tari Eason.
Eason is averaging 7.9 rebounds across his last ten games and has hit 6+ boards in nine of those.
He grabbed six rebounds in just 19 minutes against the Spurs last time out, with his minutes expected to push closer to 28 here.
LEG 3 - Stephon Castle 6+ Assists
Assist numbers have been a pleasant surprise for Stephon Castle this season, and he’s produced big totals against Houston.
Castle is averaging 7.2 assists per game this year, with that figure increasing to 7.5 when playing alongside Fox and Wembanyama.
He’s cleared 6+ assists in six of his last seven games and has recorded eight and 13 assists in two meetings with the Rockets this season.
Same Game Multi
Sengun Over 18.5 Points / Eason 6+ Rebounds / Castle 6+ Assists = $4.20
Value Bet
Julian Champagnie 15+ Points @ $3.40
The Spurs small forward has stepped up in the absence of Devin Vassell, scoring 15+ points in two of his last three games.
More importantly, he’s torched Houston this season. Champagnie is averaging 24.5 points across two games against the Rockets, scoring 20+ in both, including a 27-point outing just last week.
The safer 15+ option looks strong, but at $9.25 it’s also worth considering another 20+ performance against this matchup.
