Spurs (10-15) vs. Houston Rockets (17-9)
When, where: Monday, 7 p.m., Toyota Center, Houston
TV: KENS 5, 7 p.m.
All-time series record: Spurs lead 109-89
Last season: Rockets won series 3-1
Season series: Spurs lead 1-0
Last meeting: Spurs 135, Rockets 133, 2OT, Dec. 3, AT&T Center
Spurs' last game: Beat Phoenix Suns 121-119, OT, Saturday, Mexico City
Rockets' last game: Lost to Detroit Pistons 115-107, Saturday, Houston
Spurs' last 10 games/streak: 5-5, won one
Rockets' last 10 games/streak: 6-4, lost one
Spurs' injury/inactive report: Forward Drew Eubanks (G League), out; guard/forward Keldon Johnson (G League), out; forward Luke Samanic (G League), out; guard Lonnie Walker IV (right knee; contusion), questionable; guard Quindarry Weatherspoon (G League), out.
Rockets' injury/inactive report: Guard Michael Frazier (G League), out; guard Eric Gordon (right knee; arthroscopy), out; guard/forward Gerald Green (left cuneiform; fracture), out; center/forward Nene (left adductor; strain), out; guard Austin Rivers (left finger; sprain), probable.
Notable: The Spurs set an NBA record Saturday with their fourth consecutive overtime game. San Antonio has gone 3-1 in that stretch, which started with a 135-133 double-overtime win against the Houston Rockets on Dec. 3 at the AT&T Center . . . After playing at Houston on Monday, the Spurs host the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday and Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
GAME PREVIEW
Sometimes it takes a little longer to get the job done.
After playing in a league-record four consecutive overtime games in the last two weeks, the Spurs are hoping the extra time on the court will help them become a better team.
Guard Patty Mills came off the bench to score a season-high 26 points, including the game-winning basket with 0.4 seconds left in OT, as the Spurs pulled out a 121-119 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday in Mexico City.
Mills' pull-up jumper from near the free-throw line gave San Antonio its third victory in the last four games, matching this season's 3-1 start.
"That was quintessential Patty Mills," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's what he's done his whole career. Whether the shots go down or not, he's going to do everything he can defensively to be aggressive, offensively to be aggressive, and keep the energy up. He was wonderful again tonight."
Mills hit 10 of 23 shots – 6 of 14 from the three-point line – in 31 minutes. He also had five rebounds.
The Spurs (10-15) started their run of overtime games against the Houston Rockets (17-9) on Dec. 3 at the AT&T Center. San Antonio edged Houston 135-133 in double overtime, riding a stellar performance by second-year uard Lonnie Walker IV for the win.
The Interstate 10 rivals meet for the second time this season at 7 p.m. Monday at the Toyota Center in Houston. The game will be broadcast by KENS 5, the Official Television Station of the San Antonio Spurs.
Walker scored a career-high 28 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, in the first game against the Rockets. After Houston led by 22 points in the third period and 16 in the third, Walker scored the Silver and Black's last eight points in regulation to force OT.
Walker had 16 points against the Suns on Saturday, his 21st birthday, before leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter with a bruised right knee. The Spurs listed him as questionable for Monday night's game in their injury report Sunday.
DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge and Dejounte Murray each chipped in 18 points to help Mills with the scoring load. Popovich moved Murray back into the starting lineup, and the point guard responded with a solid game,
Murray made 8 of 12 shots and finished with seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block.
"It's fun," Murray said, when he was asked what it was like playing in four straight overtime games. "When you sign up to play basketball and you try to get to this level, it's all competing and playing with the best.
"We're all happy that we get to compete. Obviously, we wanted to win before overtime, but it's always fun to compete."
The Spurs have been below .500 for more days (32) this season than they have been in the previous 10 seasons combined (28).
San Antonio has two more games this week after playing Houston on Monday, hosting the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday and Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
