NBA League Pass Game of the Day: Rockets at Spurs (8:30 ET)

Five things to know about this all-Texas matchup (8:30 a.m. ET, NBA League Pass) between two up-and-coming NBA teams centered around young talent.

1. Wembanyama: Do you need convincing to see Victor Wembenyama in action? He was arguably the most exciting rookie since LeBron James last season, and then he was a star at the Paris Olympics this summer. What will he do for an encore? Kia Defensive Player of the Year? Can Spurs fans dream… Kia MVP? Check out our latest feature on Victor Wembanyama as we preview an incredible sequel to his outstanding rookie season.
2. Houston’s playoff push: After a few seasons in the wilderness, the Rockets got serious last season and wanted to win. They added experienced free agents, hired Ime Udoka as their new head coach, and saw it all pay off. While Houston missed the Emirates NBA Cup, the team improved from 22-60 to 41-41. The next step? The offseason. And an opening loss to Charlotte should have raised eyebrows for the Rockets.
3. CP3’s debut in San Antonio: Chris Paul is a Hall of Famer in the inner circle. He ranks third in career assists and career steals. After several years of chasing an elusive ring, CP3 is now taking on a different role on a rising team. The 39-year-old signed with Spurs, an up-and-coming team that still has a long way to go before challenging for a title. Paul will probably spend the end of his career dishing out Wembenyama alley-ups. Enjoy it.
4. Will Reed Sheppard win Kia Rookie of the Year?: Many statistical models saw Sheppard as the top prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. The way he viewed the NBA Summer League did nothing to alleviate that. However, the hype surrounding young players can quickly derail. How Sheppard comes out of the gate will shape history and many League Pass eyes will be on this game to see Wemby. He comes off the bench and struggles for minutes, but at Kentucky he showed he can be a microwave scorer in that role.
5. Great opportunity for Alperen Sengun: There is perhaps no more intimidating matchup for an opposing big man than against Victor Wembanyama. Sengun will draw this match on Saturday. He was incredibly impressive in the opening game, scoring 25 points and grabbing 18 rebounds in the win over the Hornets. He broke through last season, increasing his scoring average from 14.8 points per game to 21.1 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. His ability to keep Wembanyama at bay will be crucial.