Rockets update
Saturday: Rockets 123, Grizzlies 108. Record: 44-19. Today: At San Antonio, 7:30 p.m. TV/radio: Root; 790 AM, 850 AM (Spanish).
I-10 showdown
›› The red-hot Spurs host Rockets in conference test.
The Rockets’ final regular-season meeting with the Spurs on Monday will pit them against the league’s hottest team, with San Antonio taking a seven-game winning streak into the game in a late-season push toward the top of the Western Conference.
For the Rockets, few matchups offer a better test of their postseason readiness.
“It’s a very important game,” guard Eric Gordon said. “Hopefully, down the line in the playoffs, we get a chance to play them. We always need to focus on what we need to do. I think it’s good for us. It’s always good to play tough teams down the stretch. It’s always good to figure them out now.”
The Rockets won in San Antonio in November but lost both meetings at Toyota Center. The Rockets have lost eight of their past 10 against the Spurs.
“They’re probably playing as well, maybe better, than anybody in the league,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s definitely a measuring stick. We’re 1-2 against them. We’d like to get this.
“At the end of the road, you’ll have to go through them at some point. It’s a good test for us.”
D’Antoni shrugs at 500 milestone
Coach Mike D’Antoni is one win shy of 500 for his NBA coaching career but said he is unconcerned with the milestone.
“It means that I’ve been around. That’s good,” D’Antoni, 65, said. “It would be nice to get it (Monday) because that would be a great game for us to win.”
With the next Rockets victory, D’Antoni will become the 30th coach in NBA history with 500 wins and join Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, Rick Carlisle and Nate McMillan as active coaches with 500.
But he said he is no more likely to look at the milestone when his career is over than now.
“When you’re down the road, you’re down the road,” D’Antoni said. “Yeah, I got 500. Great.
“My knees ache, and I hurt all day, but other than that, I have 500. That’s great.”
Gordon leaves bench shooting
With six 3-pointers Saturday, guard Eric Gordon has made 180 3-pointers in his 49 games off the bench, breaking the NBA single-season record Mirza Teletovic set in 78 games last season.
Gordon is third in the NBA in 3-pointers made with 202, one behind teammate James Harden.
Stephen Curry leads the NBA with 240.
“It’s good,” Gordon said of the record. “It’s all predicated to having good coaches and good teammates always looking out for you. You just have to take advantage of that.
“I’ve been on a roll all season making a lot. They put you in a position to be successful and knock down shots and always have good shots.”