Wolves, Rockets Set For Mexico City Showdown
Andrew Wiggins and the Timberwolves take on James Harden and the Rockets in the first NBA regular season game to be played in Mexico City since 1997 on Wednesday night.
The National Basketball Association returns to Mexico on Wednesday night, this time hoping for a better outcome than a season ago.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets take to the hardwood at Mexico City Arena in the Azcapotzalco borough of Mexico City, with tip-off scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET (11:00 p.m. local time).
The game will air live in the United States on ESPN.
A season ago, the Timberwolves were scheduled to face the San Antonio Spurs at Mexico City Arena as part of the NBA’s Global Games program. The game was scrapped 45 minutes before tip-off after a short circuit in the generator room filled the venue with smoke.
Scheduling restrictions meant the game was shuffled back to the States and played at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
2013’s Mexico City clash between the Spurs and Wolves was smoked out.
The league, as well as arena officials, will hope for a smoother ride on Wednesday night.
The showdown between the Timberwolves and Rockets marks the first regular season game to be played in Mexico since 1997. The Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks that night in a game played at the Palacio de los Deportes, the forbearer to the $300 million Mexico City Arena. They’ll be looking for a similar result on Wednesday.
The event is a key fixture in both the arena’s calendar and the NBA’s bid to expand its brand into new territories.
For arena officials, the game marks the first of two high-profile American events on this week’s schedule. The arena will also host UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt on Saturday night, with a sellout crowd expected.
For the NBA, the game represents a chance to bring its product to a thriving new audience. A successful trip could be a stepping stone to more games played in Mexico City or even an annual event, as is currently the case with London.
The O2 in London has hosted regular season games in each of the last two seasons, and will be the venue for a showdown between the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks on January 15, 2015. Could the league be aiming for a similar business model south of the border?
Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves odds for 11/12/2014
Houston (6-1, 4-0 road) enters the game as the favorite and has seen its advantage extend since betting lines opened.
The Rockets expect to have Dwight Howard back on the floor. Howard missed Saturday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors with flu-like symptoms.
Minnesota (2-4, 1-1 home) meanwhile will be without point guard Ricky Rubio for the foreseeable future. The Spaniard is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle, a major blow for the young Wolves and the Mexico City fans.
Wednesday night sees the two clubs line up against each other for the first of four meetings this season. The Rockets took three of four from the Wolves a season ago, and have won four of the last five head-to-head meetings.
The spread opened at 6 and has climbed as high as 7.5.
Minnesota is just 8-16-1 ATS in its last 25 games against the Rockets.
After Wednesday’s international trip, both the Rockets and Timberwolves return to action on Friday night. Minnesota will head to the Big Easy for a game against the New Orleans Pelicans while Houston will welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to Toyota Center.
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