The matchup for the rematch from the December 7th game is between point guards Tony Parker and Jeremy Lin.
"Linsanity" in Houston hasn't been there on a consistent basis and it showed last game. Jeremy Lin went 2-9 shooting (0-3 on three pointers) and contributing just four points while Tony Parker went for 17 points and 7 assists.
Lin was a disappointment on both sides of floor, allowing Parker to shoot 80% (4-5) in the restricted area and 100% (2-2) from mid range. Most of Lin's shots were wide open as the Spurs were clearly focusing on defending James Harden as a team and daring the rest of the players to shoot.
Lin playing well on offense would keep the Spurs honest and also have Parker play man defense which would take some wear on his legs throughout the game.
With the Rockets at 30th in the league for points allowed (103.9ppg), it's a necessity for him to do some damage on the offensive end since the Rockets play little defense.
If the Rockets want to win, they have to get a "Linsanity" type game out of Jeremy Lin. For the Spurs to win, Parker needs to take control of the game early so the bench can manage the game for the majority of the game. With the Spurs holding the clear edge on defense, this game being won by Houston rests on the shoulders of Jeremy Lin.