Houston Rockets 114 – San Antonio Spurs 110
The Houston Rockets improved to 2-0 Friday night after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 in a tightly contested Texas showdown at the Moody Center in Austin.
Alperen Sengun led Houston with 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant each contributed 20 points.
Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 25 points and 13 rebounds, but the Spurs fell to 0-2 despite another competitive performance.
First Quarter: Houston Establishes Early Control (32-27)
Houston wasted little time getting its offense going, with Sengun opening the scoring on a three-pointer.
San Antonio responded through Wembanyama, who scored on a putback dunk and connected with Stephon Castle for an alley-oop. After struggling offensively in the season opener against Oklahoma City, Wembanyama looked much more comfortable early.
The quarter also featured a tense moment between Durant and De’Aaron Fox. Fox committed a foul to prevent a Durant layup, and Durant appeared frustrated by the contact. The two briefly confronted each other before play resumed without technical fouls.
Houston continued attacking offensively, with Thompson finding opportunities around the basket.
Wembanyama connected from three-point range late in the quarter to keep San Antonio within striking distance, but Houston finished the opening period ahead 32-27.
Second Quarter: Spurs Fight Back (Houston Leads 61-59)
The Rockets initially carried their momentum into the second quarter, extending their advantage to 11 points.
San Antonio appeared to be heading toward another difficult quarter, but its defense began slowing Houston down.
The Spurs gradually chipped away at the deficit, with Wembanyama becoming increasingly involved offensively.
Devin Vassell contributed from midrange, while San Antonio’s defensive effort prevented Houston from pulling away.
With 23 seconds remaining, Wembanyama finished an alley-oop through contact and converted the free throw, putting San Antonio ahead 59-58.
However, Houston had the final possession.
Sengun found Fred VanVleet beyond the arc, and VanVleet buried a 26-foot three-pointer at the buzzer.
Just like that, Houston reclaimed the lead.
Halftime: Rockets 61, Spurs 59.
Third Quarter: Houston’s Defense Creates Problems (85-81)
The third quarter opened with both teams struggling to establish an offensive rhythm.
Wembanyama split a pair of free throws early, bringing San Antonio within one point.
Turnovers became a significant problem for the Spurs, particularly for Fox. Houston’s defenders repeatedly pressured San Antonio’s ball handlers, creating opportunities in transition.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson were active defensively, helping Houston turn mistakes into scoring chances.
The Rockets briefly pushed their advantage back into double digits, but San Antonio refused to go away.
The physicality continued throughout the quarter, with both teams battling for position inside.
Late in the period, Smith blocked a Fox attempt near the basket, and Thompson followed by rejecting a Devin Vassell jumper as the quarter expired.
Houston entered the final 12 minutes leading 85-81.
Fourth Quarter: Sengun Takes Over, Thompson Saves Houston (114-110)
The final quarter delivered the best basketball of the night.
San Antonio continued attacking Houston’s defense, and Dylan Harper emerged as a major offensive contributor.
Harper converted consecutive baskets to tie the game at 99 before giving San Antonio a 101-99 advantage with a pull-up jumper.
Sengun responded immediately, scoring inside and drawing fouls to keep Houston ahead.
With 4:19 remaining, Harper knocked down a step-back three-pointer to give San Antonio a 104-103 lead.
Houston needed an answer, and Sengun delivered.
The Rockets repeatedly fed their center in the paint, where he used his footwork and physicality to create scoring opportunities.
Sengun scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including a crucial three-point play that gave Houston a 109-104 advantage.
Wembanyama answered with an alley-oop dunk, but Durant responded with a massive three-pointer with 1:34 remaining to extend Houston’s lead to 112-108.
Harper then threw down a dunk with 46 seconds remaining, cutting the deficit to two.
San Antonio eventually got the ball back with five seconds remaining and an opportunity to tie.
Fox found Wembanyama near the basket, but Thompson rose to meet the 7-foot-5 center and blocked his shot.
It was the defensive play of the game.
VanVleet secured the rebound and converted two free throws to seal Houston’s 114-110 victory.
EST Key Takeaways
1. Alperen Sengun was unstoppable when Houston needed him.
Sengun finished with 29 points, but his fourth-quarter performance was what separated the two teams. San Antonio struggled to contain him inside, and Houston repeatedly trusted him in crucial possessions.
2. Amen Thompson deserves recognition for his defense.
Thompson recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. His rejection of Wembanyama in the closing seconds was an extraordinary defensive play, especially considering the height difference.
3. San Antonio’s free-throw shooting hurt its chances.
The Spurs converted just 18 of 25 free throws, while Houston made 28 of 31. In a game decided by four points, leaving seven points at the line proved costly.
4. Dylan Harper provided a major spark.
Harper scored 20 points and was instrumental in San Antonio’s fourth-quarter comeback. His confidence attacking the basket and hitting important shots helped give the Spurs a chance to win.
5. Houston showed composure under pressure.
The Rockets surrendered their lead multiple times, but they never lost control of their offense when it mattered most. Sengun’s scoring, Durant’s timely three-pointer and Thompson’s defensive heroics were enough to secure the victory.
Final Thoughts
Houston moves to 2-0 after surviving one of its toughest early-season tests.
Sengun continues to establish himself as a major offensive weapon, while Thompson showed why his defensive versatility is so valuable.
For San Antonio, there were encouraging signs. Wembanyama bounced back offensively, Harper delivered in the fourth quarter, and the Spurs remained competitive against a talented Houston team.
However, turnovers, missed free throws and late-game execution remain areas that need improvement.
The Spurs had their opportunities, but Houston made the plays that mattered most.
Final Score: Houston Rockets 114, San Antonio Spurs 110.
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