Rockets Edge Spurs 114-110 in Austin: Sengun's 29 Outlast Wembanyama's 25 and 13
San Antonio rallied but never took control at the Moody Center, falling to 0-2 as Houston's Alperen Sengun scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Amen Thompson blocked Victor Wembanyama's last-second try to force overtime.
The San Antonio Spurs are still looking for their first win of the season. Houston beat San Antonio 114-110 on Friday night at the Moody Center in Austin, in a physical Texas matchup the Spurs mostly played from behind — Houston led by as many as 11 — and could not finish at the end.
Victor Wembanyama bounced back from his quiet opener with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 9-of-21 shooting, with two blocks and two assists in just under 32 minutes. It was not quite enough: Amen Thompson blocked Wembanyama's final-second attempt to force overtime, sealing the win for Houston. The other four Spurs starters all reached double figures, led by Dylan Harper's 20 points and 19 from De'Aaron Fox, who had been listed questionable with a wrist sprain before the game.
Houston's Alperen Sengun was the game's best player, answering Wembanyama with 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting, seven rebounds and seven assists — including a 14-point fourth quarter. Kevin Durant and Thompson added 20 points apiece for the Rockets, who improved to 2-0 while San Antonio fell to 0-2.
The quarter lines tell the story of a chase: Houston took the first 32-27 and the third 24-22, San Antonio won the second 32-29, and the fourth was even at 29-29 — close all night, never quite over the top. There is no rest in it: the Spurs play again Saturday night in Dallas against the Mavericks, while Houston travels to Atlanta.
