Houston Rockets 114–110 San Antonio Spurs: match recap

Match recap

Houston edged San Antonio 114-110 in a matchup that featured strong interior play from Alperen Sengun (29 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists) and a double-double from Amen Thompson, while Victor Wembanyama posted 25 and 13 for the Spurs. The Rockets overcame a 5.7% efficiency gap by owning the glass (44 rebounds to 40) and getting balanced scoring from their starters.

The Spurs controlled much of the first half by shooting at a higher clip (56% FG, 32.4% 3P) and leaning on Wembanyama's two-way presence, but the Rockets stayed within reach by crashing the boards and getting foul-drawing drives from Sengun and Durant. Houston's defensive pressure in the third quarter tightened the margin, and a 20-10 fourth-quarter surge from Thompson (20 points, 10 rebounds) flipped the lead for good. Despite San Antonio's superior efficiency and home-floor atmosphere, the Rockets' rebounding advantage (44-40) and free-throw accuracy (15-of-16 after the half) proved decisive down the stretch.

Key factors

• Houston controlled the offensive glass and limited San Antonio to one-shot possessions, finishing with a +4 rebounding margin
• San Antonio's 56% field-goal shooting was offset by the Rockets' ability to generate 25 assists and convert 40% from three-point range
• The Rockets' bench outscored the Spurs' reserves 24-21, with Tari Eason providing 12 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes

The Analyst's take

Houston's ability to win the battle of the boards and convert from deep despite an off-night from Durant (3-of-8 FG) shows depth the Spurs struggled to match. San Antonio's offense looked crisp against a good defensive team, but the rebounding gap and lack of free-throw volume (just 20 attempts to Houston's 27) are patterns to monitor as the season progresses.