Sengun Scores 29 as Rockets Beat Spurs 114-110 in Austin
Alperen Sengun scored 29 points - 14 of them in the fourth quarter - and Amen Thompson blocked Victor Wembanyama's late attempt to tie the game as the Houston Rockets edged the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 Friday night at Moody Center to start the season 2-0.
The Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 on Friday night at Moody Center in Austin, in a physical, playoff-flavored game the Rockets led by as much as 11 points. Houston carried a 61-59 lead into halftime after Fred VanVleet hit a buzzer-beating three, and San Antonio - which led only briefly, by a point at a time - still had the ball with five seconds left and a chance to tie or win.
Alperen Sengun was the difference. The Rockets' center finished with 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting, with seven rebounds and seven assists, and took over the fourth quarter with 14 points as San Antonio repeatedly cut into the lead. Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson added 20 points apiece; Thompson also had 10 rebounds. For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points with 13 rebounds on 9-of-21 shooting, and the other four starters all reached double figures, led by Dylan Harper's 20 points and De'Aaron Fox's 19.
The game came down to the final possession. With the Spurs down two and inbounding after a timeout, Fox faked a fadeaway three and threw inside to Wembanyama, whose attempt near the basket was blocked by Thompson with 0.6 seconds left. VanVleet then hit two free throws to seal it. Free throws told much of the story: Houston made 28 of 31 at the line, San Antonio 18 of 25.
The win moves Houston to 2-0 in the young 2026-27 season, while the defending Western Conference finalist Spurs fall to 0-2. Both teams play again Saturday on the road - the Rockets visit the Atlanta Hawks, and the Spurs visit the Dallas Mavericks.
