The Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 at Austin’s Moody Center on October 23. Amen Thompson blocked Victor Wembanyama’s attempted tying layup in the closing seconds, helping Houston open its NBA season with two wins from two games.

Alperen Şengün led Houston with 29 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter. His late scoring helped the Rockets regain the lead after San Antonio moved ahead 104-103.

Şengün takes charge after Spurs move ahead

Şengün scored on four consecutive possessions during that crucial stretch, putting Houston back in front. The Turkish player finished with seven rebounds, seven assists and one block in 36 minutes.

His 14-point final quarter accounted for almost half his scoring total. San Antonio had edged ahead by a single point, but Şengün’s run gave Houston the advantage again before Thompson’s defensive intervention.

Kevin Durant added 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Rockets. Thompson also scored 20 points and collected 10 rebounds, contributing at both ends before his late block.

Thompson stops Wembanyama’s bid to tie it

Wembanyama was trying to bring San Antonio level when Thompson blocked his layup near the end. Houston finished with a four-point winning margin, preserving its unbeaten start to the season.

The French player led the Spurs with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Dylan Harper added 20 points, while De’Aaron Fox scored 19, but San Antonio could not turn its late challenge into a victory.

The defeat left the Spurs without a win from their opening two games, according to French newspaper L’Alsace. The result gave the two Texas teams contrasting starts: Houston had won both games, while San Antonio had lost both.

Wembanyama calls for greater aggression

After the game, Wembanyama said the Spurs needed to be more aggressive and had paid for their mistakes. He nevertheless said they had played much better and remained as strong as they were last season.

Wembanyama also addressed his concerns about protests and the social climate in France. He said he could still concentrate despite having those issues on his mind, and said they did not explain his performance.