The Rockets beat the Spurs 114-110 behind 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists from Alperen Sengun, who outplayed Victor Wembanyama's 25 and 13. Houston is 2-0, second in the West, and plays at Atlanta tonight.
Oct. 21
Houston opened with a 128-110 home win over Dallas and then lost a rotation piece before the trip. Reed Sheppard went from day-to-day to out with a knee issue. That took last season's 39.4 percent three-point shooter and his 13.5 points a night out of a backcourt that now leans on Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart for spacing. Steven Adams cleared his calf issue in time to make the trip.
First half
Houston won the first quarter 32-27 and pushed the margin to 41-30 early in the second. That 11-point cushion was the biggest lead of the night and drew a San Antonio timeout at 10:04. The Spurs chipped away from there, Houston called time at 47-42, and San Antonio took the period 32-29 to trail only 61-59 at the break. Through 24 minutes it was a coin flip with eight ties.
Third quarter
This stretch decided it. Houston went 19-13 over the first nine minutes of the half, and the Spurs spent three timeouts trying to stop it, at 70-68, 75-68 and 78-69. Kevin Durant scored seven in the run, while Sengun and VanVleet added four each. Amen Thompson's six-foot bank shot at 3:04 made it 80-72. Late in the third Udoka had Thompson, Durant, Smart, Adams and Eason on the floor.
The finish
San Antonio cut the gap to four by the horn, and that was as close as it got. Grades: Sengun, A, for 29-7-7 against the league's toughest interior assignment. VanVleet, B-plus, for 3 of 7 from deep, three steals and zero turnovers by late in the third. Smart, C, for 1 of 5 with no made threes. Smith's +18 in 22 minutes led the team. Thompson's -6 was the low mark.
Oct. 24
Atlanta is 2-0 and rested, with Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar out. The Hawks played at 102.5 possessions per game last season to Houston's 97.0, so the tempo question is real. Jalen Johnson's 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists are the line to slow. Sheppard's estimated return date is today. The Hawks come to Houston on Oct. 26, and Milwaukee follows on Oct. 28.
Who led the Rockets in the 114-110 win over the Spurs?
Alperen Sengun led Houston with 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 25 points and 13 rebounds.
Will Reed Sheppard play against the Hawks?
Sheppard is listed out with a knee issue. His estimated return date is Oct. 24, the day of the game in Atlanta.
