Rockets’ late rally falls short against Spurs
SAN ANTONIO — For a third consecutive game to start the season, the on Saturday played one good half. That was almost enough.
The turnaround was the most extreme of the three games. But in the final minute, a pair of missed shots and a turnover allowed the San Antonio Spurs to escape with a 109-106 win when a Jalen Green off-balance 3 to tie at the buzzer rimmed out.
After trailing by as much as 22 in the first half, and by 18 heading into the fourth quarter, the Rockets made a run the Spurs understandably likely never saw coming.
Article continues below this ad
The Rockets had hinted at it to start the second half, scoring more points on their first possession of the third quarter (four) than in the final 9 ½ minutes of the second quarter (three). The Rockets rallied to within 10 before the Spurs seemed to open a safe lead again.
The Rockets’ defense, invisible at the start of the game, took some control in the fourth quarter. With 3½ minutes remaining, Green drove to a three-point play, finishing through a Victor Wembanyama foul, to bring the Rockets to within one.
After a pair of Wembanyama free throws, the Rockets had a shot to tie, but Dillon Brooks’ 3-pointer rimmed out. Chris Paul set up Jeremy Sochan at the rim for a five-point San Antonio lead with 1:35 remaining.
Brooks answered with a 3-pointer, giving him 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. The Rockets got the stop they needed but Jabari Smith Jr. missed a 3 and then a mid-range jumper to tie.
Still, the Rockets had another chance. Fred VanVleet stripped Wembanyama, but Green’s pass to Cam Whitmore on a break was behind him, turning the ball over with 22.9 seconds left and the Spurs clinging to a two-point lead. Forced to foul, the Rockets sent rookie Stephon Castle to the line, where he made two free throws.
Article continues below this ad
SPURS 109, ROCKETS 106
| FG | FT | Reb | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOUSTON | Min | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Brooks | 35:19 | 6-12 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 1 | 5 | 16 |
| Smith Jr. | 31:58 | 3-10 | 0-0 | 2-7 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Sengun | 22:02 | 2-8 | 1-2 | 1-5 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Ja.Green | 33:03 | 10-22 | 6-6 | 1-6 | 5 | 3 | 29 |
| VanVleet | 38:37 | 5-12 | 4-4 | 0-2 | 7 | 3 | 18 |
| Whitmore | 20:46 | 4-10 | 2-3 | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Thompson | 19:54 | 0-3 | 1-2 | 2-4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Eason | 18:19 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Landale | 13:36 | 5-7 | 3-4 | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Sheppard | 6:23 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 240:00 | 38-92 | 17-21 | 8-34 | 21 | 24 | 106 |
Percentages: FG .413, FT .810.
3-Point Goals: 13-41, .317 (Brooks 4-7, VanVleet 4-10, Ja.Green 3-10, Sengun 1-2, Smith Jr. 1-4, Sheppard 0-1, Eason 0-2, Thompson 0-2, Whitmore 0-3).
Team Rebounds: 12. Team Turnovers: 1.
Blocked Shots: 3 (Brooks, Eason, Whitmore).
Turnovers: 10 (Ja.Green 2, VanVleet 2, Brooks, Eason, Sengun, Sheppard, Smith Jr., Thompson).
Steals: 10 (Eason 3, VanVleet 3, Sengun 2, Brooks, Smith Jr.).
Technical Fouls: Smith Jr., 3:27 third.
| FG | FT | Reb | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAN ANTONIO | Min | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Barnes | 27:42 | 4-6 | 1-1 | 0-3 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Sochan | 36:51 | 8-14 | 1-2 | 3-12 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
| Wembanyama | 30:12 | 10-17 | 7-8 | 1-7 | 1 | 3 | 29 |
| Champagnie | 25:13 | 4-8 | 2-2 | 3-6 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Paul | 26:32 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| Johnson | 29:26 | 5-11 | 5-6 | 1-8 | 0 | 2 | 16 |
| Castle | 26:31 | 2-8 | 4-6 | 0-1 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Collins | 17:48 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 2-8 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Branham | 13:41 | 3-5 | 1-1 | 0-3 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Wesley | 6:03 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Totals | 240:00 | 39-79 | 23-28 | 10-49 | 23 | 18 | 109 |
Percentages: FG .494, FT .821.
3-Point Goals: 8-20, .400 (Barnes 2-3, Champagnie 2-4, Wembanyama 2-5, Paul 1-2, Johnson 1-3, Sochan 0-1, Castle 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: None.
Blocked Shots: 7 (Wembanyama 3, Branham 2, Barnes, Castle).
Turnovers: 17 (Paul 4, Castle 3, Sochan 3, Wembanyama 3, Branham 2, Champagnie 2).
Steals: 6 (Castle 2, Sochan 2, Johnson, Paul).
Technical Fouls: None.
| Houston | 31 | 10 | 28 | 37 | — | 106 |
| San Antonio | 38 | 24 | 25 | 22 | — | 109 |
After Green scored, the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson made two more free throws to take the lead back to four with 11.6 seconds remaining. Fred VanVleet took the quick two points before the Rockets sent Castle back to the line. He missed his free throw, giving the Rockets a chance to shoot for overtime.
The comeback was especially shocking because of the way the first half had gone. The Spurs torched the Rockets’ defense in the first quarter. By the second quarter, the offense fell apart, too, going nine scoreless minutes before Green finally dropped in a 3-pointer. The Spurs finished the half on a 20-3 run to lead 62-41. The Rockets made 4 of 23 shots in the second quarter.
The Rockets began their long climb back to within a chance to start the second half. With a 15-3, 2½ minute burst in the fourth quarter, the Rockets were within seven with 7 ½ minutes left and trailed by just five when Wembanyama returned with 6:10 remaining.
The Rockets continued to close, before falling short in the final minute.
Green led the Rockets for a third consecutive game to start the season, scoring 29 points with six rebounds and five assists.
Rockets center Alperen Şengün, who had 45 points and 16 rebounds against Wembanyama and the Spurs last season, was held to just six points in 22 minutes, sitting out the entire fourth quarter until the final 11.6 seconds. Wembanyama led the Spurs with 29 points, scoring regularly over Brooks, who had been assigned to defend him, but against the Rockets’ centers, too.
