Key Takeaways

• Houston received 29 points from Sengun, and 20-point contributions from Durant and Amen Thompson, with a sharp finish from Thompson on the decisive play. The Rockets opened strong, scoring 32 in the first quarter and never letting San Antonio seize control.
• San Antonio shot 40% from three while the Rockets hit 40% from beyond the arc, giving Houston the edge in the perimeter battle. Free throws also favored Houston, who went 28-for-31 at the line, while San Antonio missed seven attempts (18-for-25, 72%).
• Devin Vassell fouled out late after picking up four fouls for the second consecutive game, contributing to a higher Spurs foul total that aided Houston’s free-throw advantage (31 total for SA).
• In two games so far, Mitch Johnson’s Spurs have averaged 107 points per game (21st in the league) with a defensive rating around the 17th mark, illustrating growing pains with the new rotation.
• Wembanyama finished 9-for-21 from the floor and 1-for-4 in the fourth period, while Sengun carried Houston in the fourth with 14 points as no other Rocket scored more than five in that stretch.
• The coach acknowledged that stabilizing the revamped rotation would take time, even as fans hoped for an immediate breakthrough at the start of the season against two strong opponents.
• Spurs fans will face a quick turnaround against Dallas, a test that could determine whether the team’s experimentation with rotations gains traction through more extensive game reps.