# Sengun Scores 29 as Rockets Hold Off Spurs 114-110 Alperen Sengun scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant hit a late three and Amen Thompson blocked Victor Wembanyama on San Antonio’s final possession. By The Signal Edition | Sports / NBA Published: 2026-10-24T05:09:00Z Updated: 2026-10-24T05:09:00Z Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/rockets-beat-spurs-2rp46h Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/f523099809e4c47e61d73536f3b947e5.avif (A basketball drops through the hoop during play on an indoor court; credit: Jeremy Bishop / Unsplash) ## Summary - Houston beat San Antonio 114-110 at Moody Center in Austin and improved to 2-0. - Alperen Sengun scored 29 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and added seven rebounds and seven assists. - Amen Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds, then blocked Victor Wembanyama’s potential tying shot in the closing seconds. - Wembanyama led San Antonio with 25 points and 13 rebounds; the Spurs fell to 0-2. ## Sengun answers San Antonio’s late lead Alperen Sengun scored 29 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, as the Houston Rockets held off the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 on Friday at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The win moved Houston to 2-0 and left San Antonio at 0-2 after a physical early-season meeting between Southwest Division rivals. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [2](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) [3](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) Houston led 61-59 at halftime and stayed narrowly ahead through three quarters, but Dylan Harper’s three-pointer put San Antonio in front 104-103 with 4:19 remaining. Sengun answered with consecutive interior baskets and then completed a three-point play, turning that one-point deficit into a 109-104 Rockets lead. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [2](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) Kevin Durant, one of the players driving search interest around the matchup, scored 20 points and made a three-pointer with 1:34 left to stretch Houston’s lead to 112-108. Amen Thompson also scored 20, collected 10 rebounds and supplied the defining defensive play when he blocked Victor Wembanyama’s potential tying attempt in the final seconds. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [2](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) [3](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) Houston’s attack was less explosive than in its 128-110 opening win over Dallas, when Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. each scored 30, but it proved adaptable. With San Antonio taking away clean perimeter looks, the Rockets repeatedly went through Sengun in the post and trusted him to create either a finish or the next pass. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [3](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) ## Wembanyama rebounds, but Houston closes Wembanyama recovered from a difficult season opener to lead the Spurs with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 9-for-21 shooting. Harper scored 20, De’Aaron Fox added 19 points and nine assists, and Stephon Castle finished with 15 points as San Antonio kept the margin within reach throughout the fourth quarter. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [2](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) [3](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) The closing sequence belonged to Houston. After Thompson rejected Wembanyama, Fred VanVleet secured the rebound and made two free throws to seal the result. VanVleet finished with 14 points, while Sengun added seven rebounds and seven assists to a performance that mixed post scoring with playmaking against San Antonio’s length. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [2](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) For San Antonio, the improved Wembanyama performance was an important response to his 1-for-13 shooting night in a season-opening loss to Oklahoma City. The Spurs were more competitive in Austin and briefly took the lead late, but could not turn that recovery into a first win once Sengun and Houston’s defense controlled the decisive possessions. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [3](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) The result consolidated search interest for the Rockets, the Spurs game and Durant around one event rather than separate stories. Houston was scheduled to travel immediately for a Saturday game against unbeaten Atlanta, while San Antonio faced its own back-to-back at Dallas. Those quick turnarounds will test how much each team can carry forward from a game decided by execution in the final four minutes. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) [2](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) [3](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) ## Reporting sources 1. [Reuters: Alperen Sengun, Rockets win physical battle against rival Spurs](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/alperen-sengun-rockets-win-physical-battle-against-rival-spurs--flm-2026-10-24/) (2026-10-24) 2. [Houston Chronicle: Houston Rockets and Amen Thompson stuff Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio Spurs](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-block-victor-wembanyama-22490622.php) (2026-10-24) 3. [Pounding the Rock: San Antonio vs. Houston final score: Spurs drop to 0-2 in physical game with Rockets](https://www.poundingtherock.com/game-recaps/108737/san-antonio-vs-houston-final-score-spurs-to-0-2-in-physical-game-with-rockets-110-114) (2026-10-24)