The Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Moody Center in Austin, one of the Spurs’ home games away from San Antonio. Houston never trailed after any quarter and closed out its second win in as many nights.

The Rockets came in off a 128-110 home victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 22, so this road win was the second half of a back-to-back. The Spurs had lost 116-104 to the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Oct. 21.

Houston’s Fast Start Sets the Tone

Houston did its best offensive work early, taking the first quarter 32-27. San Antonio answered in the second, winning the period 32-29, but the response was not enough to wipe out the opening deficit, and the Spurs still trailed at the break.

The third quarter was a low-scoring affair at both ends. Houston edged it 24-22, the Spurs’ lowest-scoring period of the night, which gave the visitors a slightly bigger cushion heading into the fourth.

Spurs Match Rockets but Cannot Catch Them

San Antonio needed to outscore Houston in the final quarter to have a chance, and it could not. The two teams split the fourth evenly at 29-29, and with every period after the first so close, the Rockets’ opening-quarter edge ended up deciding a game that was never out of reach for the hosts.

Alperen Sengun led Houston with 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson scored 20 each, and Thompson added 10 rebounds. He also made the play of the night, blocking Victor Wembanyama’s attempt at a tying layup in the final second, according to ESPN. Wembanyama finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds for San Antonio, rookie Dylan Harper scored 20 and De’Aaron Fox had 19 points and nine assists.

The Spurs won only one of the four quarters. Houston took two and tied the other, a steady pattern that allowed the visitors to protect a narrow lead without ever letting San Antonio draw level at a quarter break.

Southwest Division Picture

The result leaves Houston at 2-0, sixth in the Western Conference and second in the Southwest Division. San Antonio falls to 0-2, 12th in the West and fifth in the Southwest.

For the Spurs, the loss extends a difficult opening week in which both defeats came on their home floor. For the Rockets, two wins in two nights against division rivals Dallas and San Antonio make for a solid start to the season.

Both teams return to action on Sunday, Oct. 25. The Spurs travel to face the Dallas Mavericks, the team Houston just beat at home, while the Rockets head east to take on the Atlanta Hawks.