With 5 blocks in the first half, Victor Wembanyama (15 points, 18 rebounds, 5 blocks) had set the tone for the Spurs. Even though their defense limited Houston to 33% shooting before the break, the Rockets were still ahead in the score (51-47). Eight points from Jeff Green (12 points) at the start of the second quarter had in fact launched a 16-4, giving Houston ten lengths ahead.
Despite this good defense from Spurs, their 3/22 3-pointers in the first half allowed their opponents to take control of the match. Unfortunately for them, Gregg Popovich's players did worse after returning from the locker room (2/19)! There will have been spectacular moments, like Wemby's poster on Alperen Sengun (15 points, 9 rebounds), but the lack of offensive production from Spurs will be fatal to them.
Still down two possessions for most of the final quarter, they saw Tari Eason (18 points, 14 rebounds) and Fred VanVleet (16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) go on a 12-4 run in the final five minutes to put the match out of reach of San Antonio (91-79). This is the 17th defeat in a row for Victor Wembanyama's teammates.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Sad record for Spurs. With this new defeat, the Spurs establish the longest losing streak in their history, with 17. They lost 16 games in a row last season.
– Gregg Popovich satisfied with his players. Despite this new defeat, Gregg Popovich was satisfied with the performance of his players. It was their lowest points total of the season last night but they held the Rockets under the 100-point mark and 35% shooting success. If their 5/41 (12%) at 3-points is a task, they dominated Houston in the paint.
– Jeff Green, the detonator. While his team was struggling in the first quarter, the veteran changed the face of the game as soon as he entered the game. He scored his 12 points in the second quarter, to allow the Rockets to take ten points. advance. In a game where every basket was worth a lot, Houston was able to race ahead for the rest of the game, keeping the Spurs at bay enough to escape with the victory.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
