Amen Thompson blocks Wembanyama in the final second as Rockets beat Spurs 114-110 in Austin

Victor Wembanyama had a chance to tie it at the rim. Amen Thompson had other ideas. Thompson blocked Wembanyama’s game-tying layup attempt with less than a second left, and the Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-110 on Friday night, Oct. 23, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

Fred VanVleet made two free throws for the final points. Houston is 2-0. San Antonio is 0-2.

The final seconds

The ending had two twists, according to the Associated Press:

• The 3 that didn’t count: On the possession before the block, Wembanyama banked in a long 3-pointer. It was wiped out because Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had called timeout with 5 seconds left, before Wembanyama released the ball.
• The block: Out of the timeout, the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama went up for a layup in the lane, and the 6-foot-7 Thompson turned him away.

Earlier, Kevin Durant hit a critical 3 with 1:34 remaining, and Spurs guard Dylan Harper’s driving dunk cut Houston’s lead to two with 46 seconds left.

Box score leaders

From the NBA.com box score:

Houston made 28 of 31 free throws. Durant was 8-for-8 at the line, Sengun 7-for-8.

Sengun bullies inside

Sengun scored eight straight Houston points in the fourth quarter. The AP described the 6-foot-11, 243-pound center muscling inside for layups and free throws. Yahoo Sports noted he pushed Wembanyama and Luke Kornet around under the basket more than once.

Thompson’s night went beyond the final play: 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. VanVleet, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, per Yahoo Sports, hit a long 3 just ahead of the halftime buzzer to tie the game at 59.

A better night for Wemby

Wembanyama shot 1-for-13 in the season opener against Oklahoma City, according to Yahoo Sports. On Friday he went 9-for-21 for 25 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. His last two shots ended up as the story of the game.

Why are the Spurs playing in Austin?

It was a Spurs home game. The AP reported that the Spurs consider Austin part of a “mega region” they have cultivated for several years. They have played games there every season since 2022-23, nine in total, and two more are scheduled for February.

The neutral-feeling setting cut both ways. Durant, the national college player of the year at the University of Texas in 2006-07, had plenty of fans in the building. Yahoo Sports also noted a brief early scuffle between Durant and Fox.

What’s next

The Spurs play the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night, another in-state game, as they look for their first win of the season.

FAQ