Spurs Lose Scuffle With Rockets

The San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets had a physical matchup on Tuesday night.

If the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets didn't have a rivalry before Tuesday's game, they certainly do now. The Spurs lost to the Rockets, 114-101 in Houston, but the final score is not the key takeaway from the game.

The Spurs were led by Devin Vassell, with 22 points. Victor Wembanyama added only 10 points but nabbed 11 rebounds and seven blocks, while the Rockets were led by Alperen Sengun with 45 points and 16 rebounds. Sengun set a career-high in points.

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Rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore showed out for the Rockets, combining for 21 points, but it wasn't Thompson's scoring that was his main highlight.

Midway through the third quarter, Thompson and Jeremy Sochan got into a scuffle under the basket. Sochan tripped Thompson, then the two had to be separated by the benches.

Sochan, who prides himself on his ability to get under the skin of opponents, was all smiles while he was given a flagrant foul. 

Rockets' color commentator Ryan Hollins was begging for Sochan to be ejected for dirty play, but the contact looked incidental under the basket, not enough to warrant Sochan's removal from the game.  

Sengun was unstoppable all night, taking matters into his own hands to build a Rockets' lead in the third quarter. dominant quarter was answered by Malaki Branham's eight points, but the Spurs couldn't bounce back in the fourth, despite Wembanyama recording 12 minutes in the final frame. 

Branham was a bright spot for the Spurs, finishing with 20 total points on 57.1 percent shooting.

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The Spurs ended a three-game win streak, and will continue their road trip, traveling to California to take on the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. 

The Spurs and Rockets will have their final matchup on March 12, as the Spurs return to the Frost Bank Center.