Spurs vs. Rockets Takeaways: Rhythm Nation Leads To Second Consecutive Win
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets recorded their second consecutive win in a 142-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' victory inside the Toyota Center.
Kevin Porter Jr. had his best game since returning from injury:
Kevin Porter Jr. is still working his way back from a 20-game absence. But Sunday night, Porter had one of his best performances of the season.
"I never felt like I was off rhythm, that's just the confidence I have in myself and in my game," Porter said. "My brothers have given me confidence. When I was out, they did a good job making sure I was good mentally. That has helped me a lot in my comeback."
Porter finished with 19 points (7-11 FG, 3-5 3PT), which marked his best scoring performance since returning from injury. But Porter had his best game as a facilitator.
He recorded a season-high 13 assists. His ability to keep the ball moving helped create several easy scoring opportunities for his teammates.
The highlight of the night came with 1 minute and 7 seconds left in the first quarter when Porter's spinning bounce pass in transition led to a dunk attempt for Tari Eason.
For the first time since his return, Porter looked healthy, despite his wounded toe remaining an ongoing issue.
"I did not have any aggravation as much," Porter said. "I felt like I could control my moves better with the last two games under my belt."
Alperen Sengun getting back into a rhythm:
Alperen Sengun's return from the All-Star break was rough. His production fell off when compared to his early season success. And in games against the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers, Sengun's night ended prematurely due to his third-quarter benchings.
Against the Spurs, Sengun had arguably his best performance on both ends, finishing with 15 points (6-for-9 FG), 14 rebounds, three steals and a block.
Silas credited Sengun as one of the primary reasons the Rockets ended the night with seven players scoring in double-figures. He noticed Sengun setting off-ball screens, which helped Houston finish the game by shooting 61.2 percent from the floor, 54.3 percent from behind the arc.
"He has done what I wanted," Silas said. "When he can play an easy game, he can do some special things, like tonight. Hopefully, he is breaking out [of his slump]."
Another solid night on the defensive end:
When the Rockets defeated the Spurs Saturday night, Silas credited the victory to their play on the defensive end. And 24 hours later, Houston sustained its defense.
The Rockets held the Spurs to 46.2 percent shooting from the floor, 32.4 percent shooting from behind the arc. No player on San Antonio's roster scored over 20 points.
DeVonte Graham was held to 14 points (4-10 FG, 3-9 3PT) one night after he finished with 28 points (7-15 FG, 7-12 3PT) inside the AT&T Center.
Best performance:
Silas said Jalen Green's improved decision-making is due to the speed of the game slowing down. Over the previous five games, he has averaged 1.2 turnovers after registering 3.0 through the first 52 games.
But against the Spurs, the speed of the game led to Green having one of his most efficient performances of the season. He scored 31 points while shooting 11-for-19 from the field, 4-for-8 shooting from behind the arc.
Worst performance:
Every player who stepped onto the court played a great game. But Jabari Smith Jr. did have a mediocre night due to the five fouls he picked up early in the third quarter.
Final words:
"We have an unselfish group. We have a group that wants to do the right things. But we are just young, and sometimes that gets in the way. When the ball is moving, everyone is getting a piece." — Silas
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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