Rockets put Spurs in hole early, cruise to victory

Amen Thompson and Jalen Green combined for 46 points and the Houston Rockets rode a scorching first quarter to a 118-106 victory over the visiting San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Thompson posted 25 points on 12-of-15 shooting with nine rebounds and five assists. Green tallied 21 points and seven boards, and Dillon Brooks hit five 3-pointers en route to 19 points. Houston claimed the season series 3-1 over the Spurs with the wire-to-wire win.

Keldon Johnson and rookie Stephon Castle scored 22 points each off the bench to lead the Spurs, who dropped their fourth consecutive game. Castle added seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Julian Champagnie scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, in reserve roles as San Antonio generated 79 bench points.

Devin Vassell led San Antonio's starters with nine points.

Brooks drilled consecutive 3-pointers as the Rockets made their first five shots. They led 14-4 at the 9:24 mark of the opening period.

Houston led by as many as 17 and settled for a 34-20 cushion going into the second quarter. The Rockets' starters hit 13 of 18 shots from the floor while combining for 32 points in the first.

Johnson, Jeremy Sochan (seven points, five rebounds) and Castle worked to keep the Spurs within striking distance early in the second. Still, the Rockets reclaimed their 17-point advantage at 47-30 when Steven Adams won a jump ball and used a tipped pass to feed Green for a transition dunk with 6:42 to play before halftime.

The Spurs fashioned one final rally midway through the second period, using a 10-2 run ignited by a Johnson three-point play to shave a 20-point deficit to 54-42. But, despite the Spurs posting 35 bench points in the first half, Houston stretched its lead to 64-46.

The Rockets extended their advantage to 28 points late in the third quarter and led 101-75 entering the fourth on 51.9 percent shooting.

Houston finished the night with a 60-41 rebounding advantage. Jeff Green scored 13 points off the bench for the Rockets.

--Field Level Media