Author: Monojit Mandal
San Antonio lost to the Houston Rockets 99-89 on Monday night, opting to rest their first overall pick, Victor Wembanyama. Although Spurs were beaten, the Rockets showed their promise by having two of their first-round picks perform admirably.
Amen Thompson, the fourth, and Cam Whitmore, the 20th overall pick, led the Rockets’ surge, both scoring 15 points. The Rockets outscored the Spurs 36-13 in the fourth quarter to maintain their unblemished 3-0 record in the preseason.
Spectacular comeback
The Spurs seemed to be in command at the start, leading 79-65 after Doug McDermott’s three-point basket with 11:06 remaining. However, the Rockets made an incredible comeback, taking the lead 88-87 when Darius Days hit two decisive free throws with 4:24 to go. Cam Whitmore was key to the comeback, hitting a crucial three-pointer and scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Outstanding performances
Newcomer Fred VanVleet scored 12 points and had three steals for the Rockets. Aaron Holiday also contributed 12 points. Zach Collins led the Spurs with 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Jeremy Sochan contributed 13 points and four steals.
76ers get their first win of the preseason
In another preseason game, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 127-119 to claim their first win. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the team with 21 points, while Tobias Harris and Paul Reed scored 18 points each. De’Anthony Melton led the 76ers in scoring, assists, rebounds and steals with 15 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and four steals.
Pacers hand Hawks their first loss
The Indiana Pacers won their opening game, beating the Atlanta Hawks 116-111. Tyrese Haliburton and reserve Aaron Nesmith led the Pacers in scoring with 15 points each. Saddiq Bey led the Hawks with 21 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes off the bench.
Cavaliers beat Ra’Anana
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Maccabi Ra’Anana by a score of 120 to 89. Emoni Bates, a second-round pick, led the Cavaliers with 16 points on 4-of-4 shooting. Ty Jerome led the way with 15 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Dean Wade added 13 points and eight rebounds.
Maccabi Ra’Anana, a visiting club from the Israeli National League, is wrapping up its trip to the United States after facing NBA teams such as the Brooklyn Nets.