Alperen Sengun achieved a 45-point, 16-rebound double-double and outshined his matchup with rising star Victor Wembanyama, guiding the Houston Rockets to a 114-101 triumph over the visiting San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

Sengun, reaching a career-high in points, also secured a personal best with five steals and consistently dominated the paint against Wembanyama, who recorded 10 points, 11 rebounds, and seven blocks.

Additionally, Sengun drained two 3-pointers to ignite the Rockets, who saw their starting guards Fred VanVleet (21 points, 10 assists) and Jalen Green (23 points) combine for 45 points.

A pivotal moment came in the fourth quarter when Sengun’s heroics allowed the Rockets to seize control. He hit a crucial 3-pointer, stole the ball from Wembanyama, and delivered a slick behind-the-back pass to Cam Whitmore (19 points) for a resounding dunk, extending the lead to 99-90 with 5:36 remaining.

Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 22 points, with valuable contributions from Malaki Branham and Keldon Johnson who scored 20 and 18 points respectively coming off the bench. Jeremy Sochan also chipped in with 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds like Vassell.

Green and VanVleet spearheaded an 8-0 surge that broke the initial 15-15 tie, propelling the Rockets to a 26-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both players hit crucial 3-pointers during this run, with VanVleet setting up Green for an alley-oop dunk on a fast break.

Apart from Wembanyama, the Spurs struggled, shooting 7 for 20 in the first quarter, while Green, Sengun, and VanVleet combined for the first 23 points for Houston. The momentum shifted in the see-saw second quarter, driven by Johnson’s 12 points off the San Antonio bench.

Johnson and Wembanyama ignited a 10-2 run with 3-pointers early in the second quarter, and the Spurs finished the half strong with a 9-0 burst. Zach Collins and Vassell connected from beyond the arc during this surge, setting the Spurs up with a 53-47 lead at halftime.