NBA Preseason Roundup: Rockets rally to top Spurs, who sat Wembanyama

NBA Preseason: Amen Thompson, the fourth overall selection, and 20th pick Cam Whitmore finished with 15 points apiece and the Rockets (3-0) outscored San Antonio 36-13 in the final period to remain unbeaten.

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) dunks in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs. | Photo Credit: Reuters

San Antonio sat No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama in a 99-89 loss to Houston on Monday night that saw the Rockets two first-round picks play well.

Amen Thompson, the fourth overall selection, and 20th pick Cam Whitmore finished with 15 points apiece and the Rockets (3-0) outscored San Antonio 36-13 in the final period to remain unbeaten.

The Spurs (1-2) led 79-65 after Doug McDermott’s 3-pointer with 11:06 left to play. The Rockets battled back, taking an 88-87 lead on two free throws by Darius Days with 4:24 left to play. Whitmore followed with a 3-pointer, then hit two shots in the final 96 seconds, scoring 11 in the period.

Newcomer Fred VanVleet had 12 points and three steals for Houston. Aaron Holiday also scored 12.

Zach Collins paced the Spurs with 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Jeremy Sochan added 13 points and four steals.

76ERS 127 BEAT NETS 119

Kelly Oubre Jr. had 21 points, Tobias Harris and Paul Reed scored 18 apiece and Philadelphia earned its first preseason victory, beating Brooklyn in New York.

Oubre added four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks for Philadelphia (1-2). Harris grabbed nine rebounds and Reed snared five. De’Anthony Melton totalled 15 points, 10 assists, eight boards and four steals.

Cam Thomas led Brooklyn (1-2) with 18 points. Reserves Royce O’Neale, Trendon Watford and Lonnie Walker IV each scored 13. Nic Claxton made all six of his shots and scored 12.

PACERS 116 BEAT HAWKS 112

Tyrese Haliburton and reserve Aaron Nesmith scored 15 points apiece to help Indiana earn its first victory by handing visiting Atlanta its first loss.

Haliburton added eight rebounds and Nesmith hit three 3-pointers for Indiana (1-2). Myles Turner scored 13 and blocked three shots. Jarace Walker, the eighth overall pick acquired in a trade with the Washington Wizards, scored four points on 2-for-8 shooting. First-rounder Ben Sheppard scored nine on 3-for-8 shooting from 3-point range.

Saddiq Bey finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench to pace Atlanta (3-1). De’Andre Hunter had 16 points, while AJ Griffin scored 15. Kobe Bufkin, the 15th overall pick, totalled eight points, six rebounds and three assists in a start.

CAVALIERS 120 BEAT RA’ANANA 89

Rookie Emoni Bates came off the bench to score 16, leading Cleveland past visiting Maccabi of Israel.

Bates, a second-round selection this year and the only pick for Cleveland (1-1), sank 6 of 12 shots with four 3-pointers. Ty Jerome had 15 points, six assists and four rebounds. Dean Wade scored 13 with eight rebounds. Damian Jones hit all seven of his free throws, scoring 11.

Maccabi, which plays in the Israeli National League, visited the U.S. last year, playing games against the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Maccabi opened its trip this year with a 135-103 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 12. The team will close out its visit with a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

Former NBA players Dwayne Bacon, Quinndary Weatherspoon, Bruno Caboclo, Mamadi Diakite and Sindarius Thornwell all play for the Ra’Anana. Diakite scored a game-high 17 in 21 minutes. Weatherspoon and Bacon added 14 points apiece.