DeRozan has 30 as Spurs hold on for 111-106 win over Rockets

HOUSTON (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points and the San Antonio Spurs held off a late charge from the Houston Rockets for a 111-106 victory Saturday night.

The Spurs led by 10 in the fourth quarter, but it was tied late in the game before DeRozan scored the next five points to give the Spurs a 107-102 lead with a minute to go. John Wall made a layup for Houston with less than 30 seconds left, but Patty Mills hit two free throws for San Antonio to extend it to 109-104.

P.J. Tucker made two free throws for Houston after that, but Rudy Gay made two for San Antonio to secure the victory.

Wall had 27 points and Eric Gordon scored 26 off the bench as the Rockets lost for the second time in three games following a six-game winning streak. DeMarcus Cousins added 12 points with 11 rebounds while filling in for Christian Wood, who is out with a sprained right ankle.

The Rockets used a 10-0 run, with four points from Gordon and capped by a basket from Wall, to make it 100-98 and give them their first lead of the game with about 3 ½ minutes to go.

Jakob Poeltl made two free throws to give the Spurs their first points in almost three minutes and DeRozan, who had eight rebounds and seven assists, added two more free throws a few second later to put San Antonio back on top.

Gay opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer that extended San Antonio’s lead to 10 points. Houston then used a 14-5 run, with two 3s from Danuel House, to cut the lead to 92-91 with about 8 minutes left.

A 3-pointer by David Nwaba got Houston within eight in the third, but the Spurs scored the next five points to push it to 82-69. The Rockets ended the quarter on an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to 84-77 entering the fourth.

TIP-INS

Spurs: Lonnie Walker missed the game because of a stomach illness. … LaMarcus Aldridge was out for a second straight game because of a sore right hip. …

Rockets: Wood is out indefinitely after being injured on Thursday night. He will be evaluated weekly to determine when he can return. … Gordon has scored more than 20 points in four straight games.

UP NEXT

Spurs: Return home for two games against Golden State starting on Monday night before beginning a seven-game road trip on Friday night at Atlanta.

Rockets: Play five of their next six games on the road, beginning with a trip to Charlotte on Monday night.