Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs meet on March 8 with most of their main players available. Both teams, however, are missing several rotation pieces because of injuries and long-term absences. These gaps mainly affect bench depth and could influence how each coach manages minutes during the game.Houston will rely on Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün to lead the offense, while San Antonio’s attack centers on Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. The matchup also matters for the standings, as the Rockets are trying to secure a strong playoff position while the Spurs continue to climb in the Western Conference.
Houston Rockets injury report and roster situation vs San Antonio Spurs (March 8, 2026)
Houston Rockets are missing a few players who normally fill key roles in the rotation.Fred VanVleet is out for the entire season after tearing the ACL in his right knee before the start of the 2025–26 campaign. His absence has increased the responsibility on Amen Thompson, who has taken on more ball-handling and playmaking duties.Steven Adams is also out for the season after undergoing surgery on his left ankle in January. Without him, Houston relies more on Alperen Şengün at center and often uses smaller frontcourt lineups.Jae’Sean Tate is sidelined with a Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He suffered the injury in late February and is expected to be evaluated again around March 10. His absence removes a versatile defender from the wing rotation.Jabari Smith Jr. recently missed games because of a right ankle injury. He had targeted an early March return and is expected to be available around this game, although the team may still monitor his minutes.Other regular players on the roster are available.
San Antonio Spurs injury report and roster situation vs Houston Rockets (March 8, 2026)
San Antonio Spurs’ injury list mainly affects frontcourt depth.Harrison Barnes is out with a left ankle injury and is not expected to play in the March 8 game. He normally provides spacing and veteran experience at forward.Mason Plumlee is also unavailable while working through conditioning to return to game shape. With Plumlee out, the Spurs rely more on Victor Wembanyama and other backup bigs for center minutes.Harrison Ingram has also been unavailable during this stretch because of an undisclosed issue and G League assignments.David Jones Garcia will miss the rest of the season after ankle surgery in early February.Emanuel Miller has also been inactive because of assignment-related roster status.San Antonio’s main group, Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson, is available for the game.
Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Expected rotations (March 8, 2026)
Houston’s rotation centers on several primary players.Amen Thompson has taken over point guard duties with VanVleet out. Kevin Durant leads the team in scoring from the wing, while Jabari Smith Jr. provides shooting and defense in the frontcourt.Alperen Şengün remains the main interior presence, contributing as a scorer and passer. Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith handle defensive assignments on opposing forwards. Guards such as Aaron Holiday and Josh Okogie provide depth in the backcourt.San Antonio’s lineup is built around Victor Wembanyama, who contributes on both ends with rim protection and scoring. De’Aaron Fox handles most of the ball-handling and late-game offense.Devin Vassell provides outside scoring and secondary playmaking. Keldon Johnson adds physical play on the wing and often takes difficult defensive assignments. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper add guard depth and energy off the bench.Without Barnes and Plumlee, San Antonio may use smaller lineups and rely more on players like Bismack Biyombo to support Wembanyama in the frontcourt.
Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs results
Houston has had the edge in recent meetings between the two teams.Over the last 10 matchups, the Rockets hold a 7–3 record. During that stretch, Houston has averaged 111.0 points per game while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and making 11.1 three-pointers per game.Houston has also averaged 45.6 rebounds in those games and 14.5 made free throws on 18.9 attempts.The most recent meeting took place on January 20, 2026. Houston won 111–106 while shooting over 51 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range.San Antonio’s roster has improved since earlier seasons, especially with the addition of De’Aaron Fox alongside Wembanyama.
Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs Team performance entering the March 8 matchup
| Metric | Rockets 2026-26 | Spurs 202-26 |
| Points per game | 116.7–117.3 | 113.7–116.9 |
| Opponent points per game | 110.5–112.7 | 108.0–111.4 |
| Fast-break points per game | 14.2–15.6 | 13.0–18.3 |
| Offensive rating (recent vs SA sample) | ~119.5 (Rockets) | Spurs slightly below that mark |
| Defensive rating (recent vs SA sample) | ~113.1 (Rockets) | Spurs hovering near league average |
Houston’s offense depends on Durant’s scoring and Şengün’s playmaking in the frontcourt, with Thompson pushing the pace in transition.San Antonio often runs its offense through actions between Fox and Wembanyama, while Vassell provides perimeter scoring. Defensively, the Spurs rely heavily on Wembanyama’s rim protection.Also read: Is Victor Wembanyama playing tonight vs the Houston Rockets? Latest update on the San Antonio Spurs star’s injury report (March 8, 2026)Houston enters the matchup with a 37–22 record and sits second in the Southwest Division. San Antonio has improved compared to previous seasons and is competing for position in the middle of the Western Conference standings.
