The Houston Rockets' rivalry with the San Antonio Spurs peaked in the 1990s and saw a brief revival near the peak of the James Harden era. Another spike in tension between the two Lone Star State franchises emerged Saturday.
San Antonio forward Jeremy Sochan offered a pregame taunt Saturday morning, after Spurs shoot-around. When asked to assess whether he feels any rivalry with the Rockets, the third-year forward was rather succinct.
"Yeah, f--k Houston."
Sochan's verbal bomb was a surprising jab during a usually sleepy Saturday early in the NBA season, and reporters postgame noted his comment reached at least a few members of Houston's locker room.