Start of Spurs-Rockets game delayed 22 minutes while a bent rim was replaced

HOUSTON — The start of Houston’s game against San Antonio on Tuesday night was delayed for 22 minutes because a player bent a rim before tipoff and it had to be replaced.

The Spurs were inspecting it during introductions and soon a maintenance crew came out and placed a level on the rim before beginning to work on it. Three people on ladders worked on the rim for a few minutes before the Spurs left the court and returned to the locker room about eight minutes after the game was scheduled to tip off.

A few Rockets remained on the floor warming up on the unaffected basket during the delay, but most of the Rockets also went to the locker room..

After a few minutes workers took the rim off and replaced it.

The Spurs returned to the court about 10 minutes after leaving, and the ladders were removed from the court and San Antonio began to warm up again.

The Rockets who had left returned soon after that and four minutes was put on the clock to allow both teams to warm up before the game tipped off.

There was a second brief delay with about nine minutes remaining in the game when the same rim was checked again. A worker got on a ladder and placed a level on the rim and took a picture with his phone. After showing an arena official and a referee the picture, apparently showing that the rim was level, the ladders were removed and play resumed.